The Arison Arts Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2005 and based in Coral Gables, Florida. The foundation is dedicated to nurturing and supporting young artists as they pursue their dreams, with a focus on emerging artists in visual, literary, design, and performing arts, as well as the institutions that foster and nurture them.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$381.2M
-6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$38.8M
+30.6% YoY
Grant Count
130
+19.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$298K
+9.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arison Arts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus areas include:
- Supporting emerging artists in underserved communities
- Arts education programs
- Visual, literary, design, and performing arts
- Institutions that foster and nurture artists
Under the leadership of Sarah Arison, the foundation has expanded its priorities to include aggressive support for emerging artists in underserved communities. While the foundation supports organizations of all sizes, large cultural landmarks number significantly among its grantees and receive the largest sums.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through a private, invitation-only grant-making process. The foundation does not have a public website and does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Grant Range
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- New York
- Florida
- California
With particular emphasis on New York City and Miami.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $381,157,410
- Total revenues: $21,343,622
- Total expenses: $45,858,800
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $407,000,000
- Total revenues: $15,300,000
- Total expenses: $38,600,000
Total Liabilities: $0
Staffing: The foundation operates with 2 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $381,157,410 | $406,877,897 | $423,109,244 |
| Revenue | $21,343,622 | $15,345,445 | $51,525,223 |
| Expenses | $45,858,800 | $38,635,187 | $41,413,382 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $39,257,917 | $29,969,305 | $29,274,811 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,194,397 | $7,128,103 | $39,925,307 |
| Distributable Amount | $22,353,487 | $21,597,666 | $22,159,479 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ballet Theatre Foundation Inc ($4,800,000), Baryshnikov Arts Center Inc ($1,025,000), Aspen Art Museum ($665,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABRAHAM IN MOTION INC BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| AMERICAS FOUNDATION OF THE SERPENTINE GALLERIES NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $65,000 |
| ANDERSON RANCH ARTS FOUNDATION SNOWMASS VILLAGE, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $73,400 |
| APERTURE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| ARS NOVA THEATER I INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Sarah Arison - President (Co-Afo LLC)
- John J O'Neil - Trustee
- Harry Hersh - Trustee
- Richard Kohan - Principal Officer (Afo LLC)
The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH ARISON CO AFO LLC | PRESIDENT | 55 | $97,500 |
| JOHN J O'NEIL CO AFO LLC | AVP/ASSISTANT TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| RICHARD L KOHAN CO AFO LLC | AVP/TREASURER/SECRETARY | 1.5 | — |
| WELLS FARGO BANK NA | TRUSTEE | 5 | $689,587 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
New World Symphony received a $30 million endowment gift from the Arison Arts Foundation
New World Symphony receives $30 Million Endowment Gift from the Arison ArtsAmerican Ballet Theatre received a $500,000 matching gift from the Arison Arts Foundation
ABT News - American Ballet TheatreThe YoungArts Lin Arison Excellence in Writing Award is presented annually through the foundation's support
Honor Giardini Receives 2025 YoungArts Lin Arison Excellence in Writing AwardSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Arison Arts Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary focus areas include: • Supporting emerging artists in underserved communities • Arts education programs • Visual, literary, design, and performing arts • Institutions that foster and nurture artists Under the leadership of Sarah Arison, the foundation has expanded its priorities to include aggressive support for emerging artists in underserved communities. While the foundation supports organizations of all sizes, large cultural landmarks number significantly among its g…
How do I apply for a grant from Arison Arts Foundation?
**Grant Process:** The foundation operates through a private, invitation-only grant-making process. The foundation does not have a public website and does not accept unsolicited proposals. **Grant Sizes:** • Grant range: $750 to $10,194,000 • Median grant: $25,000 • Most grants stay under $1,000,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling $36,505,422. Notable recent grants include: • New World Symphony: $10,194,000 (General Support) • YoungArts: $5,526,979 (Ge…
Where does Arison Arts Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • New York • Florida • California With particular emphasis on New York City and Miami.
What size grants does Arison Arts Foundation award?
In 2024, Arison Arts Foundation awarded 130 grants totaling $38.8M — an average of about $298K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Arison Arts Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Arison Arts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Arison Arts Foundation's EIN?
Arison Arts Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7450689. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Arison Arts Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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