Vija Celmins Foundation Inc
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Sag Harbor, New York. In its 2024 filing, it reported 18 grants totaling $84,652 to charitable organizations, including arts organizations, conservation groups, and other nonprofits.
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Vija Celmins Foundation Inc gave $85K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $84,652
- +88.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +500.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $4,703
- -68.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $5,621,779
- +784.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (61% 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 Vija Celmins Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 56 Suffolk Street, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
Phone: (516) 681-3783
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Vija Celmins Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cornell Lab of Ornithology ($10K). Together the top 10 received $71K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 22 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in New York (61%), Virginia (12%), Oregon (12%), Michigan (7%), and Pennsylvania (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
How Vija Celmins Foundation Inc gives
- In 2024 it paid out 59% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2022) to $85K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $85K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca, NY | Research | $10,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | General Support | $10,000 |
| The Noguchi Museum Long Island City, NY | To Promote the Arts | $10,000 |
| The Xerxes Society Portland, OR | General Support | $10,000 |
| LSCP Marquette, MI | General Support | $5,642 |
| American Friends of Latvia Philadelphia, PA | To Promote the Arts | $5,000 |
| The Drawing Center New York, NY | To Promote the Arts | $5,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| God's Love We Deliver New York, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| Longhouse Reserve East Hampton, NY | To Promote the Arts | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,621,779 | $5,075,000 | $103,988 | $84,652 | 18 | $103,988 | $175,440 |
| 2023 | $635,467 | $600,000 | $52,143 | $45,000 | 3 | $52,143 | $31,297 |
| 2022 | $82,610 | $115,000 | $32,390 | $20,000 | 1 | $32,390 | $817 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vija Celmins Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $175K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose own missions include conserving lands and waters, as described by The Nature Conservancy, and inspiring engagement with art and world cultures, as described by LongHouse Reserve. The Drawing Center describes its work as exploring drawing through exhibitions, publications, public programs, and educational initiatives.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $84,652. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among the larger grants were $10,000 each to Cornell Lab of Ornithology for research, The Nature Conservancy for general support, The Noguchi Museum to promote the arts, and The Xerces Society for general support. Other grants included $5,000 to The Drawing Center to promote the arts, $5,000 to Doctors Without Borders for general support, and $5,000 to LongHouse Reserve to promote the arts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Vija Celmins as president, Robert Rosen as treasurer, and Michael Fitzgerald as secretary.
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc is led by Vija Celmins, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Vija Celmins
President
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Fitzgerald
Secretary
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Rosen
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Vija Celmins Foundation Inc
How much does Vija Celmins Foundation Inc give each year?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc gave $85K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $45K across 3 grants.
What is Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,703, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Vija Celmins Foundation Inc give grants?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (12%) and Oregon (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and Sag Harbor, NY (2 grants).
Does Vija Celmins Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "To Promote the Arts" (6 grants).
Who are Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Cornell Lab of Ornithology ($10,000), The Nature Conservancy ($10,000) and The Noguchi Museum ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Vija Celmins Foundation Inc?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc reported $5.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $104K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $175K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Vija Celmins Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose own missions include conserving lands and waters, as described by The Nature Conservancy, and inspiring engagement with art and world cultures, as described by LongHouse Reserve. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vija Celmins Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's EIN?
Vija Celmins Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-4511320. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Vija Celmins 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 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Vija Celmins Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/vija-celmins-foundation-inc-morg_aa00fcfa69d844409dfd4422d720b113
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_874511320_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Vija Celmins Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/vija-celmins-foundation-inc-morg_aa00fcfa69d844409dfd4422d720b113},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Vija Celmins 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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