Grants

Our 2022 grant cycle (March 15-April 22) is now closed.

If you’re interested in applying, please determine that you and your organization are eligible by reviewing the eligibility requirements below, reading our mission and funding philosophy on the “About” page, and getting to know our previous recipients (listed below). If you meet the eligibility requirements and are doing work that aligns with our mission, please check back in March 2023 for information about how to apply to our 2023 grant cycle.

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 Internal Revenue Service), working in the arts, and towards a mission that aligns with the Wilhelm Family 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 be directly submitted by 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 creative nonprofit organizations that use their staff, programming & resources to further dialog around creativity, cultural, environmental and social issues, towards the benefit of artists and 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.

OVERVIEW

In March of 2020, we made a three-year commitment to increase our support of the creative community as it weathered the devastating effects of the pandemic and then organized around racial equity movements. In both 2020 and 2021, we chose to shorten the Foundation’s lifespan in order to maximize funding during these unprecedented times, nearly tripling our pre-Covid annual distribution for two years running. As we enter the third and final year of this funding commitment, a sense of immense privilege and gratitude pervades, as does an excitement to connect with new and returning applicants during our 2022 grant cycle.

To learn more about the Foundation’s grantmaking priorities and focus, please visit the “About” page of our website.

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.

Organizations that submit an application for funding on or before the April 22nd deadline will receive a decision by June 10, 2022. Once an application has been submitted, it’s likely that an organization will be asked to provide further documentation, information, or correspondence before receiving a decision on their application.

