The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Peoria, Arizona. In 2024, it reported 32 grants totaling $878,500 to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Arizona.
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation gave $879K across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Arizona. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $878,500
- +1040.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- +60.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,453
- +613.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $148,079
- -80.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (13 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9193 W Sands Drive, Peoria, AZ 85383
Phone: (602) 253-8491
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was My Border Collie Brain ($75K). Together the top 10 received $630K.
Grant Size Distribution
112 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 112 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona, 9% to Texas, 7% to Colorado, and 1% each to New York and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 32 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 1192% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $68K (2021) to $879K (2024). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $879K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| My Border Collie Brain Houston, TX | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Season for Sharing Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $75,000 |
| St Marys Food Bank Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $75,000 |
| St Vincent De Paul Society Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $75,000 |
| The Salvation Army Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Central Arizona Shelter Services Inc Phoenix, AZ | Charity | $50,000 |
| Durango Food Bank Durango, CO | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Arizona Animal Welfare League Phoenix, AZ | Charity | $40,000 |
| Gompers Habilitation Center Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ellie & Les Hayt Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $148,079 | $159,490 | $882,117 | $878,500 | 32 | $878,500 | $155,248 | $38,261 |
| 2023 | $745,535 | $45,973 | $80,151 | $77,000 | 20 | $77,000 | $40,322 | $39,277 |
| 2022 | $819,397 | $16,236 | $91,609 | $88,000 | 20 | $88,000 | $32,392 | $41,595 |
| 2021 | $962,638 | $101,513 | $71,138 | $68,000 | 19 | $68,000 | $98,375 | $41,456 |
| 2020 | $781,936 | $41,631 | $78,098 | $74,050 | 21 | — | $37,830 | $36,690 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work represented in its 2024 giving. Central Arizona Shelter Services says its mission is to prevent and end homelessness among individuals and families; Durango Food Bank describes its work as feeding and empowering neighbors in need; and Phoenix Children’s Hospital says it advances hope, healing, and healthcare for children and their families.
Other 2024 recipients include Arizona Burn Foundation, which says it works to improve the quality of life of burn survivors and their families while promoting prevention, advocacy, and education; One Step Beyond, which describes programs to empower people with developmental disabilities; and Circle the City, which says it delivers healthcare solutions for people facing homelessness in Maricopa County.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 32 grants totaling $878,500. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $75,000, with a median of $12,500. Its largest reported grants included $75,000 each to My Border Collie Brain, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Season for Sharing, St. Marys Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and The Salvation Army. Other notable grants included $50,000 each to Central Arizona Shelter Services and Durango Food Bank; $40,000 each to Arizona Animal Welfare League and Gompers Habilitation Center; and $30,000 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Additional 2024 recipients included Hospice of the Valley ($25,000), Arizona Burn Foundation ($25,000), One Step Beyond ($20,000), and Circle the City ($15,000). The filing states that the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nancy Lewis as president/director, Michelle Grace as secretary/treasurer/director, and Lester J Hayt Jr as director.
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation is led by Nancy Lewis, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nancy Lewis
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lester J. Hayt Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michelle Grace
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation
How much does The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation give each year?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation gave $879K across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $77K across 20 grants.
What is The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $27,453, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation give grants?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Texas (9%) and Colorado (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (20 grants) and Durango, CO (2 grants).
Does The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 32 grants with a stated purpose on The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (30 grants).
Who are The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include My Border Collie Brain ($75,000), Ronald McDonald House Charities ($75,000) and Season for Sharing ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation reported $148K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $879K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $38K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work represented in its 2024 giving. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 02-0760235. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ellie & Les Hayt Family 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ellie & Les Hayt Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellie-and-les-hayt-family-foundation-morg_c1092cccaa8248569072a7c9728a9ad1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_020760235_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ellie \& Les Hayt Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellie-and-les-hayt-family-foundation-morg_c1092cccaa8248569072a7c9728a9ad1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 The Ellie & Les Hayt Family 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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