← Back to US Funders Directory

Head & Heart Foundation Trust

Annual Giving
$12.8M
Grant Range
$15K - $0.8M
00

Head & Heart Foundation Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12,760,000 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $245.36 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $15,000 - $750,000
  • Median Grant: $100,000
  • Number of Grants: 83 grants (2024)
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)
  • Application Process: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Foundation Name: Head & Heart Foundation Trust (also known as Head & Heart Foundation Tr 12319 or AC1 EM9)

Address: Wilmington, DE 19807

EIN: 37-6701408

Corporate Trustee: Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or inquiries. All grants are made to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Head & Heart Foundation Trust is a private grantmaking foundation established in Delaware and granted tax-exempt status in April 2020. With total assets of approximately $245 million and annual charitable disbursements of nearly $13 million, the foundation focuses exclusively on environmental and wildlife conservation across the United States. The foundation is managed by Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware as corporate trustee. All grants are designated for general support to preselected conservation organizations, ranging from major national environmental organizations to specialized wildlife protection groups. The foundation made 83 grants in 2024, continuing a trend of active grantmaking that has grown from 50 awards in 2021 to over 80 awards annually in recent years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Support Grants for Conservation Organizations

  • Grant Range: $15,000 - $750,000
  • Typical Range: $100,000 - $499,999
  • Median Grant: $100,000
  • Application Method: Invitation only - preselected organizations

All grants are provided for general operating support rather than project-specific funding, giving recipient organizations flexibility in how they use the funds to advance their conservation missions.

Priority Areas

Environmental and Wildlife Conservation (exclusive focus)

  • National and international wildlife protection organizations
  • Land and habitat conservation groups
  • Environmental advocacy and policy organizations
  • Wildlife conservation societies
  • Nature protection and preservation organizations

Recent major recipients (2024) include:

  • National Wildlife Federation ($750,000)
  • The Conservation Fund ($750,000)
  • World Wildlife Fund ($500,000)
  • Wildlife Conservation Society ($500,000)
  • Earthjustice ($450,000-$500,000 range)
  • Defenders of Wildlife ($450,000-$500,000 range)
  • African Parks Foundation ($450,000-$500,000 range)

The foundation supports both large, established national conservation organizations and specialized groups focused on specific aspects of environmental protection and wildlife conservation.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not fund:

  • Organizations outside the environmental and conservation sector
  • Individuals
  • For-profit entities
  • Organizations not preselected by the trustees

Governance and Leadership

Corporate Trustee: Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware

The foundation is managed by Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware, a professional trust company that serves as corporate trustee. Bessemer Trust received compensation of $479,030 in 2024 for trustee services. The foundation operates under a preselected giving model, meaning all grantmaking decisions are made by the trustee based on predetermined charitable objectives focused on environmental conservation.

The use of a corporate trustee structure suggests this may be a private family foundation where professional management has been engaged to handle administrative functions and ensure appropriate grant distributions aligned with the founder's conservation values.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Organizations cannot apply for funding through any application process, online portal, or letter of inquiry.

All grants are awarded to organizations selected by the trustee according to the foundation's predetermined charitable objectives in environmental and wildlife conservation. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no mechanism for new organizations to request consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grant distributions appear to be made throughout the year based on the trustee's grantmaking schedule for preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no application process. The foundation made 83 grants in 2024 to its preselected list of conservation organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications or unsolicited requests.

Application Success Factors

Given that this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, organizations working in environmental and wildlife conservation can observe the following patterns from the foundation's grantmaking:

Funding Profile of Supported Organizations:

  • Established national and international conservation organizations
  • Organizations focused on wildlife protection, habitat conservation, and environmental advocacy
  • Groups working on land preservation and conservation
  • Policy and legal advocacy organizations focused on environmental protection
  • Both large multi-million dollar organizations and smaller specialized conservation groups

Grant Characteristics:

  • All grants designated for "general support" rather than specific projects
  • Grants typically range from $100,000 to $499,999, with the median at $100,000
  • Some organizations receive larger grants up to $750,000
  • The foundation appears to support a consistent portfolio of organizations year over year
  • Growing grant volume (from 50 grants in 2021 to 83 in 2024) suggests potential expansion of the preselected organization list

Strategic Focus:

  • Exclusive focus on environmental and conservation causes
  • Support for both on-the-ground conservation work and policy/advocacy efforts
  • National scope with support for U.S.-based organizations working domestically and internationally
  • Preference for general operating support that gives organizations maximum flexibility

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Application Process: This foundation cannot be pursued through traditional grant application methods. They do not accept unsolicited requests, letters of inquiry, or applications of any kind.

  • Invitation-Only Model: All 83 grants made annually go to preselected organizations chosen by the Bessemer Trust Company of Delaware as corporate trustee. Organizations cannot get "on the list" through outreach.

  • Conservation-Exclusive: 100% of funding goes to environmental and wildlife conservation organizations, with no grants outside this sector.

  • General Support Philosophy: All grants are for general operating support rather than specific projects, indicating the foundation trusts recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed.

  • Substantial Grant Sizes: With a median grant of $100,000 and many grants in the $100,000-$499,999 range, this foundation provides significant support when organizations are in the preselected portfolio.

  • Professional Management: The use of Bessemer Trust as corporate trustee indicates professional, institutional grant management rather than individual donor decision-making.

  • Growing Grantmaking: The increase from 50 grants in 2021 to 83 in 2024 shows expanding charitable activity, though this does not translate to new application opportunities for organizations not already in the portfolio.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory