The Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI) has expanded its eligibility criteria and introduced a new type of grant.
The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s climate initiative was created in partnership with RMI and Environment & Culture Partners, a non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening and broadening the environmental leadership of the cultural sector
First launched in 2021, the $15 million initiative is the largest private national grant-making programme of its kind in the US to support energy efficiency projects at art museums, art schools and visual arts organisations.
“The Frankenthaler Climate Initiative has blossomed from an original $5m commitment to a $15m grant-making program that today supports museums and art schools across the country,” said Lise Motherwell, the foundation’s board chair.
New type of climate grant
“There is an urgency and need in the creative sector for this type of funding, knowledge sharing, and support, and we are proud to be a leading resource for energy efficiency and sustainability in the visual arts.”
In the 2024 grant cycle, nonprofit art events such as biennials are eligible for grants for the first time. Additionally, this grant cycle is introducing new catalyst grants for smaller-scale, shovel-ready projects that are being finished within six months.
“As we evolve FCI and deepen our commitment to climate action, we are thrilled to expand access to an ever broader range of nonprofit arts organizations,” said Elizabeth Smith, executive director of the Frankenthaler Foundation.
The FCI’s 2024 application portal will be open from 8 February until 15 March. An informational webinar for potential applicants will be held on 15 February at 1pm ET.
Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI, said the FCI is “helping an industry transform itself”. Organisations across the US, he added, are “inspiring us all toward a greener future”.
Sarah Sutton, CEO of Environment & Culture Partners, added: “The FCI has created important momentum in climate action for the visual arts sector.
“By providing funding in a variety of project phases, FCI enables a wide range of energy efficiency and clean energy work to move ahead.”
Previous grantees are allowed to submit applications for a different type of grant or new initiative, unless they have received an award in all three prior years.
Lead image credit: 2023 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
