Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Foundation says it favours small to midsize arts and socially-engaged organisations that are contrarian and experimental, and it gives its geographic priority as the globe, so a project in those terms is worth raising.
- Most of its grants fall between $2,500 and $60,000, and half of its 304 grants to organisations were $14,000 or less, so a modest request sits comfortably within what it typically pays; its largest grant was about $1,000,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but interested applicants may apply only through open calls, so check for one before writing.
- In its most recent filing, 49% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in its earlier filings, so a newcomer should weigh that and not assume that a first approach will be straightforward.
- Its own statement of purpose is the best guide to fit, so describe your work in its terms of collaboration, resilience and institutional sustainability.
Overview
Robert Rauschenberg 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 primarily supports small to midsize arts and socially-engaged organisations that are contrarian and experimental, even courageous, in driving towards equity. Its philanthropic programmes seek an artistically vibrant, equitable and sustainable world, investing in collaboration, resilience and institutional sustainability. It supports art collectives, cross-disciplinary collaborations, exhibitions and multi-institutional initiatives that connect artists, curators, researchers, designers and cultural organisations, encouraging practitioners to work across disciplines and beyond individual mediums. It also amplifies artists and scholars through residencies, commissions and accessible public platforms, and supports research, exhibitions, publications, academic partnerships and special projects across the globe.
Themes
- Socially engaged arts
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration
- Artist emergency aid
- Residencies and commissions
- Research and publications
Geographic Focus
Priority: The globe.
How to apply
Interested applicants may apply only through open calls.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 49% 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 304 grants to organisations were $14,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours small to midsize arts and socially-engaged organisations that are contrarian and experimental, even courageous, in driving towards equity.
- It invests in collaboration, resilience and institutional sustainability.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 7%
- The largest single recipient received 26% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 49% of grant dollars went to organisations Robert Rauschenberg Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Spain, Germany).
- 6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 134 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $18,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New York Foundation for the Arts · General operating support$756,0002024 tax year
- New York Foundation for the Arts · General operating support$336,0002024 tax year
- Clemente Solo Velez Cultural And Educational Center Inc · General operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Jean Paul Getty Trust · General operating support$200,0002024 tax year
- Museum of the City of New York · General operating support$190,0002024 tax year
- Myriad USA - International Society of the Museum Ludwig · General operating support$126,0002024 tax year
- Art Matters · General operating support$105,6002024 tax year
- Ekvnv Yelofecvlke · General operating support$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Berenice Sarafzadeh — Chief Operating Officer
- James Keith Brown — Board Member
- Michelle Coffey — Board Member
- Rocio Aranda-Alvarado — Board Member
- Kellie Jones — Board Member
- Glenn Lowry — Board Member
- Michael Strauss — Board Member
- Glenn Ligon — Secretary
- Ac Hudgins — Treasurer
- Peter Kraus — Chairman
- Christopher Rauschenberg — President
- Courtney J Martin — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $14,130,847 | $1,976,500 | $509,159,843 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $16,200,018 | $4,486,400 | $521,728,007 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $17,618,005 | $4,670,200 | $524,347,614 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Robert Rauschenberg Foundation?
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Applying to Robert Rauschenberg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required