The Hamer Foundation
The Hamer Foundation is a private foundation based in State College, Pennsylvania. Founded by Donald W. Hamer in 1989, it supports organizations in environmental, community, and educational areas, including conservation groups, local service organizations, libraries, and universities.
The Hamer Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hamer Foundation gave $4.8M across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $114K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,785,119
- -5.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- -6.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $113,931
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $45,000
- Total assets
- $61,802,778
- +6.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Hamer Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact The Hamer Foundation. Applications are submitted electronically and should include a short executive summary, budget, and proposal. The filing states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- January 31.
- Deadline
- January 31.
- Contact
Application contact: The Hamer Foundation
Mailing address: 2470 Fox Hill Road, State College, PA 16803
Phone: (814) 692-4616
Website: https://hamerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hamer Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
205 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 112 grants of 205 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 11% to Illinois, and 7% to Washington, DC. The foundation’s website identifies the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago as examples of funded projects outside a 100-mile radius that were of special interest to Don Hamer.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Hamer Foundation gives
- Giving fell 30% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 131% of 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.8M (2024) to $6.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 42 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $4,785,119 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,802,778 | $8,880,693 | $5,113,383 | $4,785,119 | 42 | $4,785,119 | $7,647,756 | $3,659,834 |
| 2023 | $58,035,468 | $1,764,824 | $5,357,484 | $5,059,398 | 45 | $5,059,398 | $2,071,028 | $3,741,498 |
| 2022 | $61,628,128 | $3,664,001 | $6,666,076 | $6,274,543 | 38 | $6,274,543 | $3,678,671 | $3,719,151 |
| 2021 | $64,630,203 | $7,478,610 | $7,789,995 | $6,827,845 | 42 | $6,827,845 | $7,478,737 | $4,193,082 |
| 2020 | $64,941,588 | $7,063,290 | $5,791,020 | $5,559,673 | 38 | — | $5,964,526 | $3,589,282 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hamer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.7M 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
The foundation’s website groups examples of its funded partners under environmental, community support, and educational support. Its environmental partners include conservation organizations and nature centers; its community partners include United Ways, libraries, and human-service organizations; and its educational partners include Penn State, the University of Illinois, and the University of Chicago.
Grantee missions illustrate the range of work supported. For example, World Wildlife Fund describes its mission as conserving nature and reducing threats to life on Earth. Centre County United Way says it works to improve lives by mobilizing resources for education, financial stability, and health. Centre County Historical Society describes its work as preserving, interpreting, and promoting the county’s history and culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $4,785,119. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $680,000, with a median grant of $45,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $680,000 to Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for operating support; $494,500 to The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania for operating support, programming, and easements; $460,000 to State College Food Bank for operating support; and $443,530 to Schlow Centre Region Library for operating support. Other notable grants included $420,000 to the University of Illinois Foundation for programming and $317,000 to World Wildlife Fund for programming.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patrick Morse, Jennifer Shuey, and Dan Crust as trustees. The foundation’s website identifies Donald W. Hamer as its founder.
The Hamer Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dan Crust
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $20K (2024)
Jennifer Shuey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $20K (2024)
Patrick Morse
Trustee
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$33K (2021) → $80K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Marie Bednar (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Diane Kerly (2020–2021) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $80K, to Patrick Morse (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Hamer Foundation
How much does The Hamer Foundation give each year?
The Hamer Foundation gave $4.8M across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.1M across 45 grants.
What is The Hamer Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hamer Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $45,000, and its average grant was $113,931, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Hamer Foundation give grants?
The Hamer Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (11%) and District of Columbia (7%).
Does The Hamer Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of The Hamer Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Programming" (7 grants) and "Program Support" (3 grants).
How large is The Hamer Foundation?
The Hamer Foundation reported $61.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hamer Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website groups examples of its funded partners under environmental, community support, and educational support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hamer Foundation?
Contact The Hamer Foundation. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Hamer Foundation's EIN?
The Hamer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1610780. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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 October 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Hamer Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hamer Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hamer-foundation-morg_ac4f9a7674bc41b6963a63fd031a4c19
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251610780_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hamer Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hamer-foundation-morg_ac4f9a7674bc41b6963a63fd031a4c19},
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 The Hamer 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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