Texas visual arts organizations interested in environmental sustainability practices, take note: the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation has announced an open call for its Frankenthaler Climate Initiative (FCI) grants program.
According to a press release, grants of between $25,000 to $100,000 support “assessment, planning, and implementation of efforts to reduce … environmental impact through clean energy generation and energy efficiency measures.” The initiative is managed by the Frankenthaler Foundation in partnership with Environment & Culture Partners, a Washington-based climate advocacy nonprofit, and Green Design Collaborative, a Colorado-based sustainable architectural design firm.
Lise Motherwell, Frankenthaler Foundation Board Chair, said, “We are proud to continue supporting the arts community as it integrates environmental responsibility into its infrastructure and operations. This work not only strengthens individual organizations, but also the broader cultural ecosystem they sustain.”
Elizabeth Smith, the foundation’s Executive Director, said, “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.”
The initiative, now in its sixth annual granting cycle, is structured in four granting tiers: Catalyst Grants, Scoping Grants, Technical Assistance Grants, and Implementation Grants.
Visual arts organizations with annual budgets under $500,000 are eligible for Catalyst Grants of up to $20,000, for new or smaller-scale energy efficiency projects. Scoping Grants of up to $25,000 provide support for assessing ways to implement energy efficiency. Following a comprehensive assessment, Technical Assistance Grants award up to $50,000 for further evaluation on developing energy efficiency projects. Implementation Grants of up to $100,000 fund planned infrastructure upgrades for reductions in carbon emissions and overall energy usage.
Driscoll Villa at The Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria. Photo: Matthew Fuller
Among 74 visual arts organizations receiving $3.4 million in project awards in 2025, Texas Scoping Grant recipients included Ballroom Marfa, The Contemporary Austin, and DiverseWorks in Houston. DiverseWorks partnered with Lawndale in Houston to develop its headquarters as “the first carbon net-positive facility for the arts in the city,” according to the FCI project description. The Contemporary Austin received funds to help in preservation of the historic Driscoll Villa building at its Laguna Gloria location, along with climate control improvements in all its buildings. Ballroom Marfa received funding for assessing energy efficiency upgrades in its newly acquired 1920s-era building.
Past Texas institutions to receive grants include the Arlington Museum of Art and the Chinati Foundation in 2024, Artpace in 2023, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2022, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Nasher Sculpture Center in 2021.
Since the nationwide initiative was launched in 2021, the Frankenthaler Foundation has awarded $17.5 million to 249 visual arts organizations in 40 states, for 318 energy efficiency-related projects promoting “sustainable cultural infrastructure,” according to the foundation’s website.
Sarah Sutton, Environment & Culture Partners CEO, said, “FCI grantees continue to show extraordinary leadership in implementing practical energy solutions that yield long-term benefits … strengthening both institutions and the communities they serve while demonstrating that environmental progress and cultural vitality go hand in hand.”
Examples of visual arts-focused institutions eligible to apply for grants are museums, archives, colleges and university art programs, artist residency programs, community art centers, and other artist-endowed foundations.
Learn more about full eligibility guidelines and access the grant application on the FCI website. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m. EST.