Grant Guidelines
What We Support
The Robert Lehman Foundation operates exclusively in the field of the visual arts. Grants are made to leaders in the field of the visual arts as well as innovative newcomers – museums, arts organizations, educational institutions and other cultural organizations – with the goal of enhancing the role of the visual arts within American and world culture. The Foundation supports museum exhibitions, art education programs, scholarly publications and art history lectureships that complement the strengths of the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and advance the goal of identifying the Foundation with serious scholarly and creative endeavors. The art education programs we support share the goal of providing art education to underserved communities that have insufficient access to any type of arts learning. The Foundation believes that access to the arts improves the lives of individuals and communities.
Exhibitions
In the past, the Foundation primarily supported visual arts exhibitions that in some way complemented the strengths of the Robert Lehman Collection in Early Renaissance through Impressionist Art. In recent years, the scope of support for exhibitions has been expanded to include projects whose intellectual content and scholarly contributions advance both classical and contemporary art.
Art Education
We support programs that share the goal of providing art education to underserved communities, especially those having insufficient access to arts learning. Support for these endeavors stems from the Foundation’s strong belief that access to the arts creates opportunities that improve the lives of underserved people and communities.
Art Lectureships
The Edwin L. Weisl, Jr. Lectureships in Art History, provides Colleges with the opportunity to enrich their art history curricula by inviting noted art historians and/or artists to lecture on a topic related to at least one course offered in that particular semester. The Program’s ultimate goal is to extend the exposure of students, faculty and the surrounding community to the ideas of noted professionals in the field of the visual arts to whom they would otherwise not be afforded access.
Capital Projects
On occasion the Foundation provides funding for capital projects to museums and other cultural organizations. The Foundation supports impactful capital programs that meaningfully further the mission of an organization, expand cultural programming and increase access to new and diverse audiences.
Featured Grantees
Grant Guidelines
- The proposal should include a brief history and mission of your organization, a project summary, budgets for the project as well as the organization, financial statements, a list of the organization’s Board of Directors and Officers and a copy of the organization’s 501(c)3 ruling.
- For organizations that have received a grant from the Foundation in the past, please include a Grantee Survey and giving history. If the proposal is for funding of an exhibition, please include images.
- The Board of Trustees of the Foundation reviews proposals on a bi-annual basis, with meetings held generally in October and May. Proposals to be considered at the May meeting must be received by April 1. Proposals to be considered at the October meeting must be received by September 15
Deadlines
| Grant Cycle | Portal Opens | Submission Deadline | Grant Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | March 1 | April 1 | June |
| Fall | August 15 | September 15 | November |
Eligibility
Organizations that have received Robert Lehman Foundation grants for four consecutive years will not be eligible for consideration of further grants for a period of two years. The Foundation has adopted this policy due to the significant increase in the number of proposals received by the Foundation, and in order to release funds for new and deserving institutions. Please note that this policy does not apply to the Edwin L. Weisl Jr. Lectureship program
For more information contact info@robertlehmanfoundation.org or 212-661-1967
Many Images on the site are courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art