The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Established in 1969, it supports the arts, humanities, and higher education through grants intended to build just communities enriched by meaning and guided by critical thinking.
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation at a glance
In short: The Andrew W Mellon Foundation gave $555.0M across 848 grants in 2024 (avg $654K), top state New York. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $555,004,183
- +5.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 848
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $654,486
- +1.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500,000
- Total assets
- $7,820,349,022
- -2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (280 of 697, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (24% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through certain opportunities: it welcomes inquiries aligned with its strategies and accepts inquiries for Humanities in Place on a rolling basis. Most grants are made by invitation, and the Foundation occasionally issues open calls. The filing directs applicants to Statement 26 for forms and materials and Statement 27 for deadlines. Grants must support charitable, educational, or scientific activities under the relevant U.S. tax provisions. The Foundation does not fund tuition, K–12 education and programming, fundraising events, or direct unrestricted funding for individuals.
- Review Cycle
- The Community-Based Archives call listed a registration deadline of March 12, 2025, an application deadline of March 28, 2025, and a final proposal deadline of July 7, 2025 for invited applicants. These deadlines have passed. The Humanities in Place inquiry process is listed as rolling.
- Deadline
- The Community-Based Archives call listed a registration deadline of March 12, 2025, an application deadline of March…
- Contact
Application contact: The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
Mailing address: 140 East 62Nd Street, New York, NY 10065
Phone: (212) 838-8400
Website: https://mellon.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships Grant
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Arts and Culture Program Grants
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Call for Proposals for Community-Based Archives
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Andrew W Mellon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Council of Learned Societies ($16.5M across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $65.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($4,651,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
3,400 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 1,313 grants of 3,400 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation makes most grants to organizations in the United States and also supports organizations outside the United States that are equivalent to U.S. public charities. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New York (24%), California (12%), the District of Columbia (7%), Illinois (6%), and Massachusetts (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 848 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Andrew W Mellon Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 280 of 697 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $552K; repeat grants $961K. How we count
Medians: $500K first-time, $600K repeat.
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 167% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $417.7M (2021) to $555.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 848 grants totaling $555.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Council of Learned Societies New York, NY | To support the administration and annual institutional renewals for the mellon mays undergraduate fellowship program | $8,556,000 |
| City of Richmond Richmond, VA | To support the planning, development, and initial operations of a cultural space located at the shockoe bottom train shed that memorializes and commemorates the history of slavery in richmond | $7,000,000 |
| The International Association of Blacks in Dance Inc Washington, DC | To support a regranting program to artists and companies driving the future of black dance | $5,600,000 |
| Freedom Reads Hamden, CT | To provide major renewed support to freedom reads as it scales its library installations and expands organizational capacity | $5,000,000 |
| WGBH Educational Foundation Boston, MA | To support the American archive of public broadcasting to preserve endangered public media holdings at scale for future access and use | $5,000,000 |
| Montpelier Foundation Montpelier Station, VA | To support the creation of a memorial to the individuals who were enslaved at montpelier | $4,282,000 |
| Monument Lab Philadelphia, PA | To support the expansion of the re:generation program, field building, narrative change work, and general operations | $4,000,000 |
| Los Angeles Nomadic Division Los Angeles, CA | To support the semi-permanent installation of a monument to south central | $3,950,000 |
| National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States Washington, DC | To support the african American cultural heritage action funds grantmaking, programs, marketing, expanded technical assistance for prospective grantees, and three signature preservation projects | $3,500,000 |
| Fidelity Charitable Cincinnati, OH | Matching Gift | $3,485,813 |
Ready to take the next step with The Andrew W Mellon Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,820,349,022 | $1,059,396,782 | $584,700,649 | $555,004,183 | 848 | $641,858,148 | $328,076,515 | $385,147,277 |
| 2023 | $8,027,994,221 | $450,432,209 | $654,044,753 | $524,690,293 | 817 | $602,175,024 | $272,446,003 | $395,340,961 |
| 2022 | $8,189,888,621 | $320,667,704 | $688,730,792 | $505,720,031 | 566 | $575,407,926 | $453,063,562 | $423,952,962 |
| 2021 | $9,550,167,340 | $1,146,757,446 | $557,955,269 | $417,731,340 | 582 | $471,218,624 | $1,184,215,794 | $424,300,631 |
| 2020 | $8,218,016,721 | $505,890,143 | $527,947,671 | $420,905,486 | 587 | — | $421,054,078 | $343,616,535 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Andrew W Mellon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $385.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Its staff conducts research to inform and improve strategies toward that aim.
The Foundation’s website describes support for arts and cultural institutions, higher education, scholars, and humanities-focused organizations. Its Higher Learning program supports colleges and universities pursuing new directions in humanistic study, scholars and academic leaders, and organizations expanding public understanding of the liberal arts. Arts and Culture supports cultural organizations, institutions, collectives, initiatives, artistic archives, and research that contributes to a viable creative sector.
