The Hazel Fund
The Hazel Fund is a private foundation based in Mercer Island, Washington. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in higher education, justice, advocacy, and other areas.
The Hazel Fund at a glance
In short: The Hazel Fund gave $97K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), top state Michigan. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $96,875
- -27.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,055
- -45.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $332,772
- -17.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (7 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (31% 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 Hazel Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7525 Se 24Th St Ste 360, Mercer Island, WA 98040
Phone: (206) 618-5582
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hazel Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Rainier Athletes ($30K). Together the top 10 received $93K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 70 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan (31%), Washington (28%), Washington, DC (17%), Mississippi (15%), and New York (4%). The listed grants also include recipients in Georgia, Oregon, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Hazel Fund open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 16 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 41% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 385% of 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 $83K (2022) to $165K (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $97K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rainier Athletes Grand Rapids, MI | General Support | $30,000 |
| Heritage University Toppenish, WA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Alliance for Justice Washington, DC | General Support | $15,000 |
| Mississippi Center for Justice Jackson, MS | General Support | $15,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Americus, GA | General Support | $2,000 |
| UKC Basketball Club CLE Elum, WA | General Purpose | $1,500 |
| ACLU New York, NY | General Support | $1,200 |
| Amnesty International New York, NY | General Support | $1,000 |
| Child Aid Portland, OR | General Support | $1,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Washington, DC | General Support | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hazel Fund?
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 | $332,772 | $52,251 | $121,491 | $96,875 | 16 | $110,045 | $42,350 | $28,558 |
| 2023 | $402,012 | $84,781 | $153,452 | $133,750 | 12 | $145,750 | $77,079 | $28,868 |
| 2022 | $470,683 | $40,580 | $103,468 | $83,050 | 10 | $96,112 | $34,108 | $35,051 |
| 2021 | $533,571 | $111,919 | $184,275 | $165,290 | 18 | $178,273 | $106,050 | $36,589 |
| 2020 | $605,927 | $-80,801 | $149,658 | $124,920 | 14 | — | $15,438 | $34,748 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hazel Fund reported a distributable amount of $29K 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 fund is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for Heritage University, whose mission is to help a multicultural and inclusive student body overcome barriers to higher education, and the Mississippi Center for Justice, which describes its work as advancing racial and economic justice. Alliance for Justice says it builds progressive movements by training and educating nonprofits on advocacy and harnessing their collective power to transform state and federal courts.
Other 2024 recipients included organizations in arts education, literacy, health, and international aid. For example, the School of American Ballet says its mission is to train students for professional careers in classical ballet, and Child Aid says it promotes social and economic development through literacy in Guatemala.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund awarded 16 grants totaling $96,875. The grants ranged from $300 to $30,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Its largest listed grants were $30,000 to Rainier Athletes, $25,000 to Heritage University, and $15,000 each to Alliance for Justice and the Mississippi Center for Justice. Other listed awards included $2,000 to Habitat for Humanity, $1,500 to UKC Basketball Club, and $1,200 to ACLU.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Frank J Baron as president and Wylie G Burke as secretary/treasurer.
The Hazel Fund is led by Frank J. Baron, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Frank J. Baron
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Wylie G. Burke
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
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 Hazel Fund
How much does The Hazel Fund give each year?
The Hazel Fund gave $97K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $134K across 12 grants.
What is The Hazel Fund's typical grant size?
The Hazel Fund's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $6,055, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hazel Fund that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Hazel Fund give grants?
The Hazel Fund's top state is Michigan, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (28%) and District of Columbia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Hazel Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 94% of The Hazel Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Hazel Fund's largest grantees?
The Hazel Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Rainier Athletes ($30,000), Heritage University ($25,000) and Alliance for Justice ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hazel Fund?
The Hazel Fund reported $333K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $110K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hazel Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hazel Fund?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it 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 Hazel Fund's EIN?
The Hazel Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3761366. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hazel Fund 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Hazel Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Washington
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Puget Sound Energy Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The Puget Sound Energy Foundation funds nonprofits serving communities where PSE has a service or generation presence, primarily in Washington, across household needs, education and workforce pathways, climate resilience, and community safety. Grants vary widely; in 2024 they ranged from $13 to $100,000, with a $500 median, while its 2026 disaster-focused competitive program offers up to $15,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but eligible local nonprofits can apply through that competitive program.
Assets
$19.6M
Grants
451
Total Given
$1.2M
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust funds nonprofit capacity-building and projects in arts and culture, civic and community services, education, health and environmental stewardship, and scientific research across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its 2024 median grant was $87,000, with awards ranging from $4,000 to about $1.55 million. Eligible organizations can submit a Letter of Inquiry; full applications are by invitation.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
The Avista Foundation
Spokane, WA
The Avista Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in education, basic needs and poverty, and economic and cultural vitality. Its 2025 grants had a median of $1,000, though awards ranged from $20 to $350,000, and it serves communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, parts of southern Oregon, Sanders County, Montana, and Juneau, Alaska.
Assets
$10.6M
Grants
577
Total Given
$2.2M
REI Cooperative Action Fund
Sumner, WA
The REI Cooperative Action Fund supports U.S. nonprofits expanding equitable access to the outdoors, connecting historically excluded communities with outdoor experiences, and advancing research on nature and health. In 2024, grants ranged from $9,342 to $386,438, with a median of $15,000; it funds organizations serving communities across the U.S. and does not accept unsolicited grant requests, though recommendations are considered.
Assets
$11.2M
Grants
561
Total Given
$13.5M
More similar funders
More Funders in Washington
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hazel Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hazel-fund-morg_2dfcbf97717941fdb13c158f9c1f3cbe
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_473761366_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hazel Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hazel-fund-morg_2dfcbf97717941fdb13c158f9c1f3cbe},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Hazel Fund'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.
The Hazel Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?