Our 2026 grant cycle will open Monday, March 30th at 6am PST, and close Friday, May 1st at 6pm.
Further details will be posted here, along with our application, at that date/time. Thank you for your interest.
If you’re considering applying, first please determine that you and your organization are eligible by reviewing the eligibility requirements below, learning about our funding philosophy on the About page, and by getting to know our Grantees. If you meet the eligibility requirements and are doing work that aligns with our mission, you may apply through the application portal below during the dates of our annual grant cycle. Thank you for your time and interest.
OVERVIEW
Since 2015, the Foundation has distributed nearly $2.5 million dollars in grants to over 150 organizations and institutions, nationwide. Our grant recipients are not geographically restricted, though many operate in California. All of our recipients have tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status as nonprofit organizations as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.
Our grant cycles take place every year between March and May. We fund small organizations (with operating budgets around $1.5 million or less) of all types across the United States. Our average grant size is around $10,000. We do not focus on specific funding areas but take a more holistic philanthropic approach that considers the totality of an organization’s work, ethos, history, and community engagement, rather than just what’s described in your proposal.
We strive to support organizations that align with our mission and values, that are community focused, and embody intersectional practices and disciplines. As such, we frequently support general operations, programming, and other broader grant types. Applicants that meet the Foundation’s eligibility and application requirements, and whose mission and work aligns with the Foundation’s goals, will be reviewed by our Board for funding the same year.
Historically, we’ve awarded 20-30 grants annually, not including a 3-year Covid-19 Relief initiative during which we doubled our annual distribution. However, in response to the Trump administration’s gutting of the NEA, and in attempt to meet the profound needs of the creative community that we serve, we are doubling our annual distributions, beginning in 2025, and awarding around 40 grants and approximately $400,000 per year. This accelerated rate of asset expenditure will dramatically shorten the Foundation’s lifespan, and sadly, 2027 will be our last year as an operational grantmaking organization.
ELIGIBILITY
To submit an application for funding, you must be an official representative or staff member of a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (as defined by the IRS), working in the arts, and towards a mission that aligns with our Foundation’s work.
- Nonprofit organizations working in the arts with current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and which are not classified as a private foundation.
- The Foundation is not legally capable of making grants to individuals, individual artists, to any type of religious organization, nor to funding a 501(c)(3) that directly or indirectly participates in, or intervenes in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.
- Organizations without nonprofit status may apply for funding through a fiscal sponsor. An application for funding, and all accompanying documentation, must come directly from the fiscal sponsor. The Foundation will consider applications utilizing fiscal sponsorship on a case-by-case basis, at the Board’s discretion, and may require further documentation regarding the partnership between the organization and its fiscal sponsor.
- Generally, the Foundation’s grants are given to small (<$1.5 million annual budget) nonprofit organizations that use their staff, programming & resources to further dialog around creativity, cultural, environmental and social justice issues, towards the benefit of artists, as well as the communities in which they operate. We do not typically fund exhibitions or capital campaigns.
- The majority of our grants are awarded for a one-year period. We do consider applications for multi-year funding, though projects or programs seeking funding beyond two years are not usually granted.
Timeline
Applications submitted during our 2026 grant cycle (March 30-May 1, 2026) will be reviewed for funding the same year. Depending on the size of this year’s applicant pool, which varies year-to year and can prolong our review process, applicants should receive a decision notification email no later than July 2026. The date of notification is subject to change, again, based on the applicant pool size, and will be updated here throughout the review process. Thank you for your patience.
Grantee Resources
- WFF logos are available for use by any grant recipient, and may be downloaded here.