The Jeanne and Dennis Masel Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on established arts and cultural institutions and selective independent education. Recent grants show a clear preference for museums, curatorial organizations and film/arts festivals, with occasional support for private K–12 education. The foundation gives modest, targeted gifts to well-known national organizations rather than broad community-based funding.
Concentrated and selective: a small number of mid-size grants to prominent national cultural institutions and at least one repeat grantee in independent school education; favors one-off or yearly gifts rather than many small, distributed grants.
A defining feature of Jeanne and Dennis Masel Foundation Inc is its repeated support for major art institutions and education organizations, with the Brooklyn Museum appearing at both $37,500 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2023. The foundation’s recent grants also show steady backing for the Whitney Museum of American Art and Berkeley Carroll School, alongside support for independent curatorial and festival programming. Its giving is narrow in scope but consistent in subject matter: arts and cultural institutions, film and exhibition work, and selected private education. That pattern suggests a funder that favors established organizations over broad community grantmaking. The largest recent award in the data went to the Brooklyn Museum, while other sizable gifts went to Berkeley Carroll School and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Smaller grants extend the same themes to organizations such as Independent Curators International, Sundance Institute, and Artadia. Across the recent grant list, the foundation appears to make targeted operating or exempt-purpose gifts rather than project-heavy one-off awards.
Arts institutions are central to the foundation’s recent activity. In 2025, it gave $37,500 to the Brooklyn Museum for exempt-purpose activity, and it also supported the Whitney Museum of American Art with $20,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2023. Independent curatorial work is another clear thread: Independent Curators International received $14,000 in 2023 for exempt-purpose activity. Film and festival support appears as well, with a $25,000 grant to Sundance Institute in 2023. The foundation also reaches into private education through Berkeley Carroll School, which received $25,000 in both 2023 and 2025. Smaller grants to Artadia and Prospect Park Alliance extend the arts-and-culture emphasis into exhibition support and place-based cultural programming.
Typical grants cluster in the middle range: p25 is $6,000, the median is $10,000, and p75 is $16,750. The recent record shows repeat support to several organizations across multiple years, including the Brooklyn Museum, Berkeley Carroll School, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation, and its grants are framed as exempt-purpose activity or general nonprofit program support. The data does not show an open application process; the pattern suggests direct, targeted grantmaking.
$174K
$2.5M
$171K
$224K
Most grants fall between $6K and $17K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$17K
About 6% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: The Brooklyn Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Sundance Institute, Independent Curators International, Berkeley Carroll School
The foundation gives most often in New York, which accounts for the largest share of its recent recipient locations. In the grant list, Brooklyn appears repeatedly, including recipients in Brooklyn, NY and Brooklyn, New York, while New York, NY is another frequent location. Outside New York City, the foundation’s recent gifts reach East Hampton, Shelter Island, Bridgehampton, and Water Mill, all in New York. California appears in a smaller share of grants, including Los Angeles. All recent grants in the dataset went to US recipients.
The recent grants point to arts and cultural institutions, independent exhibition programming, film arts, and selective private education. Named recipients include the Brooklyn Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Independent Curators International, Sundance Institute, and Berkeley Carroll School.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers on modest awards: p25 is $6,000, the median is $10,000, and p75 is $16,750. Recent gifts range from $1,236 to $37,500 in the data provided.
Yes. The Brooklyn Museum appears in both 2023 and 2025, Berkeley Carroll School appears in both years as well, and the Whitney Museum of American Art also received grants in 2023 and 2025. That pattern indicates recurring relationships.
Recent grants are labeled mainly as “to fund exempt purpose activity,” with some recorded as general nonprofit program support, administrative and program costs, or operational/organizational support. The pattern suggests broad-purpose support rather than narrowly defined project funding.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROOKLYN MUSEUM | BROOKLYN, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| SUNDANCE INSTITUTE | New York City, NY | $35,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Masterpiece international | Crystal Lake, IL | $21,500 | 2026 | To fund exempt purpose activity |
| TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| THE BERKELEY CARROLL SCHOOL | BROOKLYN, NY | $7,500 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Watermill Center | NEW YORK, NY | $6,135 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Prospect Park Alliance | BROOKLYN, NY | $5,589 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| HAYGROUND SCHOOL INC | BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY | $5,075 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| ALI FORNEY CENTER INC | New York, NY | $4,145 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Independent Curators International | NEW YORK, NY | $3,744 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Artadia (The Art Council Inc) | BROOKLYN, NY | $3,099 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| One Tree Planted Inc | SHELBURNE, VT | $3,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Longhouse Reserve | East Hampton, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| OCS Art Services | BROOKLYN, NY | $1,045 | 2026 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| The Brooklyn museum | Brooklyn, NY | $37,500 | 2025 | To fund exempt purpose activity |
| THE Berkeley Carrol School | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Whitney Museum of American art | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Prospect Park Alliance | BROOKLYN, NY | $3,108 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| SILVER ART PROJECTS | New York, NY | $2,513 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Sylvester Manor Educational Farm | SHELTER ISLAND, NY | $2,422 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation | NEW YORK, NY | $2,045 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Hayground School Inc | BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY | $1,236 | 2025 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Sundance Institute | LOS ANGELES, CA | $35,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Berkeley Carrol School | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| The Brooklyn museum | Brooklyn, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | To fund exempt purpose activity |
| Prospect Park Alliance | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation | NEW YORK, NY | $6,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Independent Curators International | NEW YORK, NY | $5,018 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Hayground School Inc | BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Ali Forney Center | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Sylvester Manor Educational Farm | SHELTER ISLAND, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Sundance Institute | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Berkeley Carrol School | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Independent Curators International | NEW YORK, NY | $14,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| The Brooklyn museum | Brooklyn, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | To fund exempt purpose activity |
| Whitney Museum of America | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| City Harvest | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Artadia | BROOKLYN, NY | $3,000 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
| Build Crew | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY |
BROOKLYN MUSEUM
$55,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
SUNDANCE INSTITUTE
$35,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Masterpiece international
$21,500To fund exempt purpose activity
THE BERKELEY CARROLL SCHOOL
$7,500TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Watermill Center
$6,135TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
HAYGROUND SCHOOL INC
$5,075TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$5,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
$5,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Artadia (The Art Council Inc)
$3,099TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Longhouse Reserve
$3,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
OCS Art Services
$1,045TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
The Brooklyn museum
$37,500To fund exempt purpose activity
THE Berkeley Carrol School
$25,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Whitney Museum of American art
$20,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
The Brooklyn museum
$25,000To fund exempt purpose activity
The Brooklyn museum
$10,000To fund exempt purpose activity
Whitney Museum of America
$10,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Artadia
$3,000TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Build Crew
$2,500TO FUND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACTIVITY