Jerome Foundation Inc.

Jerome Foundation is a highly specialized early-career arts funder with a strict dual-geography model: Minnesota statewide and New York City (five boroughs only). The foundation does not fund artists or organizations outside these two regions. All programs are currently closed, with most operating on multi-year cycles.

APPROACH FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS: The Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship is the flagship program — a $60,000 three-year award ($20,000/year) for early-career generative artists. The next open cycle is expected around 2027. Applicants must be in the first ten years of their professional career and must reside in Minnesota or NYC. The foundation values creative risk-taking, cultural disruption, and reviving traditional forms in original ways. 93% of the 2025-2028 cohort identify as people of color, reflecting a strong equity commitment. Artists in all seven supported disciplines (dance, film, literature, music, technology-centered arts, theater/performance/spoken word, visual arts) are eligible.

Film grants ($10K-$30K) are separate, project-specific opportunities that open periodically — typically once per year. The Jerome@Camargo residency in France is invitation-only for prior Jerome grantees within the past five years.

APPROACH FOR ORGANIZATIONS: Arts Organization Grants are relationship-centered and not purely open-call. While the foundation publishes guidelines, staff proactively cultivate relationships with aligned organizations. Organizations in MN or NYC that run multi-artist support programs (residencies, fellowships, commissions, mentorships) are the target. The foundation explicitly does not fund: arts education, organizations charging artist fees, festivals or one-time events, capital campaigns, or groups focused primarily on presenting (not creating) work. Organizations should initiate contact with the appropriate program officer (TA Kieu for MN, Melissa Levin for NYC) before an application cycle opens.

Jerome Foundation has distributed $138.5 million cumulatively since 1964 to 3,000+ artists and organizations. Recent grantmaking patterns:

GRANT SIZES AND FREQUENCY: - Median grant: $18,000 | Average grant: $22,957 | Range: $1,250 – $300,000 - 231 grants tracked in the IRS data set - Annual disbursement (most recent): ~$5.3 million - Foundation assets: $114.7 million with $52.6 million in annual income

DISCIPLINE DISTRIBUTION (2024-2026 Arts Org Grants, $5.54M total): - Visual Arts: $1,026,000 (13 orgs, 18.5%) - Theater/Performance/Spoken Word: $961,000 (12 orgs, 17.3%) - Multiple Disciplines: $921,000 (16 orgs, 16.6%) - Dance: $688,000 (11 orgs, 12.4%) - Literature: $677,000 (8 orgs, 12.2%) - Music: $651,000 (8 orgs, 11.7%) - Film/Video/Digital: $547,000 (10 orgs, 9.9%) - Technology-Centered Arts: $72,000 (1 org, 1.3%)

FELLOWSHIP CYCLE (2025-2028): - 45 fellows total: 17 from Minnesota, 28 from NYC - $60,000 each over 3 years = $2.7M committed in this cycle - 93% identify as BIPOC — equity is a dominant selection criterion

GEOGRAPHIC SPLIT: The NYC cohort consistently receives slightly more fellowship slots than Minnesota (~62% vs 38% in 2025-2028), though both regions are actively supported. Film grants have historically been split roughly equally between the two regions.

CYCLE TIMING: The Arts Organization Grants typically run on 2-year cycles. The Jerome Hill Fellowship runs every 3 years. Film grants open approximately annually. The Jerome@Camargo residency announces ~February each year.

Jerome Foundation ($114.7M assets, ~$5.3M annual grants, MN/NYC early-career focus) compared to regional and thematic peers:

KEY DIFFERENTIATORS FOR JEROME FOUNDATION: 1. GEOGRAPHY: The only major national foundation exclusively focused on both Minnesota AND New York City simultaneously — no other peer shares this dual-market model. 2. CAREER STAGE: Uniquely strict early-career definition (10-year cap) compared to peers who fund across career stages. 3. CYCLE LENGTH: 3-year fellowship cycles create deep, sustained relationships vs. annual one-off grants common at peers. 4. EQUITY RECORD: 93% BIPOC fellowship cohort (2025) is among the highest explicit equity outcomes of any comparable arts funder. 5. SCALE: Smaller total grantmaking than McKnight or Bush, but unusually concentrated impact per geography given the dual-city model.

