The Herb Alpert Foundation
The Herb Alpert Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1988 by legendary trumpet player and composer Herb Alpert and singer Lani Hall. Based in Santa Monica, California, the foundation supports organizations whose missions promote compassion and creativity in society. The foundation has distributed over $200 million in grants since its inception.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$45.7M
-14.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.5M
-23.8% YoY
Grant Count
86
-6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$87K
-18.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Herb Alpert Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on the belief that "the arts have the unique ability to transform lives and allow us to recognize our shared humanity."
Primary funding areas include:
The Arts
- Arts Education
- Focus on Jazz
- Support to Professionals
Compassion & Well-Being
- The foundation believes that empathy and cooperation in daily interactions, and the positive effects of restoring individuals' and families' abilities to stand independently, are keys to a just society.
Legacy Gifts
- Support to programs and institutions to ensure sustained impact in their communities.
Since the mid-2000s, the foundation narrowed its focus from broader health and environmental causes to concentrate on arts and compassion/well-being for greater impact.
Grantmaking
The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts provides $75,000 unrestricted prizes annually to 10 mid-career artists (one winner per discipline), plus residency at CalArts. Awards are by nomination only across the disciplines of Dance, Film/Video, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts.
Grant Range
s & Range**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primarily Los Angeles County, with some national grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets
- $45,673,809 (2024)
- $53.4 million (2023)
Annual Revenue & Expenses
- Total revenues: $2,280,917 (2024)
- Total expenses: $9,969,074 (2024)
- Annual giving: $9,819,700 (2023)
Tax Status
- 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since March 1993
- EIN: 95-4191227
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $45,673,809 | $53,372,891 | $33,310,174 |
| Revenue | $2,280,917 | $52,766,904 | $7,308,518 |
| Expenses | $9,969,074 | $11,220,710 | $8,507,905 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,487,350 | $9,819,700 | $7,080,600 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,048,676 | $52,649,434 | $7,798,927 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,553,772 | $1,542,581 | $2,095,225 |
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California Institute of Arts ($1,152,400), California State Summer School Foundation ($424,300), Good People Fund ($400,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 18TH STREET ARTS CENTER SANTA MONICA, CA | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| A PLACE CALLED HOME LOS ANGELES, CA | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| ANGEL CITY ARTS CLAREMONT, CA | CHARITABLE | $20,000 |
| ARTS FOR HEALING & JUSTICE NETWORK LONG BEACH, CA | CHARITABLE | $20,000 |
| ARTS FOR LA LOS ANGELES, CA | CHARITABLE | $15,000 |
| ARTWORXLATHE HEART PROJECT LOS ANGELES, CA | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| BALLET AND BEYONCE NYC NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF WEST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MONTEREY PARK, CA | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| BULLIES AND BUDDIES REDONDO BEACH, CA | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| CALIFORNIA DANCE INSTITUTE SANTA MONICA, CA | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Rona Sebastian - President, has led the foundation since 2004 and oversees all areas of funding and program development.
Paul Frimmer - Chief Financial Officer
The foundation operates with 3 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HERB ALPERT | CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| LANI HALL ALPERT | VICE CHAIR. | — | — |
| RONA SEBASTIAN | PRESIDENT | 40 | $625,000 |
| PAUL FRIMMER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| IAN WIENER | SECRETARY, CFO | — | — |
| ARNOLD SANTOS | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | — | — |
| ARIA ALPERT ADJANI | VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| EDEN ALPERT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation granted $200,000 to The Good People Fund in support of U.S. programs that promote and focus on compassion and well-being.
The Herb Alpert Foundation Grants $200,000 To The Good People Fund In SupportThe Dudamel Foundation received a $1 million grant from the Herb Alpert Foundation.
Gustavo Dudamel Receives Inaugural Herb Alpert HonorConductor Gustavo Dudamel was named the inaugural recipient of the Herb Alpert Honor.
Gustavo Dudamel Receives Inaugural Herb Alpert HonorFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Herb Alpert Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on the belief that "the arts have the unique ability to transform lives and allow us to recognize our shared humanity." Primary funding areas include: **The Arts** • Arts Education • Focus on Jazz • Support to Professionals **Compassion & Well-Being** • The foundation believes that empathy and cooperation in daily interactions, and the positive effects of restoring individuals' and families' abilities to stand independently, are keys to a just society. **Legacy …
How do I apply for a grant from The Herb Alpert Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Range** • Grant range: $3,000 - $1,400,000 • Median grant: $25,000 • Annual giving: approximately $9.8 million (2023) • Distributed through approximately 92 grants annually **Application Process** • Invitation only **Notable Grant Programs** The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts provides $75,000 unrestricted prizes annually to 10 mid-career artists (one winner per discipline), plus residency at CalArts. Awards are by nomination only across the disciplines of Dance, Film/Video, Music…
Where does The Herb Alpert Foundation make grants?
Primarily Los Angeles County, with some national grants.
What size grants does The Herb Alpert Foundation award?
In 2024, The Herb Alpert Foundation awarded 86 grants totaling $7.5M — an average of about $87K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Herb Alpert Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Herb Alpert Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Herb Alpert Foundation's EIN?
The Herb Alpert Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4191227. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Herb Alpert Foundation'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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