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Marina Kellen French Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$3.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $3.0M

Marina Kellen French Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,014,750 (2022 data)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only foundation)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $250 - $3,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, with some support in Massachusetts and Delaware
  • Total Assets: $513.4 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: New York, NY

Note: This is a private foundation that does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited applications. Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees.

Overview

The Marina Kellen French Foundation Inc (EIN: 92-2711044) was established as a private grantmaking foundation and received its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in April 2023. With total assets exceeding $513 million as of 2023, the foundation represents the philanthropic vision of Marina Kellen French, a prominent arts patron and daughter of the late Anna-Maria and Stephen M. Kellen, both Met Benefactors. The foundation focuses primarily on supporting major arts and cultural institutions, with a particular emphasis on museums, performing arts organizations, and cultural preservation. Marina Kellen French serves as President, with Andrew S. Gundlach as Treasurer and Annabelle Garrett as Director. The foundation operates as a family foundation, making strategic grants to organizations aligned with the Kellen family's longstanding commitment to arts, culture, and education. In 2022, the foundation awarded approximately $3 million in grants, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art receiving the largest grant of $3 million.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not offer structured grant programs with application cycles. Instead, grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on the foundation's strategic priorities and existing relationships with beneficiary organizations.

Grant Size Range: $250 - $3,000,000

Priority Areas

Arts and Culture (Primary Focus):

  • Major art museums and galleries
  • Cultural institutions and collections
  • Music and performing arts organizations
  • Cultural preservation and heritage projects

Focus Institutions:

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art (longstanding major beneficiary)
  • The Frick Collection
  • The Morgan Library
  • Opera and classical music organizations
  • International cultural organizations (American Friends of the Salzburg Festival)
  • Cultural preservation (World Monuments Fund)

Human Services (Secondary Focus):

  • Healthcare and medical research institutions (Hospital for Special Surgery)

What They Don't Fund

Based on the foundation's giving patterns, they do not appear to support:

  • General social services
  • Environmental causes
  • Educational institutions (K-12)
  • Religious organizations
  • Community development projects
  • Individual artists or scholarships

Governance and Leadership

Marina Kellen French - President and Founder Marina Kellen French is an avid proponent of the arts and humanities both in the United States and abroad. She serves as vice president of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, managing director of the Metropolitan Opera, and trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Hall, Hospital for Special Surgery, TEFAF Art Fair, and the American Academy in Berlin. As the daughter of the late Anna-Maria Kellen (a Met Benefactor and Honorary Trustee) and the late Stephen M. Kellen (also a Met Benefactor), she continues her family's distinguished legacy of cultural philanthropy.

Andrew S. Gundlach - Treasurer Serves as the financial officer for the foundation. Also holds the position of Secretary/Treasurer for the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

Annabelle Garrett - Director

Key Quote: In announcing the endowment of the Met's directorship position, the Museum noted that "Marina Kellen French and her family's generosity to The Met has been broad in scope and profound in effect over many years," reflecting the foundation's commitment to transformational, long-term support for major cultural institutions.

None of the foundation officers receive compensation for their roles, demonstrating a commitment to directing maximum resources toward philanthropic activities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Marina Kellen French Foundation operates as a private family foundation that awards grants at the discretion of its trustees. Grants are typically made to organizations with which the foundation and its leadership have existing relationships, particularly major cultural institutions where Marina Kellen French serves in trustee or leadership roles.

The foundation identifies beneficiaries through:

  • Board connections and trustee affiliations
  • Longstanding relationships with major arts institutions
  • Strategic initiatives aligned with the family's philanthropic legacy
  • Direct outreach from the foundation to selected organizations

Organizations seeking support should not submit unsolicited proposals, as the foundation does not maintain an application portal or accept general inquiries.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Grants appear to be made throughout the year based on trustee discretion and institutional needs.

Success Rates

Success rates are not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given that this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the traditional "success factors" for grant writing do not apply. However, examining the foundation's giving patterns reveals important insights:

Relationship-Driven Philanthropy: The foundation's grants go almost exclusively to organizations where Marina Kellen French or other family members serve in leadership positions. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where French is a trustee, received a $3 million grant in 2022 and has received multiple major endowment gifts including funding for the directorship position and a curatorship.

Transformational, Multi-Year Commitments: Rather than making many small grants, the foundation focuses on major, transformational gifts that create lasting impact. The endowment of the Met's directorship and The Frick Collection's directorship (named in honor of French's parents) demonstrate a preference for institutional legacy gifts.

Arts and Cultural Excellence: Recent grant recipients represent world-class cultural institutions: Metropolitan Museum of Art ($3.0M), World Monuments Fund ($5K), American Friends of the Salzburg Festival ($5K), The Morgan Library ($2K), and New Amsterdam Singers ($250). This reflects the foundation's commitment to supporting excellence in arts and culture at the highest levels.

International Cultural Exchange: Support for organizations like the American Friends of the Salzburg Festival and the American Academy in Berlin (supported by the related Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation) indicates an interest in fostering cultural connections between the United States and Europe.

Concentration of Giving: In 2022, the foundation made only 6 grants totaling approximately $3 million, with one grant (Metropolitan Museum of Art) representing 99.5% of total giving. This demonstrates a highly focused grantmaking strategy centered on deep relationships with key institutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Organizations seeking funding should not submit applications.

  • Relationship-Based Giving: Grants flow almost entirely to organizations where Marina Kellen French or her family members serve in leadership roles, particularly as trustees or directors.

  • Major Cultural Institutions: The foundation focuses on supporting world-renowned arts institutions, museums, and performing arts organizations rather than small or emerging organizations.

  • Transformational Scale: When the foundation gives, it gives significantly. The typical grant pattern shows one very large grant (multi-million dollars) to a flagship institution and several smaller grants to other cultural organizations.

  • Family Philanthropic Legacy: The foundation continues the Kellen family's longstanding commitment to arts and culture, building on decades of support through both this foundation and the related Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

  • Endowment Focus: Major gifts have taken the form of endowments for key positions (museum directorships, curatorships) rather than project-specific grants, indicating interest in sustaining institutional leadership and excellence over the long term.

  • Limited Access: With only 6 grants made in 2022 and assets of over $513 million, this foundation maintains a very selective and strategic approach to grantmaking, likely working with a very small circle of beneficiary organizations.

References

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