Yip Harburg Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Yip Harburg Foundation makes grants for social justice, immigrants, climate change, criminal justice, theater and more.

IP TAKE: Although its grants are modest, the Yip Harburg Foundation is an accessible source of support for small organizations with a strong “socially responsible” mission or message. Grants span multiple areas related to social justice. Submit an application online at any time, but these are reviewed quarterly. Don’t hesitate to reach out via email with questions.

PROFILE: The Yip Harburg Foundation was created by Yip Harburg shortly before his death. Harburg was known as “Broadway’s Social Conscience” and wrote the lyrics to over 600 songs, including “April in Paris,” “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime,” and all of the lyrics for “The Wizard of Oz.” He supported racial and gender equality, criticized religion, and was blacklisted during the 1950s for his political views.

The foundation’s mission is to support “projects to promote economic and social justice through grants and scholarships” and to promote “Harburg’s legacy of socially conscious songs and musical plays.” Its stated areas of interest are social and economic justice, immigration rights, climate change, criminal justice and underserved communities. It also supports several theater organizations. Grantmaking is national in scope.

Grants for Racial Justice, Work and Opportunity, Immigrants and Refugees

A majority of this funder’s grants supports underserved communities and marginalized people in the areas of economic and immigration justice. The foundation does not name specific goals or priorities for these grantmaking areas.

Grantees include Florida’s Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services of El Paso, Texas and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice.

Grants for Criminal Justice Reform

The Yip Harburg Foundation has demonstrated an interest in criminal justice reform, but does not articulate priorities for its giving in this area.

Grantees include the Bail Project and the Equal Justice Initiative.

Grants for Climate Change

The Yip Harburg Foundation recently named climate change as an area of grantmaking interest. It does not outline goals for its giving, however.

Grantees include Our Climate Voices and the Eugene, Oregon chapter of 350.org, which mobilizes and advocates for climate action.

Grants for Theater

A significant portion of Harburg’s grantmaking supports theater organizations around the U.S., with a strong focus on musical theater with a “socially responsible message.”

Grantees include the Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, Stage Left Theater Association of Spokane, Theater for the New City of New York and Black Arts MKE of Milwaukee.

Important Grant Details:

This funder’s grants range from $5,000 to $5,000.

  • Grants tend to support small- and medium-sized organizations working toward equity or a “socially responsible message.”

  • Grantmaking is national, with a slight preference for organizations in New York, where the foundation is based.

  • Applications are accepted any time via the foundation’s online application portal. They are reviewed four times a year.

  • Applicants may only apply once per year.

  • For information about past grantees, see the foundation’s grants page.

Submit questions to the foundation at yipharburginfo@gmail.com.

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