Howard Gilman Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $30,119,510 (2023)
• Total Assets: $592.7 million (2023)
• Success Rate: Highly competitive - only a small number of new organisations added annually
• Decision Time: 6-8 months for new applicants; 3 months for renewals
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $300,000 (first-time grants typically $10,000-$30,000)
• Geographic Focus: New York City (five boroughs only)

Contact Details

Address: 24 West 40th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-408-0400
Email: grants@howardgilmanfoundation.org
Website: https://howardgilmanfoundation.org
Grants Portal: Available on website (powered by Fluxx)

Overview

The Howard Gilman Foundation was established to honour the legacy of Howard Gilman (1924-1998), an industrialist, philanthropist, and passionate arts patron who led the Gilman Paper Company. After remaining dormant for a decade following Gilman's death, the foundation was strategically revived in 2014 under the leadership of President & CEO Laura Aden. The board narrowed focus from Gilman's many global interests to a single programme area: supporting NYC-based performing arts organisations. With assets of $592.7 million and annual giving exceeding $30 million, the foundation now provides flexible, trust-based funding to hundreds of performing arts organisations annually. The foundation prioritises organisations led by communities of colour and those serving underserved NYC neighbourhoods (Staten Island, the Bronx, Eastern/Southern Brooklyn, Queens). Their approach emphasises long-term partnerships through general operating support rather than project-based funding, with staff comprised of former and current practising artists and arts workers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Direct Grants to Organisations

• General Operating Support: Primary funding mechanism providing flexible, multi-year support
• First-Time Grants: $10,000 - $30,000 (typical range for new grantees)
• Established Grantee Renewals: Up to $300,000 annually or over multiple years
• Specialised Support: Leadership transition funding, change capital, debt relief, cash reserves, artistic risk funds, working capital, commissioning support
• Application Method: Annual Interest Form (March 31 - May 20 for 2026), followed by invitation to full application

Regranting Programmes (for smaller organisations/artists below $250,000 budget threshold)

• Bronx Cultural Visions Fund: $10,000 grants for Bronx-based emerging and mid-career artists and small organisations (administered by Bronx Council on the Arts)
• Creative Engagement: $7,000 average grants, up to $10,000 maximum, supporting 200+ arts projects annually in Manhattan (administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council)

Priority Areas

Discipline Focus:

• Dance companies
• Music ensembles
• Theatre companies
• Performance art
• Multidisciplinary performing arts
• Performing arts presenters

Organisational Priorities:

• Organisations led by communities of colour
• Groups serving underserved NYC neighbourhoods (Staten Island, Bronx, Eastern/Southern Brooklyn, Queens)
• Organisations with budgets over $250,000 (for direct grants)
• Fiscally sponsored organisations welcome

Funding Philosophy:

• Financial capitalisation and organisational fiscal health
• Trust-based, flexible grantmaking
• Long-term partnership building
• Breaking down power dynamics between funders and grantees

What They Don't Fund

• Visual arts institutions
• Botanical gardens
• Tuition-based schools
• In-school arts education programmes
• Youth productions
• Film organisations
• Literary organisations
• Social service providers
• Organisations currently receiving Gilman-funded regranting programme support (for direct grants)
• Organisations outside NYC's five boroughs
• Organisations with budgets under $250,000 (must apply through regranting programmes)

Governance and Leadership

Senior Leadership & Staff

• Laura Aden - President & CEO
• Anna Campbell - Senior Director of Programs and Planning
• Kimberleigh Costanzo - Senior Director of Grants and Operations
• Mary F. Slaughter - Administrative Director
• Emily Sproch - Senior Program Officer
• James Hirschfeld - Program Officer
• Kristal Pacific - Program Officer
• Miabi Chatterji - Grants Manager
• Jesse Pringle - Grants Associate

Leadership Philosophy

Laura Aden emphasises the foundation's grantee-centred approach: "Relationships between funders and grantseekers are fraught with all kinds of power dynamics, and at the Gilman Foundation, we try to do everything that we possibly can to break that down and say, 'What is it that you need, and how can we help you get there?'"

She adds: "The performing arts community in New York City is why we exist. We exist to serve them."

On staffing: "I was looking for people who were working artists or had worked at nonprofit arts organisations" - reflecting the foundation's commitment to hiring staff with lived nonprofit arts experience.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For New Applicants (Organisations with budgets over $250,000):

Stage 1 - Interest Form (Simplified Initial Assessment)

• Submission Period: March 31 - May 20 (for 2026 funding)
• Portal Access: Create account at howardgilmanfoundation.org; registration processed within two business days
• Purpose: Short form assessing organisational fit within Gilman's vision, mission, and current priorities
• Review: Staff determines which organisations advance to Full Review stage
• Notification: June 30 (advance/decline status)

Stage 2 - Full Review (By Invitation Only)

• Application Due: July 29 (for 2026)
• Components: Detailed written application, budgets, financial statements (audit, CPA review, or 990), proposal meeting with Program Officer, performance review
• Review Period: August - October
• Final Decisions: Early December

For Organisations Under $250,000 Budget:

• Apply through Bronx Cultural Visions Fund (Bronx-based organisations/artists)
• Apply through Creative Engagement (Manhattan-based projects)
• Contact respective administering organisations for deadlines and guidelines

For Current Grantees:

