
The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation concentrates on major cultural institutions, providing large, unrestricted and endowment gifts to art and history museums and to performing-arts education. Grants are sizable and few, often repeated to the same institutions, and prioritize general operating and endowment support rather than project-restricted funding. While based in Brooklyn, the foundation funds prominent national and regional museums and a leading drama school, signaling a preference for sustaining institutional capacity and long-term financial health.
A defining thread in the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation’s recent giving is its willingness to fund long-term institutional needs, especially endowments and capital campaigns. That pattern appears across major cultural organizations: the foundation gave $640,000 to Santa Barbara Museum of Art for capital campaign and education work, $510,000 to High Desert Museum for general support, and $500,000 to National Gallery of Art for general support. It also backed Yale School of Drama with $400,000 for endowment in 2024 and another $400,000 for program endowment in 2025, showing repeated support for the same institution over time. The foundation’s grants often land at established museums, theaters, and arts education organizations, with support ranging from broad operating help to named purposes such as exhibitions, digital programming, and education. Recent gifts also reached Brooklyn Academy of Music, Portland Art Museum, and the American Dance Festival, reinforcing a portfolio centered on cultural institutions and arts education. The overall picture is a funder that favors sustained capacity, not one-off project funding, and that returns to organizations it already knows.
The foundation gives across visual arts, performing arts, and arts education, with several grants tied to institutional infrastructure. In museum and exhibition work, it awarded $250,000 to National Gallery of Art for exhibitions and $210,000 to Portland Art Museum for capital campaign support. In arts education and outreach, Opera Santa Barbara received $110,000 for student matinees, while Brooklyn Academy of Music received $225,000 for education and outreach and digital infrastructure. Performing arts education appears in repeat support for Yale School of Drama, which received $400,000 for endowment and $400,000 for program endowment. The foundation also funds community-facing arts programming, including $101,910 to Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club for art programs and $100,000 to Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Assn Inc for a Leonardo da Vinci documentary.
Typical grants are modest relative to the foundation’s larger awards: the distribution shows a p25 of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $20,000. At the same time, the recent-gifts list includes several six-figure commitments, indicating a dual pattern of smaller discretionary awards alongside larger institutional support. Recipients often reappear across years: High Desert Museum, Tides Center, National Gallery of Art, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Portland Art Museum, American Dance Festival, and Yale School of Drama all received repeat grants. The foundation uses trustee discretion through general discretionary and general grantmaking programs, and those programs are described as quarterly decisions. Unsolicited applications are not accepted.
$3.7M
$71.3M
$3.7M
$4.7M
Most grants fall between $5K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving: a small number of large grants (several six-figure to seven-figure awards), frequent repeat funding to the same grantees, and a mix of general operating and endowment gifts rather than many small or new grantees.
Notable grantees: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, High Desert Museum, National Gallery of Art, David Geffen Yale School of Drama
The foundation gives nationally, with every grant in the recipient dataset going to the United States. New York is the top state by grant count, and 30% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent grants reached Santa Barbara, Bend, New Haven, San Francisco, Chapel Hill, Portland, and Brooklyn. The city pattern shows a mix of major arts hubs and regional institutions rather than a single metro focus.
It supports visual arts, performing arts, and arts education organizations. Recent grants went to museums, theaters, a chorus, a dance festival, and arts education partners, with several awards tied to operating support, endowments, capital campaigns, exhibitions, and outreach.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Yale School of Drama, High Desert Museum, National Gallery of Art, Tides Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Portland Art Museum, and American Dance Festival. The pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $20,000. Recent awards also include much larger commitments, including $640,000 to Santa Barbara Museum of Art and $500,000 to National Gallery of Art.
Its general grantmaking is by trustee discretion, with quarterly meetings mentioned for general grantmaking. The active programs also describe grants as discretionary, including multi-year pledges, challenge grants, operating support, project support, and endowment-related funding.
