Guidelines
The Terra Foundation’s grant areas are Exhibition, Academic and Public Programs, and Chicago K-12 Education. Each of the foundation’s three grant areas has specific guidelines and deadlines, which can be found on the respective guidelines page.
In general, the foundation does not make grants for operating support, capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, religious or political activities, commercial ventures, or to individuals.
Exhibition Program
The Terra Foundation supports exhibitions that increase the understanding and enjoyment of American art, and has a particular interest in exhibitions with venues that are outside the United States or in its hometown of Chicago. The foundation also makes grants to support exhibition projects (including related publications) that encompass multi-national collaboration or interpret American art within a global context. In addition, the Foundation funds scholarly, small-scale exhibitions that include loans from the Terra Foundation's collection.
Academic and Public Program
The Terra Foundation supports scholarship and public programs that promote an international dialogue on American art and that foster the formulation and exchange of new ideas. To help create a worldwide community for American art presentation, research, and interpretation, the foundation is dedicated to facilitating partnerships and communication and to increasing accessibility to needed scholarly resources.
Chicago K-12 Education Program
The Terra Foundation supports professional development for Chicago school teachers, focusing on programs that strengthen teachers’ knowledge and understanding of American art and their ability to engage students in learning through the integration of American art into the classroom curriculum.
