THE ANDREW W MELLON FOUNDATION
Annual Giving
$555.0M+6% YoY
Grants
848
Median Grant
$500K
Organizations Funded
987
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Foundation Overview
Mission
Established to strengthen, promote, and defend the arts and humanities as essential to democratic societies. Makes grants to actively unlock the power in arts and humanities that helps connect us all.
Focus Areas
Grant Types
Funded Initiatives
Monuments Project ($500M total - $250M 2020, additional $250M), Imagining Freedom ($125M criminal legal system), Puerto Rico Initiative ($50M+), Community-Based Archives ($5M over 3 calls), Affirming Multivocal Humanities ($18M to 95 institutions)
How to Apply
Invitation-only basis - staff seek out innovative organizations before inviting proposals. Occasionally issue open calls (e.g., Community-Based Archives). Access to Fluxx portal provided after invitation.
Does Not Fund
No funding to individuals, no tuition, no K-12 education/programming, no fundraising events, no direct unrestricted funding for individuals. Must be 501(c)(3) or equivalent charitable organizations.
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$555.0M
Grants
848
Median
$500K
States
52
$524.7M
Grants
817
Median
$500K
States
52
$505.7M
Grants
566
Median
$500K
States
47
Grant Size Distribution
$500K
Typical Grant (Median)
$10K
Smallest
$250K
25th Pctile
$750K
75th Pctile
$8.6M
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $250K and $750K.
Largest Recent Grants
$8.6M
2024
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES
NY · TO SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION AND ANNUAL INSTITUTIONAL RENEWALS FOR THE MELLON MAYS UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
$7.0M
2024
CITY OF RICHMOND
VA · TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND INITIAL OPERATIONS OF A CULTURAL SPACE LOCATED AT THE SHOCKOE BOTTOM TRAIN SHED THAT MEMORIALIZES AND COMMEMORATES THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN RICHMOND
$5.6M
2024
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACKS IN DANCE INC
DC · TO SUPPORT A REGRANTING PROGRAM TO ARTISTS AND COMPANIES DRIVING THE FUTURE OF BLACK DANCE
$5.0M
2024
WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
MA · TO SUPPORT THE AMERICAN ARCHIVE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING TO PRESERVE ENDANGERED PUBLIC MEDIA HOLDINGS AT SCALE FOR FUTURE ACCESS AND USE
$5.0M
2024
FREEDOM READS
CT · TO PROVIDE MAJOR RENEWED SUPPORT TO FREEDOM READS AS IT SCALES ITS LIBRARY INSTALLATIONS AND EXPANDS ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
Geographic Focus
Top states by total grant dollars. Based on IRS filing data.
Financial Overview
Grants paid shown as percentage of total assets
Data sourced from IRS 990 and 990-PF filings and publicly available foundation websites. Grant data, financial figures, and organizational details reflect historical filings and may not represent current operations or funding priorities. Verify directly with the foundation before applying. See an issue? Let us know.