About French American Cultural Society
The French American Cultural Society (FACS) is an independent non-profit 501(c)3 foundation based in the SF Bay Area which produces cultural and educational programs at the intersection of French and American arts, tech and culture. FACS supports, produces and co-produces innovative French and American cultural and educational projects in the Bay Area and beyond.
Focus Areas
Arts & CultureFilm/CinemaLiterature/PoetryVisual ArtsMusicEducationCultural ExchangeFestivals & Events
Who They Fund
cultural and arts organizationsfrancophone community groupseducational institutions offering French culture/programsregional nonprofits in Northern California and select other regions
About French American Cultural Society
French American Cultural Society centers its grantmaking on French-American cultural exchange, and its largest recent grant shows that focus clearly: $156,792 to Villa Albertine in 2024. The foundation supports cultural and educational work at the intersection of French and American arts, tech, and culture, and its programs include both production and co-production. That emphasis appears across literature, visual arts, music, film, festivals, and education. The pattern is not limited to a single type of institution. French American Cultural Society also made a second 2024 transfer to Villa Albertine for $70,786, indicating repeated support for the same recipient within the year. A smaller grant of $5,400 to Fondation Royaumont points to its continuing connection with French cultural organizations. Beyond grants, the foundation runs a writer’s residency, “A Room With A View,” in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the Consulate General of France in San Francisco, and the Institut Français, bringing French writers to San Francisco for a five-week residency and related programming. It also promotes micro-residencies for artists in the Bay Area.
What French American Cultural Society Funds
French American Cultural Society gives across several cultural disciplines, but the clearest theme is French-American exchange through arts programming. In literature, the foundation runs “A Room With A View,” a writer’s residency that brings French writers to San Francisco in partnership with the French Embassy’s cultural services, the Consulate General of France in San Francisco, and the Institut Français. Visual arts appear through its micro-residency activity, including the Winter 2020 example for Ruxue Zhang, which pairs short-term placements with public events. The foundation also supports broader cultural institutions: in 2024 it gave $5,400 to Fondation Royaumont, tying its grantmaking to French cultural heritage. Its topic taxonomy also includes performing arts, film and cinema, music, and festivals and events, showing a portfolio that reaches beyond one medium.
How French American Cultural Society Gives
French American Cultural Society’s recent grants show a wide spread in size: the 25th percentile is $38,093, the median is $70,786, and the 75th percentile is $113,789. The 2024 record also includes both a cash grant and an assets transfer to the same recipient, Villa Albertine, suggesting follow-on support rather than a single isolated award. The foundation is structured as a nonprofit 501(c)(3), does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Its active programs accept unsolicited participation for the listed residency programs, which indicates an open program-entry model in at least some cases.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$233K
Total Assets
$163K
Total Revenue
$21K
Total Expenses
$266K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $38K and $114K, with a median of $71K.
25th Percentile
$38K
Median
$71K
75th Percentile
$114K
Geographic Reach
Leadership
FLORENCE BUATOIS
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