Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant aims to support outstanding nonprofits that enhance cultural engagement and artistic talent in the U.S. With a focus on programs that reach young people, the grant prioritizes organizations that create lasting impacts in the arts and sciences. The Foundation allocates 25% of its funding to cultural initiatives, favoring established organizations with a history of significant results. Eligible nonprofits must encourage inclusivity and sustainability in their programs.

NOTE: Here are the other priority pages for this funder: Education page, Health page, and Social Service page.
Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations.
Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.
The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.
Funding Priorities in Culture
In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.
The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.
Types of Support
Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

Eligibility

The Hearst Foundations identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States have the opportunity to build healthy, productive and satisfying lives.
If a grant request is unsuccessful, an organization must wait a minimum of one year from the date of declination before reapplying.
Grantees must wait a minimum of three years from their grant award date before the Foundations will consider another request.

Ineligibility

In Limited Cases, the Foundations Fund:
Endowment grants, provided the organization has an existing endowment with the Hearst Foundations and a track record of strong performance and consistent stewardship
Faith-based organizations, provided that the services they offer are inclusive and fit within the Foundations' guidelines
organizations without regional and national support and/or without grants of $100,000 and abovelocal chapters of national organizations (the Foundations typically fund initiatives at the national/headquarters level)
The Hearst Foundations do not fund organizations that are:based outside of the United Statesoperating with audited expenses less than $2 millionundergoing leadership transitions or with new leadership in place for less than one year
not registered as 501(c)(3) organizations.
An IRS determination letter is required to receive funding.The Hearst Foundations do not fund proposals seeking funding for:festivals, tours, conferences, workshops or seminars
advocacy or public policy research
special events, tickets, tables or advertising for fundraising events
seed money or pilot programs
established programs lacking demonstrable long-term impact on populations served
program-related investments (PRI)
local chapters of national organizations (the Foundations typically fund initiatives at the national/headquarters level)
scholarship or fellowship recipients studying or residing outside of the United Statescapital projects that are less than 50% towards the fundraising goal