Trust for Mutual Understanding
Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU) is a private foundation based in New York, NY. It awards grants to organizations for collaboration in the arts and the environment, including work at the intersection of the two, between professionals in the United States and countries in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia.
Trust for Mutual Understanding at a glance
In short: Trust for Mutual Understanding gave $2.3M across 72 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,326,903
- -11.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 72
- +46.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,318
- -39.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $25,676,371
- +0.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (32% 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 Trust for Mutual Understanding
- Invitation Only
-
Submit an initial Letter of Inquiry through TMU’s website; a full proposal is by invitation following review.
- Review Cycle
- May 1 for the August 1 full-proposal deadline, and November 1 for the February 1 full-proposal deadline, subject to the project start-date requirements above.
- Deadline
- May 1 for the August 1 full-proposal deadline, and November 1 for the February 1 full-proposal deadline, subject to…
- Contact
Application contact: Barbara A Lanciers Director
Mailing address: Tmu -One Rockefeller Plz Room 2500, New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 649-5774
Website: https://tmuny.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 Trust for Mutual Understanding
Who Trust for Mutual Understanding funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was CEC Artslink Inc ($256K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 99 grants of 124 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
TMU’s website lists the following countries for collaborations with U.S. professionals: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New York (32%), California (14%), the District of Columbia (11%), Maryland (8%), and Florida (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 72 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Trust for Mutual Understanding gives
- 49% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 214% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $2.1M (2020) to $2.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 72 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Young Visual Artists Award Program in 2024 Miami, FL | General Support | $173,000 |
| Residency Unlimited Inc Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $144,000 |
| CEC Artslink Inc New York, NY | General Support | $115,000 |
| Center for International Theatre Development Inc Baltimore, MD | General Support | $90,000 |
| Earth Island Institute Inc Berkley, CA | General Support | $80,000 |
| CEC Artslink Inc New York, NY | General Support | $63,800 |
| CEC Artslink Inc New York, NY | General Support | $62,500 |
| The Ocean Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $55,555 |
| Earthcorps Seattle, WA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide Eugene, OR | General Support | $50,000 |
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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 | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,676,371 | $3,838,936 | $4,291,399 | $2,326,903 | 72 | $3,947,880 | $3,501,791 | $1,846,626 |
| 2023 | $25,581,664 | $3,572,093 | $4,573,317 | $2,613,139 | 49 | $4,303,453 | $2,366,825 | $1,759,626 |
| 2022 | $27,906,740 | $2,584,429 | $4,203,437 | $2,642,734 | 1 | $3,984,999 | $1,395,752 | $1,801,787 |
| 2021 | $30,723,169 | $5,429,579 | $3,618,700 | $2,217,175 | 1 | $3,356,097 | $3,839,751 | $2,066,339 |
| 2020 | $29,956,539 | $5,990,403 | $3,491,815 | $2,141,200 | 1 | — | $4,855,480 | $1,747,022 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Trust for Mutual Understanding reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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
TMU’s stated purpose is to support collaboration in the arts and environment under the umbrella of culture. It defines culture as an expression of identity, meaning, and shared values, and as a shared understanding of how a global community can live and work together.
In the arts, TMU supports contemporary dance, music, theater, visual arts, and language and cultural preservation. In the environment, it supports stewardship and resilience of lands and waters, including protection of threatened landscapes and seascapes. It also supports collaborations connecting arts and environment, including work led by Native and Indigenous peoples that supports Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented in its grants. Residency Unlimited describes its work as supporting artists and curators in residence and collaborating with local organizations to create residency environments. CEC ArtsLink says it promotes international communication through collaborative arts projects and artist exchanges. Earth Island Institute describes itself as a hub for grassroots environmental campaigns, while The Ocean Foundation says its mission is to improve global ocean health and climate resilience.
