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The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Annual Giving
$524.7M
Grant Range
$5K - $10.0M
Decision Time
3mo
0

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $524.7 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (primarily invitation-based)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; typically multiple rounds of revision over several months
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $10,000,000+ (average ~$642,000)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily United States, with select international funding

Contact Details

  • Website: www.mellon.org
  • Phone: 212-838-8400
  • Address: New York, NY
  • Grants Portal Support: fluxxusers@mellon.org
  • Application Method: Primarily invitation-only; occasional open calls posted on website and social media

Overview

Founded in 1969, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the largest private funder of arts, culture, and humanities in the United States, with an endowment of approximately $7.7 billion. The foundation has awarded nearly 19,000 grants throughout its history, distributing over $524 million in 817 awards in 2023 alone. Under the leadership of President Elizabeth Alexander since 2018, Mellon underwent a strategic transformation in 2020 to center all grantmaking through a social justice lens. As Alexander stated, "What it means is that every grant we make we'll think about through a social-justice lens. We'll ask: Does this grant contribute to a more fair and just society?" The foundation supports research universities, liberal arts colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, and community-based groups. Notable recent recognition includes record-breaking quarterly grantmaking of $228.4 million in December 2023, the largest in the foundation's history.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Mellon organizes its grantmaking through four core program areas and three presidential initiatives:

Higher Learning - Supports inclusive humanities education and diverse learning environments at colleges, universities, and organizations serving historically underserved populations. Recent grants include $25 million (2024) for paid humanities internships at large public universities.

Arts and Culture - Celebrates creative practice, scholarship, and conservation while nurturing a diverse arts ecosystem. Major initiatives include Jazz Giants ($35 million, 2025) supporting elder jazz musicians with $100,000 unrestricted fellowships, and the Frontera Culture Fund ($25 million, 2024) for borderlands artists and cultural leaders.

Public Knowledge - Increases equitable access to scholarly texts and community collections that build an informed, culturally diverse society. Focuses on libraries, archives, and digital humanities infrastructure.

Humanities in Place - Brings diverse histories and voices into public, media, and memorial spaces, including museums, historic sites, and digital experiences. Awards $15+ million annually for place-based public humanities work.

Presidential Initiatives - Include the Monuments Project (reimagining public memorials), Puerto Rico support, and Imagining Freedom programs.

Special Programs: The foundation occasionally announces targeted initiatives, such as the $15 million emergency funding (2025) for state humanities councils and $14+ million for humanities-grounded research in Cultures of U.S. Democracy, Environmental Justice Studies, and Social Justice and Disciplinary Knowledge.

Priority Areas

  • Humanities education in higher education, particularly at institutions serving underrepresented populations
  • Arts and cultural preservation, especially for marginalized communities
  • Scholarly research addressing social justice, equity, and historical inequities
  • Public humanities and community storytelling
  • Digital humanities and equitable access to knowledge
  • Historic preservation of culturally significant sites
  • Interdisciplinary projects connecting humanities to contemporary social challenges
  • Support for artists and cultural workers, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds

What They Don't Fund

  • Direct grants to individuals (except through specific fellowship programs)
  • Tuition support
  • K-12 education and programming
  • Fundraising events
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) status or international equivalent
  • Projects outside arts, culture, and humanities focus areas

Governance and Leadership

President: Elizabeth Alexander has served as the foundation's seventh president since March 2018. A distinguished poet, scholar, and arts advocate, Alexander is recognized as one of the nation's leading voices in modern literature. She describes her role as leading "a problem-solving foundation looking to address historical inequities in the fields we fund" and memorably stated, "I feel like artists are the essential workers for the soul."

Board of Trustees: Led by Board Chair Kathryn A. Hall (as of 2021), with recent trustee appointments including Kelly Granat, Sherrilyn Ifill, Melissa Gilliam, and Gaurav Kapadia. The board provides governance and strategic oversight for the foundation's initiatives.

Strategic Direction: Under Alexander's leadership, Mellon reoriented its entire grantmaking program in 2020 through a social justice lens. As Alexander explained: "What we seek to achieve in our work at Mellon is justice—not only in the arts, culture, and humanities today, but also in our collective future." This transformation represents what she characterizes as "an evolution" building on the foundation's historical mission while urgently asking, "What does it mean to pursue social justice through the humanities and the arts?"

