Star Of Hope Inc.

Star of Hope Inc. is an artist-endowed private operating foundation — it does not make grants to outside organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications. This fundamentally shapes how organizations should approach it.

The foundation was established by Pop artist Robert Indiana in 2016 and received his estate (valued at ~$51 million after litigation settlement in 2022) following his death in 2018. It operates programs on Vinalhaven island, Maine, focused on visual arts education, building preservation, and community engagement.

Who should engage: - Arts educators and schools on Vinalhaven island seeking partnership opportunities - Maine-based visual arts organizations interested in collaborative programming - Cultural preservation organizations with expertise relevant to historic building restoration - Researchers and curators working on Robert Indiana's artistic legacy

How to approach: 1. Do not submit a grant application — there is no application process 2. Contact the Managing Director (director@starofhopefoundation.org) with a specific, concise partnership proposal aligned with the foundation's existing program areas 3. Demonstrate deep knowledge of Vinalhaven, the foundation's community engagement priorities, and Robert Indiana's legacy 4. Propose collaborations that complement (not duplicate) existing partnerships with the Vinalhaven School and PIE 5. Time outreach to coincide with the foundation's ongoing strategic planning process, as new programs are being developed

What not to do: - Do not request operating support or general grants — the foundation does not make them - Do not propose programs outside Maine or disconnected from visual arts education - Do not contact individual board members directly; route all inquiries through the Managing Director

Star of Hope Inc. is an operating foundation that directs its resources inward rather than making external grants, so traditional funding pattern analysis does not apply in the usual sense. However, the foundation's financial trajectory reveals important insights about its capacity and direction.

Financial Growth: The foundation's assets grew from $5.2 million in 2017 to $51 million in 2024, with the transformative event being a $39.6 million contribution in 2022 (likely the settlement of Robert Indiana estate litigation). This eight-fold increase in resources fundamentally changed the foundation's capacity.

Operating Expenses: Annual expenses have ranged from $1–2.9 million, with 2023–2024 stabilizing around $2.2–2.3 million. This represents approximately 4.4% of total assets — a relatively modest spending rate that suggests the foundation is still building capacity rather than deploying resources at full scale.

Spending Priorities: The majority of expenses have been directed toward building stabilization (the Star of Hope Lodge, Sail Loft, and 10 Main Street properties on Vinalhaven), with program spending of approximately $682K based on the most recent program service filing.

Key Indicators for Future Direction: - The foundation pays property taxes to the Town of Vinalhaven, indicating it has not yet obtained tax-exempt status for all properties - Strategic planning is ongoing, with the board meeting ten times annually to determine long-term use of properties and the Indiana art collection - The foundation anticipates remaining "small in scope" per its FAQ, suggesting gradual program expansion rather than rapid deployment of its $51 million asset base - With $4.7 million in liabilities (likely related to property costs), the foundation has significant net assets ($46.3 million) available for future programming

Star of Hope Inc. occupies a unique position in the artist-endowed foundation landscape: it holds substantial assets ($51M) from a globally recognized artist, but operates as a small, geographically focused organization still in its formative years.

Key comparisons: - Star of Hope is by far the largest artist-endowed foundation in Maine, with assets roughly 2.7x the next largest (Rabkin at $19M) and 5x its Rockland neighbor Ellis-Beauregard ($10M) - Nationally, it sits in the mid-tier: well above most of the 800+ artist-endowed foundations in the US, but far below the giants like Warhol ($395M) and Rauschenberg ($600M) - Unlike most peer foundations of similar size, Star of Hope does not make external grants — a distinction it shares with some smaller artist-endowed foundations that focus on maintaining studio/home sites - The foundation's 4.4% spending rate is conservative compared to the 5% minimum payout required of private foundations, suggesting room for expanded programming

The Star of Hope Foundation entered 2025 in a transitional phase, moving from emergency building stabilization (2019–2023) into strategic planning for long-term programming. Key recent developments include:

Financial Stability (2024): The foundation reported $51 million in total assets with $3.4 million in revenue and $2.25 million in expenses, reflecting stable operations after the transformative $39.6 million estate contribution in 2022. The foundation maintains a conservative spending rate of approximately 4.4% of assets.

Property Portfolio Management: The Windy Way property was demolished and sold in 2023. The Sail Loft remains unusable and requires substantial work. The Star of Hope Lodge has been stabilized and hosts community exhibitions. 10 Main Street has been recently stabilized. Strategic planning will determine the long-term use of each remaining property.

Board Development: The foundation has assembled a distinguished board including Mark Bessire (Portland Museum of Art director), Sharon Corwin (Terra Foundation president/CEO), and Sarah Workneh (former Skowhegan School co-director). This caliber of leadership signals serious institutional ambitions.

Robert Indiana Legacy: A major exhibition at Kasmin Gallery in New York (February–March 2025) showcased Indiana's early work, maintaining public interest in the artist whose estate funds the foundation. The foundation continues to manage Indiana's art collection and legacy.

Community Programming: The foundation continues K-12 student art displays in the Star of Hope Lodge windows and partnerships with the Vinalhaven School. The community engagement process (surveys, meetings) conducted in 2018–2020 informed priorities for year-round programming and economic development.

Star of Hope Inc. does not accept grant applications — it is an operating foundation that runs its own programs. However, there are strategic ways to engage with the foundation:

1. Understand the foundation's operating model. This is not a grantmaking foundation. Do not waste time preparing a grant application. Instead, focus on partnership and collaboration proposals.

2. Align with existing program areas. The foundation's four areas are: (a) community arts exhibitions, (b) building preservation and museum development, (c) artist-in-residence programming, and (d) arts education outreach. Proposals should fit within these categories.

3. Demonstrate Vinalhaven/Maine connection. The foundation's geographic focus is extremely narrow — primarily Vinalhaven island and secondarily the State of Maine. Organizations without a clear Maine arts connection should look elsewhere.

4. Time your outreach strategically. The foundation is in the midst of strategic planning that will determine the long-term use of its properties and the Robert Indiana art collection. This planning phase presents the best window for new partnerships to be considered.

5. Contact the Managing Director directly. Route all inquiries to director@starofhopefoundation.org. Do not contact individual board members. Keep initial outreach brief and specific.

6. Consider the school partnership model. The foundation's most successful external relationships are with the Vinalhaven School and PIE. New partnerships that complement (not compete with) these existing relationships are most likely to gain traction.

7. Bring expertise the foundation needs. The foundation is building institutional capacity. Organizations offering expertise in museum development, art conservation, artist residency management, or arts education curriculum may find receptive audiences.