At the very end of 2016, CHF received a $1 million donation from the William and Sue Gross Family Foundation to support the work of the Pensinger Photography Fund, the newest wing of our organization. Established in memory of the noted photojournalist Doug Pensinger in June 2016, the photography fund aims to identify, foster, and celebrate photographers of exceptional promise, and builds on the strength of CHF’s comprehensive programming for other professional visual artists.
To augment the Gross’ generous gift, we have issued a funding challenge to all who care about the future of American art. We hope to raise significant unrestricted donations by the end of 2017—money that will enable us to solidify the platform from which we administer our programs and ramp up to deliver services to this new group of visual artists, while continuing to assist those who work in non-photographic media.
Working artists transform local communities, drive economic growth, and inspire creative problem-solving, but they cannot perform these vital functions if they are unable to earn a living from the art that they create. For their enterprises to be economically viable, they need the same kinds of business and financial tools that are accessible to other entrepreneurs but customized to address the unique business challenges they face.
