J Paul Getty Trust

The J. Paul Getty Trust operates through four distinct programs — the Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, Getty Conservation Institute, and Getty Foundation — each with its own strategic priorities. The Getty Foundation, its grant-making arm, awards approximately $26 million annually through strategic initiatives rather than a general open-application process. This means funding is typically channeled through multi-year thematic initiatives (e.g., Keeping It Modern, Conserving Canvas, The Paper Project) that address specific needs in the visual arts ecosystem. Applicants should monitor initiative announcements closely, as each has its own eligibility criteria and timeline. The residential scholar and fellowship programs at the Getty Center offer a different pathway — individual researchers can apply annually for stipends supporting 3–9 month residencies focused on art historical scholarship, provenance research, and related fields.

Getty Foundation grants follow distinct patterns based on program type. Residential stipends range from $21,500 (3 months) to $65,000 (9 months) for scholars, with international art history fellowships at $60,000 plus $5,000 for travel. Library Research Grants are smaller — $1,500 for California-based researchers and $3,000 for those in North America. Strategic initiative grants are substantially larger, often $50,000–$500,000 per institution. The Paper Project, for example, distributed $8.7 million across 72 institutions over its lifetime. The Conserving Black Modernism initiative awards grants for architectural preservation projects. Getty tends to favor institutional grantees for its larger initiatives while supporting individual scholars through its residential programs. Annual grantmaking of ~$26 million positions Getty as a mid-tier funder by dollar volume but a top-tier funder in arts conservation and art historical scholarship specifically.

Getty is unique among major arts funders for its deep specialization in visual arts conservation and art historical scholarship. While Ford and Mellon support arts as part of broader social justice and humanities portfolios, Getty concentrates its resources on the specific infrastructure of the visual arts field — training conservators, supporting provenance research, preserving architectural heritage, and building curatorial capacity. Its $13 billion endowment makes it one of the wealthiest cultural institutions globally, though its annual grant-making is modest relative to assets because most resources fund its own programs (museums, research institute, conservation institute).

In 2024–2025, the Getty Foundation concluded its landmark Paper Project initiative with thirteen final grants totaling nearly $1.3 million supporting curatorial innovation in graphic arts. Notable grantees included the University of Amsterdam (traveling seminar on pastels materiality), Rijksmuseum (workshop on Dutch Old Master drawings), and Oklahoma Contemporary (workshop with artist Edgar Heap of Birds). The Conserving Black Modernism program announced its 2025 cohort of five recipients focused on preserving significant buildings designed by Black architects. Getty also awarded over $1 million for curatorial innovation. The collaborative Advancing Latinx Art in Museums (ALAM) initiative — a $5 million joint effort with Mellon, Ford, and Terra foundations — continued with ten grants of $500,000 each. Active initiatives include Conserving Canvas (since 2018), Conserving Black Modernism (since 2022), Black Visual Arts Archives (since 2022), and the Getty Scholars Program.

1. Monitor strategic initiatives closely: Getty does not accept general unsolicited proposals. Most grants flow through themed multi-year initiatives with specific calls. Sign up for the Getty Foundation e-newsletter and follow their social media for announcement notifications. 2. For residential programs, apply by October 1: The Getty Scholars Program and Library Research Grants both open applications July 1 with an October 1 deadline (5pm PT). These are the most accessible programs for individual researchers. 3. Emphasize visual arts connection: All Getty funding is anchored in the visual arts. Projects must have a clear connection to art history, conservation, museum practice, or related fields. Cross-disciplinary proposals should foreground their visual arts dimension. 4. Leverage the Getty Research Institute: Even without a grant, researchers can access the Getty Library and its extensive special collections. Library Research Grants specifically support travel to use these resources. 5. Consider collaborative proposals: Getty increasingly supports multi-institutional projects, as seen in the ALAM initiative and Paper Project traveling seminars. Partnerships with other museums or universities can strengthen applications. Contact gettyfoundation@getty.edu for general inquiries.