In 2016, The Foundation distributed over $104 million in grants in its Arts and Cultural Heritage Program. This included over 100 awards, with a median value of $400,000. The Foundation is based in New York City, but has no specific geographic focus.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has giving programs in both Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities and Arts and Cultural Heritage. They also have a specific priority within the arts and cultural heritage of supporting collaborations between institutions of higher education and the arts.
Prospective grantees must submit a letter of inquiry to foundation staff in order to be considered and invited to submit a full proposal. The Foundation recommends reviewing the proposal guidelines before inquiring.