Funding pipeline: submitted requests and transparent review
Exodus & Resilience — New York/Venezuela Chapter maintains a transparent funding pipeline that distinguishes submitted applications, letters of inquiry, expressions of interest, funding inquiries, and received interest forms from awarded funding. All amounts shown refer to requested amounts, not awarded or secured funds.
Confirmed amount requested through submitted applications, LOIs, funding inquiries, and received interest forms.
Applications, LOIs, EOIs, funding inquiries, and interest forms are currently under review by foundations and grantmaking organizations.
No pending request is presented as awarded funding. Updates will be published as formal responses are received.
Documented requested amount with known figures: Up to $186,000. This total includes only active submitted applications, LOIs, funding inquiries and received interest forms with confirmed requested amounts. Closed, declined, not-selected or otherwise inactive opportunities are excluded from the active total.
Submitted / received / under review
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| Funding opportunity | Amount requested | Status | Review / reference | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Find Your Light Foundation — FYLF General GrantApplication submitted September 7, 2026; receipt confirmed and moved to the review stage. | $5,000 | Submitted / In Review | Submitted September 7, 2026 · Review window typically 60–90 days from submission | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Helen Frankenthaler Foundation — Visual Arts & Education and Cultural Resilience GrantApplication submitted September 6, 2026 through the Foundation’s official process; receipt confirmed. | $10,000 | Submitted / Received / Under review | Submitted September 6, 2026 · Fall Cycle decision expected October 2026 | New York Program / New York–Venezuela Chapter |
| Robert Lehman Foundation — Art Education — Fall 2026Application submitted September 6, 2026 through the Foundation’s official online process. | $10,000 | Submitted / Received / Under review | Submitted September 6, 2026 · Board review generally October · Decision generally by mid-November | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| CitizensNYC Community Leaders Grant | $5,000 | Submitted / Under review | Expected September 2026 | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| Heckscher Foundation — Community Investment Grant | $5,000 | Submitted / Under review | To be confirmed | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation | $10,000 | Submitted / Under review | Per foundation review schedule | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| Awesome Foundation — New York ChapterMicrogrant application submitted for a first bilingual youth arts workshop / public-facing pilot activation. | $1,000 | Submitted | To be confirmed by Awesome Foundation NYC chapter | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| The Pinkerton FoundationReference: G-2706-25717. The request is framed around arts-based youth development, immigrant and first-generation youth, communication skills, emotional resilience, belonging, civic voice, and culturally responsive enrichment for young people in New York City. | $25,000 | LOI submitted / Received / Awaiting review | G-2706-25717 | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Dudley T. Dougherty FoundationSubmission received and confirmed by foundation email. | $5,000 | Submitted / Under review | Early January 2027 | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Genesis Inspiration FoundationReception of documentation confirmed by email. | $5,000 | Grant consideration form submitted / Received | To be confirmed | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Mellon Foundation — Humanities in PlaceFocus: Public humanities, migration memory, diaspora storytelling, living archive, cultural mapping, public conversations, community knowledge, and public access. Reception confirmed by Mellon Foundation email. | $100,000 | Funding inquiry submitted / Received / Under review | Three-month review period | Exodus & Resilience — New York/Venezuela Living Archive of Migration Memory |
| FourLeaf Federal Credit Union — FourLeaf Charitable Giving ProgramSubmission received and confirmed by email. | $5,000 | Submitted / Received | Submission received and confirmed by email | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
Jean & Louis Dreyfus Foundation
Status: Not advanced to full proposal stage
Program: Diaspora Art & Community Conversations
Amount requested: USD 10,000
LOI submitted: June 19, 2026
Response received: September 16, 2026
Jean & Louis Dreyfus Foundation informed VAEA that, following its review of grant requests for the Fall 2026 cycle, it did not have the capacity to advance the request to the full proposal stage.
The Foundation noted that it had received requests from many worthy and diverse projects and, as is frequently the case, had received more requests for support than it was able to fund.
Next step: File closed for the Fall 2026 cycle and retained as part of the program’s institutional record.
Find Your Light Foundation — FYLF General Grant
Status: Submitted / In Review
Program: Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab
Amount requested: USD 5,000
Submitted: September 7, 2026
Review window: Typically 60–90 days from submission
VAEA submitted a USD 5,000 General Grant request to Find Your Light Foundation in support of the Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab. The proposed New York City pilot is designed to expand access to sustained arts learning for immigrant and underserved youth ages 12–18 through visual art, storytelling, culturally responsive instruction and guided reflection.
Find Your Light Foundation confirmed receipt of the proposal and moved the application to its review stage. The Foundation indicates that grant proposals are typically reviewed within 60–90 days of submission, with decisions communicated through its portal and by email.
Next step: Monitor Find Your Light Foundation and Temelio communications for the funding decision or any request for additional information.
