Terra Foundation For American Art

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $6.7 million+ (Fall 2024 cycle alone)
Total Assets: $582 million (as of 2020)
Decision Time: 3-4 weeks for inquiry response; 2-5 months from proposal to award
Grant Range: $10,000 - $200,000 (depending on program)
Geographic Focus: International (43 countries served since 2005)
Total Impact: $180 million awarded across 2,330 grants since 2005

Contact Details

Address: 120 East Erie Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA

Phone: +1 312 664 3939

Email: [email protected]

Grant Inquiries: [email protected]

Website: https://www.terraamericanart.org

Grant Portal: terraamericanart.fluxx.io

Overview

Founded by businessman and art collector Daniel J. Terra, the Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America. With assets of $582 million (2020), the foundation underwent a strategic transformation in 2005 under then-President Elizabeth Glassman, shifting from running museums to becoming a global grantmaking organization. Under current President & CEO Sharon Corwin (appointed 2020), the foundation has embraced an expanded mission to "foster intercultural dialogues and encourage transformative practices to expand narratives of American art." In 2024 alone, the foundation awarded 67 grants in fall totaling over $6.7 million, 54 grants in summer totaling over $3.2 million, and 53 grants in spring totaling nearly $3.8 million. The foundation emphasizes projects that question and broaden understandings of American art while reflecting diverse artists, perspectives, and communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Exhibition Grants

Amount: $25,000 - $200,000 (average $100,000; median $112,500)
Frequency: Once yearly
Focus: Planning and presenting temporary loan exhibitions primarily featuring artworks NOT in the institution's permanent collection
Inquiry Due: March 6, 2026
Proposal Due: May 15, 2026
For exhibitions opening: After January 1, 2027
Recent cycle: 38 grants awarded, $4.4 million distributed

2. Collections Grants

Planning Grants: $25,000 - $75,000
Implementation Grants: Up to $100,000
Median: $75,000
Focus: Permanent collection reinstallations or temporary exhibitions drawn primarily from an institution's permanent collection
Inquiry Due: August 4, 2025
Proposal Due: October 14, 2025
Projects must begin: After May 1, 2026

3. Convening Grants

Amount: $10,000 - $25,000 (median $25,000)
Frequency: Awarded twice yearly
Focus: Conferences, workshops, and gatherings fostering interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange
Formats: In-person, virtual, and hybrid programs eligible
Inquiry Due: September 29, 2025
Proposal Due: December 1, 2025
Special note: Up to $5,000 may support resulting publications or proceedings

4. Strategic Initiatives

Amount: Varies significantly ($100,000 - $550,000+ based on recent awards)
Application: Invitation only
Focus: Nimble support responding to evolving field needs and deepening relationships

5. Research Travel Grants (administered by CAA)

Amount: Up to $6,000-$7,000 for doctoral students; up to $9,000 for postdoctoral/senior scholars
Focus: Support for scholars researching American art and visual culture prior to 1980
Geographic reach: Worldwide

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes projects that:

Engage with visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America while questioning and broadening understandings of American art
Reflect diversity through represented artists, included voices, and narratives presented
Include intercultural and interdisciplinary approaches engaging multiple perspectives
Catalyze inclusive practices in the field of American art
Illuminate diverse histories, inspire present connections, and create equitable futures
Present a multiplicity of artists and themes alongside inclusion of a plurality of voices
Engage local communities in collaborative creation

Recent funded projects demonstrate this commitment, including exhibitions on Black photojournalism, Indigenous artists, artists from the African diaspora, and historically underrepresented voices in American art.

What They Don't Fund

General Exclusions:

Grants to individuals (for institutional grant programs)
Proposals from organizations without U.S. 501(c)(3) status or international equivalent
Capital expenditures or permanent equipment acquisitions
Projects outside the scope of American art/visual culture (generally pre-1980)

Exhibition Grants - Specific Exclusions:

Commissioned or acquired artwork creation
Exclusively online projects
Previously toured exhibitions
Previously declined proposals (same project cannot be resubmitted)
Projects primarily featuring the institution's permanent collection (see Collections Grants instead)

Convening Grants - Specific Exclusions:

Programs designed primarily for the general public
Travel grants or fellowship programs
Research databases
Alumni gatherings

Research Travel Grants - Specific Exclusions:

Catalogue raisonné projects
Purchase of computers or other equipment
Expenses for family or travel companions

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Sharon Corwin (appointed 2020, started September 2020)

Sharon Corwin came to the Terra Foundation from the Colby College Museum of Art, where she served as director and chief curator since 2006. Under her leadership, the foundation announced its new guiding mission, vision, and values in 2022 reflecting a commitment to projects that reimagine American art.

