Overview
The Mellon Foundation supports arts, culture, humanities, and higher education through a large private foundation endowment.1
The endowment supports Mellon grantmaking in the arts, culture, humanities, and higher education.1
Investment program
- Estimated AUM
- $8B as of Dec 31, 20243
- Capital pool
- private foundation endowment2
- Investment model
- Not listed yet2
- Investment approach
- To achieve this goal, we maintain a portfolio that is well diversified across five asset classes with different risk and return characteristics to generate strong long-term returns.4
- Spending support
- Official 2024 annual report states the foundation issued nearly 650 grants totaling about $540M.1
- Spending policy
- Not listed yet
- Asset allocation
- Public evidence references these asset classes or allocation areas: infrastructure, fixed income.5
- Performance
- Not listed yet
- Governance
- Assets/Debt Total Assets $6,178,207,107 Total Liabilities $316,926,819 Net Assets $5,861,280,288 Document Links 990-PF Primary tax return for a private foundation's activities, finances, and governance PDF 990-T For unrelated business income from activities not substantially related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose PDF Fiscal Year Ending Dec.2
- Investment team
- Not listed yet2
- Unfunded commitments
- Not listed yet
- Source freshness
- Last verified Jul 4, 2026 · Verified
Officer compensation
Reported on IRS Form 990, tax year 2024. Figures are as filed and include reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations plus other compensation.
| Name | Title | Total |
|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH ALEXANDER | PRESIDENT | $2,051,128 |
| SCOTT TAYLOR | CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | $1,973,872 |
| SHEREE CARTER-GALVAN | CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER | $950,175 |
| JULIE EHRLICH | EVP & COO | $770,353 |
| CARTER STEWART | EVP, PROGRAMS & RESEARCH | $742,504 |
| SEPIDEH SEPASI | CFO & TREASURER | $678,045 |
| KATHRYN HALL | TRUSTEE, BOARD CHAIR | $75,000 |
| HEATHER GERKEN | TRUSTEE | $60,000 |
| JONATHAN HOLLOWAY | TRUSTEE | $60,000 |
| KELLY ANN GRANAT | TRUSTEE | $53,333 |
| GAURAV KAPADIA | TRUSTEE | $40,000 |
| MELISSA GILLIAM | TRUSTEE | $40,000 |
| SHERRILYN IFILL | TRUSTEE | $40,000 |
| THELMA GOLDEN | TRUSTEE | $40,000 |
| MARYANA ISKANDER | TRUSTEE (BEG 03/2024) | $26,666 |
| PAUL FARBER | TRUSTEE (BEG 03/2024) | $26,666 |
| JOSHUA S FRIEDMAN | TRUSTEE (END 03/2024) | $20,000 |
Sources
Last verified Jul 4, 2026 from public career and organization materials.
Fact notes
- Website (mellon.org)Parent organization overview, Pool purpose, Spending support, Investment office page · checked Jul 3, 2026
- Website (mellon.org)Institution type, Capital pool, Headquarters, Investment model, Governance, Investment team · checked Jul 3, 2026
- Form 990 (projects.propublica.org)Estimated AUM · checked Sep 1, 2026
- Financial statements (mellon.org)Investment approach · checked Jul 4, 2026
- Job posting (mellon.org)Asset allocation · checked Jul 4, 2026
Reports and filings
- To achieve this goal, we maintain a portfolio that is well diversified across five asset classes with different risk and return characteristics to generate strong long-term returns.Financial statements · checked Jul 4, 2026
- 8027994221 USD total assets per IRS Form 990-PF/EZ for tax period 2023Form 990 · checked Sep 1, 2026
- 8028000000 USD as of 2024-12-31Form 990 · checked Jul 3, 2026
Profile and job sources
- Job posting (mellon.org)Job posting · checked Jul 4, 2026
- Manual research (mellon.org)Manual research · checked Jul 3, 2026
- Website (mellon.org)Website · checked Jul 3, 2026
- Website (mellon.org)Website · checked Jul 4, 2026
- Website (mellon.org)Website · checked Jul 3, 2026
- Primary job/profile sourceJob posting · checked Jul 4, 2026