Paestum Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Total Assets: $51 million (2024)
• Annual Giving: $197,946 (2024)
• Grant Range: Typically $100,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, NY
• Application Process: No public application process - preselected organizations only
• Founded: 1999

Contact Details

Location: New York, NY

Note: The Paestum Foundation does not provide public contact information and does not accept unsolicited grant requests.

Overview

The Paestum Foundation Inc was established in 1999 as a private independent foundation with total assets of approximately $51 million as of 2024. The foundation has a dual mission: it acquires and maintains a collection of works of art and photographs for exhibition and loan to museums at no charge, and it provides limited support to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation's primary charitable activity involves lending approximately 80% of its art collection to Yale University Art Gallery. In 2023, the foundation acquired "Summer Sea Window" by Marsden Hartley. The foundation is governed by a small board of directors with deep connections to the arts world, including renowned photographer and multimedia artist Clifford Ross as Chairman.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Paestum Foundation does not operate formal grant programs or accept public applications. Grantmaking is highly selective and limited to organizations preselected by the board of directors.

Recent Grants (2023-2024):

• William J. Brennan Jr. Center for Justice Inc: $100,000 (General Support)
• Fidelity Charitable: Historical grants (amounts not publicly disclosed)
• Yale University Art Gallery: In-kind support through art collection loans

Priority Areas

Based on available records, the foundation supports:

• Arts and culture institutions
• Museums and art galleries
• Educational institutions
• Justice and civil rights organizations (selective)
• Organizations aligned with board members' interests

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Given their private nature and preselection policy, they likely do not fund:

• Organizations without direct connections to board members
• Unsolicited proposals from any organization
• First-time applicants without prior relationships

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

• Clifford Ross - Director/Chairman: Renowned photographer and multimedia artist known for his Hurricane Wave series and high-resolution landscape photography. His work is held in major collections including MoMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum. Yale University graduate (B.A. in Art and Art History, 1974).
• John Silberman - Director/President
• Jessica Soojian - Director/Vice President
• Michael Hecht - Director/Secretary/Treasurer

The foundation operates with no full-time employees, relying on the board for governance and decision-making.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Paestum Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of directors, typically to organizations with which board members have existing relationships or alignment with the foundation's art-focused mission.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the extremely limited and selective nature of this foundation's grantmaking (often only one grant per year), and the lack of specific public information about how they identify beneficiaries, there are no documented strategies for getting on their radar. The foundation's primary charitable activity is maintaining and lending its art collection rather than traditional grantmaking.

Organizations should not expect to receive funding from this foundation unless they have direct connections to board members or are specifically approached by the foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Success Rates

Given the invitation-only nature and that the foundation typically makes only 1-2 grants annually from a pool of preselected organizations, success rates for unsolicited approaches would be 0%.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept initial applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the Paestum Foundation does not accept applications. The foundation operates on a trustee-discretion model where grants are awarded to preselected organizations known to the board members.

Organizations that have received support appear to align with:

• The arts and cultural mission of the foundation
• The professional interests of board members, particularly Chairman Clifford Ross's connections to the art world
• Educational institutions (particularly Yale University through art loans)
• High-profile justice and civil rights organizations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests under any circumstances
• Extremely Limited Grantmaking: Typically makes only 1 grant per year totaling approximately $100,000-$200,000 in total annual giving
• Art Collection Focus: The foundation's primary charitable activity is maintaining and lending art to museums (80% of collection on loan to Yale University), not traditional grantmaking
• Board-Driven Decisions: All grants are to preselected organizations chosen by board members
• Arts World Connections: Chairman Clifford Ross is a prominent artist with connections to major museums and Yale University
• Not a Viable Funding Prospect: Grant writers should not pursue this foundation unless specifically invited by board members
• Alternative Funders Recommended: Organizations seeking arts or justice funding should focus efforts on foundations with public application processes

References

• Grantmakers.io Profile - Paestum Foundation Inc. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/134082016-paestum-foundation-inc/ (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Paestum Foundation Inc. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/134082016 (Accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ - The Paestum Foundation. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-paestum-foundation,134082016/ (Accessed January 2026)
• IRS Exempt Organizations Database - Paestum Foundation Inc. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/detailsPage?ein=134082016 (Accessed January 2026)
• Clifford Ross Official Website - Biography. https://www.cliffordross.com/biography (Accessed January 2026)
• Brennan Center for Justice - ProPublica. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133839293 (Accessed January 2026)