Grant Recipients

Creative Acts Los Angeles, CA We are a black led, majority women-identifying organization that centers the global majority (BIPOC) and those with lived experience of incarceration in decision-making positions. View Website
Artistic Freedom Initiative New York, NY Led by immigration and human rights attorneys, Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) facilitates pro bono immigration representation and resettlement assistance for international artists who are persecuted or censored. View Website
People's Pottery Project Los Angeles, CA People’s Pottery Project’s mission is to employ and empower formerly incarcerated women, trans and non-binary individuals through paid job training, access to a healing community, and meaningful employment in our collective non-profit ceramic business. View Website
Arts at Blue Roof South Los Angeles, CA Founded in 2020 by Los Angeles-based artist Galia Linn, Arts at Blue Roof (AaBR) is a nonprofit housed at Blue Roof Studios, a multidisciplinary art hub located in South Los Angeles that invites artists to work in an environment of creativity and community. View Website
International Indigenous Youth Council, Los Angeles Chapter Los Angeles, CA The International Indigenous Youth Council seeks to organize youth through education, spiritual practices and civic engagement to create positive change in our communities. View Website
Artist Relief Fund National In total, Artist Relief operated 13 cycles of funding from April 2020 to June 2021 that supported 4,682 artists with $5,000 emergency relief grants. View Website
The Industry Los Angeles, CA The Industry is an experimental company that expands the operatic form. We bring together interdisciplinary artists to create collaborative performances that engage the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. We believe that opera is a living form that should respond to new perspectives and voices in contemporary culture. View Website
Collaborative Artists Bloc Los Angeles, CA Collaborative Artists Bloc (CAB) brings dynamic and immersive performing arts experiences to communities of color. We explore cultural identity, promote social change, and build empathy to the full spectrum of our individual realities. We are dedicated to bringing together artists to collaborate and create content of human and artistic value for social change. Our goal is to create art that impacts and shapes the world around us. View Website
Contemporary Art League Los Angeles, CA Founded during the summer of 2020, CAL is a cooperative trade organization of artists and art workers building unity, solidarity, and equity within and across sectors of the contemporary art field in Los Angeles County. View Website
reDiscover Center Los Angeles, CA Our Mission is to develop children's creativity through hands-on making with sustainable materials. View Website
International Studio & Curatorial Program New York, NY The International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) supports the creative development of artists and curators, and promotes exchange through residencies and public programs. View Website
Now Be Here National Now Be Here exists to give visibility to women-identifying and non-binary artists, bringing equity to the art world. This directory serves as a conduit between you and these artists. View Website
Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center Bronx, NY Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center provides quality Music, Dance, Theater, Voice, and Martial Arts programs for more than 700 students a year. View Website
Fulcrum Arts Pasadena, CA Fulcrum Arts champions creative and critical thinkers at the intersection of art and science to provoke positive social change and contribute to a more vibrant and inclusive community. View Website
L.A. Dance Project Los Angeles, CA L.A. Dance Project (LADP) expands the boundaries of dance as an art form and redefines how we interact and relate with movement in the modern world. View Website
Bread & Roses Presents Bay Area, CA Bread & Roses Presents is a nonprofit arts organization with a human services mission that brings hope, healing and joy through live music and the performing arts to children, adults and seniors who are disadvantaged, marginalized, or otherwise isolated in diverse institutional settings in the San Francisco Bay Area. View Website
Armory Center for the Arts Pasadena, CA Nonprofit and donor-supported, Pasadena's Armory Center for the Arts is a leader for contemporary art exhibitions and community arts education. The Armory believes that an understanding and appreciation of the arts is essential for a well-rounded human experience and a healthy community. At the core of our mission is a deep commitment to social justice through arts education. View Website
JOAN Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA JOAN is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit art space for exhibitions, performances, and screenings. View Website
Los Angeles Contemporary Archive Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA) is an art archive, library, and exhibition platform that collects underexposed artistic modes of expression happening in our current moment. View Website
Avenue 50 Studio Los Angeles, CA Avenue 50 Studio is an arts presentation organization grounded in Latina/o culture, visual arts, and the Northeast Los Angeles area that seeks to bridge cultures through artistic expressions, using content-driven art to educate and to stimulate intercultural understanding. View Website
NAVEL LA Los Angeles, CA NAVEL is a non-profit cultural organization and multipurpose community space with a central location in downtown Los Angeles. View Website
ESMoA El Segundo, CA ESMoA is an art laboratory located in El Segundo, California and it is run by artlab21 Foundation. View Website
Headlands Center for the Arts Marin, CA Headlands Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary, international arts center dedicated to supporting artists; the creative process; and the development of new, innovative ideas and artwork. View Website
