Coby Foundation Grant

Coby Foundation Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Coby Foundation
Last Updated: November 01, 2025

Summary

The Coby Foundation Grant is dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions, focusing on innovative projects related to textiles and fashion. Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of inquiry with a project description and budget at least nine months prior to the project start. The foundation seeks exhibitions, public programs, and publications that enhance understanding of textile arts, while promoting underrepresented artists and cultures.

Overview

NOTE: Prospective applicants should email a letter of inquiry (LOI) with a two-page description of the project and a preliminary budget, ideally at least nine months prior to the exhibition opening or project start date. LOIs are reviewed on a rolling basis, and responses are typically received within ten business days. Those invited to submit a full proposal will be notified of the submission deadline and should follow the application instructions below. The Foundation reviews full proposals three times a year, in January, May, and September. Background The Coby Foundation, Ltd., located in New York City, supports projects in the fields of textiles and fashion. Its funding is limited to non-profit organizations in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The mission of the Coby Foundation is to foster a deeper understanding and public appreciation of textiles and the needle arts by encouraging innovative scholarship, engaging exhibitions, and expanded access to museum collections. The Foundation was established in 1994 by Irene Zambelli Silverman in honor of her mother, Irene Meladakis Zambelli. Mrs. Silverman described her mother as “the finest needlewoman in New York.” In the spirit of its founder, the Coby Foundation champions creative expression and embraces the full spectrum of textile arts and fashion across techniques, time periods, and cultures. What We Fund Exhibitions (planning and implementation), public programs, and publications that shed new light on textiles and fashion from any culture, region, or era; conservation, digitization, and cataloging projects that help to preserve and expand access to textile ollections; and projects that bring communities together around textile making. What We’re Looking For Projects that present innovative scholarship, highlight underrepresented artists and cultures, or feature textile collections that have been inadequately studied, preserved, and shared.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Who We FundMuseums and other 501(c)(3) cultural organizations in the Mid-Atlantic and New England.The Foundation only funds direct costs.

Ineligibility

The Coby Foundation does not fund staff salaries or overhead.