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Alex Katz Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.0M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.7M

Alex Katz Foundation - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,987,633 (2019)
  • Success Rate: N/A (No public application process)
  • Decision Time: N/A (Invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $720 - $650,000
  • Geographic Focus: National, with strong emphasis on Maine institutions
  • Total Assets: $60.5 million (2019)

Contact Details

  • Website: alexkatz.com
  • Address: 192 Lexington Ave 1100, New York, NY 10016
  • EIN: 51-0529249

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Overview

The Alex Katz Foundation was established in 2004-2005 by renowned American artist Alex Katz and his wife Ada, with the mission of "support[ing] the work of emerging and underrecognized artists." The foundation is helmed by the Katz family: Alex, his wife Ada, his son Vincent, and his daughter-in-law Vivien. With total assets of approximately $60.5 million and annual grant distributions of nearly $2 million, the foundation has donated more than 700 artworks to institutions and millions of dollars to arts organizations. Unlike typical artist foundations that distribute traditional grants and prizes, the Alex Katz Foundation employs a distinctive model: it purchases artworks by emerging and mid-career artists directly from galleries, then donates these pieces to museums, simultaneously supporting artists while building institutional collections. The foundation maintains a particularly strong connection to Maine institutions, where Katz has maintained a summer residence since purchasing a home in Lincolnville.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through two primary mechanisms:

  • Direct Financial Grants: Range from $720 to $650,000, with approximately 69 grants awarded annually to art institutions
  • Artwork Donations: The foundation purchases contemporary artworks from galleries and donates them to museums, often valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars per piece

Application method: Invitation only/trustee discretion (no public application process)

Priority Areas

Museums and Educational Institutions The foundation focuses on supporting university museums and established art institutions, particularly those with a connection to Maine or contemporary art. Major beneficiaries include:

  • Colby College Museum of Art (nearly 500 artworks donated)
  • Portland Museum of Art (over 150 artworks donated)
  • Bowdoin College Museum of Art (50+ artworks donated since 2010)
  • Farnsworth Art Museum (60+ works donated)

Artists Supported Through Purchases The foundation purchases works from:

  • Emerging and mid-career artists
  • Underrecognized contemporary artists
  • Artists working across multiple disciplines (paintings, drawings, sculptures)
  • Both established names (Ellsworth Kelly, Jasper Johns, Elizabeth Peyton) and up-and-coming artists (Merlin James, Sojourner Truth Parsons, Chase Hall)

Focus on Contemporary Art The foundation emphasizes building collections of 20th and 21st century art, with particular attention to contemporary women artists.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual artist grants or fellowships (they support artists indirectly through gallery purchases)
  • Organizations outside the visual arts sector
  • Projects unrelated to museum collections or exhibitions
  • Operating expenses for non-arts organizations

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team:

  • Alex Katz - Founder, American figurative artist associated with the pop art movement
  • Ada Katz - Co-leader
  • Vincent Katz - Son, Co-leader
  • Vivien Katz - Daughter-in-law, Co-leader

Alex Katz received the National Medal of Arts in 2024, honored at a White House ceremony for his contributions to American art and his philanthropic impact.

Foundation Approach: Frank H. Goodyear, Co-Director of Bowdoin College Museum of Art, noted the foundation's commitment to "growing the Museum's collection of artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries," highlighting that many donations include works by artists Katz has personally known or admired, demonstrating the foundation's relationship-driven approach.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Alex Katz Foundation keeps a low profile and explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants and artwork donations are made at the discretion of the foundation's leadership, typically to institutions with which the foundation has established relationships.

The foundation's giving operates primarily through:

  1. Trustee-directed financial grants to select art institutions
  2. Artwork purchases from galleries followed by strategic donations to museums
  3. Pre-existing relationships with beneficiary institutions

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an internal decision-making process without publicized application deadlines or decision timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept public applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, the foundation's documented giving patterns reveal clear preferences:

Institutional Characteristics That Attract Support:

  • University-affiliated art museums with strong contemporary art programs
  • Established institutions with professional curatorial staff and proper collection care capabilities
  • Museums with a connection to Maine or locations where the Katz family has personal ties
  • Institutions committed to building 20th and 21st century art collections

Strategic Alignment: The foundation was "founded with the mission of supporting artists and art institutions through the purchase of artworks and their subsequent gifting" and has become a model of artist-led philanthropy. Institutions that have received support demonstrate:

  • Commitment to exhibiting and preserving contemporary art
  • Focus on emerging and underrecognized artists, particularly women artists
  • Long-term relationships with the Katz family (many beneficiaries have received multiple gifts over years)
  • Geographic proximity to Maine (though not exclusively)

The Foundation's Distinctive Model: Rather than responding to applications, the foundation proactively identifies artists whose work they wish to support by purchasing pieces from galleries, then strategically places these works in museum collections. This approach provides immediate financial support to artists while building institutional collections for public benefit.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications
  • Relationship-Driven Giving: The foundation supports institutions with which it has established, often long-term relationships (some spanning over a decade)
  • Geographic Concentration: While based in New York, the foundation shows particular affinity for Maine institutions, reflecting the Katz family's personal connection to the state since 1949
  • Dual-Impact Model: The foundation's approach of buying from galleries and donating to museums creates simultaneous support for artists and institutions
  • Focus on Contemporary Collections: Beneficiary institutions demonstrate commitment to 20th and 21st century art, particularly works by emerging, mid-career, and underrecognized artists
  • Substantial Support Over Time: Institutions that receive support often receive multiple gifts over many years, suggesting the foundation values ongoing partnerships
  • Women Artists Priority: The foundation has shown particular commitment to supporting contemporary women artists through its collection-building efforts

References

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