The Heller Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $364,639 (2024)
Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
Grant Range: Varies by program area
Geographic Focus: Primarily New Jersey and surrounding areas
Total Assets: $7.26 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: Tenafly/Englewood Cliffs, NJ
EIN: 22-3556325

Note: No public website, email, or phone number available. The foundation does not maintain a public-facing application portal.

Overview

The Heller Family Foundation Inc was established in 1998 as a private family foundation serving New Jersey and surrounding communities. Led by President Ronald Heller and Treasurer Joyce L. Heller, the foundation maintains total assets of approximately $7.26 million and distributes around $365,000 annually in charitable contributions. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on four primary areas: education (from elementary through college levels), health initiatives, religious organizations, and general charitable causes supporting those in need. As a private non-operating foundation, it operates through trustee discretion, funding preselected organizations rather than accepting public applications. The foundation has maintained consistent grantmaking activity over the past decade, averaging 30 grants annually.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific names or fixed amounts. Instead, it makes discretionary grants across multiple priority areas:

Education Grants: Support for educational programs from elementary through college levels (historically ~$72,750 annually based on 2019 filing)
Charitable & Religious Support: Funding for religious organizations, health issues, and assistance for those in need (historically ~$59,000 annually based on 2019 filing)
General Charitable Giving: Additional grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations

Application Method: Invitation only/preselected organizations

Priority Areas

Based on IRS filings and organizational records, the foundation actively funds:

Education: Elementary, secondary, and college-level educational programs and institutions
Health: Health-related organizations and initiatives addressing community health needs
Religious Organizations: Support for religious institutions and faith-based charitable work
Social Services: Organizations serving the needy and vulnerable populations
General Charitable Causes: Broad support for 501(c)(3) organizations aligned with trustee interests

What They Don't Fund

Unsolicited Applications: The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds
Organizations outside the trustees' existing network or areas of interest

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a small board of family members and trusted advisors:

Ronald Heller - President and primary decision-maker
Joyce L. Heller - Treasurer
Rachel Scott - Board Member (received compensation of $61,824 in 2024, likely for administrative services)
Lawrence Kupferberg - Board Member

The foundation operates with a lean structure, maintaining low overhead costs relative to its asset base. Board members appear to take a hands-on approach to grantmaking decisions, personally selecting organizations to support based on their knowledge of community needs and organizational effectiveness.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Heller Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees, who identify and select recipient organizations based on their own research, relationships, and knowledge of community needs. The foundation operates as a traditional private family foundation where grantmaking decisions are made internally by board members.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on a rolling basis throughout the year to preselected organizations. The foundation averaged 30 grants per year over the past several years, suggesting ongoing grantmaking activity rather than fixed decision cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as none are accepted.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot submit applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Note: Since this foundation does not accept applications, the following reflects how organizations appear to have come to the foundation's attention based on publicly available information:

Existing Relationships: The foundation supports organizations already known to the trustees through personal, professional, or community connections
Geographic Proximity: Focus on New Jersey-based organizations, particularly in Bergen County and surrounding areas
Clear Charitable Purpose: Organizations with straightforward missions in education, health, religion, or social services
Established Track Record: Preference appears to be for established organizations rather than startup initiatives
Alignment with Trustee Interests: Organizations working in areas of personal importance to the Heller family (education, health, religious causes, and support for the needy)

Organizations seeking support would need to be introduced to the trustees through existing connections or come to their attention through community involvement and visibility in the foundation's geographic area of interest.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept grant proposals or unsolicited requests, making traditional grant writing approaches ineffective
Relationship-Driven: Support flows to organizations already known to the trustees through personal or community connections
Consistent Grantmaking: The foundation has maintained steady giving of approximately $365,000 annually, distributed across approximately 30 organizations
Broad Charitable Focus: While centered on education, health, religious, and social service organizations, the foundation supports a range of causes
Private Family Foundation Model: Decision-making rests entirely with family trustees who personally select recipients
Geographic Focus: Priority given to New Jersey organizations, particularly in the Bergen County area where the foundation is based
Financial Stability: With $7.26 million in assets, the foundation has the capacity to maintain and potentially grow its grantmaking over time

References

Accessed: December 24, 2024