Dunard Fund USA LTD is a highly concentrated supporter of classical music and performing arts, providing very large, often repeated grants to elite music schools, orchestras, and opera companies—most prominently the Colburn School. While the portfolio is dominated by U.S.-based cultural institutions (particularly in Los Angeles and New York), the foundation also makes selective international and institutional gifts (e.g., University of Dublin, American Ireland Fund) and a small number of gifts outside the arts. Grants appear oriented toward major institutional support and endowment-style payments rather than many small community grants.
A $52.5 million grant to Colburn School in 2025 stands out as the clearest marker of Dunard Fund USA Ltd’s giving: the foundation supports large, institution-level commitments to classical music and performing arts organizations. Its recent grants are dominated by elite music schools, major orchestras, and opera companies, with repeated support to a small set of recipients rather than a broad spread of small awards. Los Angeles is especially prominent, alongside New York and a smaller number of gifts to Philadelphia-based music institutions. The Colburn School appears across multiple years and at multiple sizes, including both general support and a 2023 payment categorized as outside qualifying distribution rules under section 4941. That pattern points to long-running support for a single institution rather than one-time project funding. Other major grants show similar priorities: the foundation backed the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Los Angeles Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and Marlboro School of Music. Together, these awards indicate a focus on conservatory training, orchestral presentation, and opera institutions with national reach.
In music education, Dunard Fund USA Ltd gave $3.01 million to Marlboro School of Music Inc in 2023, $1 million in 2024, and $1.77 million in 2023 for general support. That recurring pattern is consistent with its support for advanced training environments for musicians. For orchestral and opera organizations, the foundation gave $3.575 million to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association in 2024 and multiple grants to Los Angeles Opera, including $1.3 million in both 2023 and 2024. It also supported the Metropolitan Opera with grants of $3 million in 2023 and $650,000 in 2025. The foundation also made transatlantic and institutional gifts. These include $1.225 million to The American Ireland Fund in 2023 and $1.14 million and $1.1 million to University of Dublin Fund in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Typical grant sizes are large: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $178,550, and the 75th percentile is $1,243,750. The distribution shows a strong tilt toward major institutional awards, with several seven-figure grants and some much larger commitments. The same recipients appear across multiple years, especially in classical music and opera, which suggests recurring support rather than isolated gifts. Dunard Fund USA Ltd is a regular funder, not a DAF or a funder of individuals, and the listed grants include general support as well as one payment treated outside qualifying distribution rules under section 4941.
$65.1M
$231.8M
$135M
$65.7M
Most grants fall between $20K and $1.2M, with a median of $179K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$179K
75th Percentile
$1.2M
About 1% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated giving: few very large grants account for most dollars, with repeat multi-grant relationships (notably Colburn). Emphasis on major institutional support and sizeable one-off or multi-year payments rather than many small community grants; mostly arts-focused but occasionally funds international or philanthropic-structuring organizations.
Notable grantees: Colburn School, Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Marlboro School of Music, Los Angeles Opera
Grant recipients are entirely U.S.-based in the recent grants list. Los Angeles is the clearest hub, with repeated gifts to organizations such as the Colburn School, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Los Angeles Opera, and The UCLA Foundation. New York also appears often through the Metropolitan Opera, Myriad USA, Chapel & York Foundation Inc, and University of Dublin Fund. Philadelphia shows up through Marlboro School of Music Inc and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. Illinois recipients account for 2% of grants, below the foundation’s headquarters state role in the portfolio.
It concentrates on classical music and performing arts institutions. The recent grants list is led by music schools, orchestras, and opera organizations, including repeated support for conservatory-level training and major presentation institutions.
Yes. Colburn School appears multiple times across 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Los Angeles Opera and the Metropolitan Opera also receive repeated support. The pattern points to ongoing institutional relationships rather than one-off gifts.
The 25th percentile grant is $20,000, the median is $178,550, and the 75th percentile is $1,243,750. That distribution shows that many awards are sizable, with a substantial share at the high end.
The foundation gives nationally, but the highest concentration of grants goes to California recipients. Los Angeles appears repeatedly in the recent grants list, especially among music and performing arts institutions.
The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, with 76 grants to U.S. recipients. The listed recipients include organizations in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $52,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MYRIAD USA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,760,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE KING'S FOUNDATION AMERICA INC | ROCHESTER, NY | $2,600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAPEL & YORK FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,750,400 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES OPERA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE CROWN PRINCE FREDRICK FUND | BOSTON, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE AMERICAN IRELAND FUND | BOSTON, MA | $835,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $650,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LES ARTS FLORRISANTS | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA INC | LAWRENCE, NY | $184,600 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CATO INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DANCE DOWNTOWN LA INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $80,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OJAI FESTIVALS LTD | OJAI, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO CHANTICLEER INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MAESTRO FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LENNOX LIBRARY | LENNOX, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $3,575,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,550,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES OPERA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,300,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARLBORO SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $600,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AILVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $157,100 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA INC | LAWRENCE, NY | $115,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DANCE DOWNTOWN LA INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE AMERICAN IRELAND FUND | BOSTON, MA | $45,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO CHANTICLEER INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MAESTRO FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAPEL & YORK FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CAMERATA PACIFICA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2024 | YALE SCHOOL OF MUSIC |
| LENNOX LIBRARY | LENNOX, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $37,550,000 | 2023 | PAYMENT TO CHARITY THAT IS NOT COUNTED AS A QD SINCE IT FALLS UNDER SECTION 4941. |
| COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000,000 | 2023 | PAYMENT TO CHARITY THAT IS NOT COUNTED AS A QD SINCE IT FALLS UNDER SECTION 4941. |
| COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $7,250,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARLBORO SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $3,010,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
COLBURN SCHOOL
$52,500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MYRIAD USA
$2,760,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE KING'S FOUNDATION AMERICA INC
$2,600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHAPEL & YORK FOUNDATION INC
$1,750,400GENERAL SUPPORT
LOS ANGELES OPERA
$1,300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE CROWN PRINCE FREDRICK FUND
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE AMERICAN IRELAND FUND
GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$650,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN FUND
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NY INC
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LES ARTS FLORRISANTS
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA INC
$184,600GENERAL SUPPORT
CATO INSTITUTE
$110,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DANCE DOWNTOWN LA INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
$80,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OJAI FESTIVALS LTD
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAN FRANCISCO CHANTICLEER INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE MAESTRO FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LENNOX LIBRARY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HILLSDALE COLLEGE
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION
$3,575,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLBURN SCHOOL
$2,550,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOS ANGELES OPERA
$1,300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN FUND
$1,100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARLBORO SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE UCLA FOUNDATION
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NY INC
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AILVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION INC
$157,100GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA INC
$115,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DANCE DOWNTOWN LA INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE AMERICAN IRELAND FUND
$45,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAN FRANCISCO CHANTICLEER INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE MAESTRO FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHAPEL & YORK FOUNDATION INC
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CAMERATA PACIFICA
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
YALE UNIVERSITY
$10,000YALE SCHOOL OF MUSIC
LENNOX LIBRARY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLBURN SCHOOL
$37,550,000PAYMENT TO CHARITY THAT IS NOT COUNTED AS A QD SINCE IT FALLS UNDER SECTION 4941.
COLBURN SCHOOL
$10,000,000PAYMENT TO CHARITY THAT IS NOT COUNTED AS A QD SINCE IT FALLS UNDER SECTION 4941.
COLBURN SCHOOL
$7,250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARLBORO SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC
$3,010,000GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$3,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$3,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT