The Horn Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold proposal.
- Its stated theme is environmental causes, but its past awards went to a broad mix that includes universities, schools, churches and cultural institutions, so a fit is more likely if your work sits within that mix.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $3,750 and $100,000, with a median of $20,000, though the largest grant was $2,000,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Most of its grant dollars (85%) went to organisations it had funded before, so giving is largely repeat-led and a new applicant should expect little open competition.
- No geographic focus is stated, so the area where you work is not a rule, although its grants have mainly been in New York, California, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
Overview
The Horn Foundation is a US private foundation based in Santa Monica, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (alumni.hbs.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. A profile of Alan Horn reports that, through the Horn Foundation, he and his wife contribute funds to environmental causes. Its recorded grants went to a broad mix of organisations, including universities and schools, environmental groups, churches and cultural institutions. Grant purposes in the filings are labelled only as general, so the recipient mix describes past awards rather than stated programme priorities. The grants were distributed across multiple states.
Themes
- Environmental causes
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% 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 184 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 20% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations The Horn Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 61 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Sundance Institute · General$550,0002024 tax year
- Harvard Business School · General$355,0002024 tax year
- Duke University · General$315,0002024 tax year
- The Climate Reality Project · General$300,0002024 tax year
- Howard University · General$200,0002024 tax year
- NRDC · General$125,0002024 tax year
- World Wildlife Fund · General$100,0002024 tax year
- Afi · General$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Pamela Wenn — Treasurer
- Cindy Horn — President
- Alan F Horn — Vice President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,781,163 | $4,967,550 | $50,171,370 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,294,699 | $2,983,500 | $51,576,281 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,763,362 | $3,170,000 | $56,802,456 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to The Horn Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Santa Monica, CA
Applying to The Horn Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Santa Monica, CA