The Florence Gould Foundation is a dedicated patron of Franco‑American cultural life, focusing on preserving French heritage, promoting French language and literature in the U.S., and supporting cultural exchange between France and the United States. It makes substantial, often endowment or capital‑oriented gifts to museums, libraries, cultural centers, academic French studies programs, and restoration projects, favoring institutions that sustain long‑term Franco‑American ties and public programming. Grants are concentrated in a small set of high‑profile recipients and flagship projects rather than many small one‑off awards.
The Florence Gould Foundation’s largest recent grant went to the American Hospital of Paris: $6,000,000 in 2023 for an exchange program. That scale fits a funder that makes large, targeted commitments to Franco-American institutions rather than many small awards. Its recent grants also include a $5,000,000 gift to the French Institute Alliance Francaise for cultural programs and upkeep of Gould Theater, and a $2,000,000 endowment grant to Columbia University for Maison Francaise. These awards show a pattern of capital, endowment, and operating support aimed at institutions that carry French language, literature, and cultural exchange into public view. The foundation backs museums, libraries, academic French studies, writers’ programs, translation work, and heritage sites in both the U.S. and France. Several grants support long-term infrastructure, such as theater upkeep, endowments, and restoration projects, while others fund programming that connects French and American audiences. The grant list is concentrated among a small set of repeat recipients, with New York institutions appearing often among the foundation’s recent awards.
French language and literature are a clear thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $1,500,000 to the French American Cultural Exchange Foundation for an endowment for writers residency and literary translation programs, and $500,000 to Trustees of Columbia University for French translation. It also awarded $500,000 to the French American Foundation for support of the translation prize. The same emphasis appears in its support for French-focused collections and public programming: $1,000,000 to the Grolier Club for French related initiatives and $250,000 to the American Library in Paris for cultural programs. Heritage preservation is another major area. The foundation provided $335,500 to French Heritage Society for restoration of the French National Archives and $200,000 to the Grand Chancellerie De La Legion D'honneur for restoration of a concert hall in a school at St. Denis.
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $62,440, the median is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $725,000. The recent record includes both endowment grants and project support, with several awards tied to restoration, programming, or institutional upkeep. Recipients repeat across years, especially French Heritage Society, which appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also uses endowment support for named institutional purposes, including theaters, fellowships, and cultural centers. It makes grants in a regional pattern rather than widely dispersed one-off giving.
$150K
$241K
$8K
$210K
Most grants fall between $62K and $725K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$62K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$725K
About 64% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Florence Gould Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 22 | $14.7M | 84.6% |
| 2 | France | 4 | $6.8M |
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Concentrated, high‑value grants focused on endowments, capital projects, and multi‑year commitments to a small number of institutional grantees; occasional repeat funding to the same organizations and targeted support for restoration, translation, and exchange programs.
Notable grantees: American Hospital of Paris, French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), Columbia University (Maison Française), French American Cultural Exchange Foundation, World Monuments Fund
Most grants land in New York, which accounts for 64% of grants in the HQ state and is also the top state by grant count. New York City is the main recipient hub, with repeated awards to institutions such as the French Institute Alliance Francaise, Columbia University, the Grolier Club, and Albertine Books Foundation. Outside New York, grants reach Paris and other French locations, including Neuilly sur Seine, Paris, and St. Denis. The recipient-country split is concentrated in the U.S., with 22 grants in the United States and 4 in France.
It funds cultural institutions, museums, libraries, academic French studies programs, writers’ residencies, literary translation work, and restoration projects tied to Franco-American cultural life. Recent grants include support for endowments, cultural programming, theater upkeep, and heritage conservation in the U.S. and France.
The foundation’s typical grants are substantial. Its grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $62,440, a median of $250,000, and a 75th percentile of $725,000.
Yes. The recipient-country data shows 22 grants in the United States and 4 in France. Recent French recipients include organizations in Paris, Neuilly sur Seine, and St. Denis.
Yes. French Heritage Society appears more than once across recent years, with grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The grant list also shows ongoing support for institutions such as Columbia University and the French Institute Alliance Francaise.
