The Hayes Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation gives only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is not the route in, and the filing gives no further application steps.
- Its recorded grants cover environment, nature conservation and community support, with some health, education, food and arts work, so a request should show a clear link to one of these.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $8,000 and $65,000, with a median of $25,000, so a modest request sits within its usual range, though its largest grant was $215,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is strong: 88% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so its existing recipients are the best guide to who is preselected.
- No geographic focus is stated; its grants are shown mainly in New York, New Mexico, Connecticut, California, Maine and the United States, but this describes its past grants rather than a rule about who may be considered.
Overview
The Hayes Foundation is a US private foundation based in New Haven, CT.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The grant record shows support across several fields. Environmental protection and nature conservation recur prominently alongside community activity. The recorded purposes also include international community support, health and medical assistance, education, sustainable food sources, and cultural and arts work. The recipients include conservation and wildlife organisations, community-service and food organisations, humanitarian charities, health providers, educational institutions, and museums and arts bodies. The foundation's application information says that it gives only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Environment
- Nature conservation
- Community support
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, New Mexico, Connecticut, California, Maine and the United States.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing gives no further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 88% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 163 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 15%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to organisations The Hayes Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 54 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Himalayan Cataract Project · Health$215,0002025 tax year
- Girls Incorporated Santa Fe · Community$145,0002025 tax year
- Safe Passage · Education$115,0002025 tax year
- Mission Blue · Environment$100,0002025 tax year
- Santa Fe Conservation Trust · Environment$85,0002025 tax year
- Wolf Conservation Center · Environment$75,0002025 tax year
- World Wildlife Fund · Environment$75,0002025 tax year
- Connecticut Foodshare · Community$75,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kathleen Hayes — Trustee / Executive
- Elizabeth Christopher — Trustee / Executive
- Michael Hayes — Trustee / Executive
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,789,761 | $1,513,185 | $37,569,030 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,028,506 | $1,726,170 | $44,516,059 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,540,439 | $2,206,025 | $49,218,039 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Hayes Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- New Haven, CT
Applying to The Hayes Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New Haven, CT