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J. Paul Getty Trust

Annual Giving
$26.3M
Grant Range
$22K - $1.3M
Decision Time
6mo

J. Paul Getty Trust - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $26,289,033 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (highly competitive)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 6 months
  • Grant Range: $21,500 - $1,300,000+
  • Geographic Focus: International (awarded grants in 180+ countries)
  • Total Endowment: $7.7 billion (2020)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/

Grant Portal: https://getty.fluxx.io

Email: gettyfoundation@getty.edu (general inquiries); gcischolars@getty.edu (Conservation Guest Scholars)

Address: J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, California

Overview

The J. Paul Getty Trust, founded in 1984, is the world's wealthiest art institution with an estimated endowment of $7.7 billion (as of 2020). Based in Los Angeles, the Trust operates through multiple programs including the Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation. The Getty Foundation serves as the grant-making arm, awarding approximately $26 million annually to support the understanding and preservation of the visual arts locally and globally. Since its inception, the Foundation has developed, assessed, awarded, and monitored over 7,000 grants in more than 180 countries. The Foundation's strategic approach focuses on four core areas: Art History as a Global Discipline, Advancing Conservation Practice, Access to Museum and Archival Collections, and Leadership and Professional Development. Under the leadership of President Katherine E. Fleming (appointed 2022) and Foundation Director Joan Weinstein, Getty has pioneered collaborative funding models, most notably the Pacific Standard Time initiative.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Strategic Initiative Grants (Variable amounts, typically $50,000-$150,000)

  • Conserving Canvas: Training professionals in paintings conservation and restoration
  • Keeping It Modern: Preservation of significant 20th century architecture
  • Conserving Black Modernism: Conservation of modern structures designed by Black architects
  • Black Visual Arts Archives: Preserving and increasing access to archives of Black artists ($1.5 million awarded in 2025)
  • Paper Project: Curatorial innovation in graphic arts (final year 2024, $8.7 million total to 72 institutions worldwide)
  • Applications typically by invitation or through announced open calls for specific initiatives

Pacific Standard Time (PST ART) (Multi-million dollar initiative)

  • Region-wide collaborative exhibition funding for Southern California cultural institutions
  • Occurs every five years with thematic focus
  • Two-phase grants: research/planning, then implementation
  • Recent edition (2024): $17 million in support for Art & Science Collide theme
  • Previous editions: $7+ million (2011), $8.5 million (2017)

Residential Grants and Fellowships (Fixed stipends)

  • Getty Scholars Program: $21,500 (3 months), $43,000 (6 months), $65,000 (9 months), plus $2,000 relocation stipend
  • Conservation Guest Scholars: $21,500 for 3-month residency, plus housing, healthcare, and travel stipend
  • Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships: Varies by program
  • Art History International Fellowships: $60,000 plus $5,000 for research/travel (in partnership with American Council of Learned Societies)
  • Applications through online portal, annual deadlines (typically October 1)

Priority Areas

Art History

  • Art historical scholarship with global perspectives
  • Projects that bring underrepresented voices into art historical discourse
  • Research that connects scholars across national and regional borders
  • Focus on expanding art history beyond North American and Western European dominance

Conservation

  • Interdisciplinary conservation practice
  • Training and professional development for conservators
  • Conservation science and methodology
  • Architectural preservation of significant 20th century buildings
  • Paintings conservation, particularly historical works with protective linings

Museum and Archival Collections

  • Increasing public access to collections
  • Digitization and cataloging projects
  • Archives of underrepresented artists and communities
  • Curatorial innovation and exhibition development

Professional Development

  • Leadership development in visual arts sector
  • Multicultural internships and fellowships
  • Building capacity in cultural heritage organizations
  • International exchange programs

Los Angeles/Southern California Focus

  • Multicultural Undergraduate Internship Program (since 1993) to increase staff diversity in LA County visual arts organizations
  • Support for Latino and Latin American-themed exhibitions
  • Region-wide collaborative projects through Pacific Standard Time

What They Don't Fund

  • Operating expenses and general overhead costs
  • Capital campaigns and endowment funding
  • Film, video, or audio projects (with rare exceptions in specific programs)
  • Acquisition of works of art
  • Individual artists (grants go to institutions or through fellowship programs)
  • Scholarships for academic degree study
  • Conservation of single objects (except within specific program contexts)
  • Projects outside the visual arts and cultural heritage fields

Governance and Leadership

Katherine E. Fleming - President and CEO, J. Paul Getty Trust (appointed 2022) Fleming brings a vision of collaboration and global cultural preservation. She states: "The mission of the Getty is more vitally important than ever, as environmental degradation and global upheaval threaten the world's artistic and cultural heritage in unprecedented ways." On her approach: "My broader goals…have to do with building strong partnerships, looking at pressing questions from multiple perspectives, and enabling the power that's harnessed when you have lots of different types of brains working together."

Joan Weinstein - Director, Getty Foundation (appointed 2019; with Getty since 1994) Weinstein oversees international grant initiatives and co-created Pacific Standard Time. She emphasizes strategic impact: "We like to say that we punch above our weight, that we take what seem like not large grants, and we actually extend the impact. And I think when you work very strategically, that is one of the things you can do." On global perspectives: She looks at things from a global perspective, with programs that connect young scholars and cultural heritage workers across borders "to bring in voices that haven't always been included in the cultural sector dominated by North America and Western Europe." She expresses optimism about young people in the Global South who "believe that humanistic knowledge and the preservation of cultural heritage are central to a more democratic and equitable society."