Key Quote from Sharon Corwin: "I am excited to build on her work nationally and internationally, to seek out innovative partnerships, and to embrace further an expanding definition of American art in ways that reflect its diverse histories... I think it's ripe for some interrogation." She also emphasizes: "One thing that interests me is that collaboration and partnership are just based in its DNA."

Board Leadership:

Board Chair: Stephanie Harris (elected 2023/2024; board member since 2016)
Vice Chair: Amina J. Dickerson (elected 2023/2024; board member since 2022)

Recent Board Additions (2023):

Ricardo Estrada
Kaywin Feldman (Director of the National Gallery of Art)
Henry P. Johnson (Executive Vice President at Northern Trust Company)
Victoria Rogers (Autodesk strategy team)
Catherine Sarr (founder and CEO of ALMASIKA)

Senior Program Director, Exhibition Grants & Initiatives: Carrie Haslett

Previous Leadership: Elizabeth Glassman served as President & CEO from 2001-2020, leading the foundation's transformation from a museum operator to a global grantmaking organization. During her tenure, the foundation awarded approximately $45 million for some 450 exhibitions and scholarly programs in more than 30 countries.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Terra Foundation uses a two-part application process for its three open grant programs (Collections, Exhibitions, and Convening Grants):

Phase 1: Grant Inquiry Form

Submit through the grant portal at terraamericanart.fluxx.io
Foundation reviews internally
Response time: 3-4 weeks after the inquiry deadline
Foundation may invite qualified applicants to proceed to Phase 2

Phase 2: Formal Proposal

Only invited applicants submit detailed proposals
All proposals must be in English
External review panels of curators and arts professionals evaluate proposals
Important: Invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee funding

Strategic Initiatives: These are invitation-only. After conversations with staff about your project, you may be invited to submit a grant proposal, which then follows internal and external review.

Key Restriction: Organizations cannot receive Exhibition Grants two consecutive years. However, if you received a grant for planning only, you may apply for an implementation grant for the same project the following year.

Decision Timeline

Inquiry response: 3-4 weeks after deadline
Grant awards: 2-5 months after proposal deadline
First payment: 8 weeks after signed grant agreement
Subsequent payments: 6 weeks after report approval

Exhibition Grants Timeline (2026 cycle):

Inquiry due: March 6, 2026
Proposal due: May 15, 2026
Awards announced: Fall 2026
For exhibitions opening after January 1, 2027

Collections Grants Timeline (2025 cycle):

Inquiry due: August 4, 2025
Proposal due: October 14, 2025
Award notification: Spring 2026
Projects must begin after May 1, 2026

Convening Grants Timeline (2025 cycle):

Inquiry due: September 29, 2025
Proposal due: December 1, 2025

Success Rates

The foundation describes its Exhibition Grant program as "highly competitive." Specific success rates and application statistics (such as acceptance percentages or number of applications received) are not publicly disclosed. However, based on recent award cycles:

Fall 2024: 67 grants awarded totaling $6.7 million
Summer 2024: 54 grants awarded totaling $3.2 million
Spring 2024: 53 grants awarded totaling $3.8 million
Fall 2023: 94 grants awarded totaling $9.7 million

Reapplication Policy

For unsuccessful applicants: The foundation welcomes applications for different projects. However, they do not consider the same project more than once.

Exhibition Grants specific policy: Organizations cannot receive Exhibition Grants two consecutive years if a grant has been awarded. For example, if you were awarded an Exhibition Grant in 2023, you can apply for another Exhibition Grant to be awarded in 2025. Exception: If you received a grant for planning only, you may apply for an implementation grant for the same project the following year.

