The foundation makes project-based grants to organizations and produces public programs to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. Architecture and related spatial practices engage a wide range of cultural, social, political, technological, environmental, and aesthetic issues. The foundation is interested in projects that investigate the contemporary condition, expand historical perspectives, or explore the future of architecture and the designed environment. The foundation supports innovative, thought-provoking investigations in architecture; architectural history, theory, and criticism; design; engineering; landscape architecture; urban planning; urban studies; visual arts; and related fields of inquiry.
The foundation's interest also extends to work being done in the fine arts, humanities, and sciences that expands the boundaries of thinking about architecture and space. In an effort to bridge communities and different fields of knowledge, the foundation supports a wide range of organizations (such as nonprofit galleries, colleges and universities, publishers, and museums). Open discourse is essential to advance study and understanding, therefore the foundation's grantmaking focuses on the public dissemination of ideas. With the foundation's support, the work of organizations reaches new audiences, from specialized to general, and creates opportunities for critical dialogue between various publics.
For organizations, our priorities are to:
- Assist with the production and presentation of significant programs about architecture and the designed environment in order to promote dialogue, raise awareness, and develop new and wider audiences.
- Support them in their effort to take risks in programming and create opportunities for experimentation.
- Recognize the vital role they play in providing individuals with a public forum in which to present their work.
- Help them to realize projects that would otherwise not be possible without our support.
Overall we are most interested in opportunities which enable us to provide critical support at key points in the development of a project or career.
Deadline: February 25, 2026
From the Graham Foundation Website
Given our priorities, we believe projects of the greatest potential should fulfill the following criteria:
- Originality: the project demonstrates an innovative, challenging idea; critical, independent thinking; advanced scholarship; a new or experimental approach
- Potential for impact: the project makes a meaningful contribution to discourse and/or to the field; expands knowledge; is a catalyst for future inquiry; raises awareness of an understudied issue; promotes diversity in subject matter, participants, and audience
- Feasibility: the project has clear and realistic goals, timeframe, work plan, and budget
- Capacity: applicant possesses strong qualifications and/or knowledge; demonstrates ability to carry out the project successfully; has access to necessary resources outside of the grant request
- Organizations are eligible to apply for Production and Presentation Grants.
- 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations are eligible for funding. Under some circumstances we will make grants to other entities when there is clear evidence that the public interest will be served, for example, in the case of a publisher or an emerging organization that does not yet have tax exempt status.
- An organization or academic department/unit may only apply for one grant per year. (In the case of large institutions with multiple departments, a subsidiary department/unit may apply for one grant per year. For example, an academic department/unit at a university may apply for one grant per year.)
- Applicants who have received prior Graham Foundation support must have satisfied all grant requirements before applying again.