Arts & Culture grants for nonprofits in California
4,061 private foundations reported 14,387 arts & culture grants to organizations in California on IRS 990-PF returns for tax year 2022 or later, $749.5M in all. 2,115 of them are based in California.
Foundations4,061
Grants on record14,387
Total granted$749.5M
Their typical grant$6,000
Foundations that fund arts & culture in California
20 of the 4,061: profiles in our foundation directory first, then by the number of arts & culture grants to California organizations on their latest return. Each shows its largest such grants.
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Amazonsmile Foundation
Seattle, WA · latest return: tax year 2023- Ayn Rand Institute the Center for the Advancement of Objectivism, Santa Ana - General support$6,757
- The Planetary Society, Pasadena - General support$4,510
- 5P Society, Lakewood - General support$1,920
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Gave $625M in 2024
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Community Vision Capital & Consulting, San Francisco - For the performing arts acquisition fund$5,500,000
- San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco - For bay area cultural funders for equity fund$600,000
- The Center for Cultural Innovation, Los Angeles - For the vallejo arts fund$600,000
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Gave $29.1M in 2024
The J Paul Getty Trust
Los Angeles, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- The Center for Cultural Innovation, Los Angeles - Trust grants$10,909,326
- Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles - Special projects, conservation$420,000
- Ica LA, Los Angeles - Special projects$335,000
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Kenneth Rainin Foundation
Oakland, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Roxie Theater, San Francisco - $1,200,000 for the roxie forever campaign and $100,000 for general operations support of the new facility and…$1,300,000
- Center for the Collaborative Classroom, Alameda - 2025-2026 K-2 literacy support$400,000
- Californians for the Arts, Sacramento - Field leadership/artist advocate program$318,000
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Gave $11.5M in 2024
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
San Francisco, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Northern California Grantmakers, San Francisco - Two years of project support for the arts loan fund, which will award low-interest cash-flow and bridge loans…$100,000
- The Center for Cultural Innovation, Los Angeles - Two years of general operating support, for programming that prioritizes artists who are of cultural…$100,000
- Vital Arts Inc, Berkeley - One year of general operating support for an organization that is essential to building a more just and…$100,000
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Gave $54.9M in 2024
The Conrad Prebys Foundation
San Diego, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association, San Diego - General operating$3,000,000
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, LA Jolla - General operating$500,000
- LA Jolla Music Society, LA Jolla - General operating$325,000
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Gave $18.2M in 2024
The Ralph M Parsons Foundation
Los Angeles, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- The Colburn School, Los Angeles - Over three years for support of the campus expansion project$500,000
- Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Pasadena - Over two years to construct a new music learning center and outdoor amphitheater$250,000
- Public Media Group of Southern California, Burbank - For capital support of studio renovations and equipment in los angeles county$200,000
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The California Endowment
Los Angeles, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Prevention Institute, Oakland - Building power for increased community wellness system funding$1,164,870
- Community Media Access Collaborative, Fresno - Amplifying the health impacts of the social bond$750,000
- Milpa, Salinas - Advancing health and racial equity via leadership and cultural healing$750,000
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Perenchio Foundation
Pasadena, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Henry E Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino - General$5,000,000
- Pasadena Playhouse State Theatre of California, Pasadena - General$3,174,000
- Inner-City Arts, Los Angeles - General$975,000
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Gave $9.2M in 2024
Colburn Foundation
Los Angeles, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- The Colburn School, Los Angeles - Support of the classical arts$4,390,473
- Los Angeles Opera Company, Los Angeles - Support of the classical arts$982,500
- Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn, Los Angeles - Support of the classical arts$772,500
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Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2025- LA Voice, Los Angeles - In support of neighborhood revitalization$225,000
- Academy Foundation, Beverly Hills - Matching contribution (general operating support)$20,000
- Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito - Matching contribution (general operating support)$20,000
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Gave $69M in 2024
The Ahmanson Foundation
