Howard Gilman Foundation Grant - New Funding

The Howard Gilman Foundation Grant aims to support New York City's vibrant performing arts organizations. By providing general operating support, the foundation fosters long-term partnerships with those that reflect the city's diverse cultural community. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) entities or fiscally sponsored, with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility in the arts. The foundation prioritizes organizations of color and those in underserved neighborhoods, ensuring a thriving arts ecosystem for all.

In honoring his legacy, the Foundation provides funding and support to New York City-based performing arts organizations that are reflective of our City’s vibrant cultural community.
How We Do It
The Howard Gilman Foundation builds long-term partnerships with performing arts organizations. We primarily invest in organizations’ overall mission and fiscal health by providing general operating support grants. Each year, we add a small number of new organizations to our roster of annual grantees based on their fit within our vision, mission, and current priorities.
By performing arts organizations, we mean:

• Generative performing arts companies, such as dance companies, music ensembles, theater companies, and multidisciplinary performance groups
• Performing arts presenters and venues
• Service organizations that support the sector, including those focused on residencies, artistic development, advocacy, and administrative and fiscal health
• What does the Howard Gilman Foundation fund?
• Generative performing arts companies, such as dance companies, music ensembles, theater companies, and multidisciplinary performance groups
• Performing arts presenters and venues
• Service organizations that support the sector, including those focused on residencies, artistic development, advocacy, and administrative and fiscal health

Gilman only funds organizations that are based in New York City. We also have specific priorities that we use to determine which new applicants will be added to our roster each year. Those priorities can be found here.

Eligibility

Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) or be fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3).
501(c)(3)s must be incorporated in New York State and based in New York City.
Fiscally sponsored organizations must be based in New York City, but fiscal sponsors can be incorporated elsewhere.
Organizations must have three years of operating budgets (both revenue and expenses) that are over $250,000. Which three years will depend on your organization’s fiscal year-end date. Please see the Interest Form for specific details.
Organizations must be able to provide an audit, a CPA’s review report, and/or a 990 tax form.
Organizations must not be current recipients of any Gilman-funded regranting programs.

Ineligibility

Social service organizations or programming in hospitals, senior centers, prisons, and shelters Gilman does not fund arts education programs or programs where youth or teens are generative artists. We also do not support tuition-based, degree-granting, or pre-professional training programs.

501(c)(3) or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3); incorporated in New York State and based in New York City; three years of operating budgets over $250,000; not currently funded through Gilman regranting programs. Submit an Interest Form; selected organizations are invited to a full application.