Hess Family Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Wheeling, WV EIN: 55-0751425

The Hess Family Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Wheeling, West Virginia. Established in 1996, it operates as a 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation dedicated to supporting charitable causes primarily within West Virginia.

Key facts about Hess Family Foundation

EIN: 55-0751425
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $412,688
Grants made (2024): 23
Average grant: $17,943
Median grant: $10,038
New grantees (estimate): 5% first-time grantees (1 of 22, 2024)
Total assets: $4,393,420
Primary geography: West Virginia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Hess Family Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Hess Family Foundation's 23 itemized 2024 grants were West Virginia (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wheeling, WV (20 grants). 26% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Hess Family Foundation open to new grantees?

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 1 of 22 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $19K. How we count

Medians: $20K first-time, $10K repeat.

91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Hess Family Foundation

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.4M

+3.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$413K

-3.0% YoY

Grant Count

-11.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

+9.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hess Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation focuses on the following areas:

Education: Elementary, secondary, and higher education initiatives
Religion: Christian and Catholic causes
Human Services: Youth development and youth services programs
Philanthropy and Voluntarism: Support for charitable and grantmaking activities

Grantmaking

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:

Grant Range

**: Typical awards range from $1,750 to $50,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds projects and organizations located in West Virginia, with particular focus on communities including:

Wheeling
Beech Bottom
Bethany
Fairmont
Morgantown
Moundsville

Grant Distribution by State

West Virginia $413K (100%)

Share of all 23 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

West Virginia

Cities

WheelingMorgantownWheelngBeech BottomBethanyFairmontMoundsville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $4.39 million
Annual Revenue: $605,743
Annual Expenses: $453,253
Total Liabilities: $0
Net Income: $152,490

The foundation maintains a healthy financial position with no outstanding liabilities and consistent annual giving capacity.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,393,420	$4,240,930	$4,273,948
Revenue	$605,743	$419,508	$403,422
Expenses	$453,253	$452,526	$369,964
Qualifying Distributions	$427,458	$438,688	$353,366
Net Investment Income	$591,577	$406,914	$391,371
Distributable Amount	$446,496	$390,945	$398,228

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

113 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Wheeling National Heritage Area ($50,000 across 2 grants), House of Hagar - Share Inc ($48,000), YWCA Wheeling ($45,400).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
HOUSE OF HAGAR - SHARE INC Wheeling, WV	OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AND	$48,000
YWCA WHEELING Wheeling, WV	NETWORK CAMERAS	$45,400
THE OGLEBAY FOUNDATION Wheeling, WV	CADDIE CAMP AND WHG	$44,000
WHEELING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA Wheeling, WV	GENERAL SUPPORT	$40,000
GROW OHIO VALLEY Wheelng, WV	AUDIT AND FARM SCHOOL	$30,000
CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Beech Bottom, WV	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
THE LIFE HUB INC Wheeling, WV	WINTER FREEZE PROGRAM	$25,000
ST ALPHONSUS CATHOLIC CHURCH Wheeling, WV	HESS WINDOW	$20,000
OGLEBAY INSTITUTE Wheeling, WV	FRIENDS OF TOWNGATE	$18,000
YOUTH SERVICES SYSTEM INC Wheeling, WV	MARK'S HOUSE AND GENERAL	$16,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is managed by a board of trustees:

Christina H. Hess - Trustee
Andrew P. Hogan - Trustee
William N. Hogan - Trustee
Jessica B. Hogan - Trustee
WesBanco Bank - Trustee

Each trustee receives annual compensation of $2,000 for their service, with the exception of WesBanco Bank, which receives $17,000 annually.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Christina H Hess	Trustee	1	$2,000
Andrew P Hogan	Trustee	1	$2,000
William N Hogan	Trustee	1	$2,000
Jessica B Hogan	Trustee	1	$2,000

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

In February 2024, the Hess Family Foundation provided $15,000 in funding to Wheeling University to support the continuation of the H.E.S.S. Mentoring Program. This 10-week initiative brings middle school students to the university campus where education majors serve as mentors, guiding them through educational activities focused on STEAM subjects. The program strengthens learning outcomes for middle school participants while providing practical, service-oriented experience for future educators.

HESS Family Foundation Provides Funding for Wheeling University Mentorship

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hess Family Foundation fund?

The foundation focuses on the following areas: • **Education**: Elementary, secondary, and higher education initiatives • **Religion**: Christian and Catholic causes • **Human Services**: Youth development and youth services programs • **Philanthropy and Voluntarism**: Support for charitable and grantmaking activities

How do I apply for a grant from Hess Family Foundation?

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: • **Grant Range**: Typical awards range from $1,750 to $50,000 • **Median Grant Size**: Approximately $14,000 • **Annual Giving**: Total distributions of approximately $412,000 to $439,000 annually • **Recent Grant Example**: The foundation awarded $15,000 to Wheeling University to support the Help Enrich Someone Special (H.E.S.S.) Mentoring Program, a 10-week initiative pairing university education major…

Where does Hess Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds projects and organizations located in West Virginia, with particular focus on communities including: • Wheeling • Beech Bottom • Bethany • Fairmont • Morgantown • Moundsville

What size grants does Hess Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Hess Family Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $413K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Hess Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Hess Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.