The H Hovnanian Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $9,832,291 (2023)
Success Rate: Data not publicly available
Decision Time: 2 weeks after quarter end
Grant Range: $100 - $5,000,000+
Average Grant: $96,395
Geographic Focus: Monmouth and Ocean Counties, NJ (U.S. grants); Armenia (international grants)
Application Method: Rolling quarterly basis

Contact Details

Address: 4000 State Route 66, Tinton Falls, NJ 07753

U.S. Contact:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (732) 922-6100

Armenia Contact:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +374 10 520412

Website: www.hovnanianfoundation.org/en

Programs Manager: Anahit Hakobyan

Overview

The H Hovnanian Family Foundation was established in 1986 by American-Armenian philanthropists Hirair and Anna Hovnanian. With assets exceeding $206 million, the foundation has earmarked over $100 million for charitable, educational, scientific, and cultural initiatives since inception. The foundation commits its support primarily to the Armenian community, both in Armenia and the United States, and in New Jersey, with a focus on Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Since inception, $27 million has been awarded in the U.S. for various purposes, with another $18 million in multi-year commitments, totaling $45.2 million. The foundation is guided by "vigilant oversight," which has been the hallmark of the founder's business and philanthropic activities, and is now led by President Edele Hovnanian, who took over leadership of all the family's for-profit and non-profit activities in 2005. The foundation made 102 awards in 2023, demonstrating consistent and substantial grant-making activity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

U.S. Grants - $100 - $5,000,000+ (Quarterly rolling basis)

Focus on Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey
Healthcare/medical centers (e.g., $5M to Community Medical Center for Emergency Department renovations; $3M to Hackensack Meridian Health for Behavioral Health Chair)
Education initiatives
Arts and cultural programs
Community development
Both calendar-year and multi-year requests accepted
Grants exceeding $10,000 cannot fund existing operational expenses

Armenia Grants - Variable amounts (Quarterly rolling basis)

Specific focus areas rotate quarterly to maximize impact (as of Q3 2024)
Maximum 20-25 full applications accepted per quarter
Concept note required before full application

Armenian Fellowships - $100 - $20,000

Support for individual fellowship programs

Special Initiatives:

HIVE Ventures (entrepreneurship)
HIKEArmenia (ecotourism)
Birthright Armenia (founded by Edele Hovnanian in 2003)

Priority Areas

U.S. Focus (Monmouth and Ocean Counties, NJ):

Arts & Cultural Preservation
Education
Entrepreneurship/Innovation
Leadership, Youth & Community Development
Public Health & Emergency Response
Ecotourism

Armenia Focus:

Arts and cultural preservation
Entrepreneurship and innovation
Education
Ecotourism and rural development
Public health and emergency response
Leadership
Youth and community development
Promotion of Western values such as transparency

Preferred Application Elements (receive more favorable review):

Project continuity plans
Self-sustainability strategies
Partnerships with aligned organizations
Leveraged funding from multiple sources

What They Don't Fund

Operational overhead expenses (general operating costs)
Unregistered entities
Political groups or political activities
Proposals without sustainability plans
Projects producing items for commercial sale
Grants over $10,000 for existing operational expenses

Governance and Leadership

Executive Committee

Edele Hovnanian - President and Chief Executive Officer
Gorr Sahakian - Vice President
Siran Sahakian - Secretary and Treasurer

Board of Trustees

Armen Hovnanian
Haik Sahakian
Leela Hovnanian
Shant Sahakian
Tanya Baghdassarian
Teny Sahakian

Founders

Hirair Hovnanian
Anna Hovnanian

The Executive Committee, together with members of the Board of Trustees, comprises two generations of descendants committed to staying true to the founder's philanthropic vision.

Leadership Philosophy

Edele Hovnanian on the foundation's evaluation approach: "Dad didn't treat philanthropy differently from business. You need to do due diligence." The foundation examines whether "the enterprise will be self-sustaining" and if "the leadership is inspiring."

On supporting organizations: "Our family believes in supporting Armenian organizations that have a meaningful impact and have consistently shown themselves to raise the bar of the quality of their programs and outcomes, year after year."

On community impact: The foundation evaluates "overall impact on the community when choosing organizations to support," prioritizing organizations that benefit their region of Central New Jersey.

Hirair Hovnanian on family commitment: "Our children have known from early on that this would be their destiny, and they enthusiastically embrace this responsibility."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Complete Eligibility Quiz

Visit the foundation's website and complete the Eligibility Quiz
This ensures you are 100% eligible before proceeding
Quiz must be completed within designated dates for your focus area

Step 2: Submit Application (if eligible)

U.S. Grants: Application forms accepted via email or hardcopy after passing quiz
Armenia Grants: Submit concept note (no fixed deadline); invited applicants then submit full application package

Eligibility Requirements (U.S. Grants):

IRS 501(c)(3) status (including schools and churches)
At least one year of established program outcomes
Preference given to organizations serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey
Projects aligned with foundation focus areas

Application Components:

Indirect costs up to 20% allowed (meals, hotels, travel)
Must demonstrate sustainability plan
Must show alignment with foundation priorities

Decision Timeline

Review Schedule: Proposals reviewed on a rolling basis at the end of each quarter

End of March (Q1)
End of June (Q2)
End of September (Q3)
End of December (Q4)

Decision Notification: Within two weeks of each quarter's closing

Multiple Applications: Permitted within the same quarterly cycle

Armenia Grants: Maximum 20-25 full applications accepted per quarter; applicants may be invited for interviews or discussions before submitting full applications

Success Rates

The foundation made:

102 awards in 2023 (from $9.8M distributed)
90 awards in 2022
72 awards in 2021

Specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly disclosed, but the foundation limits Armenia grants to 20-25 full applications per quarter, suggesting a competitive process.

Reapplication Policy

12-Month Waiting Period: Prior grant recipients are eligible to reapply only after adhering to a 12-month waiting period following grant closure prior to submission of any new request.

Feedback on Rejections: The foundation provides feedback on rejections which should be heavily considered before future application submissions.

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Evaluation Criteria

Business-Minded Due Diligence: The foundation applies the same rigorous business evaluation to philanthropy. According to President Edele Hovnanian, they evaluate:

Deliverables and realistic budgets
Whether "the enterprise will be self-sustaining"
Quality and inspiration of leadership
Overall impact on the community

Demonstrate Long-Term Sustainability: Proposals must show self-sustainability plans beyond the grant period. This is a critical factor in their evaluation process.

Geographic Alignment: For U.S. grants, preference is strongly given to organizations that will use or apply substantially all grant funding in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey.

Established Track Record: Organizations must have at least one year of established program outcomes. The foundation values organizations that "have consistently shown themselves to raise the bar of the quality of their programs and outcomes, year after year."

Strategic Partnerships: Applications receive more favorable review when they include partnerships with aligned organizations and leveraged funding from multiple sources.

Alignment with Quarterly Focus: For Armenia grants (as of Q3 2024), ensure your application aligns with the specific focus area designated for that quarter, as applications outside the specific quarter will be deemed ineligible.

Clear Project Continuity: Applications should demonstrate how the project will continue beyond the grant funding period.

Recent Grant Examples

Major Healthcare Grants:

$5 million to Community Medical Center for Emergency Department capital renovations (largest individual gift in hospital's history)
$3 million to Hackensack Meridian Health to endow the Behavioral Health Chair
$1 million to Hackensack Meridian Health (2021)
$1 million to Community Medical Center Foundation (2021)

Educational and Cultural Grants:

$1 million to Hovnanian School (2021)
Support to ReAnimania for art and culture (2023)

Armenia-Focused Grants:

$1 million to Birthright Armenia (2021)
Over $290,000 distributed in Q3 2025 environmental grants to nine projects
Healthcare Foundation of Armenia for empowering primary care (2024)
American University of Armenia partnering with ArmHydromet for water quality analysis capacity building

Community Development:

Homes for All for Ocean County residents (2024)
POAC Autism Services (2024)
Armenian American Social Welfare for work with forcibly displaced people of Artsakh (2024)

What the Foundation Values

Transparency: Explicitly mentioned as a Western value they promote
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Through initiatives like HIVE Ventures
Community Engagement: Demonstrated through behavioral change mechanisms
Environmental Sustainability: Recent environmental grant cycle shows commitment
Diaspora-Armenia Connection: Goal to "increase personal ties and the level of engagement between the Diaspora and Armenia"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Apply business rigor to your proposal: This foundation evaluates grants with the same due diligence as business investments. Ensure budgets are realistic, deliverables are clear, and sustainability is demonstrable.
Geographic preference matters significantly: For U.S. grants, being based in or serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey, provides substantial advantage. Make this connection explicit if applicable.
Demonstrate sustained impact, not just immediate outcomes: The foundation prioritizes self-sustaining enterprises with strong leadership. Show how your project will continue and grow beyond their funding.
Complete the Eligibility Quiz first: This is a mandatory first step that gates access to the full application process. Don't skip it.
Time your application strategically: Decisions are made within two weeks of each quarter end. For Armenia grants, note the rotating quarterly focus areas and apply during your relevant quarter.
Leverage partnerships and other funding: Applications showing collaborative approaches and diversified funding streams receive more favorable review.
Learn from rejection: The foundation provides feedback on unsuccessful applications. If rejected, carefully consider this feedback before the 12-month waiting period ends and you reapply.
Show how you raise the bar: The foundation values organizations that consistently improve program quality and outcomes year after year, not just maintain status quo.

References

All sources accessed December 2024.