No. The active programs specify that both Merci Grants and the general grantmaking programs do not accept unsolicited applications.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART | LANDOVER, MD | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YALE--DAVID GEFFEN YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA | NEW HAVEN, CT | $400,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM ENDOWMENT |
| TIDES CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $375,000 | 2025 | ONE NATION ONE PROJECT |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $300,000 | 2025 | ART GALLERY ENDOWMENT |
| ARTIST REPERTORY THEATER | PORTLAND, OR | $260,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| MUSIC MAKER FOUNDATION | HILLSBOROUGH, NC | $155,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL | DURHAM, NC | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KIPS BAY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | BRONX, NY | $101,910 | 2025 | ART PROGRAMS |
| SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| CREATIVE NETWORK | ASTORIA, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | BLAKE HOUNSHELL SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| GREATER WASHINGTON EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSN INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | LEONARDO DA VINCI DOCUMENTARY |
| ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL | ASHEVILLE, NC | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO | NEW YORK, NY | $57,625 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DURHAM TECH FOUNDATION | DURHAM, NC | $50,000 | 2025 | ART PROGRAMS |
| THE FRICK COLLECTION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHORUS OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GASPARD & DANCERS | DURHAM, NC | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE PUBLIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM ASSOCIATION | ASHEVILLE, NC | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & EDUCATION |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC | BROOKLYN, NY | $36,698 | 2025 | EDUCATION & OUTREACH, DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE |
| ART TRANSFORMS | JONESBOROUGH, TN | $35,000 | 2025 | FOR ASSOCIATION TILARANESE |
| THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $30,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| TELLURIDE BLUES SOCIETY | TELLURIDE, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | MUSIC MAKER SUPPORT |
| GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MR HOLLAND'S OPUS FOUNDATION | STUDIO CITY, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATER | ASHEVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ART TRANSFORMS | JONESBOROUGH, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | TILARAN MUSIC SCHOOL |
| LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT |
| BRONX ARTS ENSEMBLE INC | BRONX, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY JAZZ PROGRAM | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | JAZZ PROGRAM |
| MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT |
| STATE STREET BALLET | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PORTLAND ART MUSEUM | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| ST MARK'S IN THE VALLEY CONCERT SERIES | LOS OLIVOS, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OPERA SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DURHAM ARTS COUNCIL | DURHAM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY |
| HIGH DESERT MUSEUM | BEND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ( TANGLEWOOD) | LENOX, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WEST | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OREGON SYMPHONY | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| STEEP ROCK ASSOCIATION INC | NEW PRESTON, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | ART PROGRAM |
| CHELSEA THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COLBY-SAWYER COLLEGE | NEW LONDON, NH | $10,000 | 2025 | ART PROGRAMS |
| SITKA CENTER FOR ART & ECOLOGY | OTIS, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CAROLINA FRIENDS SCHOOL | DURHAM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | ART PROGRAMS |
YALE--DAVID GEFFEN YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA
$400,000PROGRAM ENDOWMENT
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
$300,000ART GALLERY ENDOWMENT
ARTIST REPERTORY THEATER
$260,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
GENERAL
AMERICAN DANCE FESTIVAL
$110,000GENERAL
CREATIVE NETWORK
$100,000GENERAL
YALE UNIVERSITY
$100,000BLAKE HOUNSHELL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
LEONARDO DA VINCI DOCUMENTARY
ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL
$60,000GENERAL
NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO
$57,625GENERAL
THE FRICK COLLECTION
$50,000GENERAL
GASPARD & DANCERS
$40,000GENERAL
THE PUBLIC THEATER
$40,000GENERAL
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART
$40,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & EDUCATION
ART TRANSFORMS
$35,000FOR ASSOCIATION TILARANESE
TELLURIDE BLUES SOCIETY
$25,000MUSIC MAKER SUPPORT
ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATER
$20,000GENERAL
ART TRANSFORMS
$20,000TILARAN MUSIC SCHOOL
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
$15,000ENDOWMENT
BRONX ARTS ENSEMBLE INC
$10,000GENERAL
WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
$10,000GENERAL
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$10,000GENERAL
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY JAZZ PROGRAM
$10,000JAZZ PROGRAM
ST MARK'S IN THE VALLEY CONCERT SERIES
$10,000GENERAL
OPERA SANTA BARBARA
$10,000GENERAL
DURHAM ARTS COUNCIL
$10,000GENERAL
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ( TANGLEWOOD)
$10,000GENERAL
OREGON SYMPHONY
$10,000GENERAL
STEEP ROCK ASSOCIATION INC
$10,000ART PROGRAM
CHELSEA THEATER
$10,000GENERAL
COLBY-SAWYER COLLEGE
$10,000ART PROGRAMS
SITKA CENTER FOR ART & ECOLOGY
$10,000GENERAL