HFO Foundation
HFO Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In its 2025 filing, it reported 90 grants totaling $9,080,875 to charitable organizations, including universities, food and humanitarian organizations, and groups working in areas such as fertility assistance, conservation, and housing.
HFO Foundation at a glance
In short: HFO Foundation gave $9.1M across 90 grants in 2025 (avg $101K), top state New Jersey. 57% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,080,875
- +260.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 90
- +130.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $100,899
- +56.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $140,542,974
- +8.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (34 of 60, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to HFO Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1650 Market Street 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 575-7095
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who HFO Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lehigh University ($775K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
216 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 79 grants of 216 (37%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed across recipients in multiple states. The largest shares went to New Jersey (34%), Pennsylvania (17%), Washington, DC (17%), California (7%), and Maryland (5%). The listed grants also include recipients in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 90 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is HFO Foundation open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 34 of 60 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $89K; repeat grants $232K. How we count
Medians: $63K first-time, $200K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 563% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2020) to $9.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 90 grants totaling $9.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | Harmon 59 Scholarship | $500,000 |
| Home for Our Troops Taunton, MA | Dan Lasko House Project | $251,650 |
| Baby Quest Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General | $250,000 |
| Community Food Bank of NJ Egg Harbor Township, NJ | General | $250,000 |
| Community Food Bank of NJ Egg Harbor Township, NJ | General | $250,000 |
| Community Food Bank of NJ Egg Harbor Township, NJ | General | $250,000 |
| Global Giving Washington, DC | Hurricane Melissa Relief | $250,000 |
| Hurricane Melissa Relief Fund Washington, DC | General | $250,000 |
| Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | Compelling Perspectives Speaker Series | $250,000 |
| Make a Wish Foundation New Jersey Monroe Township, NJ | General | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with HFO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $140,542,974 | $21,912,775 | $9,711,263 | $9,080,875 | 90 | $9,253,492 | $10,055,704 | $7,588,872 |
| 2024 | $129,551,370 | $119,588,323 | $2,779,750 | $2,520,000 | 39 | $2,547,422 | $2,245,317 | $3,133,495 |
| 2023 | $31,633,048 | $2,453,029 | $2,338,113 | $2,265,600 | 29 | $2,278,392 | $543,520 | $1,485,630 |
| 2022 | $21,173,541 | $6,108,072 | $1,689,999 | $1,370,000 | 25 | $1,385,676 | $1,714,679 | $963,579 |
| 2021 | $18,655,130 | $24,851,533 | $1,562,715 | $1,419,760 | 33 | — | $10,419,012 | $529,268 |
| 2020 | $6,822,444 | $8,097,015 | $1,103,822 | $1,080,000 | 20 | — | $2,865,445 | $136,038 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, HFO Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Lehigh University describes its goals as advancing learning through teaching, research, and service, and preparing graduates to engage with the world. Baby Quest Foundation says it provides financial assistance for fertility procedures, while World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Other 2025 recipients include Second Helpings, which says it rescues and transports surplus food to agencies serving families in South Carolina; Rainforest Trust, which says it protects wildlife and creates rainforest reserves; and York Street Project, which says it provides housing, childcare, counseling, case management, and job and life-skills training.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 90 grants totaling $9,080,875. Grants ranged from $2,925 to $500,000, with a median of $100,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $500,000 to Lehigh University for the Harmon 59 Scholarship; $251,650 to Home for Our Troops for the Dan Lasko House Project; and $250,000 each to Baby Quest Foundation for general purposes, Global Giving for Hurricane Melissa relief, and Lehigh University for its Compelling Perspectives Speaker Series. The filing also lists three separate $250,000 grants to Community Food Bank of NJ for general purposes. Other reported grants include $200,000 to World Central Kitchen and $200,000 to York Street Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following trustees: Debra Harmon, Wendy Harmon, Nicole Abdo-Paek, and Daniel Gironda.
HFO Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nicole Abdo-Paek
Trustee
On filings since 2024
10 hrs/week
$85K (2024) → $0 (2025)
Debra Harmon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Harmon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Gironda
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Nicole Abdo (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Elaine Harmon (2020–2022) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $85K, to Nicole Abdo-Paek (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about HFO Foundation
How much does HFO Foundation give each year?
HFO Foundation gave $9.1M across 90 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 39 grants.
What is HFO Foundation's typical grant size?
HFO Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $100,899, across 90 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from HFO Foundation that year got $89K on average.
Where does HFO Foundation give grants?
HFO Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (17%) and District of Columbia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (11 grants), Bethlehem, PA (7 grants), Philadelphia, PA (5 grants) and Neptune, NJ (5 grants).
Does HFO Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of HFO Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (71 of 90) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are HFO Foundation's largest grantees?
HFO Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lehigh University ($775,000 across 3 grants), Community Food Bank of NJ ($752,925 across 4 grants) and World Central Kitchen ($550,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is HFO Foundation?
HFO Foundation reported $140.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does HFO Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Lehigh University describes its goals as advancing learning through teaching, research, and service, and preparing graduates to engage with the world. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from HFO Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is HFO Foundation's EIN?
HFO Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6870251. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does HFO 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in HFO Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). HFO Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/hfo-foundation-morg_91eae33c11ff484080b4d9833a0d9e1c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_236870251_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{HFO Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/hfo-foundation-morg_91eae33c11ff484080b4d9833a0d9e1c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 HFO 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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