The Vilcek Foundation Inc
The Vilcek Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, it recognizes immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation for the arts and sciences through prizes, grants, and cultural programming.
The Vilcek Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Vilcek Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), mostly in New York. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,078,085
- +48.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- +35.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,929
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $33,000
- Total assets
- $133,877,740
- -2.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (6 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (52% 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 Vilcek Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. It has also run open application cycles: the 2025 cycle had a June 30, 2025 deadline, and the application period for 2026 grants is closed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 21 East 70Th Street, New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 472-2500
Website: https://vilcek.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Vilcek Foundation Inc
2026 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science Grant
The Vilcek Foundation Inc
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
2026 Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Fashion & Design and Fashion & Culture Grant
The Vilcek Foundation Inc
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Vilcek Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hawaii International Film Festival ($56K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $259K.
Organizations only. It also paid 11 grants to individuals ($800,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 132 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in New York City. In 2024, 52% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, followed by Rhode Island and Massachusetts at 9% each, Hawaii at 7%, and California at 5%. Its 2025 open-cycle awards included organizations in nine states and territories where it had not previously funded work, including Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and Guam.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Vilcek Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 15 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
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 $563K (2021) to $1.3M (2020). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 11 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $800,000 |
| Hawaii International Film Festival Honolulu, HI | Grant in support of the new American perspectives program at the 2024 hawai'I international film festival. The program centers the work of immigrant and foreign-born filmmakers. The program provides access to the arts, supports immigrant filmmakers and artists, and supports educational programming with local schools in hawai'I. | $50,015 |
| People's Theatre Project Inc New York, NY | Grant in support of the people's theater project's operations and programs, with specific focus on supporting the development of their immigrant-led theatre programs. | $40,000 |
| Bates College Lewiston, ME | Grant in support of the marsden hartley legacy project at bates college, a research and education intitiative that builds on scholarship related to artist marsden hartley. This is made in alignment with the vilcek foundation's mission to foster appreciaton of the arts | $33,000 |
| New York University - Institute of Fine Arts New York, NY | Grant in support of New York university's institute of fine arts as a contribution to the institute's programs in supporting the arts, and honoring nyu's commitment to supporting diversity in the arts in New York city, at nyu, and more broadly | $30,000 |
| Asia Art Archive in America Inc Brooklyn, NY | Grant in support of the asia art archive's programs that aim to recognize, celebrate, support, and build an archive of materials on contemporary asian-born artists and asian American artists. | $20,000 |
| Hawaii Youth Symphony Association Honolulu, HI | Discretionary grant in support of fostering appreciation for the arts and inspiring youth and community through making art and music accessible to youth. | $20,000 |
| New York Foundation for the Arts New York, NY | Grant in support of nyfa immigrant artist mentoring program | $20,000 |
| New York Youth Symphony Inc New York, NY | Grant in support of nyys operations and programming, aligned with the vilcek foundation's mission initiative to foster appreciation for the arts. The grant makes music education accessible to youth in the New York metropolitan area. | $20,000 |
| Museum of Modern Art New York, NY | Grant in Support of Corporate Membership | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Vilcek Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $133,877,740 | $5,528,306 | $8,861,390 | $1,078,085 | 27 | $8,191,505 | $3,446,907 |
| 2023 | $137,210,824 | $10,670,656 | $10,008,270 | $726,200 | 20 | $10,050,992 | $10,038,113 |
| 2022 | $136,548,438 | $5,095,097 | $8,848,887 | $901,000 | 28 | $6,125,086 | $4,291,573 |
| 2021 | $140,302,228 | $6,787,155 | $7,197,230 | $563,008 | 29 | — | $6,415,889 |
| 2020 | $141,132,190 | $6,607,779 | $8,269,507 | $1,299,457 | 28 | — | $6,244,816 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and foster appreciation of the arts and sciences. Its grantmaking supports nonprofit organizations with aligned missions or programs, and it invites applications from organizations supporting immigrant contributions in the arts, sciences, culture, and society. The foundation says it looks for creative approaches and distinctive projects or operations that achieve meaningful goals.
