Samuel H Kress Foundation
The Samuel H. Kress Foundation is a private grant-making foundation established in 1929 by Samuel H. Kress (1863-1955). Based in New York City at 174 East 80th Street, the foundation is dedicated to advancing the study, preservation, and enjoyment of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the early 19th century. The foundation operates exclusively within the United States and requires all grant recipients to be U.S. nonprofit organizations or to have a U.S. nonprofit fiscal sponsor.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$88.2M
+8.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
-28.7% YoY
Grant Count
98
-26.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-2.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports "the work of individuals and institutions engaged with the appreciation, interpretation, preservation, study and teaching of the history of European art and architecture from antiquity to the dawn of the modern era."
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- History of Art: Scholarly projects that enhance the understanding and appreciation of European art and architecture, including museum exhibitions and technical and scientific studies
- Conservation: Support for the professional practice of art conservation
- Digital Art History: Resources and tools that advance digital scholarship in the field
Grantmaking
The foundation awards competitive grants to institutions only. Grant amounts have ranged from $10,000 to larger awards, with recent examples including $12,000 to CUNY for a Latin/Greek Institute and $10,000 to Williams College Museum of Art for a Collection Explorer tool.
Review Cycle
cycle (as of August 2025):
Grant Types
How to Apply
The foundation operates on a two-deadline cycle (as of August 2025):
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds exclusively in the United States. All grant recipients must be U.S. nonprofit organizations or have a U.S. nonprofit fiscal sponsor.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Founded: 1929
- Total Assets: $88,206,270
- Annual Giving: $3,872,803 (2024)
- Annual Disbursements: Approximately $3.9 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $88,206,270 | $81,608,765 | $75,745,725 |
| Revenue | $4,936,705 | $2,288,198 | $5,146,879 |
| Expenses | $2,928,277 | $4,721,301 | $3,939,678 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,880,528 | $4,523,161 | $4,414,359 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,455,805 | $1,662,644 | $4,511,567 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,098,317 | $3,895,796 | $4,424,808 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Samuel H Kress Foundation
History of Art Grants
SAMUEL H KRESS FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Interpretive Fellowships at Art Museums
SAMUEL H KRESS FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Kress Conservation Fellowships Grant
SAMUEL H KRESS FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Nina Scherago (Chair)
- Daniel H. Weiss
- Joy Connolly
- Ken Lee
- Robert B. Loper
- Theodore V.H. Mayer
- Steven Nelson
Staff:
- L. W. Schermerhorn (Interim President)
- Soon Kai Poh (Special Advisor, Programs & Operations)
- Kelly Risi (Accountant / Controller)
- Blake Rumuly (Grants Administrator)
- Shea Spiller (Office Administrator)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARMELA FRANKLIN | CHAIRMAN | 2 | $2,000 |
| DANIEL WEISS | VICE CHAIRMAN | 2 | $1,000 |
| ELIZABETH EVEILLARD | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ROBERT LOPER | SECRETARY | 2 | $2,000 |
| MAX MARMOR | PRESIDENT | 40 | $525,154 |
| WILLIAM J HIGGINS | TRUSTEE | 2 | $2,000 |
| KEN LEE | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| THEODORE MAYER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| STEVEN NELSON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| NINA SCHERAGO | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
As of August 2025, the foundation announced a series of program updates effective immediately. The foundation reduced its grant application windows from three to two by eliminating the winter grant deadline. This change enables the foundation to make larger and more competitive awards while reducing administrative burden.
Samuel H. Kress Foundation\u2019s History of Art Grant Program, LOI due\The foundation confirmed that the level of giving and activity will not be reduced and will increase modestly in the current fiscal year. The foundation continues to conduct listening sessions and outreach with the broader Kress community to inform its grantmaking priorities.
Samuel H. Kress Foundation\u2019s History of Art Grant Program, LOI due\**Contact Information:**
Phone: 212.861.4993
Website: https://www.kressfoundation.org
Instagram: @kressfdn
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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