The Hartwell Foundation Corporation is a private foundation established in 1996, based in Essex, New York. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) entity with a staff of three employees. The foundation focuses on funding biomedical research with applications that benefit children in the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$57.8M
+25.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
-1.7% YoY
Grant Count
12
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$177K
+22.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Primary Mission
The foundation's primary mission is to grant awards to individuals for innovative and cutting-edge biomedical applied research that will potentially benefit children. The foundation targets early-stage research projects that have not yet qualified for funding from traditional sources. Recipients and the children who benefit should be citizens of the United States. The Primary Mission is led by the President.
Additional Missions
The foundation also supports special projects that directly benefit the health and well-being of children in the United States. These Additional Missions are led by the Chief Executive Officer. All missions of the foundation are considered of equal importance.
Guiding Principle
The foundation's approach is to be unique, selective, thorough, and accountable. The organization insists that recipients utilize funds efficiently and responsibly, providing opportunities for those supported to make a difference and realize their hopes and dreams.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 17 grants in the most recent reporting year. Typical award amounts range from $11,000 to $1,000,000.
How to Apply
. Only those nominated by participating institutions are considered for funding. All funding aligns with the foundation's mission to invest in projects that directly benefit the health and well-being of children in the United States.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Recipients and beneficiaries should be citizens of the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (2024)
- Total assets: $57,794,443
- Total giving: $2,125,000
- Total expenses: $6,210,816
Revenue (2024)
- Total revenues: -$286,076
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $57,794,443 | $46,079,635 | $46,392,645 |
| Revenue | $-286,076 | $-21,629,643 | $5,256,698 |
| Expenses | $6,210,816 | $7,406,761 | $7,066,444 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,073,206 | $7,382,627 | $6,900,783 |
| Net Investment Income | $281,409 | $280,808 | $2,756,542 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
80 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Tragedy Assistance Program ($900,000), Regents of University of Ca ($300,000), University of Pennsylvania ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMI KIDS TAMPA, FL | CHILDREN PROGRAMS | $125,000 |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | FELLOWSHIP AWARDS | $50,000 |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND, OH | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $50,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $100,000 |
| DREXEL UNIVERSITY PHILADELPHIA, PA | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $50,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NC | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $150,000 |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CTR SEATTLE, WA | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $100,000 |
| REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF CA OAKLAND, CA | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $300,000 |
| TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ARLINGTON, VA | CHILDREN CAMPS/PROGRAMS | $900,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | FELLOWSHIP AWARD | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LARRY H SMEAD | CHAIRMAN/CEO | 20 | — |
| FREDERICK DOMBROSE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $185,824 |
| ROBERT WOLFERT | VP | 40 | $153,144 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced the 2025 Hartwell Top Ten Centers of Biomedical Research Awards. Case Western Reserve University was again selected as one of the nation's Top 10 Centers for Biomedical Research. In 2023, faculty members from the University of Pennsylvania—Kyle H. Vining and Julia T. Warren—were named Hartwell Foundation Awardees.
The Hartwell Foundation Corp Mr Russell J Hensley - Full FilingSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Hartwell Foundation Corporation fund?
**Primary Mission** The foundation's primary mission is to grant awards to individuals for innovative and cutting-edge biomedical applied research that will potentially benefit children. The foundation targets early-stage research projects that have not yet qualified for funding from traditional sources. Recipients and the children who benefit should be citizens of the United States. The Primary Mission is led by the President. **Additional Missions** The foundation also supports special projec…
How do I apply for a grant from The Hartwell Foundation Corporation?
**Grant Activity** The foundation made 17 grants in the most recent reporting year. Typical award amounts range from $11,000 to $1,000,000. **Selection Process** The foundation maintains full-time employees who are significantly involved in selecting, screening, investigating, and interviewing all nominated researchers. Staff review research and meet at least quarterly with researchers through video conference and in-person visits to participating institutions. Employees manage, supervise, and …
Where does The Hartwell Foundation Corporation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Recipients and beneficiaries should be citizens of the United States.
What size grants does The Hartwell Foundation Corporation award?
In 2024, The Hartwell Foundation Corporation awarded 12 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $177K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Hartwell Foundation Corporation's EIN?
The Hartwell Foundation Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1468749. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Hartwell Foundation Corporation'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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