Through its program, the Foundation assists colleges, universities, and other institutions in training scholars; improving the educational attainment of historically underrepresented groups; diversifying the next generation of college and university faculty; and producing scholarship in the humanities that contributes to culture and society.
"The Great Wall of Los Angeles," mural designed by Judith F. Baca and created by community youth and artists. (Photo: Citizens of the Planet/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Mellon at 50: Cultural Leaders Who Are Telling a Fuller American Story
Mission of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Foundation seeks to strengthen, promote, and defend the centrality of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse, fair, and democratic societies.
Learn MoreStay Connected
Sign up to stay informed about news and events at the Mellon Foundation.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.
Our Core Programs
We support humanistic scholarship, liberal arts and doctoral education, and the performing and visual arts. The Foundation makes grants in four core program areas:
Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities
Arts and Cultural Heritage
The Arts and Cultural Heritage program seeks to nurture exceptional creative accomplishment, scholarship, and conservation practices in the arts, while promoting a diverse and sustainable ecosystem for these disciplines.
Scholarly Communications
The Scholarly Communications program assists research libraries, archives, museums, universities, presses, and arts organizations that seek to further our collective understanding of societies and cultures around the world.
International Higher Education and Strategic Projects
The Foundation seeks to strengthen the systems of higher education and cultural institutions essential to building and sustaining viable polities and societies in emerging as well as more established regions of the globe.