OVERVIEW: The Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to the arts, particularly the performing arts.
IP TAKE: The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. However, organizations involved opera may find it worthwhile to reach out with questions and ideas, as this funder has supported large and small opera companies across the U.S.
PROFILE: Established in 2008, the Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation was founded by the late businessman Howard Solomon and his wife Sarah, who was once second in command at Met Opera. Howard was CEO and President of Forest Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company that is now a part of the Allergan umbrella of companies. The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. According to tax filings, the Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to the arts, particularly the performing arts.
Grants for Arts and Culture
This funder does not name any grantmaking strategies for its giving, but gives heavily to arts and culture organizations. Its giving is primarily focused on New York City, where its grantees include landmark arts institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, where Howard served on the board of trustees. The foundation provides ongoing support to the Metropolitan Opera, where Howard served on the board of trustees and Sarah was assistant general manager for artistic affairs.
Smaller arts grantees in the New York area include the American Lyric Theater Center, St. Ann’s Warehouse and the Beth Morrison Projects. In other geographic parts of the U.S., this funder has made grants to the Santa Fe Opera, the Opera Theater of St. Louis, Nevada’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Grants for Higher Education
Higher education is a smaller area of giving for this foundation and, in some cases, overlaps with its arts giving by supporting arts programs at colleges and universities. The foundation’s education grantees include the Miller Theatre at Columbia University, Johnson and Wales University and CUNY’s City College.
Important Grant Details
This foundation’s recent annual giving topped $600,000 recently, with grants mainly ranging from $5,000 to $60,000. The average grant size was about $25,000. This funder works mainly in the arts, showing a preference for organizations in New York City and opera theaters around the country. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings.
This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals.
The foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Contact information is provided below.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
CONTACT:
Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation
c/o 745 Fifth Avenue, No 1702
New York, NY 10151
(646) 362-5971