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Mellon Foundation operates primarily through an invitation-based system. Foundation staff proactively identify and cultivate relationships with innovative organizations, scholars, and creators before inviting grant proposals. Prospective grantees should:

  1. Review program area guidelines on the foundation's website to ensure alignment
  2. Submit a letter of inquiry if the project fits within grantmaking priorities
  3. Wait for invitation from program staff before submitting a full proposal
  4. Use the online Grants Portal (powered by Fluxx) if invited to submit

Occasional Open Calls: The foundation periodically issues open calls for proposals, announced on their website and social media channels with specific deadlines and application guidelines.

Application Platform: Mellon uses an online Grants Portal for proposals, reports, and grants management. Invited applicants receive email login instructions. Technical questions can be directed to fluxxusers@mellon.org.

Decision Timeline

Timelines vary significantly by program and grant type. Most invited proposals undergo multiple rounds of revision before finalization, with foundation staff working collaboratively with applicants throughout the process. Once finalized, proposals are recommended for approval by Trustees or Officers. Applicants should discuss specific timelines with program staff if invited to submit a proposal.

Typical Process: The foundation emphasizes an iterative approach where "most invited proposals go through some revision before they are finalized," indicating a months-long process of refinement and dialogue.

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose overall success rates or application statistics. The invitation-based model means that traditional competitive success rates are not applicable for most grants. With 817 awards made in 2023 from an endowment supporting approximately $525 million in annual giving, the foundation maintains a selective but substantial grantmaking operation.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly detailed. Given the invitation-based system, prospective grantees are encouraged to maintain dialogue with program staff about future opportunities aligned with the foundation's evolving priorities.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment

Social Justice Framework: Every grant must contribute to a more just, equitable society. Applications should explicitly address how the project advances social justice through arts, culture, or humanities.

Interdisciplinary Approaches: The foundation strongly encourages interdisciplinary projects that connect humanities scholarship with contemporary social challenges.

Equity and Inclusion: Priority given to projects serving historically underserved populations, including support for HBCUs, TCUs, HSIs, and community-based organizations representing marginalized communities.

Project Design Best Practices

Budget Development: "Develop an accurate, detailed budget that anticipates all projected costs for your project." The foundation values thorough financial planning demonstrating fiscal responsibility.

Clarity and Feasibility: Applications are evaluated on "how well the project relates to the grant's purpose, feasibility of the project within the timeline and budget proposed, the methodology given, as well as academic preparation, and clarity of objectives."

Collaborative Revision: Successful applicants should be prepared for an iterative process. The foundation staff actively collaborate with applicants to refine proposals through multiple rounds before finalization.

Recent Funded Projects

  • California State University, Fresno; City College of New York; Old Dominion University; University of Missouri-Kansas City; University of North Carolina Greensboro: Paid humanities internship programs ($25M total, 2024)
  • Miami University: Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program development ($100,000, 2024)
  • Federation of State Humanities Councils: Emergency funding for state humanities programs ($15M, 2025)
  • Jazz Legacies Fellowship: Unrestricted support for elder jazz musicians ($100,000 per fellow as part of $35M initiative, 2025)
  • Frontera Culture Fund: Support for borderlands artists and cultural leaders spanning US-Mexico border ($25M, 2024)

Language and Terminology

Applications should use language reflecting the foundation's values: social justice, equity, inclusion, historically underserved communities, cultural preservation, public humanities, critical thinking, imagination, collective action, and transformative change.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Relationship-Building is Essential: Mellon operates primarily through invitations. Cultivate relationships with program officers by attending foundation-sponsored events, demonstrating alignment with priorities through your work, and submitting thoughtful letters of inquiry that show deep understanding of their social justice mission.

  • Center Social Justice Explicitly: Every proposal must clearly articulate how the project contributes to a more just and equitable society. This is not optional language—it's the evaluative lens for all grantmaking decisions since 2020.

  • Prepare for Collaborative Refinement: Budget time for multiple rounds of revision. Successful applicants view Mellon staff as partners in developing stronger proposals, not simply reviewers of completed applications.

  • Demonstrate Institutional Commitment to Equity: Applications from institutions serving historically underserved populations (HBCUs, TCUs, HSIs) or projects centering marginalized communities receive priority consideration.

  • Think Beyond Single Grants: Mellon often makes multi-year, substantial commitments to aligned organizations. Position your project within a broader strategic vision that could warrant sustained partnership.

  • Budget Comprehensively: The foundation values detailed, realistic budgets. Don't underestimate project costs—demonstrate you've thoroughly considered all financial requirements for successful implementation.

  • Emphasize Interdisciplinary Innovation: Projects connecting humanities to contemporary challenges through creative, cross-disciplinary approaches align well with foundation priorities.

References

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