Daniel Reid - Associate Director, Getty Foundation

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Strategic Initiative Grants: Most Getty Foundation grants are awarded through strategic initiatives rather than open calls. The Foundation develops initiatives in consultation with field experts and may either issue invitations to apply or announce open calls for specific programs. Prospective applicants should:

  • Monitor the Getty Foundation website (getty.edu/foundation) for current initiatives
  • Review the grants database to understand types of funded projects
  • Contact Foundation staff to discuss project fit before applying
  • Each initiative has unique application requirements and procedures

For Residential Grants (Scholars, Fellows, Conservation Guest Scholars):

  • Applications submitted through Getty Foundation Grant Portal (getty.fluxx.io)
  • Portal works best with Google Chrome (Firefox and Safari also supported)
  • Create account and complete online application
  • Application deadline: October 1 (for residencies beginning the following year)
  • Requires: project proposal (max 5 pages, double-spaced), CV, writing sample (optional)
  • Proposals should indicate relevance to annual theme and how project benefits from Getty resources

Eligibility:

  • Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) or equivalent)
  • International nonprofits accepted (must provide detailed tax/financial documentation)
  • Organizations in 180+ countries eligible
  • Fiscal sponsorship occasionally considered (must discuss with staff in advance)
  • Individuals may apply for residential fellowships and scholar programs

Decision Timeline

  • Residential Programs: Approximately 6 months after October 1 deadline (notifications around March-April)
  • Strategic Initiative Grants: Varies by program; typically several months
  • Pacific Standard Time: Two-phase process (research/planning grants, then implementation grants)

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation is highly competitive, having awarded over 7,000 grants from tens of thousands of inquiries and applications over its 40-year history. The strategic initiative model means many grants are by invitation or targeted calls rather than open competition, which affects success rate calculations.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publish a formal reapplication policy. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to review feedback and may reapply in future cycles. For residential programs, applicants may apply again in subsequent years. Given the strategic nature of most grants, applicants should maintain dialogue with program officers about future opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Strategic Priorities Getty funds strategically, not opportunistically. Joan Weinstein emphasizes that grants are developed "in consultation with the fields they serve" through international advisory committees of specialists. Projects must clearly align with current Foundation initiatives and demonstrate understanding of Getty's strategic approach. Review the grants database and current initiatives carefully.

Global Perspective and Inclusive Voices The Foundation prioritizes projects that expand beyond North American and Western European perspectives. Weinstein notes the importance of "bring[ing] in voices that haven't always been included in the cultural sector." Projects that connect scholars and practitioners across borders or highlight underrepresented communities are particularly valued.

Collaborative Approach Pacific Standard Time exemplifies Getty's collaborative model. Weinstein describes it as "a new model for large-scale collaboration" that creates "broad recognition" and "intellectual exchange." Projects that demonstrate partnership potential or build professional networks align with this priority.

Impact Beyond Grant Size The Foundation emphasizes strategic impact over grant volume. Weinstein states: "We like to say that we punch above our weight, that we take what seem like not large grants, and we actually extend the impact." Applications should clearly articulate how the project will create outsized influence—through publications, training programs, methodology development, or broad access.

Specific Recent Examples of Funded Work:

  • Oklahoma Contemporary: Workshop on viscosity monotype and intaglio focused on Edgar Heap of Birds' printmaking practice (Paper Project, 2024)
  • Rijksmuseum: Workshop on inscriptions and marks on Dutch old master drawings (Paper Project, 2025)
  • University of Virginia: Workshop featuring largest Aboriginal art collection outside Australia
  • Multiple institutions: Conserving Black Modernism architectural projects in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Pacific Northwest (2025)
  • Seven libraries, museums, and universities: Black Visual Arts Archives digitization and access projects ($1.5 million, 2025)

Engagement with Getty Resources (for Residential Programs) While not required, proposals benefit from explaining how projects engage with Getty's collections, libraries, and intellectual community. The Foundation notes that projects "particularly benefit from the intellectual life at Getty."

Pre-Application Consultation Getty's program staff are described as "experts in the professional and academic fields that Getty funds" who "can provide guidance to applicants." The Foundation encourages prospective applicants to reach out with questions before applying. This dialogue can help shape stronger applications.

Transparency and Research Getty describes itself as "a transparent funder" with extensive online resources. Successful applicants demonstrate they have thoroughly researched Getty's past grants, understand funded project models, and reviewed scholar profiles and initiative reports.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Think strategically, not opportunistically: Getty funds through targeted initiatives developed with field experts. Your project must align with current strategic priorities—general operating support or projects outside active initiatives are unlikely to succeed.

  • Emphasize collaboration and impact multiplication: Getty values projects that create ripple effects—training programs that build capacity, methodologies that can be adopted elsewhere, publications that influence the field, or collaborations that strengthen professional networks. Demonstrate how your project punches above its weight.

  • Global and inclusive perspectives are priority: Projects that expand art historical discourse beyond Western Europe and North America, highlight underrepresented communities, or connect practitioners across borders align with leadership priorities. Joan Weinstein's emphasis on "voices that haven't always been included" signals this clearly.

  • Engage with program staff early: Getty encourages pre-application consultation. Use this resource to test project fit, understand initiative nuances, and refine your approach. Staff are positioned as partners, not gatekeepers.

  • Study the grants database extensively: With 7,000+ grants awarded across 180 countries, Getty's online database provides models for successful applications. Understanding funded project types, scales, and approaches is essential preparation.

  • For residential programs, connect to annual themes: Scholar and fellowship programs have thematic focuses that change yearly. Demonstrate clear relevance to the current theme while explaining how Getty's resources and intellectual community strengthen your work.

  • Be patient with strategic cycles: Many Getty initiatives operate on multi-year cycles (Pacific Standard Time every 5 years) or launch and conclude within defined timeframes (Paper Project ended 2024). If your project doesn't fit current initiatives, maintain relationships with staff and watch for future opportunities that align better.

References

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