named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Critical Writing Grant Competition
Collaborative grant competition with Crossed Purposes Foundation supporting new critical writing in lens and screen arts, including publication of winning work
Symposia on Art Conservation
Supports international conferences examining the preservation of artistic intent and material in contemporary artworks
Valery Daniels Memorial Lecture
Lecture series inviting prominent scholars and practitioners to speak to SVA students and the art therapy profession
Visual Arts Foundation Scholarships
Provides financial awards to students in various departments at the School of Visual Arts, including Advertising, Design, Animation, Film, Fine Arts, Illustration, Photography, and Art Therapy
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Artist Legacy Preservation and Documentation 2 activities
- Documenting institutional history and supporting researchDocuments the history of the School of Visual Arts and curates source material for scholarly research on the institution’s impact on art and design communities.
- Preserving design history through archival collectionsMaintains a design archive that preserves and provides access to works by influential designers, illustrators, and art directors affiliated with the School of Visual Arts.
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Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
- Funding critical writing in lens and screen artsAwards grants through a competitive process to support critical writing in lens and screen arts, resulting in published works such as Nora Khan's Seeing, Naming, Knowing in 2019.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Funding exhibitions, conferences, and competitions in the visual artsSupports public-facing events and competitive programs that promote the study and improvement of the arts, including exhibitions, conferences, and student competitions.
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Arts Education Scholarships 1 activity
- Funding scholarships for students at the School of Visual ArtsProvides financial support to students at the School of Visual Arts through named scholarship programs, including the Henry Wolf Foundation Scholarships ($25,000 awards), Ruth & Ken Deardoff Scholarships in Advertising (three annually), Diana King Memorial Scholarships (five annually for BFA Film students), and Heroes of Color Grants (up to five for BFA Animation students). Also establishes memorial scholarship funds using contributions from family, friends, and colleagues.
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Art Museum Funding and Support 1 activity
- Funding symposia on artistic preservationSupports symposia focused on the preservation of artistic intent and material integrity in significant artworks, conducted in collaboration with Contemporary Conservation Ltd.
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Paid Internships in Media & Publishing 1 activity
- Providing student internships in photographyOffers a summer photography internship program with the New York Mets for rising junior or senior students at the School of Visual Arts.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Funding lecture series featuring prominent art scholars and practitionersSupported the establishment of the Valery Daniels Memorial Lecture series, which brings leading scholars and professionals to speak at the School of Visual Arts.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$516K
Contributions & grants$243K47%
Program service revenue$25K5%
Investment income$248K48%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$321K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$237K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$4.99M
Cash$132K
Investments$2.83M
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$4.99M
Liquid reserves110.6 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -15.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 7
- Bashan Aquart — Director
- David Rhodes — Director
- Dee Ito — Director
- Jacqueline Hoffner — Treasurer
- Jeffrey Nesin — President
- Patti Greaney — Director
- Paul Davis — Director
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- Advertising Club of New York Partner — Professional association that has supported the Visual Arts Foundation.
- Aquent Partner — Professional association that has supported the Visual Arts Foundation.
- Con Edison Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Contemporary Conservation Ltd. Partner — Collaborates with the Visual Arts Foundation to organize symposia on art conservation.
- Coyne Family Foundation Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Crossed Purposes Foundation Partner — Co-sponsored a grant competition for critical writing in lens and screen arts with the Visual Arts Foundation.
- Disney Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Eastman Kodak Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- JP Morgan Chase & Company Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Merrill Lynch Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- New York Art Directors Club Partner — Professional association that has supported the Visual Arts Foundation.
- New York Mets Partner — Hosts a summer photography internship for students through a partnership with the Visual Arts Foundation.
- One Club Partner — Professional association that has supported the Visual Arts Foundation.
- Philip Morris Companies Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation Partner — Provides an award to photography students through a partnership with the Visual Arts Foundation.
- SVA’s MFA in Photography, Video & Related Media Partner — Co-created a grant competition for critical writing in lens and screen arts with the Visual Arts Foundation.
- School of Visual Arts Partner — Collaborates with the School of Visual Arts through the Milton Glaser Design Study Center and Archives to preserve and provide access to design works by individuals with close ties to the institution.
- School of Visual Arts Partner — Provides scholarships to students enrolled at the School of Visual Arts.
- School of Visual Arts (SVA) Partner — Hosted the Valery Daniels Memorial Lecture and provided digital distribution for grant competition publications.
- Society of Illustrators Partner — Professional association that has supported the Visual Arts Foundation.
- Sony Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- The Brooklyn Rail Partner — Published the winning critical writing from the Visual Arts Foundation grant competition through Rail Editions.
- Travelers Funder — Provided funding for scholarships and special projects.
- Type Directors Club Partner — Offers a scholarship to design students through a partnership with the Visual Arts Foundation.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist as Cultural Contributormethodology: artist-support-as-social-forceBy supporting individual artists, the foundation advances both personal artistic practice and broader cultural discourse, because artists serve as essential agents in shaping visual arts and design fields.
- Collaborative Knowledge Building in Visual Artsmethodology: collaborative outreach in visual arts discourseBy funding collaborative projects such as publications, symposia, and lecture series, the foundation strengthens critical discourse and field-wide preservation in the visual arts, because collective engagement fosters deeper understanding and continuity in the discipline.
- Funding-Led Artist Developmentmethodology: scholarship_and_collaboration_supportBy providing scholarships, exhibition funding, and competition support, the foundation cultivates emerging talent and professional growth in the visual arts, because financial and institutional backing enables artists and students to advance their work and connect with industry networks.
- Institutional Memory Through Archival Accessmethodology: cultural-preservation-and-accessBy maintaining archives of artistic and design work, the foundation supports research and evaluation of educational and cultural impact, because access to historical materials enables assessment of influence and evolution within art and design communities.