218 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in California on their IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2023–2025. Historical giving records — not an open application portal.
Themes are derived from the free-text purpose each foundation wrote on its own Part XV filing, so a grant is classified by what the funder said it was for. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from recipient counts and tables.
Across tax years 2023–2025, 218 private foundations reported 515 grants for arts & culture totaling $28,723,124 to 446 organizations in California. The most-funded California communities were Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego. The Norton Simon Foundation reported the most arts & culture giving — $6,000,000 across 1 grant. The median grant was $10,000.
Foundation filings are a record of past giving. The UseGrants eligibility check matches you to federal and state opportunities accepting applications today.
| Foundation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| The Norton Simon Foundation | 1 | $6,000,000 |
| The Chuck and Ernestina Kreutzkamp Foundation | 1 | $2,490,000 |
| The Kresge Foundation | 5 | $2,150,000 |
| The Ahmanson Foundation | 14 | $1,437,900 |
| The Otis Booth Foundation | 7 | $1,140,000 |
| The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc | 2 | $1,089,000 |
| The Henry Luce Foundation Inc | 9 | $904,166 |
| The Hearthland Foundation | 4 | $800,000 |
| Margaret a Cargill Foundation | 1 | $800,000 |
| Living Legacy Foundation | 1 | $750,000 |
| Richard and Mary PAT Mccormick Charitable Trust | 1 | $500,000 |
| Freedom Together Foundation | 1 | $500,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Norton Simon Museum of ART at Pasadena | 1 | $6,000,000 |
| Philanthropic Impact Foundation | 1 | $2,490,000 |
| J Paul Getty Trust | 3 | $1,148,550 |
| LOS Angeles Philharmonic Association | 3 | $1,065,000 |
| Tides Center | 2 | $1,035,000 |
| LOS Angeles Police Foundation | 1 | $1,000,000 |
| The Center for Cultural Power | 2 | $950,000 |
| Social Impact Fund | 1 | $750,000 |
| Center for Cultural Power | 1 | $500,000 |
| Jewish Story Partners | 1 | $500,000 |
| Pacific Repertory Theatre | 1 | $500,000 |
| Cultural Centers | 1 | $467,500 |
| Latino Theater Company | 1 | $400,400 |
| Southern California Children's Museum | 1 | $350,039 |
| LOS Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture | 2 | $275,000 |
218 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in California on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $28,723,124. The largest by reported dollars were The Norton Simon Foundation, The Chuck and Ernestina Kreutzkamp Foundation, The Kresge Foundation. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
446 distinct organizations appear as recipients in California, led by Norton Simon Museum of ART at Pasadena, Philanthropic Impact Foundation, J Paul Getty Trust. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported arts & culture grant in California was $10,000, and the largest single reported grant was $6,000,000. Amounts are as reported by the filing foundation for a historical tax year.
The UseGrants feed tracks federal and state opportunities that are open today, each with the eligibility explained in plain English.
Source: public IRS Form 990-PF Part XV filings (tax years 2023–2025). Theme classification is derived from the funder’s own purpose text and is a summary, not a legal categorization. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any foundation listed.
