The Versace Foundation focuses on large, targeted international causes, backing high-profile, celebrity-led organizations that work on human rights/justice and global HIV/AIDS work. Their giving is concentrated and strategic rather than broad, preferring sizeable grants to established advocacy and global health intermediaries rather than many small local programs.
Very concentrated: only two large grants totaling $450K to prominent international organizations, favoring sizable one-off or flagship gifts to established, high-visibility grantees rather than many small or local awards.
The Versace Foundation’s recent giving is defined by two repeated commitments: $250,000 general-support grants to the Clooney Foundation for Justice and $200,000 general-support grants to the Elton John Aids Foundation. Those awards point to a concentrated grantmaker that backs established, high-profile organizations working in justice and global health rather than a wide mix of smaller projects. Across the latest grants, the foundation’s support stays at a large scale, with repeat awards going to the same intermediaries in the same year. The Clooney Foundation for Justice appears twice at the top of the list, and the Elton John Aids Foundation also appears twice, each receiving substantial general support. The pattern suggests an emphasis on organizations with international reach and recognizable public leadership. A smaller 2024 grant extended that approach into corporate-linked philanthropy through Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation, supporting charitable projects that include mental health commitments. The result is a portfolio centered on advocacy, HIV/AIDS-related work, and selected charitable initiatives, with funding directed to organizations already positioned to operate at scale.
In human rights and rule-of-law work, The Versace Foundation gave $250,000 in general support to the Clooney Foundation for Justice. That grant places justice-focused advocacy near the center of the foundation’s recent portfolio. Global HIV/AIDS work is another clear area of support. The foundation awarded $200,000 in general support to the Elton John Aids Foundation, indicating continued backing for prevention, treatment, and stigma-related efforts through an established intermediary. The foundation also made a smaller $20,000 grant to Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation to support charitable projects, including its commitment to mental health. That award broadens the picture slightly beyond the two flagship categories, but still through a foundation partner rather than a direct-service grant.
Typical grants are sizable: the 25th percentile is $110,000, the median is $200,000, and the 75th percentile is $225,000. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same organizations, including multiple grants in the same year to both the Clooney Foundation for Justice and the Elton John Aids Foundation. The foundation does not fund individuals. Its pattern is consistent with operating-style support and project-based support, often labeled general support, rather than a broad open-call program.
$450K
$10M
$690K
$540K
Most grants fall between $110K and $225K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$110K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$225K
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Notable grantees: Clooney Foundation for Justice, Elton John AIDS Foundation
Giving is highly concentrated in the United States, with 100% of recent grants going to U.S. recipients. New York, NY is the recurring recipient location in the recent grant list, and the top state by grant count is New York. The named grantee locations in the recent data are all in New York City, including New York, NY and New YOrk, NY as listed in the source.
Recent grants show a focus on established organizations working in human rights and justice, global HIV/AIDS, and selected charitable initiatives. The largest awards went to the Clooney Foundation for Justice and the Elton John Aids Foundation, both in New York, NY, with a smaller grant to Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation for charitable projects including mental health.
The typical grant size is relatively large. In the latest data, the 25th percentile is $110,000, the median is $200,000, and the 75th percentile is $225,000. Recent awards also include two $250,000 grants and two $200,000 grants.
No. The foundation’s profile indicates that it does not fund individuals. Its recent grants are all made to organizations, including foundations and other institutional recipients.
Yes. All recent grants in the data went to recipients in the United States, and New York is the top state by grant count. The listed recipient cities are New York, NY and New YOrk, NY, showing a strong concentration in New York City.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeat support to the same recipients in the same year: the Clooney Foundation for Justice appears twice at $250,000 each, and the Elton John Aids Foundation appears twice at $200,000 each. That pattern points to recurring support rather than one-off awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLOONEY FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOONEY FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation | New YOrk, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | To support charitable projects of the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation, including but not limited to its commitment to support mental health. |
Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation
$20,000To support charitable projects of the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation, including but not limited to its commitment to support mental health.