The Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation Inc
The Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation is a private operating foundation established in 1995 and headquartered in New York City. The foundation was created by Maria-Gaetana (Tana) von Spreti Matisse, wife of the late art dealer and collector Pierre Matisse, who was the youngest child of celebrated 20th-century French painter Henri Matisse. When Tana passed away in 2001, she left the bulk of her estate to the foundation, making the works from her art collection among the foundation's most significant assets.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$198.1M
-0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.6M
+39.0% YoY
Grant Count
113
+11.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$58K
+24.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission reflects Tana and Pierre's generosity and pursuit of excellence in the arts. In accordance with the founder's belief in the importance of the arts in each person's life, the foundation makes grants to organizations and institutions providing arts education in New York City.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Arts Education: Programs that advance arts education in public, charter, and parochial schools in New York City, with particular emphasis on middle and high school students
- Scholarly Research in the Arts: Support for academic research and study in the arts
- Museum Loans and Exhibitions: Loans of works from its collection to museums for special exhibitions
- Art-Related Project Grants: Awards to museums, libraries, and universities for art-related projects
The foundation awards three types of grants, all designed to emphasize accessibility to art and its practices to promote identity, creativity, and cultural literacy.
Grantmaking
Typical awards range from $1,000 to $1,000,000.
Grant Range
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How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's funding is primarily concentrated in New York City, with particular emphasis on public, charter, and parochial schools in the city. While the vast majority of grantees are based in New York, a limited number of organizations outside New York have received funding in recent years.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $198,051,415 (as of 2024)
- Total revenue: $10,799,446 (fiscal year 2024)
- Total expenses: $10,744,478 (fiscal year 2024)
- Net income: $54,968 (fiscal year 2024)
- Total liabilities: $256,000 (as of 2024)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since December 1995
- EIN: 13-3838457
- Established in Delaware and New York
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $198,051,415 | $199,277,583 | $204,243,059 |
| Revenue | $10,799,446 | $4,246,498 | $9,170,629 |
| Expenses | $10,744,478 | $8,102,752 | $9,239,596 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,700,897 | $6,623,733 | $7,227,758 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,776,460 | $2,895,442 | $7,841,850 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,519,334 | $6,279,607 | $6,380,156 |
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
1 open opportunity from The Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Alessandra Carnielli - Chief Executive Officer
The foundation employs 5-8 staff members, with representation in both the United States and United Kingdom.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLIVIER G BERNIER | VP/SECY/DIRECTOR | 10 | $145,000 |
| ALESSANDRA C CARNIELLI | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $375,000 |
| DAVID H HOROWITZ | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 10 | $143,750 |
| ALEXANDRA G FARKAS | VP/TREAS/DIRECTOR | 10 | $143,750 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated continued commitment to arts education and diversity initiatives:
Established a $1 million scholarship program in partnership with UNCF to support Black and Brown students in New York City pursuing arts education
The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Establishes $1M UNCF Scholarship ProgramAwarded a $1 million education grant to New Museum
New Museum receives $1 million education grant from the Pierre and Tana MatisseContinues to actively promote loans of its art collection for exhibitions at museums and other organizations, facilitating public access to and understanding of the artwork in its collection
Promotes collection availability for loans and study through outreach to graduate centers and local colleges
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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