Terra Foundation for American Art
The Terra Foundation for American Art is a private operating foundation established in 1978 by Daniel J. Terra, a businessman, art collector, and former United States Ambassador-at-Large for Cultural Affairs. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in Paris, France, the foundation supports organizations and individuals locally and globally through grantmaking, collection loans, and initiatives focused on American art.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$602.9M
+3.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$14.3M
-2.5% YoY
Grant Count
199
-11.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
+10.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Terra Foundation for American Art reported a distributable amount of $19.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: In partnership with organizations and individuals locally and globally, the Terra Foundation fosters intercultural dialogues and encourages transformative practices to expand narratives of American art.
Primary Focus: The foundation supports projects that engage the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America. It encourages projects that:
- Catalyze inclusive and expansive practices in the field of American art
- Engage artists, scholars, and communities who present a plurality of perspectives and methods, including intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches
- Collectively reflect the full breadth and complexity of American art and its histories through the artists represented, voices included, and stories told
The foundation's work encompasses education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking, with direct activities including exhibitions, scholarly research, publications, and educational and residency programs.
Grantmaking
The foundation offers multiple grant programs with typical awards ranging from $604 to $3,750,000:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects in multiple regions, with primary focus areas including Illinois, New York, and California. The foundation describes its geographic approach as supporting projects in different cities, regions, or countries at any given time, using both "local" (proximate to/concentrated in specific geographic locations) and "global" approaches to its grantmaking.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $602,937,364 (as of 2023)
- Total giving: $14,322,498
- Total revenues: $449,057 (2023)
- Total expenses: $19,541,234 (2023)
- Total liabilities: $19.3M (2023)
Tax Status: Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since May 2003. EIN: 36-2999442. Donations are tax deductible.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $602,937,364 | $583,846,758 | $559,052,944 |
| Revenue | $25,052,658 | $449,057 | $96,843,650 |
| Expenses | $25,089,633 | $19,541,234 | $27,058,116 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $23,572,653 | $23,612,459 | $19,292,653 |
| Net Investment Income | $23,571,572 | $3,221,356 | $106,681,372 |
| Distributable Amount | $19,409,395 | $18,499,768 | $19,402,865 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Terra Foundation for American Art
Collections Grants
TERRA FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN ART
Amount
US $25,000 - US $75,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Convening Grants
TERRA FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN ART
Amount
US $10,000 - US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
TFAA: Exhibition Grants
TERRA FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN ART
Amount
US $25,000 - US $200,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Amistad Research Center ($300,000), Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences ($225,000), Baltimore Museum of Art Inc ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 6018NORTH NFP CHICAGO, IL | ART EDUCATION | $75,000 |
| ABBE MUSEUM BAR HARBOR, ME | ART EDUCATION | $75,000 |
| AKETE ART FOUNDATION | ART EDUCATION | $150,000 |
| ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER INC ANCHORAGE, AK | ART EDUCATION | $75,000 |
| ALBERTINE FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | ART EDUCATION | $40,000 |
| ALBERTINE FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | ART EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| ALFREDO F TADIAR LIBRARY COUNCIL INC | ART EDUCATION | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME NEW YORK, NY | ART EDUCATION | $79,700 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME NEW YORK, NY | ART EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN CENTER INC CHICAGO, IL | ART EDUCATION | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Patricia Gaunet serves as Director of Office Administration. Donald H. Ratier is listed as Principal Officer.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUEY COPELAND | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| AMINA DICKERSON | DIRECTOR/VICE-CHAIR | 1 | $10,000 |
| JOSEPH GROMACKI | DIRECTOR/CHAIR (FORMER) | 1 | $5,000 |
| STEPHANIE HARRIS | DIRECTOR/CHAIR | 1 | — |
| ERICA HIRSHLER | DIRECTOR/SECRETARY | 1 | $10,000 |
| HENRY JOHNSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RAYMOND MCGUIRE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| ANNE MUNSCH | CFO, ASST SEC/TREASURER | 35 | $381,958 |
| ADAM WEINBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| JAY XU | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| AMY ZINCK | EXEC VICE PRESIDENT | 35 | $312,422 |
| SHARON CORWIN | CEO, PRESIDENT | 35 | $540,815 |
| ERIC MCKISSACK | DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 1 | $10,000 |
| RAVI SALIGRAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| KAYWIN FELDMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| VICTORIA ROGERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| CATHERINE SARR | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| AMANDA WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| RICARDO ESTRADA | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
Contact Information
- Phone: 312-664-3939 (Chicago); +33 1 43 20 67 01 (Paris)
- Email: contact@terraamericanart.org
- Website: terraamericanart.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Terra Foundation for American Art fund?
**Mission Statement:** In partnership with organizations and individuals locally and globally, the Terra Foundation fosters intercultural dialogues and encourages transformative practices to expand narratives of American art. **Primary Focus:** The foundation supports projects that engage the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America. It encourages projects that: • Catalyze inclusive and expansive practices in the field of American art • Engage artists, scholars, and…
How do I apply for a grant from Terra Foundation for American Art?
**Grant Types & Amounts:** The foundation offers multiple grant programs with typical awards ranging from $604 to $3,750,000: • **Exhibition Grants:** $25,000–$200,000 for organizations planning and presenting temporary loan exhibitions primarily comprising artworks not part of the institution's permanent collection • **Convening Grants:** $10,000–$25,000 for conferences, workshops, and gatherings that stimulate interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange • **Collections Grants:** Support for …
Where does Terra Foundation for American Art make grants?
The foundation funds projects in multiple regions, with primary focus areas including Illinois, New York, and California. The foundation describes its geographic approach as supporting projects in different cities, regions, or countries at any given time, using both "local" (proximate to/concentrated in specific geographic locations) and "global" approaches to its grantmaking.
What size grants does Terra Foundation for American Art award?
In 2024, Terra Foundation for American Art awarded 199 grants totaling $14.3M — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Terra Foundation for American Art required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Terra Foundation for American Art reported a distributable amount of $19.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Terra Foundation for American Art's EIN?
Terra Foundation for American Art's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2999442. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Terra Foundation for American Art's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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