Research Travel Grants: Recipients may not reapply for the same project in subsequent years; however, they may submit a new application for a substantially different project once every four years. Unsuccessful candidates may reapply annually as desired.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Terra Foundation's documented priorities and recent funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Strong Alignment with Mission Transformation

The foundation emphasizes projects that "question and broaden understandings of American art." Recent funded projects reveal this priority in action:

Carnegie Museum of Art received $200,000 for "Black Photojournalism," described as "the first comprehensive traveling exhibition considering the work of Black photojournalists" from WWII through the 1980s
Centre Pompidou (Paris) received $250,000 for "Paris Noir," featuring approximately 150 artists from the African diaspora
Forge Project received $550,000 to support editorial and publishing work promoting and cultivating Indigenous voices

2. Intercultural and Interdisciplinary Approaches

As Sharon Corwin emphasizes, "collaboration and partnership are just based in its DNA." Strong applications demonstrate:

Cross-cultural dialogues and international perspectives
Multiple voices and perspectives included in project development
Community engagement in collaborative creation
Examples: Remai Modern (Saskatoon) received $25,000 for "Gathering the Great Plains," bringing together Black and Indigenous artists, curators, and scholars across the U.S.-Canada border

3. Projects Expanding Narratives

The foundation seeks projects that illuminate diverse histories. Successful recent grants include:

Beverly Buchanan: Weathering (Haus am Waldsee, Berlin) - $125,000 for the artist's first survey exhibition in Germany
Andrea Carlson: Shimmer on Horizons (MCA Chicago) - $75,000 for the first solo exhibition in a Chicago museum by the co-founder of the Center for Native Futures
Black Artists in California: 19th Century to Now (Crocker Art Museum) - $75,000 for a multimedia collection-based exhibition after years of community planning and research

4. Research and Scholarship Integration

The foundation values scholarly rigor. Fundable costs specifically include:

Planning, research, and fellowships
Advisory committees
Research dissemination
Multilingual materials (demonstrating international reach)

5. Institutional Capacity and Track Record

While the foundation supports organizations ranging from "large museums to community-based cultural organizations worldwide," successful applicants must demonstrate:

U.S. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or international equivalent
Financial statements verifying legal status
Realistic budgets and timelines
Ability to complete the project as proposed

6. Specificity in Proposal Development

The foundation's two-part process suggests they value:

Clear, focused inquiry forms that can be evaluated quickly
Detailed proposals from invited applicants that provide comprehensive project information
All materials in English for review panel consistency

7. Geographic and Format Flexibility

The foundation demonstrates openness to:

International applicants (43 countries served since 2005)
Various formats (in-person, virtual, and hybrid programs for convenings)
Different institution types and sizes

8. Strategic Budget Alignment

Understanding the foundation's allowable costs strengthens applications:

Staff positions up to 25% of award
Indirect costs up to 15% of award
Direct administrative costs up to 20% for convenings
No matching funds required
Foundation prefers not to be the sole outside contributor to an event

Advice from the Foundation: Inside Philanthropy notes that "Grants are highly competitive here, so plan accordingly when editing your proposal."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Focus on narrative expansion: The foundation prioritizes projects that question traditional American art narratives and present diverse voices—demonstrate how your project broadens understanding rather than reinforces existing canons
Emphasize intercultural dialogue: Sharon Corwin's vision centers on "intercultural dialogues and transformative practices"—strong applications show cross-cultural engagement and collaborative partnerships
Be strategic about program fit: With three distinct open programs (Exhibition, Collections, Convening) plus invitation-only Strategic Initiatives, choose the program that best matches your project type and timeline
Plan for the long game: The two-part application process and 2-5 month decision timeline requires advance planning; apply a full year or more before your project needs funding
Understand consecutive-year restrictions: Exhibition Grant recipients cannot apply the following year—plan your institutional grant strategy across multiple years if you have several projects
Leverage international opportunities: With grants awarded in 43 countries, international applicants are welcomed—emphasize how your project creates global connections to American art
Build relationships before Strategic Initiatives: Since Strategic Initiatives are invitation-only following "conversations with staff," engage with the foundation through open programs first or attend foundation-supported events to establish connections

References

All sources accessed December 2024.