Lily Auchincloss Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds work across the arts, human services, and the built and natural environment, but only within the five boroughs of New York City, so groups working outside that area should look elsewhere.
- Most grants are modest: about eight in ten of its grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $30,000, and the median grant is $20,000, so a request in that range is realistic, though the largest grant has been around $1,050,000.
- Applications are submitted online and an organisation may apply once a year in one category, with separate annual deadlines: Human Services in January, Environmental/Preservation in April, and Arts in September, so timing matters.
- A high share of grant dollars, 75%, has gone to organisations also funded in the two preceding filings, suggesting the foundation often continues relationships with groups it already knows, though this need not discourage a first approach.
- It does not fund individuals, programmes outside the five boroughs, research projects, mental health, medical, hospital, nursing home or substance use disorder programmes, or universities and schools of any kind, and arts applicants with budgets over $40 million are asked to enquire before applying.
Overview
Lily Auchincloss Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Lily Auchincloss Foundation makes grants to enrich the quality of life in New York City and to help make the city more affordable and vibrant. It typically supports small to mid-size organisations throughout the five boroughs, providing both general operating and programme support. Its stated fields are the arts, the built and natural environments, and human services. In the arts, it supports organisations that help make the city welcoming for audiences and artists, including free exhibitions, performances and events, arts education, and free or low-cost professional support for artists. Its environmental and preservation grants support work related to the preservation and history of the city’s built and natural environment, including parks and gardens, waterways, and environmental advocacy and education. Human services grants support prevention, social change and education programmes aimed at improving quality of life for New York City residents.
Themes
- Arts
- Human services
- Built and natural environment
Geographic Focus
The five boroughs of New York City.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Programs outside of the five boroughs of New York City
- Research projects
- Mental health programs, medical services, hospitals, nursing homes, substance use disorder programs
- Universities or schools (public, private or charter schools)
How to apply
Foundation Grant applications are submitted online, and organisations may apply once a year in one category.
Deadlines:
- Human Services applications have an annual deadline in January.
- Environmental/Preservation applications have an annual deadline in April.
- Arts applications have an annual deadline in September.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 475 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation typically supports small- to mid-size organisations throughout New York City’s five boroughs.
- For audience access, it funds organisations with at least three years of providing free exhibitions, performances and events, including arts education.
- For artist access, it funds organisations providing artists with free and low-cost professional support, including studio space, specialist equipment, workshops and career services.
- Arts applicants with budgets over $40 million should enquire before submitting an application.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to organisations Lily Auchincloss Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 168 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Fountain House · General purpose$1,000,0002024 tax year
- New York Community Trust · General purpose$100,0002024 tax year
- Riverkeeper · General purpose$100,0002024 tax year
- Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen · General purpose$40,0002024 tax year
- Sunnyside Community Services · General purpose$30,0002024 tax year
- Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical G · General purpose$30,0002024 tax year
- Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts · General purpose$30,0002024 tax year
- Studio in a School · General purpose$30,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ingrid Dyott — Director
- Lynne Harlow — Director
- Janet Levoff — Director, Secretary
- Lee Auchincloss Link — Director
- Paul K Herzan — Director, Vice President & Treasurer
- Alexandra Herzan — Director, President & Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,257,380 | $3,171,000 | $59,161,241 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,381,008 | $4,521,000 | $62,548,510 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,419,066 | $4,303,000 | $65,583,608 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Lily Auchincloss Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- New York, NY
- lilynyc.org
Applying to Lily Auchincloss Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY
- lilynyc.org