Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

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Join the Artist-Endowed Foundations Initiative | AEFI

New Membership Program

Beginning with its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Aspen Institute Artist-Endowed Foundations Initiative | AEFI  is adopting a membership model as the basis for its ongoing evolution as a learning community committed to bolstering the charitable impact of the growing Artist-Endowed Foundation field. This important step will help ensure that AEFI has the sustained capacity to research, share, and foster discussion of trustworthy, timely knowledge resources that address effective practice for those who create, lead, govern, and advise Artist-Endowed Foundations. Likewise, it will make certain that participation in the AEFI learning community and its resources is open to executive leaders, senior staff, and board members, recognizing that all of these play important roles in fostering a foundation’s charitable impact in art stewardship and cultural philanthropy. Lastly, it will expand opportunities for collegial connection and exchange among AEF leaders wherever their organizations are in the foundation lifetime cycle, enabling them to share and learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives.

MEMBERSHIP Program Overview

How to Join

If your foundation is interested in membership, or has questions about AEFI’s membership program, please contact AEFI Managing Director Christine J. Vincent at [email protected]. Membership in AEFI is based on the calendar year. Foundations may join now and begin accessing benefits, but pay dues later during 2026.

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More Information

Membership Benefits

Executive leaders, senior staff, and board members of foundations who are AEFI members will be able to participate during the year on a no-fee registration basis in these 2026 activities:
  • Annual Artist-Endowed Foundation Leadership Forum
  • Annual Los Angeles Evening for Artist-Endowed Foundation Leaders
  • Annual New York City Evening for Artist-Endowed Foundation Leaders
  • Annual Artist-Endowed Foundation Online Site Visit & Discussion Series*
  • Annual Facilitated Series of Small-Group Meetings Exploring Key Practice Matters*
  • Annual Basic Practice Webinars and Workshop Series*
  • Periodic Priority Briefings on Critical Issues
  • Ongoing Facilitated Access to AEFI’s Resource Library
  • Ongoing Access to AEFI’s Data Base of Professional Service Advisors*

*Scheduled to be introduced in 2026

Membership Eligibility

AEFI welcomes as members Artist-Endowed Foundations that are tax-exempt charitable entities created and endowed by visual artists and organized as:
  • Private foundations, including nonoperating foundations and operating foundations;
  • Public charities, including supporting organizations; or
  • Dedicated programs of tax-exempt charitable entities, such as a museum, university, or fiscal sponsor; in addition to
  • Individual alumni of AEFI’s Seminar on Strategy for AEF Leaders, prior to foundation creation.

Suggested Membership Commitment Levels

The AEFI membership program embraces the concept of mutual aid. Foundations are asked to commit to a level of membership according to their means, so that all foundations are eligible to receive the same benefits regardless of scale or place in their life cycle. This helps ensure that the AEFI learning community continues to be vibrant and diverse, encompassing charitable entities of all sizes and stages of the foundation life cycle.

The suggested membership commitment schedule is based on an organization’s annual total expenses as reported in the foundation’s most recent federal tax return, Form 990PF or Form 990.

Annual Total Expenses*Suggested Commitment
$10M and Above$10,000
$5M up to $10M$5,000
$3M up to $5M$2,000
$1M up to $3M$1,000
$0M up to $1M$500
Tailored LevelTBD
Individual Seminar Alum, Prior to Foundation Creation$250

*Private foundations: Form 990PF, Part I, Column A, Item 26 Total Expenses

*Public charities: Form 990, Part 1, Line 18, Current Year Total Expenses

*Dedicated programs: Organization’s financial accounting

We recognize that capacity varies based on a foundation’s lifecycle and encourage AEF leaders to use these suggested membership commitment levels as a starting point. As such:

  • If a foundation is in a position to support a greater membership commitment level, we hope this option will be considered.
  • If a foundation is experiencing growth stage liquidity challenges or other fiscal pressure, it is possible for the suggested membership commitment level to be adjusted in light of this situation.

If your foundation is interested in membership, or has questions about the membership program, please contact AEFI Managing Director Christine J. Vincent at [email protected].