Forman Arts Initiative Inc.

Forman Arts Initiative Inc. (FAI) is a Philadelphia-focused private foundation funded by the Forman family (President Michael C. Forman) that operates as both a direct-programming entity and a strategic grantmaker. Its primary grantmaking vehicle — Art Works — has deliberately channeled $1.81 million through the Philadelphia Foundation as an intermediary over four grant cycles (2021-2024), rather than making direct grants to nonprofits. This architecture is intentional: FAI values managed, relationship-driven philanthropy over open solicitation, and the foundation's own profile is flagged as preselected only, confirming that FAI identifies and invites grantees rather than running open competitions.

First-time applicants must understand this fundamental dynamic. There is no application button to click for Art Works-level support. The path to a grant is built through sustained presence in Philadelphia's arts ecosystem — attending FAI's public events and Kensington campus activations, engaging with Philadelphia Foundation programming, and being known to Mural Arts Philadelphia and Drexel's Lenfest Center for Cultural Partnerships, all of which are FAI's closest institutional partners.

FAI's four core values (Philadelphia, Arts & Creativity, Education, Collaboration) directly inform grantee selection. Successful applicants embody all four simultaneously: their work is rooted in specific Philadelphia neighborhoods, uses arts and creativity as a primary tool, has an explicit education or youth-development dimension, and is built on collaborations rather than siloed programming. The 2024 cohort illustrates this — recipients like South Asian American Digital Archives (SAADA), Vox Populi, and cinéSPEAK each combine community embeddedness, artistic rigor, and collaborative practice.

Organizational budget range for Art Works eligibility is $250,000 to $5 million annually; individual artists and collectives of three or more people (with or without 501(c)(3) status) are also eligible provided they demonstrate community co-creation. With Art Works paused through 2025 and a new Executive Director (Adjoa Jones de Almeida) now in place, FAI is expected to relaunch programming in 2026 or early 2027, potentially incorporating the new Kensington campus as both a venue and programmatic anchor.

FAI's total giving has grown dramatically since its founding: $370,722 (FY2019) → $1,134,949 (FY2020) → $1,250,550 (FY2021) → $1,546,319 (FY2022) → $2,944,911 (FY2023). This trajectory reflects the deliberate ramp-up of the Art Works initiative, which reached $800,000 in annual awards by its fourth year (FY2024). Total assets have been remarkably stable at $83–86 million throughout this period despite rising grantmaking, indicating the foundation is well-capitalized from Forman family contributions and investment returns ($6.7M net investment income in FY2023).

Direct grants paid per IRS filings: $530,000 (FY2022), $662,000 (FY2023) — these represent transfers to Philadelphia Foundation (the intermediary) and Drexel University, not end-grantee payments. Program expenses of ~$413,614 cover FAI's own direct programming (Public Works, convenings, public art commissions). The typical grant size data from FAI's profile shows a median of $75,000, a range of $10,000 to $685,000, and an average of $256,667 — with the high end reflecting multi-year aggregate commitments to Philadelphia Foundation.

End-recipient grant tiers under Art Works: - Individual artists and collectives: $25,000/year × 2 years = $50,000 total (unrestricted) - Organizations: $50,000–$75,000/year × 2 years = $100,000–$150,000 total (unrestricted)

Portfolio breakdown by dollar (FY2019–2023 cumulative, $2.15M in direct grants): - ~84% Art Works program fund at Philadelphia Foundation ($1,810,000 across 4 grants) - ~14% Drexel Lenfest Co-Op Program ($300,000 across 4 grants) - ~1.4% Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates – Public Works ($30,000) - ~0.6% General support (Black Women Give Foundation $10,000; Blackstar Projects $2,000)

Geography is exclusively Pennsylvania — specifically the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. 100% of documented grants went to PA-based organizations. No out-of-state giving has been recorded across six fiscal years.

The following peer foundations share similar asset ranges (~$85–95M) and an Arts & Culture NTEE classification, providing useful context for FAI's positioning and grantmaking scale:

FAI stands out from this peer group in two critical ways. First, it is the only foundation among its asset-size peers with a publicly documented, community-focused grantmaking program targeting individual artists and nonprofits by application — most comparably-sized arts foundations operate as private collections or legacy preservation entities. Second, FAI's unrestricted multi-year grant model ($50K–$150K over two years) is notably more generous and flexible than typical restricted project grants at this asset level. FAI's Philadelphia-only focus also concentrates impact in a way that distinguishes it from national or collection-oriented peers.

The most consequential development in FAI's recent history is the acquisition of a full city block in West Kensington for a permanent arts campus, announced in partnership with artist Theaster Gates in June 2024. This $X-million acquisition — a former industrial block on North American Street — is being converted into a multi-building campus that will include exhibition space for the Forman Family contemporary art collection (a former manufacturing building, expected 2026), an event/performance venue in a converted PECO electrical substation (summer 2025), and a central green space (summer 2025). The campus represents FAI's evolution from a pure grantmaker to an institution with physical infrastructure.

New Executive Director Adjoa Jones de Almeida joined FAI in 2024-2025, bringing professional leadership to an organization previously driven primarily by Michael C. Forman. This transition is significant for grant seekers: decision-making processes may become more formalized and staff-driven under her tenure.

Art Works Grant formally paused in early 2025 after completing its fourth-year cohort in November 2024. The fourth cohort awarded $800,000 to 9 grantees, including artists Iris Brown, Denice Frohman, and Omar Tate, and organizations cinéSPEAK, Photography Without Borders, SAADA, and Vox Populi. FAI and Philadelphia Foundation confirmed no new applications will be accepted in 2025.

The Kensington250 microgrant (deadline March 31, 2026, now closed) was FAI's sole open application opportunity in 2025-2026, targeting Kensington-neighborhood artists for Philadelphia's semiquincentennial programming.

1. Accept the invited-grantee reality. Art Works is a preselected program. There is no unsolicited application path for flagship grants. Your strategy must be relationship cultivation first, formal application second. FAI staff and Michael Forman personally know their grantees before awarding.

2. Align with the BIPOC community-partnership requirement — non-negotiably. Every Art Works grantee works structurally with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities in Philadelphia. This is not a bonus criterion — it is the threshold. Language like 'we serve diverse communities' is insufficient; your organization's leadership, partnerships, and programming history must demonstrate this through named community partners, participant demographics, and co-creation practices.

3. Budget within the $250K–$5M band. The stated eligibility window for organizations is $250,000 to $5 million in annual operating budget. Organizations below $250K should apply as fiscally sponsored projects or consider the microgrant pathway. Organizations above $5M are outside the program scope.

4. Prepare for unrestricted use reporting, not deliverables. Art Works grants are explicitly unrestricted. Proposals should demonstrate organizational impact and community embeddedness rather than project milestones. FAI values narrative credibility — who you are — over work plans.

5. Engage the Philadelphia Foundation relationship. Because grants flow through Philadelphia Foundation, being registered in their system and known to their program staff is a practical prerequisite. Attend Philadelphia Foundation convenings, apply to their other programs, and build visibility with their grantmaking team.

6. Position for the 2026-2027 relaunch window. FAI committed to evaluating Art Works in 2025 and making a case for renewed support. Monitor FAI's website and Philadelphia Foundation's Special Initiative Grants page starting Q3 2026. Follow @faiphiladelphia on social media for announcement timing.

7. Connect to the Kensington campus narrative. FAI's new campus on North American Street is central to its next chapter. Organizations with programming, audiences, or partnerships in Kensington and surrounding ZIP codes (19125, 19133, 19134) are structurally aligned with FAI's evolving geographic priorities.