Mellon Foundation
The Mellon Foundation, founded in 1969 by Ailsa Mellon Bruce and Paul Mellon, supports initiatives that foster a more connected, creative, and just society, with a total endowment of $8.1 billion.
History of the Mellon Foundation
The Mellon Foundation was founded in 1969 by Ailsa Mellon Bruce and Paul Mellon. Over the decades, it has grown to become a prominent philanthropic organization with a significant endowment of $8.1 billion. The Foundation has consistently committed itself to initiatives that support a more connected, creative, and just society, as evidenced by its substantial grant awards and diverse portfolio of supported projects.
Mellon Foundation Endowment and Grant Funding
The Mellon Foundation holds a total endowment of $8.1 billion. In 2022 alone, the Foundation awarded over $547 million in grants, showcasing its extensive support networks. The organization worked with 463 grantees in that year, highlighting its wide-reaching influence and dedication to fostering collaboration across various sectors.
Notable Grants and Initiatives by the Mellon Foundation
In 2024, the Mellon Foundation continued its robust support for educational and social initiatives. In April, it awarded $25 million for paid internships for humanities majors at public universities and colleges, and in March, more than $18 million was allocated for race, ethnic, gender, and sexuality studies. The 'Humanities for All Times' initiative reached over $30 million in funding by January 2024, and the Letras Boricuas Fellowship expanded to support 100 writers over five years.
Focus Areas of the Mellon Foundation
The Mellon Foundation focuses on several key initiatives: Artists as Catalysts, Beyond Incarceration, Civic Engagement, Evolving Higher Education, Expanding Public Knowledge, Monuments and Memory, Multivocality, Power of the Word, Public Places‚ Public Stories, Puerto Rico and Its Diaspora, and University Everywhere. These initiatives reflect the Foundation's commitment to artistic expression, social justice, higher education, public knowledge expansion, and cultural preservation.
Support for Humanities and Social Sciences
The Mellon Foundation has demonstrated considerable dedication to the humanities and social sciences through its funding efforts. For example, the Foundation earmarked $25 million in April 2024 specifically for paid internships for humanities majors at public universities and colleges. This substantial investment underlines Mellon Foundation's commitment to enhancing educational opportunities and supporting the next generation of scholars in the humanities.