The Pettit Foundation directs relatively large, targeted grants to major cultural, academic and civic organizations, favoring museums, higher‑education initiatives, and civil liberties/health advocacy. Their giving supports nationally and internationally prominent institutions rather than grassroots groups, and grants appear unrestricted or for general support. The foundation’s portfolio blends arts and cultural preservation with investments in scholarship and rights‑based advocacy.
A $1.1 million grant to The Arthur Sackler Gallery anchors Pettit Foundation’s recent giving and signals the scale of its support for major cultural institutions. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches well beyond museums: in the latest grants, it backed Smithsonian programs, Americans for Oxford, Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the Music Association of Aspen. Those awards show a pattern of directing substantial gifts to established organizations in the arts, higher education, civil liberties, and reproductive health. Pettit Foundation’s grants are typically sizable and often look like institutional support rather than project-by-project seed funding. The foundation has also returned to some recipients across multiple years, including Americans for Oxford, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and Aspen-related organizations. Its recent giving includes both national institutions and regionally rooted organizations, with examples in Washington, DC; New York; Aspen; Portland; and Cambridge. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on large, targeted awards to organizations with broad reach, especially in museums, scholarship, rights advocacy, and classical music.
Museum and gallery support is a clear thread in Pettit Foundation’s recent grants. It gave $500,000 to The Smithsonian Institute for support and $100,000 to The Freer Gallery of Art for support, alongside the $1.1 million award to The Arthur Sackler Gallery. That cluster points to sustained interest in major art and cultural institutions. The foundation also funds scholarship and higher-education connections. It awarded $340,841 to Americans for Oxford in 2023 and another $100,000 in 2025, while giving $100,000 to the Asian University for Women Foundation in 2023. In advocacy, it backed Planned Parenthood with $300,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024, and supported ACLU with $275,000 in 2025 after earlier $100,000 grants. Music-related giving includes $200,000 to Music Association of Aspen and $100,000 to Aspen Music Festival.
Pettit Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, with several awards above that range. The foundation makes repeated gifts to some recipients across multiple years, including Americans for Oxford, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Aspen Center for Environmental, and Operation Push, which suggests an ongoing relationship model rather than one-off support. It is classified as a regular funder, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The grant list also shows a pattern of support to established institutions, often described simply as support.
$2.6M
$46.7M
$1.3M
$2.8M
Most grants fall between $15K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Pettit Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 70 | $6.2M | 98.6% |
| 2 | Switzerland | 1 |
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Concentrated, high‑value gifts to a small number of national/international institutions; few grants but large dollar amounts, generally unrestricted “support” awards rather than many small or community grants.
Notable grantees: The Arthur Sackler Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Americans for Oxford
Most grants land in the United States, with 70 of 71 recent grants there. Colorado appears most often by recipient location, helped by multiple awards in Aspen, including Music Association of Aspen, Aspen Music Festival, Aspen Center for Environmental, and Aspen Hope Center. Washington, DC also appears repeatedly through Smithsonian and the gallery grants. Other recipient cities include New York, Portland, Cambridge, San Francisco, Corte Madera, and Rupert. One grant in the recent list goes to Swaziland, making the geography mostly domestic with a small international exception.
Recent grants show support for museums and galleries, higher-education and scholarship organizations, civil liberties and reproductive health groups, and music institutions. Examples include Smithsonian programs, Americans for Oxford, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and the Music Association of Aspen.
The typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger gifts such as $1.1 million to The Arthur Sackler Gallery and $500,000 to The Smithsonian Institute.
Yes. Recent data shows repeat support for several recipients across different years, including Americans for Oxford, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Aspen Center for Environmental, and Operation Push. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts.
By recipient location, Colorado is the top state for grant count. Recent Colorado recipients include several organizations in Aspen, along with awards tied to the state’s museum, music, environmental, and community organizations.
No. The foundation is marked as not funding individuals and not making program-related investments. Its recent grants are directed to organizations rather than people.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $20K |
1.4% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE | WAHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| FOUNDATION FOR ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUD | RUPERT, ID | $300,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| ACLU | NEW YORK, NY | $275,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF ASPEN | Aspen, CO | $200,000 | 2025 | support |
| CATLIN GABLE SCHOOL | PORTLAND, OR | $110,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| OPERATION PUSH | PORTLAND, OR | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL | ASPEN, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| AIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | ASPEN, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| THE LIVING DESERT | PALM DESERT, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| MCDS | CORTE MADERA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| EARTHWAYS FOUNDATION | MALIBU, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| ST CLOUD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEG | ST CLOUD, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| THE HOPE CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| ACTION FOR AFGHAN WOMEN | FRESH MEADOWS, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| THE SANTA FE INSTITUTE | SANTA FE, NM | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| GEORGE BALACHINE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| SWISS NATIONAL MUSEUM | ZURICH, ZU | $20,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| ROARING FORK EARLY LEARNING FUND | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT | SAN JOSE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION | SANTA BARbARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT. |
| THE ARTHUR SACKLER GALLERY | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL | Aspen, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | support |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| OPERATION PUSH | PORTLAND, OR | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| ACLU | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| MARIN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | CORTE MADERA, CA | $70,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| AIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| ST CLOUD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEG | ST CLOUD, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| THE HOPE CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO EDUCATION FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL | ASPEN, CO | $50,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| THE SANTA FE INSTITUTE | SANTA FE, NM | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| GEORGE BALACHINE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| ACTION FOR AFGHAN WOMEN | FRESH MEADOWS, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL COAST VINEYARD TEAM | ATASCADER, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| ROARING FORK EARLY LEARNING FUND | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT | SAN JOSE, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| ASPEN HOPE CENTER | ASPEN, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | ASPEN, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT |
| CATLIN GABLE | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT. |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD | NEW YORK, NY | $340,841 | 2023 | SUPPORT. |
FOUNDATION FOR ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUD
$300,000SUPPORT.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$300,000SUPPORT
MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF ASPEN
$200,000support
SUPPORT.
OPERATION PUSH
$100,000SUPPORT
ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
$100,000SUPPORT.
AIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL
$50,000SUPPORT.
MCDS
$50,000SUPPORT.
MAYO CLINIC
$50,000SUPPORT
EARTHWAYS FOUNDATION
$50,000SUPPORT.
ST CLOUD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEG
$50,000SUPPORT
THE HOPE CENTER
$50,000SUPPORT.
ACTION FOR AFGHAN WOMEN
$25,000SUPPORT
GEORGE BALACHINE FOUNDATION
$25,000SUPPORT
SWISS NATIONAL MUSEUM
$20,000SUPPORT.
ROARING FORK EARLY LEARNING FUND
$15,000SUPPORT.
THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT
$10,000SUPPORT
SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK
$10,000SUPPORT.
THE ARTHUR SACKLER GALLERY
$1,100,000SUPPORT.
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL
$100,000support
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$100,000SUPPORT
OPERATION PUSH
$100,000SUPPORT
AIM FOR HIGH SCHOOL
$50,000SUPPORT.
ST CLOUD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEG
$50,000SUPPORT
THE HOPE CENTER
$50,000SUPPORT.
MAYO CLINIC
$50,000SUPPORT
ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
$50,000SUPPORT.
GEORGE BALACHINE FOUNDATION
$25,000SUPPORT
ACTION FOR AFGHAN WOMEN
$25,000SUPPORT
CENTRAL COAST VINEYARD TEAM
$20,000SUPPORT
ROARING FORK EARLY LEARNING FUND
$15,000SUPPORT.
THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT
$10,000SUPPORT
CATLIN GABLE
$10,000SUPPORT.