Hess Foundation Inc
Hess Foundation Inc is a private corporate foundation established in 1954 by Leon Hess, founder of Hess Corporation, an integrated oil company. The foundation is based in Parsippany, New Jersey and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. It functions as the philanthropic arm of Hess Corporation and is governed by the Hess family and select trustees, operating without professional staff.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$219.2M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$63.4M
+54.7% YoY
Grant Count
141
+4.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$450K
+48.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hess Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $55.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation emphasizes support for higher education and the arts. Additional funding priorities include:
- Arts and culture
- Health and wellness, including hospitals
- Education (universities, private secondary schools, and charter schools)
- Human services
- Religious organizations (occasional support for synagogues)
- Financial aid and healthcare access research
The foundation makes unrestricted grants to support the exempt purposes of its grantees.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. It does not maintain a website or public contact information for grant applications. The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected organizations with direct connections to Hess family members.
Grant Range
approximately $303,567
Average Grant
approximately $303,567
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding areas include:
- New York
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania (Delaware Valley region)
- District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $219,214,101 (most recent filing)
- Previously reported at $211,018,720 (2023)
- Approximately $807 million in assets (alternative source)
Annual Giving:
- Total giving: $63,385,033
- Annual giving: $40,981,500 (2023)
Revenue & Expenses (2023):
- Total revenues: $21,567,732
- Total expenses: $48,984,192
The foundation ranks as the fifth largest foundation in New Jersey and just outside the top 100 largest foundations in the United States.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $219,214,101 | $211,018,720 | $195,435,180 |
| Revenue | $43,181,035 | $21,567,732 | $50,742,841 |
| Expenses | $74,400,800 | $48,984,192 | $35,551,503 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $64,170,732 | $41,574,029 | $33,293,046 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,329,407 | $9,970,999 | $28,242,796 |
| Distributable Amount | $55,140,692 | $52,956,332 | $41,631,737 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Harvard Business School ($5,150,000), College of Physicians of Philadelphia ($5,000,000), Center for Strategic & International Studies ($2,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A BETTER CHANCE IN LOWER MERION INC ARDMORE, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $50,000 |
| AAMDS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION ROCKVILLE, MD | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $10,000 |
| ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES PHILADELPHIA, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $25,000 |
| ALS ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC ATLANTA, DC | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $35,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $100,000 |
| ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL TEAM PHILADELPHIA, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $200,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE PHILADELPHIA, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $145,000 |
| BABY2BABY LOS ANGELES, CA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $125,000 |
| BAKER INDUSTRIES INC MALVERN, PA | AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT TO FURTHER THE DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE. | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- John B. Hess — Director, President; Current Chairman and CEO of Hess Corporation
- Constance H. Williams — Director, Vice President; Daughter of Leon Hess; former member of Pennsylvania State Senate (2001-2009)
- Thomas H. Kean — Director, Secretary
- Eugene W. Goodwillie Jr. — Outgoing Director, Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONSTANCE WILLIAMSCO HESS FOUNDATN | DIRECTOR, VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| EUGENE WGOODWILLIE JR CO HESS FND | OUTGOING DIRECTOR, TREASURER | 2 | — |
| JOHN B HESS CO HESS FOUNDATION | DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| THOMAS H KEAN CO HESS FOUNDATION | DIRECTOR, SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Wheeling University received funding from the Hess Family Foundation for a mentorship program, with continued support announced for program continuation
HESS Family Foundation Provides Funding for Wheeling University MentorshipHess Foundation donated $250,000 to the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia for public school play spaces (2023)
Hess Foundation gives generous $250K gift for 2 Philly public school playHess Corporation announced scholarship recipients and grants for 2025, with scholarship funding distributed through the foundation
HESS Family Foundation Provides Funding for Wheeling University MentorshipFrequently Asked Questions
What does Hess Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation emphasizes support for higher education and the arts. Additional funding priorities include: • Arts and culture • Health and wellness, including hospitals • Education (universities, private secondary schools, and charter schools) • Human services • Religious organizations (occasional support for synagogues) • Financial aid and healthcare access research The foundation makes unrestricted grants to support the exempt purposes of its grantees.
How do I apply for a grant from Hess Foundation Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 135 awards in 2023 • Average grant size: approximately $303,567 • Median grant amount: $50,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $20,150,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • Heights Philadelphia: $5,000,000 • Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): $2,000,000 • Deerfield Academy: $1,550,000 **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. It does not maintain a website or public contact…
Where does Hess Foundation Inc make grants?
Primary funding areas include: • New York • New Jersey • Pennsylvania (Delaware Valley region) • District of Columbia
What size grants does Hess Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Hess Foundation Inc awarded 141 grants totaling $63.4M — an average of about $450K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Hess Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Hess Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $55.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Hess Foundation Inc's EIN?
Hess Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-1713046. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hess Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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