Its recent grants center on Franco-American cultural exchange, French language and literature, translation, heritage restoration, and support for museums, libraries, and cultural programming. Specific examples include endowment support, translation prizes, writers’ residency funding, and restoration of archives and historic buildings.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRENCH AMERICAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT FOR WRITERS RESIDENCY AND LITERARY TRANSLATION PROGRAMS |
| ALBERTINE BOOKS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $800,000 | 2024 | RENOVATION OF SPACE FOR THE WRITER'S ATELIER |
| FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | RESTORATION OF ABBAYE DE LA LUCERNE |
| MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT FOR RALPH C. MENAPACE FELLOWSHIP |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF BLERANCOURT | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | BLERANCOURT MUSEUM |
| BLOUNT MANSION ASSOCIATION | KNOXVILLE, TN | $16,000 | 2024 | RESTORATION OF PRINTS AND ERECTION OF HISTORICAL MARKER |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS | CHICAGO, IL | $6,000 | 2024 | PUBLICATION OF LA POLITIQUE DU MERVEILLEUX |
| AMERICAN HOSPITAL OF PARIS | NEUILLY SUR SEINE | $6,000,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAM |
| FRENCH INSTITUTE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000,000 | 2023 | FOR SUPPORT OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND UPKEEP OF GOULD THEATER |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000,000 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT GRANT TO SUPPORT MAISON FRANCAISE |
| WORLD MONUMENTS FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2023 | GRANT TO ESTABLISH ENDOWMENT FOR SUPPORT OF PARIS HEADQUARTERS PER AGREEMENT DATED 7/1/2022 |
| GROLIER CLUB | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2023 | FOR SUPPORT THE GROLIER CLUB'S FRENCH RELATED INITIATIVES |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (COLUMBIA U PRESS) | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2023 | FOR FRENCH TRANSLATION |
| FRENCH AMERICAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF TRANSLATION PRIZE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LES ARTS FLORISSANTS | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2023 | TO COVER EXPENSES FOR QUARTIER DES ARTISTES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| SOURCE MUSIC INC | NEW YORK, NY | $375,000 | 2023 | GRANT FOR BABAR FILM IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH |
| FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY | PARIS | $335,500 | 2023 | RESTORATION OF FRENCH NATIONAL ARCHIVES |
| AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS | PARIS | $250,000 | 2023 | CULTURAL PROGRAMS |
| GRAND CHANCELLERIE DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR | PARIS | $200,000 | 2023 | FOR RESTORATION OF CONCERT HALL IN SCHOOL AT ST. DENIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $197,700 | 2023 | BALANCE OF PLEDGE FOR PAPERS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON PROJECT |
| MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2023 | THE ADAMS PAPERS |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LAFAYETTE | GAITHERSBURG, MD | $49,920 | 2023 | GRANT FOR COMMEMORATION OF LAFAYETTE'S FINAL TOUR VISIT |
| HENRY E HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND ART GALLERY | SAN MARINO, CA | $35,000 | 2023 | INSPIRING WALT DISNEY |
| BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER | KNOXVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2023 | FOR SUPPORT OF BEAUFORD DELANEY MUSEUM, KNOXVILLE, TN |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $22,400 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF TOCQUEVILLE CONFERENCE IN PARIS |
FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRENCH AMERICAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE FOUNDATION
$1,500,000ENDOWMENT FOR WRITERS RESIDENCY AND LITERARY TRANSLATION PROGRAMS
ALBERTINE BOOKS FOUNDATION
$800,000RENOVATION OF SPACE FOR THE WRITER'S ATELIER
FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY
$250,000RESTORATION OF ABBAYE DE LA LUCERNE
MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
$100,000ENDOWMENT FOR RALPH C. MENAPACE FELLOWSHIP
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF BLERANCOURT
$25,000BLERANCOURT MUSEUM
BLOUNT MANSION ASSOCIATION
$16,000RESTORATION OF PRINTS AND ERECTION OF HISTORICAL MARKER
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
$6,000PUBLICATION OF LA POLITIQUE DU MERVEILLEUX
AMERICAN HOSPITAL OF PARIS
$6,000,000SUPPORT FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAM
FRENCH INSTITUTE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE
$5,000,000FOR SUPPORT OF CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND UPKEEP OF GOULD THEATER
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$2,000,000ENDOWMENT GRANT TO SUPPORT MAISON FRANCAISE
WORLD MONUMENTS FUND
$1,500,000GRANT TO ESTABLISH ENDOWMENT FOR SUPPORT OF PARIS HEADQUARTERS PER AGREEMENT DATED 7/1/2022
GROLIER CLUB
$1,000,000FOR SUPPORT THE GROLIER CLUB'S FRENCH RELATED INITIATIVES
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (COLUMBIA U PRESS)
$500,000FOR FRENCH TRANSLATION
FRENCH AMERICAN FOUNDATION
$500,000SUPPORT OF TRANSLATION PRIZE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LES ARTS FLORISSANTS
$500,000TO COVER EXPENSES FOR QUARTIER DES ARTISTES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
SOURCE MUSIC INC
$375,000GRANT FOR BABAR FILM IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH
FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY
$335,500RESTORATION OF FRENCH NATIONAL ARCHIVES
AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS
$250,000CULTURAL PROGRAMS
GRAND CHANCELLERIE DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR
$200,000FOR RESTORATION OF CONCERT HALL IN SCHOOL AT ST. DENIS
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
$197,700BALANCE OF PLEDGE FOR PAPERS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON PROJECT
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$100,000THE ADAMS PAPERS
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LAFAYETTE
$49,920GRANT FOR COMMEMORATION OF LAFAYETTE'S FINAL TOUR VISIT
HENRY E HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND ART GALLERY
$35,000INSPIRING WALT DISNEY
BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER
$25,000FOR SUPPORT OF BEAUFORD DELANEY MUSEUM, KNOXVILLE, TN
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$22,400SUPPORT OF TOCQUEVILLE CONFERENCE IN PARIS