RECENT MILESTONES (2024-2026):

2026 — Jerome@Camargo Residencies: 13 artists awarded residencies at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France (February 2026). All were prior Jerome direct-support recipients.

2025 — 2025-2028 Jerome Hill Artist Fellows Announced: 45 fellows selected across 7 disciplines ($60,000 each, 3 years). 17 from Minnesota, 28 from NYC. 93% BIPOC. Notable fellows include Sam Aros-Mitchell (dance, MN), Jessica Beshir (film, NYC), Aurora Masum-Javed (literature, MN), Tarek Abdelqader (music, MN), and Pamela Council (visual arts, NYC).

October 2025 — Film Grants: $499,513 awarded to 18 early-career filmmakers in Minnesota and New York City for production and mentorship projects.

2024 — Arts Organization Grants: $5,543,000 in two-year grants to 79 organizations (22 first-time recipients). 8 disciplines supported. Board Chair Kate Barr: "The board of directors is proud to support this dynamic roster of nonprofit organizations that play an essential role in nurturing and championing early career artists."

2024 — 60th Anniversary: Foundation crossed $138.5M cumulative giving to 3,000+ artists and organizations since founding in 1964.

2024 — MCAD-Jerome Foundation Fellowships: Four fellows named for 2025/26 at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design — CRICE, Tshab Her, Grover Hogan, and Suriya SamKhuth.

September 2024 — Board Expansion: New directors Salome Asega, Dr. Kate Beane, Janet Wong, Linda Earle, and Phyllis Rawls Goff joined the board, deepening its commitment to equity and Indigenous perspectives.

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION: Eleanor Savage was named President & CEO, bringing deep arts philanthropy experience. Her appointment signaled continued commitment to "innovative and flexible grantmaking programs" with an equity and ecosystem focus.

TOP TIPS FOR APPLICANTS:

FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS: 1. CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY FIRST — The 10-year early-career cap is strict. Count from your first professional (paid/public) work, not your formal training. If you are past year 10, you are ineligible for Jerome Hill or film grants. Jerome@Camargo is your only path if you received prior Jerome funding. 2. RESIDE IN THE GEOGRAPHY — You must live in Minnesota (statewide) or one of NYC's five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island). Other New York State residents are not eligible. 3. ALIGN YOUR NARRATIVE TO THEIR VALUES — Jerome prioritizes "creative risk," "questioning cultural norms," and "reclaiming traditional forms in original ways." Applications that describe safe, conventional work are unlikely to score well. Be explicit about what makes your practice disruptive or innovative. 4. WATCH FOR OPEN CYCLES — The Jerome Hill Fellowship next opens ~2027. Film grants open approximately annually. Sign up for the foundation newsletter at jeromefdn.org and check the All Grant Opportunities page regularly. 5. TECHNOLOGY-CENTERED ARTS — This is the least-funded discipline (1 org, $72K in the last org grant cycle) but still funded. If your work sits at the intersection of technology and artistic practice, you face less competition than visual arts or theater applicants.

FOR ORGANIZATIONS: 6. BUILD A RELATIONSHIP BEFORE THE DEADLINE — The Arts Organization Grants operate on a "relationship-centered model." Contact TA Kieu (Minnesota) or Melissa Levin (New York City) directly via the website before cycles open. Cold applications without prior relationship are at a disadvantage. 7. MULTI-ARTIST PROGRAMS ONLY — Single-artist projects, festivals, and one-time events are explicitly excluded. Your program must serve multiple early-career generative artists through structured support (residencies, fellowships, commissions, mentorship). 8. DOCUMENT ARTIST COMPENSATION — The foundation requires that programs "fairly compensate artists for their involvement." Be prepared to show artist fee structures in your application. 9. DEMONSTRATE 3+ YEARS OF OPERATIONS — Start-up organizations are not eligible. Have your financial history and organizational track record ready. 10. SHOW EQUITY DATA — Given that 93% of 2025 fellowship recipients are BIPOC, organizations whose programs demonstrably serve underrepresented artists will be strongly advantaged.