Grantmaking
In 2024, TMU reported 72 grants totaling $2,326,903. Individual grants ranged from $4,000 to $173,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest listed grants included $173,000 to The Young Visual Artists Award Program in Miami, $144,000 to Residency Unlimited in Brooklyn, $115,000 to CEC ArtsLink in New York, and $90,000 to Center for International Theatre Development in Baltimore. These grants were listed for general support.
TMU’s website describes an open, two-step process. Applicants first submit a Letter of Inquiry through the organization’s website. After review, typically within two to three weeks, applicants are notified whether the inquiry was declined or they are invited to submit a full proposal. The website lists a May 1 inquiry deadline for an August 1 full-proposal deadline, for projects taking place January 1 or later, and a November 1 inquiry deadline for a February 1 full-proposal deadline, for projects taking place July 1 or later. If a deadline falls on a weekend or U.S. national holiday, it moves to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next business day. The 2024 filing states that inquiries should be submitted six months before the activity and identifies Barbara A. Lanciers, Director, as the contact for applying. The filing also says the foundation’s programs support exchanges between the United States and the former Soviet Union, Eastern and Central Europe in the arts and environmental conservation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barbara A. Lanciers as Director; Irina Yurna as Regional Representative; Alina Enggist as Senior Program Officer; Caroline Mabee as Program Officer; and Valerie Rockefeller, Joel Motley, Elizabeth C. Campbell, Susan V. Berresford, and Blair A. Ruble as trustees.
Trust for Mutual Understanding's 2024 filing lists 9 officers; 8 of 9 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Barbara A. Lanciers
Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$210K (2020) → $295K (2024)
Blair A. Ruble
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $19K (2024)
Elizabeth C. Campbell
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$16K (2020) → $19K (2024)
Joel Motley
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Susan V. Berresford
Trustee
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $19K (2024)
Valerie Rockefeller
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$6K (2021) → $19K (2024)
Alina Enggist
Senior Program Officer
Program Officer → Senior Program Officer, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$145K (2020) → $161K (2024)
Caroline Mabee
Program Officer
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$91K (2021) → $113K (2024)
Irina Yurna
Regional Representative
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$148K (2023) → $156K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Elizabeth J. McCormack (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Marcia A. McLean (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 $295K, to Barbara a Lanciers (Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Trust for Mutual Understanding
How much does Trust for Mutual Understanding give each year?
Trust for Mutual Understanding gave $2.3M across 72 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 49 grants.
What is Trust for Mutual Understanding's typical grant size?
Trust for Mutual Understanding's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $32,318, across 72 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Trust for Mutual Understanding give grants?
Trust for Mutual Understanding's top state is New York, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (14%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (15 grants), Washington, DC (10 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants) and Baltimore, MD (4 grants).
Does Trust for Mutual Understanding give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Trust for Mutual Understanding's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (72 of 72) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Trust for Mutual Understanding's largest grantees?
Trust for Mutual Understanding's largest 2024 grantees include CEC Artslink Inc ($256,300 across 4 grants), The Ocean Foundation ($206,705 across 7 grants) and The Young Visual Artists Award Program in 2024 ($173,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Trust for Mutual Understanding?
Trust for Mutual Understanding reported $25.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Trust for Mutual Understanding fund?
TMU’s stated purpose is to support collaboration in the arts and environment under the umbrella of culture. It defines culture as an expression of identity, meaning, and shared values, and as a shared understanding of how a global community can live and work together. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Trust for Mutual Understanding?
Submit an initial Letter of Inquiry through TMU’s website; a full proposal is by invitation following review. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Trust for Mutual Understanding's EIN?
Trust for Mutual Understanding's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3212724. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Trust for Mutual Understanding funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/trust-for-mutual-understanding-morg_9c04ed93e5e347368bd3389971404628
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133212724_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Trust for Mutual Understanding funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/trust-for-mutual-understanding-morg_9c04ed93e5e347368bd3389971404628},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Trust for Mutual Understanding'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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