Hearst Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $68,075,000 combined (2023) / $17,342,899 individual (2023)
• Success Rate: 25% overall (approximately 5% for new applicants)
• Decision Time: 6 months average
• Grant Range: $100,000 - $10,000,000+
• Geographic Focus: United States (National)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.hearstfdn.org

Email:

• East of the Mississippi River: support.ny@hearstfdn.org
• West of the Mississippi River: support.sf@hearstfdn.org

Address: 300 W 57th St Fl 26, New York, NY 10019

Overview

The Hearst Foundation Inc (EIN 13-6161746) was founded in 1946 by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst and operates jointly with The William Randolph Hearst Foundation (founded 1949). Together, the Hearst Foundations represent major national philanthropic resources with combined assets of $1.3 billion. Since inception, they have awarded over $1.5 billion across more than 22,730 grants to 6,400 organisations. In 2023, the foundations made 283 grants totalling $68,075 million combined ($17,342,899 from Hearst Foundation Inc per 990-PF; the remainder from William Randolph Hearst Foundation). The foundations identify and fund outstanding nonprofits working in culture, education, health, and social services to ensure people of all backgrounds in the United States have the opportunity to build healthy, productive, and inspiring lives. Their strategic approach emphasises best-in-class organisations demonstrating measurable impact through rigorous evaluation processes including consensus-building team reviews, financial due diligence, and mandatory site visits.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

General Grantmaking (Rolling applications)

• Grant Range: $100,000 minimum; typical grants $75,000-$150,000
• Application Method: Online portal, year-round rolling basis (no deadlines)
• Notable Awards: Recent grants range from $100,000 to $10 million (NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital received $10 million for cancer care building)

Endowment Grants (By invitation/limited)

• Available only to organisations with existing Hearst Foundation endowments
• Requires track record of strong performance and consistent stewardship

Priority Areas

Culture

• Arts and science programmes focusing on youth engagement
• Theatres, symphonies, performing arts centres, operas
• Museums (art, science, history)
• Ballets, dance companies, and arts schools
• Examples: Brooklyn Museum, Studio Museum in Harlem, Bay Area Discovery Museum

Education

• Higher education institutions (primary focus)
• Innovative models of early childhood and K-12 education
• Professional development programmes
• Organisations demonstrating success in preparing students to thrive in global society
• William Randolph Hearst Scholarships
• Examples: Hunter College Foundation, California Polytechnic State University

Health

• Medical research and healthcare delivery
• Mental health programmes
• Improving health and quality of life initiatives
• Examples: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Children's Health Fund, People Concern (mental health services)

Social Services

• Creating sustainable employment and productive career paths for adults
• Programmes supporting growing families
• Food security initiatives (local food banks)
• Community development

What They Don't Fund

• Festivals, tours, conferences, workshops, or seminars
• Local chapters of national organisations (typically fund at national/headquarters level only)
• Scholarship or fellowship recipients studying or residing outside the United States
• Organisations requesting grants below $100,000 minimum
• Generally do not fund endowments (except for organisations with existing Hearst endowments)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

The Hearst Foundations are overseen by a Board of Directors that meets quarterly in March, June, September, and December.

Key Leadership

• Frank A. Bennack Jr., Chairman of the Hearst Foundations, Executive Vice Chairman and former Hearst CEO (served on board for over 40 years)
• William R. Hearst III, President of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and Director of The Hearst Foundation, Inc.; also Chairman of the Board of Hearst Corporation
• Steven R. Swartz, Hearst President and CEO, Director of the Hearst Foundations
• Donna Kalajian Lagani, Vice President and Eastern Director (promoted to Co-Executive Director in 2024)

Leadership Quote

William R. Hearst III on the foundations' mission: "I know Donna will make a positive impact on people's lives — creating the kind of opportunities that my grandfather envisioned when he started the Foundations in 1946."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

1. Review Eligibility: Thoroughly review Funding Limitations, Funding Areas (Culture, Education, Health, Social Service), and Grant Recipients Database to evaluate eligibility
2. Online Portal: All applications must be submitted via the Hearst Foundations Grants Portal at https://www.hearstfdn.org
3. Complete Application: Applications must be completed in full with all required attachments or they will not be reviewed
4. Rolling Deadline: Year-round, rolling application process with no fixed deadlines
5. Three-Month Window: Once created, applications can be edited for three months before being removed from the system

Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisations operating in the United States

Decision Timeline

• Initial Review: 4-6 weeks before applicants are notified of decline or next steps
• Site Visit: All organisations moving forward will receive a site visit by a programme officer before board consideration
• Board Meetings: Quarterly in March, June, September, and December
• Total Timeline: Average of 6 months from proposal submission to grant award

Success Rates

• Overall Applications: 1,000+ grant requests received annually
• Overall Success Rate: Approximately 25% (about 300 grants awarded)
• Prior Grantees: 80% of funded grants go to prior grantees
• New Applicants: 20% of funded grants go to new grantees (approximately 5% success rate for first-time applicants)

This highly competitive environment means new applicants face significant challenges, though those that advance to site visit stage have demonstrated strong alignment with foundation priorities.

Reapplication Policy

• Unsuccessful Applicants: Must wait minimum of 1 year from date of declination before reapplying
• Successful Grantees: Must wait minimum of 3 years from grant award date before the Foundations will consider another request

Application Success Factors

What the Hearst Foundations Look For:

1. Best-in-Class Organisations: The foundations identify top-tier organisations through rigorous evaluation including "consensus-building team review of each applicant, financial due diligence and site visits"

2. Demonstrated Impact: Focus on organisations showing measurable outcomes in their core priority areas:

   • Creating sustainable employment and productive career paths for adults
   • Improving health and quality of life
   • Increasing academic achievement through access to high-quality educational options

3. Financial Strength: Programme staff conduct independent financial analysis of each grant request, assessing organisational sustainability and fiscal responsibility

4. Consensus Through Team Review: The programme staff independently assess each grant request and then discuss proposals in team meetings to achieve consensus on progression, which includes proposal review, financial analysis, and impact evaluation

5. Strong Site Visit Performance: All requests brought to the Board of Directors will have had a site visit—this is viewed as "an integral part of the due diligence process"

6. Research Comparable Grants: The foundations explicitly direct organisations to "refer to the Grant Recipients Database to see the types and amounts of grants awarded in the recent past to comparable organisations"

Red Flags to Avoid:

• Incomplete applications or missing required attachments
• Requests below the $100,000 minimum
• Programmes that fall under funding exclusions (festivals, tours, conferences, workshops, seminars)
• Applications from local chapters when national organisations should apply
• Requests that don't align with demonstrated funding priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Substantial Minimum Required: The $100,000 minimum grant size means this funder is only suitable for organisations with significant capacity and programmatic scope

• Prior Relationships Matter Enormously: With 80% of funding going to repeat grantees, new applicants face approximately a 5% success rate versus 25% overall—building a long-term relationship through an initial successful grant is critical

• Research Past Grantees Thoroughly: The foundations explicitly recommend reviewing their Grant Recipients Database to understand what comparable organisations have received—use this guidance

• Site Visits Are Make-or-Break: Every grant that reaches the board has had a site visit, making organisational readiness to showcase programmes in person essential

• Plan for Six-Month Timeline: The average six-month decision process requires planning grant requests well in advance of when funding is needed

• Three-Year Gap Between Grants: Successfully funded organisations must wait three years before reapplying, so timing requests strategically is essential—ensure you're asking for the right amount for the right programme

• Consensus-Driven Process: Multiple staff members review and discuss each proposal in team meetings, meaning applications must be compelling to diverse evaluators, not just one programme officer

References

• Hearst Foundation Inc - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
• Hearst Foundations Surpass $1.5 Billion in Grantmaking
• How to Apply - Hearst Foundations
• FAQ - Hearst Foundations
• Grant Request Evaluation Process
• Board of Directors - Hearst Foundations
• Funding Limitations - Hearst Foundations
• Funding Priorities in Education
• Funding Priorities in Culture
• From Children's Education to Medical Research & Mental Health Programmes: Hearst Foundations Announce Summer Grants
• Donna Kalajian Lagani Named Vice President and Eastern Director

All sources accessed December 2024.