Holly Peterson Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 26-1607014 · since 2008·New York, Rhode Island·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.5M

Annual giving, 2023 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $55,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

31 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Its grants have mostly gone to arts and cultural organisations such as museums, along with universities, schools and charities working in health and social services, public spaces and equality, so check first whether your work sits in one of those areas.
It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organisations, so a charity without an existing introduction should not send a cold proposal and should look for a route to being invited.
Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 75 grants to organisations fall between $2,500 and $55,000, and half were $25,000 or less, so a request towards the lower end of that range fits its usual giving best.
Repeat support is strong, with 73% of its grant dollars in one filing going to organisations it had also funded in an earlier filing, so this is a relationship-led funder where an existing connection is the most realistic way in.
Its grants have mainly gone to New York and Rhode Island, though no geographic focus is stated, so say clearly where your work is based.

Overview

Holly Peterson Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.

What they fund

Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

In the filings, its grants went to museums and other arts and cultural organisations, including art museums, visual arts institutions, performing arts and literary organisations. Other recipients include universities and schools, and charities working in health and social services, public spaces and equality. Recorded purposes include support for core activities, annual operations, scholarships, galas and other fundraising events, art acquisitions, exhibitions and educational programming. The filings show support for organisations' ongoing work as well as specific cultural, educational and fundraising activities. Contributions are reported as made only to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted.

Geographic Focus

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

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 73% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 75 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

New York77%

Rhode Island16%

Kentucky3%

Florida2%

District of Columbia2%

Texas<1%

1 other state: <1%

The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2023, 73% of grant dollars went to organisations Holly Peterson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

31 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 31 grants in tax year 2023 by size

Under $1k3%

$1k–$2.5k0%

$2.5k–$5k6%

$5k–$10k6%

$10k–$25k13%

$25k–$50k35%

$50k–$100k26%

$100k–$250k6%

$250k–$500k3%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2023)

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

Studio Museum in Harlem · To support the charity's core activities.
$355,3092023 tax year
Brown University · To support the charity's endowed scholarship.
$175,0002023 tax year
Metropolitan Museum of Art · To support the charity's core activities.
$100,0002023 tax year
Speed Art Museum · To support the christina quarles purchase.
$76,0002023 tax year
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture · To support the awards dinner.
$75,0002023 tax year
Studio Museum in Harlem · To support the 2024 gala.
$50,0002023 tax year
Whitney Museum of American Art · To support the edges of ailey exhibit.
$50,0002023 tax year
Brooklyn Museum · To support the 2024 brooklyn artists ball.
$50,0002023 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Michael Shankman — Treasurer
Michael A Peterson — Director, Secretary
Holly Peterson — Director, Chairwoman, President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$1,135,054	$1,098,500	$6,977,989	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,477,605	$1,454,309	$7,070,155	Filing for 2023 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

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