Hess Justice Fund
Hess Justice Fund is a private foundation, based in San Diego, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $665K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $791K. Net investment income was $17K.
Hess Justice Fund at a glance
In short: Hess Justice Fund gave $791K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $791K), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $791,293
- -43.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- -75.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $791,293
- +125.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $791,293
- Total assets
- $664,959
- -39.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Hess Justice Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Working America Education Fund ($791K).
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 4 grants of 9 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
Cities
How Hess Justice Fund gives
- Giving grew 733% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2021) to $1.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $791K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Working America Education Fund Washington, DC | Provide info and a voice for the issues that matter most to the working class | $791,293 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $664,959 | $29,193 | $803,700 | $791,293 | 1 | $791,293 | $16,786 | $39,489 |
| 2024 | $1,095,171 | $550,146 | $1,416,239 | $1,401,739 | 4 | $1,401,739 | $335,646 | $62,520 |
| 2023 | $1,943,992 | $122,421 | $313,590 | $300,000 | 1 | $300,000 | $30,554 | $111,251 |
| 2022 | $2,135,161 | $13,736 | $114,189 | $95,000 | 2 | $95,000 | $19,505 | $108,963 |
| 2021 | $2,251,769 | $1,084,488 | $30,838 | $20,000 | 1 | $20,000 | $249,854 | $90,327 |
| 2020 | $1,414,381 | $1,401,278 | — | — | — | — | $1 | $127 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hess Justice Fund reported a distributable amount of $39K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Hess Justice Fund is led by Lawrence Hess, President & Secretary since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lawrence Hess
President & Secretary
President & Secretary → President, 2023
President → President & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elliot Hess
Director
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Joanna Hess
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandy Newman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald Cohen
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Hess
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Don Cohen (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Hess Justice Fund
How much does Hess Justice Fund give each year?
Hess Justice Fund gave $791K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 4 grants.
How large is Hess Justice Fund?
Hess Justice Fund reported $665K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $791K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $39K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
Where does Hess Justice Fund operate?
Hess Justice Fund has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York.
What is Hess Justice Fund's EIN?
Hess Justice Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2994125. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hess Justice Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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