The Colburn Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 95-4693145 · since 1999colburnfoundation.org·California, Los Angeles·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$9.2M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$5,000 to $90,000
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$15,000
Typical grant (median)
102 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • The Colburn Foundation funds classical music organisations covering performance, presentation, education and the training of classical musicians, with its priority geographic focus being the Los Angeles community; it does not fund individuals, commissions, composition programs, or organisations predominantly performing or educating in world music, jazz, modern or contemporary music.
  • A modest request is realistic: half of its 285 grants across its recent filings were $15,000 or less, and about eight in ten fall between $5,000 and $90,000, though it has made much larger grants on occasion (the largest was about $4,400,000).
  • It is relationship-led and competitive for newcomers, as 99% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the prior two filing years, and it invites returning applicants and only a very limited number of new applicants, so email the Grants Administrator first to check suitability before applying.
  • Submissions are made through scheduled online portal windows ahead of board meetings, which take place four times a year, so plan your approach around those windows.
  • General operating support is typical, educational institutions often receive scholarship support, and applicants must perform or educate primarily in the classical music tradition and embrace the founder's values at the highest levels of excellence.

Overview

The Colburn Foundation is a US private foundation based in Los Angeles, CA.

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 Colburn Foundation supports organisations working in classical music, particularly its performance or presentation, education and the training of classical musicians. Applicants and grantees must perform or educate primarily in the classical music tradition, and the foundation says its funding relationships are, with very few exceptions, within the extensive Los Angeles community. It seeks organisations that embrace its founder’s values at the highest levels of excellence. The foundation does not fund individuals. It typically provides general operating support; where a grantee also works in areas outside its remit, support is restricted to the areas it is willing to support. Educational institutions often receive scholarship support. It funds 501(c)(3) organisations, including all-volunteer groups.

Themes

  • Classical music

Geographic Focus

Priority: Los Angeles community; Southern CAIFORNIA area.

What They Don't Fund

  • Commissions
  • Composition programs
  • Organisations predominantly performing or educating in world music, jazz, modern or contemporary music
  • Individuals

How to apply

The foundation invites returning applicants and a very limited number of new applicants. Before submitting an application, applicants must email the Grants Administrator to determine suitability. The foundation guides applicants through its online process; submissions are made during scheduled portal windows in advance of board meetings.

Deadlines: Applications must be submitted in advance of board meetings, which take place four times a year.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% 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 285 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • The foundation supports organisations that embrace its founder’s values at the highest levels of excellence.
  • Applicants must perform or educate primarily in the classical music tradition.
  • For familiar organisations or programmes, the foundation may want to meet or observe before encouraging further steps.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

California98%
New York<1%
Pennsylvania<1%
District of Columbia<1%
Michigan<1%
New Mexico<1%

1 other state: <1%

  • The largest single recipient received 47% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations The Colburn Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.

Grants

102 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $15,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 102 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k1%
$1k–$2.5k1%
$2.5k–$5k3%
$5k–$10k17%
$10k–$25k41%
$25k–$50k22%
$50k–$100k6%
$100k–$250k4%
$250k–$500k3%
$500k–$1M2%
$1M and over1%

Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Colburn School · Support of the classical arts
    $4,390,4732024 tax year
  • Los Angeles Opera Company · Support of the classical arts
    $982,5002024 tax year
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic Association · Support of the classical arts
    $772,5002024 tax year
  • LA Chamber Orchestra Society · Support of the classical arts
    $321,0002024 tax year
  • Musica Angelica · Support of the classical arts
    $274,5002024 tax year
  • Los Angeles Master Chorale · Support of the classical arts
    $258,0002024 tax year
  • USC Thornton School of Music · Support of the classical arts
    $155,0002024 tax year
  • UCLA Foundation · Support of the classical arts
    $115,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Catherine Hogel — Director
  • John P Nuckols — Director
  • Gail Eden Eichenthal — Director
  • Robert S Attiyeh — Director
  • David D Colburn — Director
  • Richard W Colburn — Director
  • Layne Pinkernell — Secretary / Treasurer
  • Allison Sampson — Executive Director
  • Carol C Grigor — Chairman

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$11,661,590$9,328,789$181,616,769Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$14,889,556$8,870,997$194,280,032Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$24,028,332$9,234,073$204,364,202Filing 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

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