The BWF Foundation concentrates its giving on performing arts and arts education, especially New York–based theater organizations and youth performing-arts programs. It funds both institutional theatrical producers and workforce/social services for theater professionals, with occasional support for entrepreneurship initiatives. Grants tend to target visible programs and signature events (e.g., Jimmy Awards) as well as school-based performing-arts education.
Concentrated, mid-sized grants focused on performing-arts organizations in New York with repeat support to flagship recipients; funding mixes program/event support and general operating to a small set of priority grantees rather than many one-off gifts.
The Bwf Foundation’s recent giving is anchored in New York performing arts, with theater companies, arts education, and performer support recurring across the grant list. Its largest recent grant, $31,625 to Calhoun Schools Inc, signals a willingness to put substantial support behind school-based arts programming, while other sizable awards go to institutions tied to Broadway and youth performance pipelines. The foundation also backs organizations that support theater professionals directly, including The Actors Fund, and it extends general support to a range of New York arts groups such as MCC Theater, WP Theater, Theatre for a New Audience, and Roundabout Theatre Company. That mix suggests a funder interested in the infrastructure around the stage as much as the productions themselves. Beyond core theater grantmaking, the foundation has also made room for targeted, non-arts work, including women’s entrepreneurship and selected community organizations. Across the recent record, the pattern is less about project-specific restrictions and more about flexible support for groups with an established role in New York’s cultural and civic life.
A central theme in The Bwf Foundation’s grantmaking is Broadway and commercial theater. It gave $12,175 to The Broadway League in 2025 and $12,000 to The Broadway League (Jimmy Awards) in 2024, showing support for both the trade organization and its youth performance awards program. Youth arts education is another clear lane: Calhoun Schools Inc received $31,625 in 2025 and $11,500 in 2024 for general support, pointing to sustained investment in school-based programming. The foundation also funds theater companies and new-play environments, including $10,000 each to MCC Theater, WP Theater, and Theatre for a New Audience in 2024. Outside the arts, it made a $10,000 grant to Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization in 2024, indicating occasional support for entrepreneurship programming.
Typical grant size is small to mid-sized: the p25 is $1,000, the median is $2,000, and the p75 is $5,000. The recent record also shows a few larger awards, including a $31,625 grant and several grants at $10,000 or above. The foundation appears to favor general support rather than restricted project funding, and the same recipients can appear across multiple years, as seen with Calhoun Schools Inc, The Broadway League, Theatre for a New Audience, Colt Coeur, and Vineyard Theatre. It is a foundation grantmaker rather than an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments.
$213K
$43K
$220K
$285K
Most grants fall between $1K and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Notable grantees: Calhoun Schools Inc, The Broadway League / Jimmy Awards, The Actors Fund, Theatre for a New Audience, MCC Theater
The Bwf Foundation’s giving is heavily concentrated in New York, which accounts for 90% of grants and is the top state by grant count. New York City organizations appear most often, including recipients in Manhattan such as The Broadway League, MCC Theater, and The Actors Fund, as well as Brooklyn-based Colt Coeur. The geographic pattern is local rather than national, with one out-of-state recipient in Peachtree City, Georgia: Braelinn Elementary School.
The foundation supports New York performing arts organizations, arts education programs, and services for theater professionals. Recent grants also include support for women’s entrepreneurship and a few community organizations outside the arts, all described as general support.
Typical grants are modest: the p25 is $1,000, the median is $2,000, and the p75 is $5,000. The recent list also includes several $10,000 grants and one larger $31,625 award.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Calhoun Schools Inc, The Broadway League, Theatre for a New Audience, Colt Coeur, and Vineyard Theatre. That pattern suggests recurring support for some organizations rather than one-time grants only.
Most grants go to New York recipients: 90% of grants were made to organizations in the foundation’s HQ state, and New York is also the top state by grant count. The recent list is dominated by New York City organizations, with a small number elsewhere.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $43,172 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW VENTURE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BROADWAY LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $18,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PEOPLES THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $14,280 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PODERISTAS COMMUNITY FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,942 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS INSTITUTE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,032 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STELLA ADLER SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| IATI THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $8,557 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THALIA SPANISH THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $8,360 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WE DREAM NETWORK | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,532 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BALLET HISPANICO | NEW YORK, NY | $7,106 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BROADWAY CARES | NEW YORK, NY | $5,852 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $5,225 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PUBLIC THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENVSN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $4,975 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $4,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PS11 PROGRAMS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $3,980 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VINEYARD THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $2,508 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIDOS US | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,090 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GIRLS WRITE NOW INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,090 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WP THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLT COEUR | BROOKLYN, NY | $1,996 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEATRE DEVELOPMENT FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $750 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING | NEW YORK, NY | $250 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $31,625 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BROADWAY LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $12,175 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VINEYARD THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE NEW GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARLEM STAGE | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITYMEALS ON WHEELS | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MADISON SQUARE PARK CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLT COEUR | BROOKLYN, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRAELINN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PEACHTREE CITY, GA | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BALLET HISPANICO | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MCBRIDE SISTERS SHE CAN FUND | NAPA, CA | $250 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GOD'S LOVE WE DELIVER | NEW YORK, NY | $100 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLAB THEATER GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $100 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BROADWAY LEAGUE (JIMMY AWARDS) | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $11,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC
$43,172GENERAL SUPPORT
THE BROADWAY LEAGUE
$18,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PEOPLES THEATRE
$14,280GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
STELLA ADLER SCHOOL
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
IATI THEATRE
$8,557GENERAL SUPPORT
THALIA SPANISH THEATRE
$8,360GENERAL SUPPORT
BALLET HISPANICO
$7,106GENERAL SUPPORT
MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK
$5,225GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PUBLIC THEATRE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENVSN FOUNDATION
$4,975GENERAL SUPPORT
PS11 PROGRAMS INC
$3,980GENERAL SUPPORT
BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WP THEATRE
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLT COEUR
$1,996GENERAL SUPPORT
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING
$250GENERAL SUPPORT
CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC
$31,625GENERAL SUPPORT
THE BROADWAY LEAGUE
$12,175GENERAL SUPPORT
BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MADISON SQUARE PARK CONSERVANCY
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
COLT COEUR
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BRAELINN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
BALLET HISPANICO
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
MCBRIDE SISTERS SHE CAN FUND
$250GENERAL SUPPORT
THE BROADWAY LEAGUE (JIMMY AWARDS)
$12,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CALHOUN SCHOOLS INC
$11,500GENERAL SUPPORT