Willem de Kooning Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Willem de Kooning Foundation
The Willem de Kooning Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on contemporary visual arts organizations, museum exhibitions (often tied to de Kooning or modern painting), and arts publishing, while selectively funding urgent humanitarian and community needs. Grants are a mix of project-specific exhibition support and unrestricted operating assistance, with several repeat grantees and targeted emergency relief giving during crises (COVID-19, Ukraine). The foundation appears to prioritize New York-based arts institutions and outlets that promote scholarship and visibility for contemporary artists, alongside occasional donations to human services and early childhood providers in times of acute need.
Focus Areas
Contemporary visual arts exhibitions tied to Willem de Kooning and modern paintingSupport for small and mid-sized arts organizations and artist-focused programing in New YorkArts journalism and publishing focused on contemporary art (e.g., The Brooklyn Rail)Museum exhibition funding and international museum partnerships (e.g., Musée de l'Orangerie/ Musée d'Orsay)Targeted crisis relief / humanitarian aid (COVID-19 operational relief, emergency support for Ukraine)Early childhood community support during emergency periods
About Willem de Kooning Foundation
The Willem De Kooning Foundation’s recent giving is anchored in contemporary visual art, with major support for exhibitions, arts writing, and small arts organizations in New York. One of its largest recent grants went to Swiss Institute for a fund supporting small arts organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, showing that the foundation has paired art-focused philanthropy with crisis response when needed. Another sizable grant supported the International Rescue Committee for Ukraine, extending its giving beyond the arts during a period of emergency. Within the arts, the foundation has backed institutions that present and interpret modern and contemporary painting. It funded an exhibition at the Musée de l’Orangerie titled "Chaim Soutine/Willem de Kooning, La Peinture Incarnée," linking its collection and legacy to museum scholarship abroad. It has also supported The Brooklyn Rail’s Art Seen section, which covers contemporary visual art in particular depth, and repeated support for Arts Center at Duck Creek for programs and exhibitions dedicated to contemporary art and artists. The grant record also includes operating support for New York arts groups and targeted awards connected to artist recognition and research. That mix suggests a funder that uses both project-based and flexible grants to support visibility, scholarship, and institutional stability around contemporary art.
What Willem de Kooning Foundation Funds
Museum exhibition support is a clear part of the foundation’s work. It gave $100,000 to American Friends Musee Dorsay to fund an exhibition at the Musée de l’Orangerie titled "Chaim Soutine/Willem de Kooning, La Peinture Incarnée," and it also lends works from its collection through a loans and exhibitions initiative. Arts journalism and criticism are another recurring theme. In 2024, it gave $100,000 to The Brooklyn Rail for the Art Seen section of journal publications that covers contemporary visual art in particular depth; the same outlet received $70,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. The foundation also supports artist-focused organizations and recognition. It gave $40,000 to Artadia in 2024 to support the Artadia Award for two New York City-based visual artists, and $20,000 in 2023 for the award given to a New York City-based visual artist. Beyond core arts work, it has made emergency-related grants, including support for Ukraine relief through the International Rescue Committee.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$502K
Total Assets
$73.9M
Total Revenue
$4.1M
Total Expenses
$7.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $81K, with a median of $58K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$58K
75th Percentile
$81K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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