Beverly Hills, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Los Angeles Master Chorale Assn, Los Angeles - Toward renovation and remodel of the office$1,000,000
- Petersen Automotive Museum Fdn, Los Angeles - Toward installation of solar panels$822,000
- California Institute of the Arts, Valencia - Toward main campus elevator refresh$800,000
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The Annenberg Foundation
Conshohocken, PA · latest return: tax year 2024- Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills - The wallis arrives: a comprehensive campaign$1,428,572
- Los Angeles Opera Company, Los Angeles - General production budget$750,000
- Casapo, Los Angeles - General operating support$351,000
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Gave $844.7M in 2024
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- Array Alliance Inc, Los Angeles - General support$1,000,000
- Array Alliance Inc, Los Angeles - Core support for the origin's social impact campaign$1,000,000
- Center for Asian American Media, San Francisco - General support and core support for institutional strengthening$700,000
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The James Irvine Foundation
San Francisco, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Capital & Main, Los Angeles - To support Just Prosperity in California$500,000
- KQED Inc, San Francisco - To support Additional Grantmaking in CA$400,000
- Civil Rights Institute of Southern California, Riverside - For general operating support$200,000
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Gave $42M in 2024
The Shubert Foundation Inc
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- South Coast Repertory Inc, Costa Mesa - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$300,000
- Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$260,000
- Old Globe Theatre, San Diego - General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$250,000
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Gave $48.8M in 2024
The California Wellness Foundation
Los Angeles, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Brotherhood of Elders Network, Oakland - For project support for the 40X40 council to develop and implement the rise east 10-year plan to improve the…$500,000
- Capital & Main, Los Angeles - Core operating support$300,000
- Latino Media Collaborative, Los Angeles - Core operating support$150,000
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Gave $555M in 2024
The Andrew W Mellon Foundation
New York, NY · latest return: tax year 2024- Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Fresno - To support organizational capacity and a national fellowship for traditional artists$2,500,000
- Latino Theater Company, Los Angeles - To support the latinx theater initiative$2,500,000
- Black Arts Movement Business District Development, Oakland - To support capacity building for blacspace cooperative as part of the cultural reforestation project in…$1,085,000
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Gave $40.5M in 2025
Koret Foundation
San Francisco, CA · latest return: tax year 2025- Jewish Family & Children's Services, San Francisco - National film education project in partnership with the jfcs holocaust center$500,000
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco - K12 education programs$200,000
- San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco - Music and mentors education program$200,000
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Gave $350M in 2024
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos, CA · latest return: tax year 2024- Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz - Families and Communities$350,000
- Public Media Group of Southern California, Burbank - Special Initiatives$250,000
- San Jose Museum of Art Association, San Jose - Families and Communities$250,000
Search more arts & culture funders giving in California →
Organizations several of these foundations fund
California organizations that received arts & culture grants from two or more of the foundations above, on the same returns.
| Organization | Funders | Grants total |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese American National Museum Los Angeles | 9 | $1,386,692 |
| Southern California Public Radio Pasadena | 9 | $349,158 |
| Public Media Group of Southern California Burbank | 8 | $467,287 |
| San Francisco Jazz Organization San Francisco | 7 | $762,792 |
| Autry Museum of the American West Los Angeles | 7 | $708,316 |
| Intersection for the Arts San Francisco | 7 | $639,395 |
| Dancers Group San Francisco | 6 | $1,634,064 |
| Inner-City Arts Los Angeles | 6 | $1,092,126 |
| A Noise Within Pasadena | 6 | $925,500 |
| East-West Players Inc Los Angeles | 6 | $567,464 |
How to use this list
A foundation is listed because its own latest tax return itemizes grants to organizations in California that we classify as arts & culture, by the purpose the foundation wrote or by the recipient's IRS activity code. Their typical grant is the middle of the funders' own typical grants across everything they fund. Start with funders whose typical grant is close to what you need and whose past recipients look like your organization, then open the profile for all of its grants and any application instructions.
Of these 4,061 foundations, 839 describe how to apply on their latest return; many others give only to organizations they already know. A badge such as Gave $1.2M in 2024 repeats what the latest return reports; it does not mean the foundation is accepting proposals now.
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.