Helen's Hope Foundation
Helen’s Hope Foundation is a private foundation based in Devon, Pennsylvania, that supports underprivileged youth and the programs and people that aid them. It was started in honor of Helen Grasso and grew from the Karl family’s scholarship giving into a family foundation in 2007.
Helen's Hope Foundation at a glance
In short: Helen's Hope Foundation gave $815K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), top state New York. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $815,000
- +31.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +54.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $47,941
- -14.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $11,506,099
- +2.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Helen's Hope Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The website provides an application link and says proposals must meet its eligibility and location criteria. It does not specify required application materials. The 2024 filing’s stated policy is that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists September 18, 2026, as the deadline for its 2026 application. That deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists September 18, 2026, as the deadline for its 2026 application.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Mallory Silva 646 Clovelly Lan, Devon, PA 19333
Phone: (973) 408-6700
Website: https://helenshopefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Helen's Hope Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vassar Brothers Hospital Foundation ($120K). Together the top 10 received $645K.
Grant Size Distribution
76 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 44 grants of 76 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website identifies Florida’s Monroe County and Miami area, Greater New York and the Mid-Hudson Valley, and Philadelphia and surrounding areas in Pennsylvania as eligible locations. It says it stopped accepting applications from New Jersey organizations in 2018. In filing year 2024, grant dollars were reported as 48% to New York, 31% to Pennsylvania, 17% to Florida, and 3% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Helen's Hope Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $42K; repeat grants $50K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $582K (2022) to $909K (2021). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $815K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vassar Brothers Hospital Foundation Poughkeepsie, NY | General Support | $120,000 |
| Episcopal Academy Newton Square, PA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Branches Inc Miami, FL | General Support | $75,000 |
| Florida Keys Children's Shelter Tavenier, FL | General Support | $65,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh Inc Newburgh, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| Dutchess Outreach Poughkeepsie, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| Family Services Inc Poughkeepsie, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| Kingston Self Help Inc DBA People's Place Kingston, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| The Reading Team New York, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | General Support | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Helen's Hope Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,506,099 | $1,518,166 | $1,213,229 | $815,000 | 17 | $1,013,586 | $1,356,555 | $1,003,296 |
| 2023 | $11,201,162 | $1,051,987 | $962,020 | $620,000 | 11 | $820,441 | $919,045 | $838,169 |
| 2022 | $10,710,692 | $703,980 | $891,219 | $581,575 | 12 | $777,841 | $596,602 | $835,447 |
| 2021 | $10,897,931 | $1,909,710 | $1,211,224 | $909,035 | 19 | $1,053,239 | $1,777,225 | $971,468 |
| 2020 | $10,199,445 | $1,933,552 | $1,456,299 | $821,900 | 17 | — | $1,841,053 | $754,843 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Helen's Hope Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it is dedicated to supporting underprivileged youth and the programs and people that aid them. Its history says it began accepting grant applications in 2011 to broaden support for organizations working with children.
Its grantees’ missions illustrate the range of organizations it has supported. Family Services describes work in behavioral health, victim services, family programs, youth services, community safety, and prevention. Horizons Greater Philadelphia says it advances educational equity through partnerships with students, families, communities, and schools. Peter’s Place provides support for grieving children and families, while SpeakUp! helps youth, educators, and parenting adults develop skills and support around critical issues.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $815,000. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $120,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest awards included $120,000 to Vassar Brothers Hospital Foundation for general support and $100,000 to Episcopal Academy for general support. Other notable grants were $75,000 to Branches Inc. and $65,000 to Florida Keys Children’s Shelter, both for general support; and $50,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, Dutchess Outreach, Family Services, Kingston Self Help Inc. DBA People’s Place, and The Reading Team, all for general support.
The foundation’s website lists eligible applicants as nonprofit charitable organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3), with programs in specified areas of Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. It says requests should be up to $50,000 unless otherwise discussed. The website’s application page says it is accepting proposals, but the foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kenneth Karl as chairman; Stephanie Karl as founder and president; Mallory Silva as executive director; Hollie Saborido as trustee and manager; and Kristian Karl as trustee.
Helen's Hope Foundation is led by Mallory Silva, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mallory Silva
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$60K (2022) → $60K (2024)
Stephanie Karl
Founder & President
Trustee → Founder & President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Karl
Chairman
Trustee → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hollie Saborido
Trustee & Manager
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$55K (2022) → $55K (2024)
Kristian Karl
Trustee
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $60K, to Mallory Silva (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Helen's Hope Foundation
How much does Helen's Hope Foundation give each year?
Helen's Hope Foundation gave $815K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $620K across 11 grants.
What is Helen's Hope Foundation's typical grant size?
Helen's Hope Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $47,941, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Helen's Hope Foundation that year got $42K on average.
Where does Helen's Hope Foundation give grants?
Helen's Hope Foundation's top state is New York, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (31%) and Florida (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Poughkeepsie, NY (3 grants).
Does Helen's Hope Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Helen's Hope Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Helen's Hope Foundation's largest grantees?
Helen's Hope Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Vassar Brothers Hospital Foundation ($120,000), Episcopal Academy ($100,000) and Branches Inc ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Helen's Hope Foundation?
Helen's Hope Foundation reported $11.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Helen's Hope Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it is dedicated to supporting underprivileged youth and the programs and people that aid them. Its history says it began accepting grant applications in 2011 to broaden support for organizations working with children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Helen's Hope Foundation?
The website provides an application link and says proposals must meet its eligibility and location criteria. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Helen's Hope Foundation's EIN?
Helen's Hope Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-7410435. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Helen's Hope Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Helen's Hope Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Helen's Hope Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-hope-foundation-morg_e3d6bc59382245d6a59267d93a36b6d4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_207410435_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Helen's Hope Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/helen-s-hope-foundation-morg_e3d6bc59382245d6a59267d93a36b6d4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Helen's Hope Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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