Jerome Robbins Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 13-6021425 · since 1959jeromerobbins.org·New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $20,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$7,500

Typical grant (median)

99 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your work is in dance, theatre or associated performing arts, it matches the foundation's stated focus; the filing states no geographic focus, so your location alone does not decide the question.
Typical grants fall between $2,500 and $20,000, with a median of $7,500, so a modest request in that range is a sensible starting point, although its largest grant has been $300,000.
Most of its grant dollars have gone to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so the approach is likely to be relationship-led, but it accepts applications and gives no deadlines, so a first approach is still worth making.
Applications should include a full description of the organisation, its funding sources, financial information and tax-exempt status, and detailed instructions are on its website.
Organisations whose work sits outside dance, theatre and associated arts are less likely to fit its stated purpose.

Overview

Jerome Robbins 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 Foundation was established to support dance, theatre and their associative arts. It describes its direction as performing arts, with dance and theatre especially prominent. Its grant record includes dance companies, theatres and other performing-arts organisations, and the largest share of recorded grants went to New York State. In the Jerome Robbins Award, the Foundation says prizes should lean towards dance and its associative collaborators, while not being limited to that circle, and should recognise distinction in a person, organisation or project.

Themes

Dance
Theater
Associative arts

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York.

How to apply

Applications should include a complete description of the organisation, its funding sources, financial information and tax-exempt status; detailed instructions are referred to the website.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 307 grants to organisations were $7,500 or less.

What the foundation says:

For the Jerome Robbins Award, the prize is given only when warranted by the distinction of the person, organisation or project.
For the Jerome Robbins Award, the prizes lean towards dance and its associative collaborators, without being confined to that circle.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York78%

Washington3%

Florida3%

Missouri2%

Massachusetts2%

North Carolina2%

6 other states: 8%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%

The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Jerome Robbins Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

99 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $7,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 99 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k6%

$2.5k–$5k22%

$5k–$10k39%

$10k–$25k21%

$25k–$50k7%

$50k–$100k1%

$100k–$250k3%

Median $7,500 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Jerome Robbins Dance Division Nypl For The Performing Arts · Charitable purposes
$201,0002024 tax year
New York Stage & Film · Charitable purposes
$100,0002024 tax year
New York City Ballet · Charitable purposes
$100,0002024 tax year
Brooklyn Academy of Music · Charitable purposes
$50,0002024 tax year
Joyce Theater · Charitable purposes
$45,0002024 tax year
Baryshnikov Arts Center · Charitable purposes
$43,5002024 tax year
Orchestra Of ST Lukes · Charitable purposes
$30,0002024 tax year
Miami City Ballet · Charitable purposes
$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

Ellen Sorrin — Director
Christopher Pennington — Director
Allen Greenberg — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,482,592	$1,495,875	$21,487,903	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$2,297,692	$1,132,250	$23,133,603	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$2,388,158	$1,286,500	$26,526,739	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.