Hess Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $40,981,500 (2023)
• Total Assets: $211,018,720
• Average Grant Size: Approximately $303,566
• Number of Grants: 135 awards (2023)
• Geographic Focus: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (Delaware Valley region)
• Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Location: Parsippany, NJ
EIN: 22-1713046

Note: The foundation does not maintain a website or public contact information for grant applications. It operates on an invitation-only basis.

Overview

The Hess Foundation Inc was established in 1954 by the late Leon Hess, founder of Hess Corporation (an integrated oil company) and former owner of the New York Jets. With $211,018,720 in assets, it ranks as the fifth largest foundation in New Jersey and just outside the top 100 largest foundations in the United States. The foundation distributed over $40.9 million in grants during 2023 across 135 awards. The foundation operates without professional staff and is governed by the Hess family and select trustees. Its grantmaking focuses primarily on arts and culture, health and wellness (including hospitals), and education (universities, private secondary schools, and charter schools). The foundation has been characterised as operating with a high degree of privacy, making grants exclusively to preselected organisations with direct connections to Hess family members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate formal grant programmes with named streams. Instead, it makes discretionary grants in the following areas:

• Arts and Culture: Support for major cultural institutions, performing arts organisations, and museums
• Health and Wellness: Grants to hospitals and healthcare institutions
• Education: Support for universities, private secondary schools, charter schools, and educational programmes
• Human Services: Limited grants for social service organisations
• Religious Organisations: Occasional support for synagogues

Grant amounts vary widely based on the organisation and relationship to the foundation. With 135 grants totalling approximately $41 million in 2023, the average grant is around $303,566, though individual grants likely range from smaller amounts to multi-million dollar commitments.

Priority Areas

• Major cultural institutions in New York City (Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, Apollo Theatre, Museum of Natural History, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera, Sesame Workshop)
• Universities and higher education institutions (several buildings, academic departments, faculty chairs, and programmes named after Leon Hess)
• Hospitals and medical institutions
• Educational institutions in the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania regions

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not provide information about specific exclusions, but based on their giving patterns:

• Organisations without direct connections to Hess family interests
• Organisations outside their core geographic focus (NY, NJ, PA)
• Small or newly established organisations
• Organisations outside their three main focus areas (arts, health, education)

Governance and Leadership

The Hess Foundation is governed by Leon Hess's three children, former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean, and another trustee. The foundation operates without any professional staff, with all decisions made at the trustee level.

Board of Trustees:

• John B. Hess: Son of founder Leon Hess; current Chairman and CEO of Hess Corporation
• Marlene Hess: Daughter of Leon Hess; Vice President of the foundation
• Constance H. Williams: Daughter of Leon Hess; Vice President of the foundation; former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate (17th District, 2001-2009)
• Thomas Kean: Former Governor of New Jersey; former chair of the 9/11 Commission; former Hess Corporation board member
• Eugene Goodwillie Jr.: Retired attorney for White & Case who represented Hess Corporation and Leon Hess's estate

The foundation's governance structure reflects its family-centred approach, with direct descendants of the founder maintaining control over grantmaking decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Hess Foundation explicitly indicates that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

This places the foundation amongst the 71% of private foundations that operate on an invitation-only basis. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organisations with which Hess family members have direct and personal connections.

Organisations are selected proactively by the foundation rather than through any application or proposal process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grantmaking decisions are made internally by trustees on their own timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable for external applicants, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications or reapplications from organisations.

Application Success Factors

Since the Hess Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of the foundation's giving patterns reveals:

Organisations that receive funding typically have:

• Direct personal connections to Hess family members: Research indicates that the majority of grants go to organisations addressing issues or communities in which Hess family members have direct and personal ties
• Established reputation: The foundation favours large, well-established institutions rather than emerging organisations
• Elite status: Many recipients are prominent cultural institutions (Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet) or prestigious educational institutions
• Geographic proximity: Most grants support organisations in New York, New Jersey, and the Philadelphia metropolitan area where the Hess family has historical ties
• Long-term relationships: Several organisations (Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, Apollo Theatre) receive annual gifts, suggesting ongoing partnerships
• Family naming opportunities: Several buildings, academic departments, faculty chairs, and programmes have been named after Leon Hess, indicating major gift relationships

Foundation characteristics:

The foundation has been described as practising "checkbook philanthropy" with limited transparency. Without a website or public communications, information about the foundation comes solely from IRS Form 990-PF tax filings. The foundation's approach prioritises support for institutions already known to the family over broad community engagement or innovative grantmaking.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: Do not submit unsolicited proposals to this foundation - they will not be considered
• Relationship-driven grantmaking: All funding decisions are based on existing connections to Hess family members and trustees
• Focus on major institutions: The foundation strongly favours large, established organisations over smaller nonprofits
• Geographic concentration: Nearly all grants go to organisations in NY, NJ, and PA
• Long-term partnerships: The foundation tends to support the same organisations year after year rather than seeking new grantees
• Significant grant capacity: With over $40 million in annual giving and $211 million in assets, this is a major funder - but only for organisations within their network
• Limited transparency: The foundation does not provide public guidance, strategic plans, or communication channels for potential grantees

For organisations seeking similar funding in arts, education, and healthcare, consider researching other New Jersey or New York-based foundations with open application processes.

References

• Grantmakers.io Profile - Hess Foundation Inc. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/221713046-hess-foundation-inc/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• Instrumentl: Hess Foundation Inc 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/hess-foundation-inc (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• Charity Navigator: Hess Foundation Inc Profile. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/221713046 (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Hess Foundation Inc. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/221713046 (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• Cause IQ: Hess Foundation. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/hess-foundation,221713046/ (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy: "Report Criticises Secretive Hess Foundation." https://www.ncrp.org/news/report-criticizes-secretive-hess-foundation (Accessed December 24, 2025)
• Candid Foundation Directory: Hess Foundation Inc. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?collection=grantmakers&key=HESS001 (Accessed December 24, 2025)