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Status: Submitted / Received — Under review
Grant track: Visual Arts & Education
Program: New York Program / New York–Venezuela Chapter
Amount requested: USD 10,000
Application submitted: September 6, 2026
Fall Cycle deadline: September 11, 2026
Expected award notification: October 2026
VAEA submitted a USD 10,000 request to the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation under its Visual Arts & Education grant track in support of the New York Program. The application focuses on visual arts, curatorial research, archival work, public programming and educational access.
Submission was completed through the Foundation’s official application process and receipt was confirmed. The request remains pending funder review.
Next step: Monitor Foundation communications and the Fall 2026 award notification.
Robert Lehman Foundation — Art Education
Status: Submitted / Received — Under review
Program: Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab
Amount requested: USD 10,000
Application submitted: September 6, 2026
Fall Cycle deadline: September 15, 2026
Expected decision: Generally by mid-November 2026
VAEA submitted a USD 10,000 Art Education request to the Robert Lehman Foundation for the Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab.
The initiative is designed to expand access to visual arts learning for young people from immigrant and diaspora communities in New York, connecting arts education with cultural memory, contemporary immigrant experience, creative confidence and opportunities for young people to understand and communicate their own place within New York’s cultural landscape.
The application was submitted through the Foundation’s official online process and remains pending review.
Next step: Monitor Foundation communications and the Fall 2026 award decision.
Goldman Sachs Community Development Champions Program
Status: Not selected for funding
Program: Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab
Amount requested: USD 50,000
Application submitted: July 8, 2026
Response received: September 1, 2026
Goldman Sachs informed VAEA that its application to the Community Development Champions Program was not selected for funding.
The notice stated that, based on the program’s assessment, the proposal did not align with the programmatic focus of the grant opportunity. Goldman Sachs also noted that, due to the high volume of applications received, it was unable to provide detailed feedback on individual submissions.
The decision closes this application and does not represent awarded or pending funding.
Next step: File closed for this cycle. The programmatic-fit feedback will be retained as institutional learning when evaluating future Goldman Sachs funding opportunities.
Vilcek Foundation — 2026 Grant
Status: Not selected
Amount requested: USD 20,000
Decision received: August 27, 2026
Vilcek Foundation informed VAEA that its 2026 grant application was not selected for funding. The Foundation reported receiving more than 1,900 applications for this year’s open call, resulting in a highly competitive selection process.
Vilcek noted that, as a small private operating foundation, it is unable to provide detailed feedback on individual applications. The Foundation indicated that its next call for applications will open in November.
Next step: Close the 2026 application cycle and review the next Vilcek open call when published to determine whether a future application is appropriate.
The New York Community Trust
Status: Proposal declined — No specific reason stated in the notice
Program: Arts education and cultural access through diasporic art
Amount requested: Not confirmed in the public record
Proposal submitted: June 16, 2026
Response received: August 13, 2026
The New York Community Trust informed the applicant that it would not be able to support the proposal and encouraged the pursuit of funding from other sources.
The notice also reiterated that The Trust does not make grants for general operating support, endowments, capital, replacement of government funds, or religious activities. It did not state that any of those exclusions was the specific reason for this decision.
Next step: File closed for this request. Future submissions will be considered only where there is a clear fit with The Trust’s published grantmaking priorities.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
Status: Not selected — Limited funding capacity and current priorities
Program: Exodus & Resilience — New York/Venezuela Chapter
Amount requested: USD 50,000
Application submitted: June 22, 2026
Response received: July 31, 2026
Following its assessment of VAEA’s request, SNF informed the organization that it could not provide support at this time. The foundation noted that it receives thousands of grant requests each year and can support only a limited number within finite resources and current priorities.
SNF also stated that the decision does not reflect on the quality of VAEA’s work or the people behind it.
Next step: File closed for this request and retained as part of the program’s documentary record.
Laura B. Vogler Foundation
Status: Application closed — Funder dissolution
Program: Diaspora Art & Community Conversations
Amount requested: USD 10,000
Application submitted: June 20, 2026
Response received: July 17, 2026
VAEA had submitted a USD 10,000 request in support of Diaspora Art & Community Conversations. On July 17, 2026, the foundation informed VAEA that it was in the process of being dissolved.
The opportunity has therefore been closed due to an institutional circumstance affecting the funder, rather than an unfavorable assessment of the program.
Next step: None. The file has been closed and retained as part of the project’s documentary record.
Robin Hood
Status: Not selected — Outside current funding focus
Stage: Expression of interest
Response received: July 15, 2026
Robin Hood’s grants team reviewed VAEA’s inquiry and determined that the work described falls outside its current funding focus.
The response acknowledged the organization’s commitment to its community but did not invite VAEA to proceed to a full application.
Next step: File archived. No further submission is planned unless the funder’s publicly stated priorities materially change.
Harry Chapin Foundation
Status: Not selected — Limited funding capacity
Program: Diaspora Art & Community Conversations
Response received: July 10, 2026
After reviewing VAEA’s request and the additional documentation provided, the Harry Chapin Foundation informed the organization that it was unable to fund the program.
