Arts & Culture

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation provides grant funding for nonprofits specifically focused on advancing economic mobility. They also operate an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships designed to support the economic, social and cultural life of the communities where they operate. The foundation operates through multiple giving mechanisms including direct grants, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation Matching Gifts program, and Volunteer Grants program. Their mission centers on supporting economic opportunity while fostering community development through strategic partnerships with nonprofits and cultural organizations. As part of one of the largest financial institutions in the United States, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation plays a significant role in the philanthropic ecosystem by leveraging corporate resources to address economic inequality. Their comprehensive approach combining direct funding, employee engagement through matching gifts, and community sponsorships creates multiple pathways for impact in the communities they serve.

Doris Duke Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to building a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future. Established through the legacy of philanthropist Doris Duke, the foundation supports initiatives across arts and culture, environmental conservation, child well-being, medical research, and cross-cultural understanding. The foundation invests in artists, researchers, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and institutions working to advance creativity, strengthen communities, improve health outcomes, protect natural ecosystems, and foster social progress.

Ford Foundation is one of the world’s largest philanthropic foundations, focused on advancing social justice, reducing inequality, strengthening democratic values, and expanding human dignity globally. Founded in 1936, the foundation supports nonprofits, movements, institutions, artists, researchers, and community leaders working to address systemic social, political, and economic challenges. The Ford Foundation operates across multiple regions worldwide and funds initiatives spanning democracy, racial justice, economic inclusion, technology and society, gender equity, arts and culture, journalism, and human rights.

Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots that has been fostering informed and engaged communities for 75 years. The foundation invests in journalism, arts, and economic opportunity to support a more effective democracy and vibrant communities, focusing specifically on the 26 cities and towns where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once owned and operated newspapers. Guided by the Knight brothers' belief that well-informed communities can best determine their own true interests and are essential to a thriving democracy, the foundation supports people, organizations, and insights that lead to healthier communities. Knight Foundation operates as a nonpartisan and community-centered organization, promoting access to information, free and creative expression, and inclusive economic growth across their target communities.

The Kresge Foundation is a strategic philanthropy located in metro Detroit that has been promoting human progress since 1924. The foundation works to expand opportunity in America's cities through grantmaking and social investing, with a central focus on advancing equity and dismantling barriers while building pathways to justice. Operating with six core values, Kresge centers diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of their work and funding approach. The foundation deploys over $160 million annually through grants, loans, and innovative financial tools to strengthen communities across the United States, with particular attention to effective and inclusive community development in urban areas.

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) is among the top ten foundations in the United States, supporting efforts to enhance quality of life and prevent suffering of children, families, and older adults. Founded by the late Margaret A. Cargill, the organization preserves and promotes the environment and arts while encouraging humane treatment of animals. MACP operates through seven programmatic domains: Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Animal Welfare, Quality of Life, Teachers & Students, and Legacy & Opportunity. The foundation follows an invitation-based grantmaking process, partnering with capable organizations to make lasting differences for individuals and communities with particular attention to overlooked causes.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the largest philanthropic organization in the United States dedicated to supporting the arts, humanities, and higher education. Founded in 1969, the foundation funds institutions, artists, scholars, cultural organizations, and public initiatives that strengthen civic life, preserve cultural memory, and expand access to humanistic knowledge and creative expression. The foundation supports projects that advance social justice, public storytelling, historical understanding, cultural preservation, higher education innovation, and community-centered arts and humanities initiatives.

Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm and impact organization focused on shaping a more equitable, inclusive, and human-centered digital future. Founded by Pierre Omidyar and Pam Omidyar, the organization invests in entrepreneurs, nonprofits, researchers, policymakers, and ecosystem builders working at the intersection of technology, governance, business, and culture. Omidyar Network supports initiatives that promote shared power, digital trust, responsible AI, economic inclusion, civic participation, and democratic resilience in an increasingly technology-driven world.

The Surdna Foundation, established in 1917 by John Emory Andrus, supports social justice reform, healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures across the United States. The foundation works to dismantle barriers that limit opportunity to create more prosperous, culturally enriching, and sustainable communities. In 2017, Surdna launched a $100 million commitment to impact investing that works alongside their grantmaking efforts. Their investment approach combines mission-related investments (MRIs) and program-related investments (PRIs) to advance their mission while generating risk-adjusted returns and building the field of impact investing.

The Kresge Foundation is a national philanthropic organization based in metro Detroit that has been promoting human progress since 1924. The foundation works to expand opportunity in America's cities through strategic grantmaking and social investing, with a focus on advancing equity and dismantling barriers to justice. Kresge deploys over $160 million annually through grants, loans, and innovative financial tools to strengthen communities. The foundation operates across multiple program areas including American Cities, Arts & Culture, Detroit, Education, Environment, Health, and Human Services. Central to their approach is diversity, equity and inclusion, which they center in all their operations and funding decisions to create more equitable opportunities in urban communities.