The Vilcek Foundation has announced a bold change in its approach to philanthropy. In 2025, the foundation will award $200,000 in new grants to nonprofit organizations that work with immigrant artists and communities, and that promote diversity in the arts, sciences, and education. Grants awarded will be between approximately $5,000 and $20,000 each.

The foundation invites nonprofit organizations that work with immigrant artists and communities to apply for grants through a new online portal on the foundation’s Grants page. Nonprofit organizations operating under IRC 501(c)(3) in the United States and U.S. Territories are encouraged to apply. The first annual application cycle for these grants is now open: Applications received through June 30, 2025, will be reviewed following the deadline, with award determinations being made in summer 2025. 

Grants at the Vilcek Foundation

The increase in grantmaking comes at a significant time for the Vilcek Foundation: In 2025, the foundation celebrates the 25th anniversary of its establishment on December 1, 2000. As the organization approaches this milestone, Cofounders Jan and Marica Vilcek and President Rick Kinsel made the decision to increase the amount of funding the Vilcek Foundation awards in support of its mission through both prizes to individuals and grants to organizations. 

The Vilcek Foundation’s grants provide critical funding and support to organizations that are doing unique work and having a bold impact: organizations whose programs and operations exemplify a commitment to diversity, creativity, and innovation. 

A core goal of the Vilcek Foundation’s new grantmaking initiative is to increase the geographic impact of the foundation’s work. “As leaders in philanthropy, the Vilcek Foundation recognizes that funding for nonprofits is concentrated in major and coastal cities in the United States,” said Kinsel. “Over the next few years, we hope to award grants and partner with nonprofit organizations in all 50 states and all U.S. Territories. Our goal is that this call for applications empowers nonprofits across the United States to expand their reach, engage diverse populations, and advance their missions.” 

A Legacy of Philanthropy

Since 2000, the Vilcek Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in grants to a diverse group of organizations across the United States—from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), to the School for Advanced Research (SAR) in Santa Fe, to the Hawai’i International Film Festival (HIFF). 

Most of these grants were identified by the Vilcek Foundation directly, or came through unsolicited inquiries to the foundation. Grants were awarded in alignment with the foundation’s mission: to recognize and support immigrants in the arts and sciences, and to foster appreciation for the arts more broadly. The Vilcek Foundation will continue to initiate and develop some grants directly at the discretion of the foundation’s Board of Directors.

The Vilcek Foundation encourages individuals and organizations interested in learning more about grant opportunities to visit the foundation’s Grants page.