• Renewal applications submitted through grants portal in designated cycle
• Three annual cycles with staggered deadlines
• No separate reporting requirement - renewal application serves as report

Decision Timeline

New Applicants: 6-8 months total

• Interest Form to notification: 2 months
• Full application to decision: 4-5 months

Current Grantees (Renewals): Approximately 3 months from application to decision

Notification Method: Email through grants portal to Grant Contact and Executive Leader Contact designated in application

Success Rates

• The foundation "adds a small number of new organisations to their roster of annual grantees each year"
• Highly competitive given focus on performing arts organisations in NYC
• Foundation describes the selection process as based on "field-wide circumstances, the overall application pool, unique organisational needs, and Gilman's current priorities"
• Specific percentage success rates not publicly disclosed

Reapplication Policy

• Declined applicants may reapply in the next annual funding cycle
• No waiting period beyond the next year's application window
• Organisations should demonstrate how they've addressed any feedback received or how circumstances have changed

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Explicitly Values

Organisational Characteristics:

• Organisations demonstrating clear alignment with mission to support NYC performing arts
• Groups serving communities or neighbourhoods historically underfunded by private philanthropy
• Organisations with budgets over $250,000 and at least three years of operations at that scale
• Strong fiscal health documentation (audit, CPA review, or 990)

Application Approach: Laura Aden on their streamlined process: "I wanted to only ask questions that we really needed the answer to… we knew that we didn't need to have everything in the world in this application."

The foundation values organisations that can clearly articulate their needs. As Aden states: "What is it that you need, and how can we help you get there?" This suggests successful applicants demonstrate specific, well-justified funding needs rather than generic requests.

Recent Funding Examples

Organisations recently funded include:

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: $150,000 for leadership transition support
• American Ballet Theatre: $300,000 over two years for general operating support
• Bang on a Can: $200,000 general operating support plus $100,000 for change capital
• Breaking the Binary Theatre: $150,000 over three years plus $20,000 for artist safety protocols
• Abrons Arts Center: $195,000 over three years for general operating support

These examples show the foundation supports varied disciplines, budget sizes, and funding purposes beyond basic operating support (leadership transitions, change capital, artist safety, etc.).

Foundation's Stated Approach

Trust-Based Grantmaking: The foundation rejects "traditional models of data collection or budget size" in favour of direct dialogue about organisational needs. They emphasise that "no two organisations are alike, and no two grants are alike either."

Relationship Over Bureaucracy: Staff meet with grantees at least annually. As Aden notes: "We're not as formal, maybe, as some other organisations might be… we're pretty informal in the way that we behave or try to behave."

Financial Capitalisation Focus: Beyond operating support, the foundation has prioritised financial capitalisation "since 2014," funding debt relief, cash reserves, artistic risk funds, and working capital to build long-term organisational stability.

Guiding Question: The foundation's strategic decisions are shaped by asking "What's best for the applicants?" - suggesting successful applicants help the foundation understand how proposed funding serves both organisational and broader community needs.

Strategic Positioning Tips

1. Emphasise fiscal health and capitalisation needs - the foundation explicitly focuses on "organisations' overall mission and fiscal health" and has made financial capitalisation a core priority
2. Demonstrate community impact - particularly if serving underserved NYC neighbourhoods or communities of colour
3. Be specific about needs - the foundation's approach centres on understanding "what you need" rather than fitting predetermined formulas
4. Show readiness for relationship - the foundation emphasises long-term partnerships; demonstrate capacity for ongoing dialogue and engagement
5. Articulate use of flexible funding - since general operating support is their primary mechanism, show how unrestricted funds strengthen overall organisational capacity

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geography is non-negotiable: Only NYC-based (five boroughs) performing arts organisations qualify; no exceptions
• Budget threshold matters: Organisations must demonstrate three consecutive years with budgets exceeding $250,000; smaller organisations should pursue regranting programmes
• General operating support is the goal: The foundation strongly prefers flexible funding over project-based grants; frame requests around organisational needs, not specific projects
• New applicant slots are extremely limited: With only "a small number" of new organisations added annually, competition is intense; strong first impressions through the Interest Form are critical
• Trust-based approach requires authenticity: The foundation values honest dialogue about needs over polished applications; be specific and genuine about challenges and opportunities
• Financial health is central: Beyond operating expenses, demonstrate understanding of capitalisation needs (debt, reserves, working capital); the foundation has prioritised this since 2014
• Relationship-building matters: Staff attend performances and meet with organisations; if selected for Full Review, the proposal meeting with Program Officers is crucial for demonstrating organisational culture and communication style
• Timeline requires patience: 6-8 months from Interest Form to final decision for new applicants; plan fundraising timelines accordingly

References

• Howard Gilman Foundation Official Website - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - How to Apply - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - New Applicants - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - FAQs - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Funding Approach - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Our Team - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Our Board - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Current Grantees - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Grants Database - Accessed December 2025
• Howard Gilman Foundation - Regranting Opportunities - Accessed December 2025
• Instrumentl - Howard Gilman Foundation Profile - Accessed December 2025
• Cause IQ - Howard Gilman Foundation Profile - Accessed December 2025
• Denver Frederick Interview with Laura Aden - Accessed December 2025
• Grantmakers in the Arts - Turning Five: Reflections on the (Re)Creation of a Foundation - Accessed December 2025
• Bronx Council on the Arts - Bronx Cultural Visions Fund - Accessed December 2025