Recycled Artist in Residency Philadelphia, PA RAIR's mission is to challenge the perception of waste culture by providing a unique platform for artists at the intersection of art and industry. Situated inside a construction and demolition waste recycling company in northeast Philadelphia, RAIR offers artists studio space and access to more than 450 tons of materials per day. View Website
High Desert Test Sites Joshua Tree, CA High Desert Test Sites is a nonprofit arts institution that supports and stewards experimental artwork in the Joshua Tree region. View Website
Active Cultures Los Angeles, CA We are a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to the artistic exploration of our global foodways—the attitudes, practices, histories, and rituals around what we consume. View Website
Monterey Jazz Festival Monterey, CA MJF’s Education Program components have included bringing professional jazz artists into the schools, summer camps, touring all-star student ensembles, online resources, instrument rentals and repertoire, and more. View Website
Bemis Center for the Arts Omaha, NE Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts facilitates the creation, presentation, and understanding of contemporary art through an international residency program, exhibitions, and educational programs. View Website
Artadia National Artadia is a nonprofit grantmaker and nationwide community of visual artists, curators, and patrons.Since its founding, Artadia has awarded over $6 million in unrestricted funds to over 360 artists in 8 cities. View Website
SciArt. Exchange Houston, TX ​SciArt Exchange, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, wants to change the world by bringing science and technology together with art to capture minds and hearts, engaging all of society in the future of space exploration, and promoting scientific innovation and collaboration. View Website
Broad Room Creative Collective Sacramento, CA We believe art is a human right + everyone deserves access to the tools, resources, and space they need to create. View Website
Dance Initiative Carbondale, CO Dance Initiative supports the art and creation of dance through education, collaboration and presentation. View Website
dublab Los Angeles, CA dublab cultivates and supports local cultural ecosystems worldwide. Through community-generated radio, dublab promotes curiosity, experimentation, inclusivity, and connection. View Website
CUE Art Foundation New York, NY CUE Art Foundation is a dynamic visual arts center dedicated to creating essential career and educational opportunities for emerging and under-recognized artists of all ages. View Website
Craft Contemporary Los Angeles, CA Craft Contemporary’s mission is to reveal to the potential of craft to educate, captivate, provoke, and empower. View Website
Art Resources Transfer New York, NY Art Resources Transfer is a nonprofit organization committed to documenting and disseminating artists' voices and work to the broadest possible public. View Website
Clockshop Los Angeles, CA Clockshop is an arts organization in Los Angeles working to expand the dialogue around cultural production, politics and urban space by commissioning new projects by artists and writers and partnering with diverse institutions. View Website
A.I.R. Gallery Brooklyn, NY A.I.R. Gallery is a non-profit artist run organization and exhibition space that supports the open exchange of ideas and risk-taking by women and non-binary artists in order to provide support and visibility. A self-directed governing body, the organization is an alternative to mainstream institutions and thrives on the network of active participants. View Website
Primary Information Brooklyn, NY Primary Information was founded in 2006 to publish affordable artists’ books and artists’ writings. View Website
Institute for Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICALA) Los Angeles, CA ICA LA’s mission is to support art that sparks the pleasure of discovery and challenges the way we see and experience the world, ourselves, and each other. View Website
The Compton Initiative Paramount, CA The Compton Initiative is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 with a commitment to restore the city of Compton by painting homes, schools and churches on quarterly workdays in partnership with individual volunteers and other organizations. View Website
Museum of Jurassic Technology Culver City, CA The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, California is an educational institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and the public appreciation of the Lower Jurassic. View Website
Los Angeles Filmforum Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Filmforum is the longest-running organization in Southern California dedicated exclusively to the ongoing, non-commercial exhibition of independent, experimental, and progressive media art. View Website
Echo Park Film Center Echo Park, CA Echo Park Film Center is a non-profit media arts organization committed to providing equal and affordable community access to film/video resources via five channels. View Website
Fathomers Los Angeles, CA Fathomers is a creative research institute dedicated to producing sites and encounters that challenge us to live and act differently in the world. View Website
Philadelphia Contemporary Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia Contemporary presents cross-disciplinary art through a dynamic model of collaboration and partnership. View Website
Project X Foundation for Art and Criticism Los Angeles, CA X-TRA’s mission is to provoke critical dialogue about contemporary art. View Website
Artistic Ensemble at San Quentin San Quentin, CA Artistic Ensemble is a troupe of 16 diverse men in prison working with 5 outside members. In our explorations to discover how we can reach the public, we also discover more about what it means to be human by connecting with each other. Our creative process is dialogic. View Website
Coaxial Arts Foundation Los Angeles, CA Coaxial Arts Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit multi-disciplinary media arts organization devoted to the support of media, sound and performance art. View Website