The foundation described the initiative as a worthwhile program and explained that it receives substantially more requests than it is able to support. The decision applies to the current funding cycle and does not constitute a negative assessment of the proposal’s overall quality.
Next step: File closed for the current cycle.
MetLife Foundation
Status: Inquiry acknowledged — Institutional relationship remains open
Stage: Grant inquiry / Relationship development
Response received: July 10, 2026
MetLife Foundation confirmed receipt of VAEA’s institutional inquiry and indicated that it would keep the organization in mind while exploring future partnership opportunities.
VAEA was also added to the foundation’s distribution list for information about future funding opportunities.
The response does not constitute an invitation, active application or funding award.
Next step: Maintain the relationship and review future opportunities communicated by MetLife Foundation.
Transparency note: All figures reflect applications submitted, letters of inquiry submitted, expressions of interest, funding inquiries, or interest forms received. They do not represent awarded funding, confirmed support, or secured commitments. Updates will be published as responses are received and program milestones are formally confirmed.
Responses received / closed opportunities / relationship development
Formal responses that close a request are recorded separately from the active pipeline so pending requests are not confused with awarded funding or with opportunities that have already closed.
| Opportunity | Amount requested | Status | Date / reference | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jean & Louis Dreyfus FoundationLOI submitted June 19, 2026 for Diaspora Art & Community Conversations. The Foundation concluded its Fall 2026 review and did not advance the request to the full proposal stage. | $10,000 | Not advanced to full proposal stage | Response received September 16, 2026 | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| Goldman Sachs Community Development Champions ProgramApplication submitted July 8, 2026. The response stated that the proposal did not align with the programmatic focus of the grant opportunity. | $50,000 | Not selected — Programmatic fit | Response received September 1, 2026 | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Vilcek Foundation — 2026 GrantApplication reviewed in a highly competitive open call that received more than 1,900 applications. | $20,000 | Not selected | Decision received August 27, 2026 | New York Program / VAEA |
| The New York Community TrustProposal submitted June 16, 2026 for arts education and cultural access through diasporic art. The decline notice did not identify a specific reason for the decision. | Not confirmed | Declined — No specific reason stated | Response received August 13, 2026 | Arts education and cultural access through diasporic art |
| Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)Application submitted June 22, 2026; SNF correspondence reference 00964442. | $50,000 | Not selected — Limited funding capacity | Response received July 31, 2026 | Exodus & Resilience — New York/Venezuela Chapter |
| Laura B. Vogler FoundationApplication submitted June 20, 2026. | $10,000 | Closed — Funder dissolution | Response received July 17, 2026 | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| Robin HoodExpression of interest reviewed by the grants team. | Not specified | Outside current focus | Response received July 15, 2026 | Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab |
| Harry Chapin FoundationThe request and additional documentation were reviewed. | Up to $10,000 | Not selected | Response received July 10, 2026 | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
| MetLife FoundationInstitutional inquiry acknowledged; VAEA added to the funder distribution list. | Not applicable | Relationship development | Response received July 10, 2026 | Institutional relationship development |
| Heidelberg Materials Community Investment | Not published on this page | Closed / Not supported in this cycle | Response received June 29, 2026; outside current community investment criteria | Diaspora Art & Community Conversations |
Note: Closed opportunities are not included in the active total of requests under review and are not presented as confirmed support. They are documented for institutional traceability without overstating outcomes.
Current stage
The program is in an early but active institutional-building phase. The team has initiated a diversified pipeline of small-grant applications, expressions of interest, letters of inquiry, institutional registrations, and initial foundation portal requests to support the first workshops, bilingual materials, documentation, community outreach, accessibility, coordination, and future public activities.
The immediate goal is not to announce awarded funding, but to transparently document the building of a real support base for the program’s first activations in New York.
Next milestones
- Follow up on responses from active small-grant applications and foundation inquiries.
- Follow up on the Letter of Inquiry received by The Pinkerton Foundation.
- Monitor Find Your Light Foundation / Temelio communications during the 60–90 day review window and respond to any request for additional information.
- Monitor the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Fall 2026 application and October award notification.
- Monitor the Robert Lehman Foundation Fall 2026 Art Education application and expected November decision.
- Review Vilcek Foundation’s next open call when it launches in November and reassess fit before considering another application.
- Maintain the relationship with MetLife Foundation and review future opportunities communicated through its distribution list.
- Continue developing community and educational partnerships in New York.
- Prepare the first pilot activation of the Diaspora Youth Arts & Resilience Lab.
- Consolidate bilingual materials, visual documentation and educational resources.
Funding pathways connected to this journal
The pipeline documented on this page connects to six support pathways designed for different donor, foundation, corporate, family, diaspora and cultural-institution audiences.
Support or introduce the program to a funder
If you represent a foundation, cultural institution, community organization, or donor network interested in art, migration, education, immigrant community well-being, or public dialogue, we would be glad to connect.
Contact the programProgram Journal · VAEA / Exodus & Resilience — New York/Venezuela Chapter