The Emiko Terasaki Foundation concentrates its giving on performing arts institutions and community literacy/access programs, favoring high-impact, event-linked support (e.g., gala sponsorships) and direct program funding. Grants are large and targeted to a very small set of recipients, often with repeat awards, indicating deep, relationship-driven philanthropy rather than broad, diffuse giving. The mix of grantees suggests an interest in both sustaining major cultural organizations and supporting community-based literacy initiatives.
The Emiko Terasaki Foundation’s giving is marked by repeated support for a small set of arts and literacy organizations, with the largest recent awards going to Jazz at Lincoln Center and Community Partners for Libros Schmibros. Those grants show two clear lanes: high-value support tied to fundraising events and direct backing for a community book-distribution program. The foundation also returns to the same recipients across multiple years, including The Metropolitan Opera, Film at Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, New York Asian Film Festival, and Wbgoorg, which points to relationship-based philanthropy rather than broad, one-time support. Its grant history centers on performing arts institutions and literacy access work, often through general support or program-specific awards. Jazz at Lincoln Center received a $193,500 grant in 2024 for its spring gala, while Community Partners received $185,000 in 2025 for the Libros Schmibros program. Other awards show a mix of cultural institutions and community-facing programs, with several grantees appearing more than once across the recent record. The pattern suggests a funder that sustains both major presenting organizations and localized book-access initiatives.
In performing arts, the foundation supports large New York institutions and field organizations. It gave $100,000 in 2024 to the Assn of Performing Arts Professiona for general support, and it also backed The Metropolitan Opera with $35,000 in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation also funds film and media presentation. Film at Lincoln Center received $23,525 in 2023, another $23,525 in 2024, and $23,400 in 2025, all for general support. New York Asian Film Festival received $25,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2024. A separate thread is community literacy and book access. Community Partners received $65,000 in 2024 and $30,870 in 2023 for the Libros Schmibros program, reflecting direct support for book distribution and reading access work.
Grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a typical award of $23,525 at the 25th percentile, $27,842 at the median, and $57,500 at the 75th percentile. The record also includes a few larger event-linked grants, which raises the upper end of the distribution. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF vehicle, and the recent record shows repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, especially in arts and literacy. Awards appear to be targeted and relationship-driven, with both general support and program-specific grants represented.
$923K
$3M
$618K
$310K
Most grants fall between $24K and $58K, with a median of $28K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$28K
75th Percentile
$58K
About 14% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated giving: few, large grants with repeat funding to select organizations; combination of event/gala sponsorships and program support rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Community Partners (Libros Schmibros), Association of Performing Arts Professionals
Giving is concentrated in the United States, with all recent grants in the US. New York City is the main recipient hub, including multiple grants to organizations in New York, NY and one in Newark, NJ. Los Angeles, CA is another clear destination, through support for a literacy program there. The record also includes Delhi, NY, reflecting a New York State recipient outside the city. California recipients account for 14% of grants, separate from the foundation’s headquarters in Arcadia.
The foundation funds performing arts institutions, field infrastructure for the performing arts, event and gala sponsorships, and community literacy or book-distribution programs. In the recent record, those categories show up through grants for general support, annual operations, and named programs such as Libros Schmibros.
Yes. The record shows repeat awards to several recipients across multiple years, including The Metropolitan Opera in 2023 and 2024, Film at Lincoln Center in 2023, 2024, and 2025, New York City Ballet in 2023 and 2024, and New York Asian Film Festival in 2024 and 2025.
Typical grant sizes are in the mid-five-figure range: $23,525 at the 25th percentile, $27,842 at the median, and $57,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes larger awards, such as a $193,500 gala grant and a $185,000 program grant.
Its top state by grant count is New York. The recent recipient list is centered there, with multiple grants to organizations in New York, NY and additional grants in Delhi, NY and Newark, NJ. California recipients also appear, but less often than New York.
Two main areas stand out: performing arts and literacy access. Performing arts grants include support for orchestras, ballet, opera, film presentation, and performing arts field organizations. Literacy access appears through repeated support for the Libros Schmibros program, which received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $185,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM |
| NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL | DELHI, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $23,400 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $193,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT 2023 SPRING GALA |
| ASSN OF PERFORMING ARTS PROFESSIONA | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $65,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM |
| THE METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK CITY BALLET | NEW YORK, NY | $24,795 | 2024 | SUPPORT ALLEGRO CIRCLE FUND |
| FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $23,525 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBGOORG | NEWARK, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL | DELHI, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $98,700 | 2023 | SUPPORT 2022 SPRING GALA |
| THE METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,870 | 2023 | SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM |
| NEW YORK CITY BALLET | NEW YORK, NY | $24,815 | 2023 | SUPPORT ANNUAL OPERATIONS FUND |
| FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $23,525 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBGOORG | NEWARK, NJ | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$185,000SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM
NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
$23,400GENERAL SUPPORT
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
$193,500SUPPORT 2023 SPRING GALA
ASSN OF PERFORMING ARTS PROFESSIONA
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$65,000SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
$24,795SUPPORT ALLEGRO CIRCLE FUND
FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
$23,525GENERAL SUPPORT
WBGOORG
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
$98,700SUPPORT 2022 SPRING GALA
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$30,870SUPPORT LIBROS SCHMIBROS PROGRAM
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
$24,815SUPPORT ANNUAL OPERATIONS FUND
FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
$23,525GENERAL SUPPORT
WBGOORG
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT