Huffington Foundation
The Huffington Foundation is a private foundation based in Houston, Texas, established in 1989. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on charitable grantmaking across multiple sectors including education, health, social services, and environmental conservation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$142.8M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.1M
-2.8% YoY
Grant Count
34
-17.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$269K
+17.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Huffington Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation makes qualifying distributions to various charitable organizations to further educational, scientific, religious, and other charitable causes. Primary funding areas include:
- Medical research and healthcare
- Child health policy
- Education
- Environmental preservation and conservation
- Women's health services
- Homeless support programs
- Cancer survivor support
- Social work research and education
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$25,000-$88,500
Average Grant
amount: $229,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with a concentration in the Houston area. Some grants have been awarded to organizations in Colorado and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023
- Total assets: $136.5 million
- Total revenues: $6.3 million
- Total expenses: $10.1 million
- Total liabilities: $0
- Giving rate: 6.8-6.9% of assets
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $142,790,519 | $136,478,870 | $140,530,867 |
| Revenue | $16,595,162 | $6,337,922 | $8,529,861 |
| Expenses | $10,012,951 | $10,135,181 | $11,502,543 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,200,396 | $9,416,223 | $10,395,144 |
| Net Investment Income | $15,412,369 | $5,304,845 | $6,804,914 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,416,845 | $9,245,297 | $9,364,919 |
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
198 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Yampa Valley Community Foundation ($2,350,000), Texas Children's Hospital ($2,000,000), Baylor College of Medicine ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION HOUSTON, TX | FOR ALZHEIMER'S MEDICAL RESEARCH | $1,500 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH | $1,000,000 |
| BETA FOUNDATION (THE) HOUSTON, TX | FOR CHILD EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $250,000 |
| BROOKWOOD COMMUNITY (THE) BROOKSHIRE, TX | FOR ADULT SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $25,000 |
| CAMP FOR ALL FOUNDATION HOUSTON, TX | FOR CHILD SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS | $500,000 |
| CAREPARTNERS HOUSTON, TX | FOR SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES | $25,000 |
| CASA DE ESPERANZA DE LOS NINOS HOUSTON, TX | FOR HOUSING FOR CHILDREN VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE | $10,000 |
| CHILD ADVOCATES HOUSTON, TX | FOR CHILD ABUSE VICTIM LEGAL SUPPORT SERVICES | $10,000 |
| CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION HOUSTON, TX | FOR ANIMAL SHELTER SUPPORT SERVICES | $5,000 |
| COMMUNITY FAMILY CENTERS HOUSTON, TX | FOR FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Terry Huffington - Trustee
- Ralph Dittman - Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TERRY HUFFINGTON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| LINDSAY DITTMAN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SYDNEY DITTMAN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant commitments to educational and research institutions:
Huo Family Foundation Awards $17.6M for Groundbreaking Research on the Impact\**University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work**: Endowed the Brené Brown Endowed Chair with a $2 million pledge over four years to support research on vulnerability, courage, shame, and worthiness.
**Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy**: Provided a $4 million gift to endow a fellow in child health policy and advance the institute's Child Health Policy Program. Dr. Quianta Moore was named the first Huffington Fellow in Child Health Policy.
Huffington Post Investigative Fund and Center for Public Integrity Join\Frequently Asked Questions
What does Huffington Foundation fund?
The foundation makes qualifying distributions to various charitable organizations to further educational, scientific, religious, and other charitable causes. Primary funding areas include: • Medical research and healthcare • Child health policy • Education • Environmental preservation and conservation • Women's health services • Homeless support programs • Cancer survivor support • Social work research and education
How do I apply for a grant from Huffington Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2023)** • Total giving: $9.4 million • Number of grants: 41-49 grants awarded • Median grant size: $25,000-$88,500 • Grant range: $1,500 to $2,000,000 • Average grant amount: $229,000 **Recent Notable Grants** • Texas Children's Hospital: $2,000,000 (Medical Research Programs) • Camp For All Foundation: $1,000,000 (Child Special Education Programs) • Rice University: $1,000,000 (Child Health Policy Chair) **Application Policy** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applic…
Where does Huffington Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, with a concentration in the Houston area. Some grants have been awarded to organizations in Colorado and New York.
What size grants does Huffington Foundation award?
In 2024, Huffington Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $9.1M — an average of about $269K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Huffington Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Huffington Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Huffington Foundation's EIN?
Huffington Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-6040840. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Huffington Foundation'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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