The Edward W Hazen Foundation
The Edward W Hazen Foundation is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, New York, incorporated in 1925 in Connecticut and tax-exempt since May 1938. The foundation operates with a small staff of 2 employees and focuses its grantmaking on education and youth development, with particular emphasis on grassroots and community-based organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$261K
-90.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-64.8% YoY
Grant Count
70
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
-50.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Edward W Hazen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $39K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's work is currently focused on public education and youth development. In public education, the foundation prioritizes parent and community organizing and training around school reform issues. In youth development, the foundation favors proposals that focus on training young people to become community or peer organizers around concrete social issues.
The foundation is a signatory to Philanthropy's Promise, an initiative of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), committing to allocate the majority of its grantmaking dollars to marginalized communities and at least 25 percent to social justice strategies, including advocacy, community organizing, and civic engagement.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to community-based and grassroots organizations. Typical grant awards range from $500 to $125,000. Recent grants have included $125,000 awards to organizations such as Arkansas Public Policy Panel and Khmer Girls in Action for general and project support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic focus varies by program area, with grantmaking activity spanning California, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as national coverage.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Financial data shows significant variation across reporting periods:
- Total Assets (2024): $261,086
- Total Assets (2023): $2,702,035
- Total Giving (2024): $1,529,500
- Total Revenues (2023): $160,540
- Total Expenses (2023): $2,906,126
The foundation's asset levels have declined substantially, reflecting a strategic decision to spend down resources.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $261,086 | $2,702,035 | $7,810,805 |
| Revenue | $12,581 | $160,540 | $-178,266 |
| Expenses | $1,323,194 | $2,906,126 | $3,680,739 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,394,850 | $5,256,731 | $4,404,522 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $137,932 | $59,247 |
| Distributable Amount | $39,315 | $260,762 | $469,875 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Highlander Research & Education Center ($125,000), Nollie Jenkins Family Center ($125,000), Bend the Arc ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A BETTER WAY FOUNDATION HARTFORD, CT | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| A BETTER WAY FOUNDATION HARTFORD, CT | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ASSOCIATION OF BLACK FOUNDATION EXECUTIVES NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| ACTION IN MONTGOMERY SILVER SPRING, MD | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ACTION IN MONTGOMERY SILVER SPRING, MD | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ARKANSA PUBLIC POLICY PANEL LITTLE ROCK, AR | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BEND THE ARC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| BLACK ORGANIZING PROJECT OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| COMMUNITY ASSET DEVELOPMENT RE-DEFINING EDUCATION (CADRE) LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CALIFORNIA YOUTH CONNECTION WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL AND PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Lori Bezahler serves as President of the Edward W Hazen Foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALBERTO RETANA | CHAIR | 3 | — |
| LORI BEZAHLER | PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 40 | $389,408 |
| STEVE FAHRER | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| CRISTINA JIMENEZ MORETA | VICE CHAIR | 3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Edward W Hazen Foundation announced a significant strategic shift, with the 100-year-old foundation spending down its assets with final grants to support youth organizing. This decision reflects the foundation's commitment to directing millions to BIPOC-led nonprofits during its final grantmaking period.
100-year-old foundation spends down assets with final grants to support youthFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Edward W Hazen Foundation fund?
The foundation's work is currently focused on public education and youth development. In public education, the foundation prioritizes parent and community organizing and training around school reform issues. In youth development, the foundation favors proposals that focus on training young people to become community or peer organizers around concrete social issues. The foundation is a signatory to Philanthropy's Promise, an initiative of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP)…
How do I apply for a grant from The Edward W Hazen Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to community-based and grassroots organizations. Typical grant awards range from $500 to $125,000. Recent grants have included $125,000 awards to organizations such as Arkansas Public Policy Panel and Khmer Girls in Action for general and project support. The foundation has demonstrated responsiveness to urgent community needs, including fast-tracking $2.8 million in grants to support grantees responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in communities of color.
Where does The Edward W Hazen Foundation make grants?
The foundation's geographic focus varies by program area, with grantmaking activity spanning California, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as national coverage.
What size grants does The Edward W Hazen Foundation award?
In 2024, The Edward W Hazen Foundation awarded 70 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Edward W Hazen Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Edward W Hazen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $39K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Edward W Hazen Foundation's EIN?
The Edward W Hazen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-0646671. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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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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