The Hamer Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work is environmental, community or educational and sits within 100 miles of State College, Pennsylvania, and you are a 501(c)(3) organisation, this foundation is worth considering, since it does not fund applicants that are not 501(c)(3) organisations.
- Half of its 125 grants to organisations were $37,500 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $10,000 and $420,000, so a modest request is typical, though the largest grant was $1,600,000.
- Send a one-page executive summary describing the project, with a budget, by email before midnight on 31 January each year, and you may add maps or pictures.
- Its Board checks eligibility first and then meets eligible applicants in person or on Zoom before deciding, and in its latest filing 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so the meeting stage is where a relationship matters most.
Overview
The Hamer Foundation is a US private foundation based in State College Pa, PA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Hamer Foundation provides support to nonprofit organisations within a 100-mile radius of State College, Pennsylvania. It names environmental, community and educational support as its fields, with donations apportioned 50%, 35% and 15% respectively. Its examples of funded partners show environmental and conservation groups, alongside community organisations such as food banks, United Ways, libraries and human-service organisations, as well as educational institutions. The Board first reviews applications for eligibility and then meets eligible applicants in person or on Zoom before deciding on funding. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organisations, and their project must be within the stated radius.
Themes
- Environmental support
- Community support
- Educational support
Geographic Focus
100 mile radius of State College, Pennsylvania.
What They Don't Fund
- Applicants that are not 501(c)(3) organizations
How to apply
Applicants email a one-page executive summary describing the project and a budget; they may include additional explanations, maps or pictures.
Deadlines: Applications are due by midnight on 31 January each year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 125 grants to organisations were $37,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Board reviews applications for eligibility; eligible applicants meet with it in person or on Zoom before funding decisions are made.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to organisations The Hamer Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 42 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $45,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy · Operating support$680,0002024 tax year
- Pa Chapter Nature Conservancy · Operating support, programming, easements$494,5002024 tax year
- State College Food Bank · Operating support$460,0002024 tax year
- Schlow Centre Region Library · Operating support$443,5302024 tax year
- University of Illinois Foundation · Programming$420,0002024 tax year
- World Wildlife Fund · Programming$317,0002024 tax year
- Pennsylvania State University · Scholarship$278,3022024 tax year
- Pennsylvania Audubon Society · Program support$150,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dan Crust — Trustee
- Jennifer Shuey — Trustee
- Patrick Morse — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,666,076 | $6,274,543 | $67,005,513 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,357,484 | $5,059,398 | $72,377,644 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,113,383 | $4,785,119 | $79,270,327 | Filing for 2024 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Hamer Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (814) 692-4616
- pmoose100@gmail.com
- State College Pa, PA
- hamerfoundation.org
Applying to The Hamer Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (814) 692-4616
- pmoose100@gmail.com
- State College Pa, PA
- hamerfoundation.org