Session

There are an estimated 35,000 museums and historic sites in the United States, contributing nearly $50 billion to America’s GDP. Every year, people make 850 million visits to museums and 250 million visit them virtually. Americans trust those museums more than any other entertainment format. We must endeavor to use the strength of U.S. museums to combat climate change for the benefit of the built environment and Americans.

In 2021, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation launched the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, an unprecedented $5 million, multi-year commitment to support and accelerate energy efficiency and clean energy use at visual arts museums and organizations. Developed in association with the Rocky Mountain Institute, a leading expert and advocate of clean energy, and Environment and Culture Partners (fka Sustainable Museums), the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative is the first nationwide program of its kind for the visual arts and the largest private national grantmaking program to address climate change through cultural institutions.

The presentation will illustrate discoveries and the expected impact from a hundred excellent applications. It will demonstrate how these grants will fast-track critical support to visual art museums in the U.S. seeking to assess their impact on the built environment and reduce ongoing energy costs.