Equitable Vitrines Los Angeles, CA Equitable Vitrines is a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization committed to examining theoretical and discursive approaches to contemporary art with the intention of determining their veracity and usefulness. View Website
The Southland Institute Los Angeles, CA The Southland Institute (for critical, durational, and typographic post-studio practices) is dedicated to exploring, identifying, and implementing meaningful, affordable, sustainable alternatives in design and art education in the United States. View Website
Alive Inside Foundation New York, NY Connecting Youth and Elders to themselves, each other and life itself we reduce suffering for those with Alzheimer's and change our shared future. OUR MISSION Improve the quality of life for elders living with and without Alzheimer's, by providing music and relationships. Increase Emotional Intelligence and Wisdom in the next generation. View Website
Center for Land Use Interpretation Culver City, CA The Center for Land Use Interpretation is a research and education organization interested in understanding the nature and extent of human interaction with the surface of the earth, and in finding new meanings in the intentional and incidental forms that we individually and collectively create. View Website
Los Angeles Poverty Department Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Poverty Department was founded in 1985 by director-performer-activist John Malpede. LAPD was the first performance group in the nation made up principally of homeless people, and the first arts program of any kind for homeless people in Los Angeles. View Website
Women's Center for Creative Work Los Angeles, CA Women’s Center for Creative Work cultivates L.A.’s feminist creative communities and practices. View Website
Common Field National Common Field connects, supports and advocates for the artist-centered field by providing a network for independent arts organizations and organizers. View Website
Velaslavasay Panorama Los Angeles, CA Drawing on the illustrious history of the great panorama paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries, The Velaslavasay Panorama is an exhibition hall, theatre and garden dedicated to the production and presentation of unusual visual experiences, including those of the 360-degree variety. View Website
Side Street Projects Pasadena, CA Founded in 1992, Side Street Projects’ mission is to give artists of all ages the ability and means to support their creative endeavors. We are a mobile, artist-run organization that supports artists, projects, and programs to foster leadership through socially engaged art and a DIY ethos. View Website
Kala Art Institute Berkeley, CA Kala Art Institute’s mission is to help artists sustain their creative work over time through its Artist-in-Residence and Fellowship Programs, and to engage the community through exhibitions, public programs, and education. View Website
LAND - Los Angeles Nomadic Division Los Angeles, CA LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division) is a non-profit organization founded in 2009 committed to curating site-specific public art exhibitions in Los Angeles and beyond. LAND believes that all people deserve the opportunity to experience innovative contemporary art in their everyday existence, to enhance their quality of life and ways of thinking about their community. View Website
Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NY At Sarah Lawrence College our mission is to graduate world citizens who are diverse in every definition of the word, who take intellectual and creative risks, who cross disciplinary boundaries, and who are able to sustain exceptional academic discipline within a framework of humanistic values and concern for community. View Website
Human Resources LA Los Angeles, CA Human Resources was founded in 2010 by a team of creative individuals who seek to broaden engagement with contemporary and conceptual art, with an emphasis on performative and underexposed modes of expression. View Website
LXAQ San Francisco, CA LXAQ (Los Angeles Art Quarterly) launched in September 2016. Again after shifting focus from San Francisco to Los Angeles in SFAQ, we decided that it made sense to make a separate magazine with a focus on Los Angeles. View Website
Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions Hollywood, CA LACE both champions and challenges the art of our time by fostering artists who innovate, explore, and risk. View Website
The Wende Museum Culver City, CA The Wende Museum is a collections-based research and education institute that preserves Cold War artifacts and history, making resources available to scholars and applying historical lessons of the past to the present. View Website
San Francisco Art Institute San Francisco, CA Encompassing some of the most significant art movements of the last century, SFAI has historically embodied a spirit of experimentation, risk-taking, and innovation. View Website
Gray Area San Francisco, CA Our mission is to apply art and technology to create social and civic impact through education, incubation and public events. View Website
Saturday Night Bath Concert Fund Lawndale, CA Our mission is to write and perform contemporary compositions by our ensemble of musicians– and to educate, improve and impact the lives of youth, passing this art form on into the 21st century. View Website
PhotoAlliance San Francisco, CA PhotoAlliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the understanding, appreciation and creation of contemporary photography. View Website
The Tofu Project San Francisco & Tokyo The Tofu Project connects entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative leaders from Japan and the United States through curated events and projects designed to challenge people to discover their fullest potential, share their stories, and create impact. View Website
826LA Los Angeles, CA 826LA is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. View Website
San Francisco Arts Education Project San Francisco, CA Our mission is to bring art — in many exciting forms — to San Francisco’s youth in vivid, experiential ways. View Website
Southern Exposure San Francisco, CA Southern Exposure (SoEx) is an artist-centered non-profit organization committed to supporting visual artists. View Website