Examples of grantees show the range of supported work. The American Council of Learned Societies describes its mission as advancing humanistic studies and strengthening relations among scholarly societies. The International Association of Blacks in Dance says it works to preserve and promote dance by people of African ancestry. Freedom Reads describes its work as bringing handcrafted bookcases and libraries into prisons. WGBH Educational Foundation says it provides programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain. Monument Lab describes itself as a public art and history studio that facilitates conversations about monuments.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 848 grants totaling $555,004,183. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $8,556,000, with a median of $500,000. The filing reports 699 grantees for the year.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $8,556,000 to the American Council of Learned Societies for administration and annual institutional renewals for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program; $7,000,000 to the City of Richmond for planning, development, and initial operations of a cultural space commemorating the history of slavery in Richmond; and $5,600,000 to the International Association of Blacks in Dance for a regranting program supporting artists and companies. Other large grants included $5,000,000 each to Freedom Reads and WGBH Educational Foundation, and $4,282,000 to the Montpelier Foundation for a memorial to people enslaved at Montpelier.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Alexander as president; Scott Taylor as chief investment officer; Sheree Carter-Galvan as chief legal officer; Julie Ehrlich as executive vice president and chief operating officer; Carter Stewart as executive vice president for programs and research; and Sepideh Sepasi as chief financial officer and treasurer. Kathryn Hall is listed as trustee and board chair. Trustees listed include Paul Farber, Heather Gerken, and Joshua S. Friedman, whose term ended in March 2024.
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation is led by Elizabeth Alexander, President on every filing since 2020; all 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth Alexander
President
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$960K (2020) → $1.5M (2024)
Kathryn A. Hall
Trustee & Board Chair
Trustee → Trustee & Brd Chair, 2021
Trustee & Brd Chair → Trustee & Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$55K (2020) → $75K (2024)
Heather Gerken
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Jonathan Holloway
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$23K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Joshua S. Friedman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $20K (2024)
Thelma Golden
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $40K (2024)
Kelly Ann Granat
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$23K (2021) → $53K (2024)
Sherrilyn Ifill
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$23K (2021) → $40K (2024)
Gaurav Kapadia
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$13K (2023) → $40K (2024)
Melissa Gilliam
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$13K (2023) → $40K (2024)
Maryana Iskander
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
$27K (2024)
Paul Farber
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
$27K (2024)
Scott Taylor
Chief Investment Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$2.1M (2020) → $1.4M (2024)
Carter Stewart
Executive Vice President, Programs & Research
Executive Vice President for Programs → Executive Vice President, Programs & Research, 2023
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$245K (2021) → $615K (2024)
Sheree Carter-Galvan
Chief Legal Officer
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$738K (2023) → $822K (2024)
Julie Ehrlich
Executive Vice President & COO
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$642K (2024)
Sepideh Sepasi
CFO & Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$550K (2024)
Former officers (7)
- Former: Glenn D. Lowry (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Richard H. Brodhead (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Katherine G. Farley (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Michele S. Warman (2020–2022) — Executive Vice President, COO, General Cnsl & Secretary
- Former: Eric M. Mindich (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Sarah E. Thomas (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Alondra Nelson (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1.5M, to Elizabeth Alexander (President). 17 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
How much does The Andrew W Mellon Foundation give each year?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation gave $555.0M across 848 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $524.7M across 817 grants.
What is The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's typical grant size?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $500,000, and its average grant was $654,486, across 848 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Andrew W Mellon Foundation that year got $552K on average.
Where does The Andrew W Mellon Foundation give grants?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's top state is New York, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (12%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (159 grants), Washington, DC (48 grants), Chicago, IL (37 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (32 grants).
Does The Andrew W Mellon Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (110 of 848) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "To Support a Call for Concepts Research Project" (17 grants), "To Support a Humanities for All Times Project" (10 grants) and "To Support the Activities of the Memory Lab" (10 grants).
Who are The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's largest grantees?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Council of Learned Societies ($16,476,000 across 6 grants), City of Richmond ($7,000,000) and Smithsonian Institution ($6,150,000 across 5 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($4,651,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 5% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Andrew W Mellon Foundation?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation reported $7.8B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $641.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $385.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Andrew W Mellon Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Its staff conducts research to inform and improve strategies toward that aim. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Andrew W Mellon Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through certain opportunities: it welcomes inquiries aligned with its strategies and accepts inquiries for Humanities in Place on a rolling basis. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's EIN?
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1879954. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Andrew W Mellon Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Andrew W Mellon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation-morg_8ff8a1cdd5d44803929e6902d541f3cf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131879954_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Andrew W Mellon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-andrew-w-mellon-foundation-morg_8ff8a1cdd5d44803929e6902d541f3cf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Andrew W Mellon Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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