Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation is the family philanthropy of Shelley and Donald Rubin. It exists to fund the arts as well as left-of-center social activism programs in the New York area, but it also funds programs in Asia and beyond. ¹

Background

The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation was founded in 1995 with the express purpose of financing both the arts and left-of-center social policy initiatives. Its two earliest grant recipients were Art in Hospitals and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. ²

Activities

In 2022, Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation paid Blue Medium $61,272 for public relations services. That year, it also spent $189,802 on exhibitions and events showcasing the works of rising artists as well as “innovative efforts to make social organizations and institutions more responsive to a broad range of human needs and to empower individuals to develop their full potential.” ³

The Foundation seeks to make art more accessible to a greater number of people, “in particular to underserved communities,” in the belief that art is fundamental for “participation in civic life.” ⁴

The programs that the Foundation funds are often connected to social justice initiatives in and around New York City, but also funds groups in Asia, especially those that operate in the Himalayas. It directly funds social justice groups in addition to art projects, and hosts exhibitions for social justice groups through its program “the 8^th Floor.” ⁵

Financials

In 2022, the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation reported total revenue of $532,252, total expenses of $542,558, and total net assets of $265,736. ⁶

Leadership

As of 2022, Anjuli Nanda Diamond was working as the executive and artistic director of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. She was paid roughly $130,000. ⁷ She guided the publication of a two-volume history on the Foundation’s artistic activities and social activism since 2015 called An Incomplete Archive of Activist Art. Diamond was also responsible for creating the Foundation’s first “Curatorial Open Call,” an invitation to art curators and academics to hold exhibitions at “the 8th floor.” ⁸

The Foundation was originally led by executive director Evelyn Rich from 1995 to 2004. She was succeeded by Bruce Payne, who held the post until 2013 and greatly expanded its operations and grantmaking. Alexander Gardner became the executive director in 2013, serving until 2016. ⁹

Its “Art and Social Justice” was led by Sara Reisman, who became the executive and artistic director until 2021. ¹⁰

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3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. 2022. Part VIII-A.
4. “About.” Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Accessed May 5, 2024. https://www.sdrubin.org/our-board-and-staff-1.
5.  “About.” Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Accessed May 5, 2024. https://www.sdrubin.org/our-board-and-staff-1.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. 2022. Part I, 12, 26, 29.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. 2022. Part VII.
8. “About.” Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Accessed May 5, 2024. https://www.sdrubin.org/our-board-and-staff-1.
9. “About.” Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Accessed May 5, 2024. https://www.sdrubin.org/our-board-and-staff-1.
10. “About.” Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation. Accessed May 5, 2024. https://www.sdrubin.org/our-board-and-staff-1.