Examples of 2024 grantees illustrate the range of supported work. The Hawaii International Film Festival describes its mission as fostering international cultural awareness through film and showcasing emerging talent from Hawaii and beyond. The People’s Theatre Project says it makes theatre with and for immigrant communities in New York’s Washington Heights and Inwood. The Hawaii Youth Symphony Association describes its work as creating youth experiences that inspire appreciation for music and connection to island culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $1,078,085. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $33,000. The largest awards included $100,000 prizes in art history, biomedical science, and design. The Hawaii International Film Festival received $50,015 for its New American Perspectives program, which the grant description says centers immigrant and foreign-born filmmakers and includes arts access and educational programming with local schools.
Other 2024 organizational grants included $40,000 to the People’s Theatre Project, $20,000 each to the New York Foundation for the Arts, Asia Art Archive in America, Hawaii Youth Symphony Association, and New York Youth Symphony, and $10,000 to the Museum of Modern Art. The Hawaii International Film Festival also received a separate $5,920 grant.
In its first open grant cycle, in 2025, the foundation awarded $200,000 to 14 nonprofit organizations. The foundation said the awards included organizations in nine states and territories where it had not previously funded work.
To apply, an organization must be a U.S. or territorial 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing, with activities and expenditures primarily based in the United States or its territories. The foundation does not accept applications from organizations working with fiscal sponsors, and it does not award grants in support of scientific research. Required materials include an organizational or project budget, IRS determination letter, signed W-9 with a valid EIN, most recent IRS Form 990, and an audited financial statement or balance sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year. Individuals, artists, and scientific researchers are not eligible to apply for organizational grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jan Vilcek as cofounder, CEO, and chairman; Marica Vilcek as cofounder, vice chair, and secretary; and Rick Kinsel as president. Directors listed are Katerina Heran Darwin, Joan Massague, Jung Lee Sanders, and Christina Mossaides Strassfield.
The Vilcek Foundation Inc is led by Jan Vilcek, Cofounder, CEO & Chairman on every filing since 2020; 5 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jan Vilcek
Cofounder, CEO & Chairman
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Kinsel
President
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$346K (2020) → $516K (2024)
Joan Massague
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2020) → $2K (2024)
Katerina Heran Darwin
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$30K (2021) → $29K (2024)
Christina Mossaides Strassfield
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$2K (2023) → $2K (2024)
Jung Lee Sanders
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$2K (2022) → $2K (2024)
Marica Vilcek
Cofounder, Vice Chair & Secretary
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Victoria T. Melendez (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Titia De Lange (2020–2021) — Director · Filing note: Through 113021
- Former: Peter Ludwig (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 $516K, to Rick Kinsel (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Vilcek Foundation Inc
How much does The Vilcek Foundation Inc give each year?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $726K across 20 grants.
What is The Vilcek Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $33,000, and its average grant was $39,929, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Vilcek Foundation Inc that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Vilcek Foundation Inc give grants?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Rhode Island (9%) and Massachusetts (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants), Honolulu, HI (3 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does The Vilcek Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on The Vilcek Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Marica Vilcek Prize in Art History" (3 grants), "Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science" (3 grants) and "Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Design" (3 grants).
Who are The Vilcek Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Hawaii International Film Festival ($55,935 across 2 grants), People's Theatre Project Inc ($40,000) and Bates College ($33,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 11 grants to individuals ($800,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Vilcek Foundation Inc?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc reported $133.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $5.5M.
What does The Vilcek Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and foster appreciation of the arts and sciences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Vilcek Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Vilcek Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Vilcek Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0404790. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Vilcek 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 Vilcek Foundation Inc funds
Medical Research Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Vilcek Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Vilcek Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-vilcek-foundation-inc-morg_b34fc21343174b8d98b031a24bc21aa6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510404790_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Vilcek Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-vilcek-foundation-inc-morg_b34fc21343174b8d98b031a24bc21aa6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Vilcek 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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