Terra Foundation for American Art
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation funds projects in the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America, and it welcomes proposals from museums, art centres, community-based cultural organisations, research centres and universities, so work in those fields is the place to start; its geographic focus is worldwide, but applicants must hold US 501(c)(3) status or an international equivalent, and grants are not made to individuals.
- Most grants fall between $10,500 and $150,000, and half of its 421 grants to organisations were $60,000 or less, so a request in that band is a realistic size, though it is not a ceiling, as its largest grant was $350,000.
- Start with a grant inquiry form through the Collections, Exhibitions or Convenings programme, noting that Collections and Exhibition support is offered once yearly and Convening grants twice yearly, and expect that the foundation may invite a full proposal after internal review.
- In its latest filing, about 17% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the previous filing, and it prefers not to be the sole funder of an event, so describe the intended impact and outcomes clearly and concisely and show how the grant supplements existing resources.
- An institution may not apply for Exhibition Grants in two consecutive years if a grant has been awarded.
Overview
Terra Foundation for American Art is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Terra Foundation funds projects engaging the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America, seeking to broaden understandings of American art and transform how its stories are told. Through its open programmes, it supports projects concerning permanent collections, temporary loan exhibitions, and convenings for interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange; it also has invitation-only initiatives. It welcomes proposals from museums, art centres, community-based cultural organisations, research centres and universities in varied geographies, within and outside the United States. Applicants must hold United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or its international equivalent; grants are not made to individuals. It encourages work that generates knowledge reflecting the breadth and complexity of American art, includes plural perspectives and methods, and advances inclusive practices and expansive histories.
Themes
- American art
- Indigenous arts
Geographic Focus
Worldwide.
What They Don't Fund
- Exhibition Grants only: applications for Exhibition Grants from the same institution two consecutive years if a grant has been awarded
How to apply
Organisations can apply through the Collections, Exhibitions and Convenings open programmes. They submit a grant inquiry form; after internal review, the foundation may invite them to submit a grant proposal.
Deadlines:
- Collections Grants support is offered once yearly.
- Convening Grants are awarded twice yearly.
- Exhibition Grants support is offered once yearly.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 17% 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 421 grants to organisations were $60,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation prefers not to be the sole funder of an event.
- Applicants should clearly and concisely describe the project’s intended impact and outcomes, and how the grant will supplement existing resources to achieve institutional goals.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 12%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 36%
- The largest single recipient received 2% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 17% of grant dollars went to organisations Terra Foundation for American Art had funded in earlier filings.
- 16% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia).
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 199 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Museum of Mexican Art · Art education$342,5002023 tax year
- Hyde Park Art Center · Art education$300,0002023 tax year
- Amistad Research Center · Art education$300,0002023 tax year
- Portland Art Museum · Art education$250,0002023 tax year
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston · Art education$250,0002023 tax year
- Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences · Art education$225,0002023 tax year
- Cleveland Museum of Art · Art education$200,0002023 tax year
- Biennale of Sydney · Art education$200,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Stephanie Harris — Director / Chair
- Amina Dickerson — Director / Vice-Chair
- Huey Copeland — Director
- Ricardo Estrada — Director
- Amanda Williams — Director
- Catherine Sarr — Director
- Victoria Rogers — Director
- Kaywin Feldman — Director
- Ravi Saligram — Director
- Eric Mckissack — Director / Treasurer
- Sharon Corwin — CEO, President
- Amy Zinck — Executive Vice President
- Jay Xu — Director
- Adam Weinberg — Director
- Anne Munsch — CFO, Assistant Secretary / Treasurer
- Raymond Mcguire — Director
- Henry Johnson — Director
- Erica Hirshler — Director / Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $19,541,234 | $14,683,815 | $583,846,758 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $25,089,633 | $14,322,498 | $602,937,364 | 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
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Terra Foundation for American Art?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 654-2263
- pike@terraamericanart.eu
- haslett@terraamericanart.org
- grants@terraamericanart.org
- Chicago, IL
- terraamericanart.org
Applying to Terra Foundation for American Art?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (312) 654-2263
- pike@terraamericanart.eu
- haslett@terraamericanart.org
- grants@terraamericanart.org
- Chicago, IL
- terraamericanart.org