The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation has opened the sixth application cycle for the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI), reaffirming its commitment to building a more sustainable and resilient future for the visual arts.
Since its launch in 2021, the program has become the largest private national grantmaking initiative of its kind, supporting visual arts organizations in the United States through assessment, planning, and implementation of efforts to reduce their environmental impact through clean energy generation and energy efficiency measures. Overseen by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in association with Environment & Culture Partners and Green Design Collaborative, FCI has awarded more than $17.5 million to 249 institutions across 40 states to date.
“With each successive cycle, we continue to see how the arts sector is driving forward new models for sustainability,” said Elizabeth Smith, Executive Director of the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. “Arts organizations across the country are translating their values into action, developing projects that not only improve their energy performance but also model new ways of thinking about stewardship and resourcefulness. Each cycle contributes to shaping a resilient, low-carbon cultural landscape.”
Eligible organizations are invited to apply for the following grant types:
- Catalyst Grants provide up to $20,000 to organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000 pursuing small-scale or first-time energy efficiency projects, with an option for up to five hours of in-project coaching.
- Scoping Grants provide up to $25,000 to support assessments identifying clean energy and efficiency opportunities, conducted by independent specialists or consultants.
- Technical Assistance Grants provide up to $50,000 for advanced evaluations and design specifications following a prior comprehensive assessment.
- Implementation Grants provide up to $100,000 for comprehensively planned projects that directly reduce energy use or emissions, providing partial or full funding for large-scale infrastructure upgrades.
Eligible applicants must have the visual arts central to their mission. Example institutions include but are not limited to:
- Museums, archives, and visual art institutions;
- Higher education art schools and centers for study;
- Artist residency programs and community art centers;
- Artist-endowed foundations;
- Not-for-profit events such as biennials, temporary exhibitions, and large-scale public art projects; and
- Arts organizations without permanent facilities that have the capacity to monitor energy use or generation.
Previous grantees are eligible to apply for a new grant type or project unless they have received three prior FCI awards.
Draft applications for Implementation Grants are due February 27, 2026, and all final applications are due by Friday, March 27, 2026, at 5pm (ET).
For more details, including eligibility and application guidelines, visit frankenthalerclimateinitiative.org.
