The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY. It supports visual artists through grants, residencies, and related initiatives, and cultivates the study and appreciation of Joan Mitchell’s life and work.
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc gave $893K across 104 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $893,292
- +42.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 104
- +70.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,589
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $181,862,787
- +11.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (26% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Fellowship applicants must first be nominated by an invited nominator and receive an invitation to apply.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Fellowship application is due April 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Fellowship application is due April 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT.
- Contact
Mailing address: 137 West 25Th Street 2 Fl, New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 524-0100
Website: https://joanmitchellfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc
Who The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Antiestablished Studios LLC ($15K). Together the top 10 received $98K.
Organizations only. It also paid 88 grants to individuals ($777,600), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
641 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 635 grants of 641 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Fellowship eligibility is limited to artists based in a U.S. state or territory. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were directed to New York (26%), California (11%), Louisiana (5%), Puerto Rico (5%), and Texas (5%). The Foundation’s Joan Mitchell Center is in New Orleans and hosts artist residencies.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 104 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $616K (2022) to $1.8M (2020). In 2024 it made 104 grants totaling $893K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 44 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $645,000 |
| Antiestablished Studios LLC Richmond, VA | Painters & Sculptors 2024 Grantees | $15,000 |
| The Jack S Blanton Museum of Art Austin, TX | Conservation Grant Funding | $12,000 |
| The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | Conservation Grant Funding | $10,300 |
| Bethany Collins Studio LLC Oak Park, IL | Painters & Sculptors 2022 Grantees | $10,000 |
| Chiffon Thomas Studios LLC Inglewood, CA | Painters & Sculptors 2022 Grantees | $10,000 |
| De Nieves Inc Brooklyn, NY | Painters & Sculptors 2021 Grantees | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $181,862,787 | $20,899,393 | $9,476,748 | $893,292 | 104 | $8,216,975 | $20,350,101 |
| 2023 | $162,803,130 | $11,342,384 | $8,098,909 | $627,000 | 61 | $6,991,165 | $9,977,009 |
| 2022 | $146,043,045 | $11,848,227 | $7,995,973 | $616,200 | 132 | $6,426,454 | $11,417,127 |
| 2021 | $163,093,074 | $7,287,755 | $8,251,081 | $876,550 | 80 | $6,338,703 | $6,151,051 |
| 2020 | $155,420,798 | $2,962,124 | $8,303,028 | $1,782,180 | 264 | — | $2,461,528 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation states that it cultivates the study and appreciation of Joan Mitchell’s life and work while providing resources for visual artists. Its vision includes supporting research, scholarship, and exhibitions about Mitchell, and recognizing artistic excellence across a wide range of visual artists and practices.
The Joan Mitchell Fellowship supports 15 U.S.-based artists working in painting and sculpture each year. Each fellow receives $60,000 in unrestricted funds over five years, alongside learning, peer engagement, and network-building opportunities. The Foundation also offers artist residencies in New Orleans and, through Creating a Living Legacy (CALL), free resources for career documentation, inventory management, and estate planning. Its 2024 filing describes emergency support of up to $6,000 for artists affected by natural or man-made disasters, or funding to be regranted by regional partners.
The Foundation also makes grants to organizations. For example, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston received $10,300 in 2024. The museum describes its mission as connecting Houston communities with diverse histories of art through collections, exhibitions, learning programs, publications, conservation, and research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 104 grants totaling $893,292. Individual grants ranged from $900 to $30,000, with a median of $10,000. Many of the largest listed grants were to individual artists under the Painters & Sculptors Grantee category: Three individual recipients each received $30,000; several artists received $20,000, including nine individual recipients
The Foundation’s website lists the Painters & Sculptors Grant as a past program, operating from 1994 to 2020. The Joan Mitchell Fellowship, established in 2021, is the current program for supporting artists through a multi-year commitment. Applicants must first be nominated by an invited nominator; nominated artists who are invited to apply submit work samples, written statements, a biography, a resume or CV, a headshot, and demographic information. Eligibility requires a U.S. state or territory base, a primary practice rooted in painting or sculpture, and no enrollment in an arts degree program at nomination or award acceptance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sandy S Lee as president, Paul A Ramirez as vice president, Marc A Chennault as treasurer, and Linda Usdin as secretary. Directors listed on that filing are Michelle Brierre, James Coddington, Chitra Ganesh, Cheryl A Hayes, Olukemi Ilesanmi, and Miranda Lash.
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc is led by Christa Blatchford, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 14 of 15 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christa Blatchford
Executive Director
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2021
Chief Executive Officer → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$281K (2020) → $371K (2024)
Sandy S. Lee
President
Treasurer → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Jean Shin
Director
Vice President → President, 2021
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Juan Sanchez
Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Miranda Lash
Director
Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Olukemi Ilesanmi
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $8K (2024)
James Coddington
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$8K (2021) → $12K (2024)
Cheryl A. Hayes
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$8K (2023) → $8K (2024)
Danyelle Means
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$6K (2022) → $8K (2024)
Chitra Ganesh
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
$8K (2024)
Michelle Brierre
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aimee Solomon
Chief Financial Officer
Senior Director of Finance → Chief Financial Officer, 2023
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$202K (2020) → $285K (2024)
Linda Usdin
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Marc A. Chennault
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Paul A. Ramirez
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Michele Tortorelli (2020) — Director
- Former: Ronald Bechet (2020) — President
- Former: Theodore S. Berger (2020) — Director
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 $371K, to Christa Blatchford (Executive Director). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc
How much does The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc give each year?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc gave $893K across 104 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $627K across 61 grants.
What is The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,589, across 104 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc give grants?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (11%) and Louisiana (5%).
Does The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 104 grants with a stated purpose on The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Artist Stipend" (35 grants), "Painters & Sculptors 2023 Grantees" (15 grants) and "Painters & Sculptors 2022 Grantees" (15 grants).
Who are The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Antiestablished Studios LLC ($15,000), The Jack S Blanton Museum of Art ($12,000) and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($10,300), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 88 grants to individuals ($777,600), which are not listed by name. Together they received 4% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc reported $181.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $20.9M.
What does The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation states that it cultivates the study and appreciation of Joan Mitchell’s life and work while providing resources for visual artists. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3161054. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-joan-mitchell-foundation-inc-morg_47ed18a4cace4b24ba5c2dff788086c5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_113161054_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-joan-mitchell-foundation-inc-morg_47ed18a4cace4b24ba5c2dff788086c5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Joan Mitchell Foundation Inc'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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