Solow Art and Architecture Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,149,287 (2023)
Success Rate: Not publicly available
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: Variable - specific amounts not publicly disclosed
Geographic Focus: Primarily New York and national arts institutions
Number of Awards: 19 grants (2023), 25 grants (2022)

Contact Details

Address: 9 West 57th Street, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019

Website: https://www.solowfoundation.org

Overview

The Solow Art and Architecture Foundation, now operating as the Soloviev Foundation, was established in 1991 as a private operating foundation by the late billionaire real estate developer Sheldon Solow. The foundation houses an internationally significant art collection valued at over $200 million, featuring works by Botticelli, Matisse, Miró, Basquiat, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Giacometti, Francis Bacon, and other modern masters. With assets of approximately $228 million (2023), the foundation's primary mission is to "maintain and display artwork for exhibition to the public." While historically controversial for its lack of public access despite tax-exempt status, the foundation opened for occasional public tours in May 2023. In addition to operating its museum, the foundation makes grants and loans to other museums and arts organizations, with charitable disbursements of $1.1 million in 2023 distributed across 19 awards.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a private operating foundation (not primarily a grant-maker), but does provide support to arts and cultural institutions through:

Grants to Museums and Arts Organizations: Variable amounts to established cultural institutions
Loans of Artwork: The foundation has made donations and loans to other museums from its collection

Priority Areas

Arts and Culture: Museums, galleries, and visual arts organizations
Art Conservation and Exhibition: Support for institutions that preserve and display fine art
Cultural Education: Organizations focused on public access to art

What They Don't Fund

Organizations outside the arts and culture sector
Individual artists (focus is on institutional support)
General operating expenses unrelated to art exhibition and preservation
Non-arts causes (education, health, social services, etc.)

Governance and Leadership

Following the death of founder Sheldon Solow in 2020, the foundation is now led by his widow, Mia Fonssagrives Solow, an artist and designer who works in sculpture and jewelry. The foundation has historically maintained a minimal board structure with concentrated family control, enabling discretionary grant-making decisions.

Sheldon Solow was known for his passion for collecting blue-chip contemporary and modern art, and his approach to philanthropy reflected a focus on arts preservation and institutional support. His widow has publicly committed to increasing public access to the collection.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Solow Art and Architecture Foundation does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be made at the discretion of the foundation's leadership, likely to organizations with pre-existing relationships or to established cultural institutions within the Solow family's network.

According to the foundation's website, it "maintains and displays artwork for exhibition to the public" and has "made donations and loans to other museums," but provides no application guidelines, deadlines, or eligibility criteria.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the lack of a public application process, the most viable approaches include:

Institutional Relationships: The foundation has historically supported major New York cultural institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA. Established museums with strong reputations in modern and contemporary art are most likely to be considered.
Art Loans and Partnerships: The foundation has indicated interest in lending works from its collection. Museums seeking to borrow artwork for exhibitions may be able to establish relationships through curatorial channels.
Family Network Connections: The Solow/Soloviev family has deep ties to New York's real estate and cultural communities. Introductions through shared board members or cultural advisory circles may be more effective than cold outreach.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private operating foundation with discretionary grant-making, decisions are likely made on a rolling basis by foundation leadership.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With 19 grants made in 2023 and no public application process, the success rate for unsolicited inquiries is likely very low.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

Given the private nature of the foundation's grant-making:

Institutional Prestige: The foundation has historically supported major, established cultural institutions like The Met and MoMA rather than emerging organizations.

Modern and Contemporary Art Focus: The foundation's collection centers on 20th-century masters and contemporary artists. Organizations working in these areas align with the foundation's expertise and interests.

New York Connections: As a New York-based foundation housed in the iconic Solow Building at 9 West 57th Street, there is a strong preference for supporting the city's cultural ecosystem.

Conservation and Exhibition Excellence: Given the foundation's mission to "maintain and display" valuable artwork, organizations demonstrating best practices in art conservation, security, and exhibition design are likely to be viewed favorably.

Pre-existing Relationships: With no public application process and a limited number of grants (19 in 2023), virtually all support appears to go to organizations already known to the foundation or its leadership.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This is not a traditional grant-maker: The Solow Art and Architecture Foundation is a private operating foundation that makes occasional grants but does not solicit applications.
Invitation-only support: With 19 grants in 2023 totaling approximately $1.1 million, support is highly selective and appears to be by invitation or existing relationship only.
Focus on major institutions: Historical support patterns suggest preference for established museums and cultural institutions, particularly in New York.
Art collection access may be more available than grants: Organizations interested in borrowing works from the foundation's $200+ million collection may find more receptivity than those seeking cash grants.
Consider the related Sheldon H. Solow Foundation: For organizations in health, education, or Jewish causes, the separate Sheldon H. Solow Foundation (EIN: 13-3386646) is a more traditional grant-making entity that accepts unsolicited proposals.
Limited transparency: Neither specific grant amounts, recipient lists, nor application criteria are publicly available, making this a particularly opaque funding source.
Recent transition period: Following Sheldon Solow's death in 2020 and the foundation's reopening to public tours in 2023, the foundation's grant-making priorities may be evolving under new leadership.

References

Research completed December 2024