The Hand Foundation Inc
The Hand Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. It supports education and opportunity, with a stated emphasis on advancing the Glades area community and beyond through improved access to education and enrichment initiatives.
The Hand Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Hand Foundation Inc gave $2.5M across 131 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in Florida. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,453,235
- +1433.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 131
- +156.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,727
- +496.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $167,037,283
- +255035.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Florida (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Hand Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s filing says applicants should submit a specific letter request for review by a selection committee. Its primary criteria are financial need for education, merit, and selection committee criteria.
- Review Cycle
- None stated; the filing says requests are generally for calendar use.
- Deadline
- None stated; the filing says requests are generally for calendar use.
- Contact
Application contact: Wesley Ledesma
Mailing address: 9100 Belvedere Rd Suite 210, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
Phone: (561) 567-9245
Email: wesley@handfoundationinc.org
Website: https://handfoundationinc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hand Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Florida Foundation ($825K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 79 grants to individuals ($192,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
366 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 356 grants of 366 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its work as serving the Glades area and beyond. In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, 7% to North Carolina, 2% to Texas, and 1% each to Illinois and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 131 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Hand Foundation Inc gives
- Giving grew 1174% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 49% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $147K (2022) to $2.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 131 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Florida Foundation Gainesville, FL | Organizational grant | $700,000 |
| Community Methodist Church Belle Glade, FL | Organizational grant | $170,000 |
| Glades Day School Belle Glade, FL | Organizational grant | $150,000 |
| Stetson University DeLand, FL | Organizational grant | $150,000 |
| University of Florida Foundation Gainesville, FL | Organizational grant | $125,000 |
| Glades Day School Belle Glade, FL | Organizational grant | $100,000 |
| Henderson County Rescue Squad Inc Hendersonville, NC | Organizational grant | $100,000 |
| Cross Training Ministries Clewiston, FL | Organizational grant | $100,000 |
| Connie and Ricky Sparks Scholarship Foundation Hendersonville, NC | Organizational grant | $50,000 |
| Frontline Healing Foundation Bandera, TX | Organizational grant | $50,000 |
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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 | $167,037,283 | $170,288,508 | $3,329,420 | $2,453,235 | 131 | $3,407,823 | $7,111,354 | $7,026,243 |
| 2023 | $65,470 | $250,274 | $184,194 | $160,000 | 51 | $160,000 | $274 | $2,356 |
| 2022 | $38,390 | $136,024 | $146,561 | $146,500 | 56 | $146,500 | $24 | $1,891 |
| 2021 | $29,927 | $205,022 | $193,112 | $192,500 | 65 | $192,500 | $22 | $1,603 |
| 2020 | $2,017 | $195,019 | $193,502 | $173,000 | 63 | — | $19 | $1,364 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hand Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $7.0M 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 stated aim is to help people build a better future for themselves and their communities through hard work, academic excellence, and sharing success. Its stated values include education, empowerment, stewardship, community, and impact. It says it supports student scholarships and grants funds to professionally managed, sustainable nonprofits.
Its 2024 organizational grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Glades Day School describes its mission as educating elementary and high school students; Stetson University says it provides education in a creative community and prepares students to reach their potential as informed citizens. Other recipients included Henderson County Rescue Squad, which describes its work as rescue and disaster-response services; Frontline Healing Foundation, which describes treatment and care for warriors with substance-use and co-occurring psychological disorders; and Quantum House, which operates a home for families of children receiving treatment at nearby medical centers.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 131 grants totaling $2,453,235. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $700,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Its filing also reports direct educational grants to 77 eligible students and organizational grants to 39 nonprofit entities. The Foundation says organizational support can fund scholarship programs, university research, community outreach, disaster relief, nonprofit programming, and capital projects.
Among its largest reported grants were $700,000 to University of Florida Foundation; $170,000 to Community Methodist Church; $150,000 each to Glades Day School and Stetson University; and $100,000 each to Henderson County Rescue Squad and Cross Training Ministries. Other notable grants included $50,000 to the Connie and Ricky Sparks Scholarship Foundation and $50,000 to Frontline Healing Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ruben Ledesma Jr as Secretary/Treasurer and Paul Orsenigo as Vice President. Directors listed are Patrick T Altman, P Derek Orsenigo, Wesley A Ledesma, and Thomas L Altman.
The Hand Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; all 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
P Derek Orsenigo
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$22K (2024)
Patrick T Altman
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$22K (2024)
Thomas L Altman
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$22K (2024)
Wesley A Ledesma
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$22K (2024)
Paul Orsenigo
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$22K (2024)
Ruben Ledesma Jr.
Secretary & Treasurer
Treasurer & Secretary → Secretarytreasurer, 2022
Secretarytreasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$119K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Frances R. Hand (2020–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Homer J. Hand (2020–2022) — President
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 $119K, to Ruben Ledesma Jr (Secretary/Treasurer). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Hand Foundation Inc
How much does The Hand Foundation Inc give each year?
The Hand Foundation Inc gave $2.5M across 131 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $160K across 51 grants.
What is The Hand Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Hand Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $18,727, across 131 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Hand Foundation Inc give grants?
The Hand Foundation Inc gives mostly in Florida: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Belle Glade, FL (15 grants), West Palm Beach, FL (7 grants), Gainesville, FL (4 grants) and Hendersonville, NC (3 grants).
Does The Hand Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 131 grants with a stated purpose on The Hand Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education grant" (79 grants) and "Organizational grant" (52 grants).
Who are The Hand Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Hand Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include University of Florida Foundation ($825,375 across 3 grants), Glades Day School ($250,000 across 2 grants) and Community Methodist Church ($190,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 79 grants to individuals ($192,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hand Foundation Inc?
The Hand Foundation Inc reported $167.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Hand Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated aim is to help people build a better future for themselves and their communities through hard work, academic excellence, and sharing success. Its stated values include education, empowerment, stewardship, community, and impact. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hand Foundation Inc?
The Foundation’s filing says applicants should submit a specific letter request for review by a selection committee. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Hand Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Hand Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-0118848. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hand Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hand-foundation-inc-morg_d2c3775204bb491fb73e11084fb37d01
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_650118848_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hand Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hand-foundation-inc-morg_d2c3775204bb491fb73e11084fb37d01},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Hand Foundation Inc'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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