The Heckscher Foundation for Children is a private philanthropic foundation based in New York City, incorporated in 1921. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to level the playing field for underserved youth through strategic grantmaking and direct programming. The foundation employs approximately 20 staff members and maintains its headquarters at 123 E 70th Street in New York.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$360.9M
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.0M
-13.3% YoY
Grant Count
104
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$125K
-13.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary aim is to "level the playing field" for underserved youth by providing access to education and enriching experiences. The organization employs a venture philanthropy framework, identifying specific obstacles that prevent underserved youth from realizing their full potential and targeting "inflection points"—key junctures where strategic grants can change the course of their lives.
The foundation focuses on three principal funding strategies:
- Catalytic giving
- Strategic partnerships
- Targeted problem solving
Primary funding areas include:
- College access and success
- Workforce training and jobs access
- Arts and physical education that improves classroom achievement
- Arts and culture
- Health and community development
- Youth development and services
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation has made 412 grants totaling $51.6 million to 189 unique organizations based on available records. The foundation indicates it makes contributions primarily to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
$100,000
Average Grant
award: $125,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated primarily in New York, with significant activity in Florida and Massachusetts. These three states account for approximately 88% of all grants. The foundation also funds initiatives in additional states including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $360.9 million (as of 2024)
- Total assets: $341.5 million (as of 2023)
- Annual revenue: $8.72 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $18.7 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $20.8 million (2023)
- Total revenues: $13.1 million (2023)
Historical Asset Growth: Assets have grown from $233.6 million in 2011 to $360.9 million in 2024.
Tax Status:
- EIN: 13-1820170
- Tax-exempt since February 1938
- 501(c)(3) organization
- Donations are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $360,930,796 | $341,543,020 | $330,768,424 |
| Revenue | $8,720,325 | $13,079,325 | $9,664,353 |
| Expenses | $18,708,970 | $20,843,955 | $17,923,295 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,598,678 | $18,927,789 | $17,113,474 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,633,589 | $11,583,912 | $8,586,985 |
| Distributable Amount | $16,746,498 | $15,735,023 | $16,534,782 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Executives:
- Howard Grant Sloane: Chairman and CEO
- Nessia Kushner: Director of Strategy
- Bari Rausnitz: Board Member
- Giselle Robledo: Staff member (title not specified)
The foundation is governed by 24 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HILARY AZRAEL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK E BECK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRIAN FEINSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LEIGH KLINE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL LAUB | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATHRYN MEYERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATT PERELMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARI RAUSNITZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LOUIS SMADBECK JR | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDER SLOANE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAKE SLOANE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY SMADBECK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LOUIS SMADBECK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK SMADBECK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAUL SMADBECK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDER TAUBMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DAVID TILLSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| FRANK ZHANG | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NESSIA KUSHNER | TRUSTEE & DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY | 30 | $100,476 |
| PHILIPPE LAUB | SECRETARY/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HOWARD GRANT SLOANE | CHAIRMAN & CEO/TRUSTEE | 35 | $499,202 |
| GAIL MEYERS | VICE-CHAIR/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ARTHUR SMADBECK | VICE-CHAIR & TREAS/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| OURANIA VOKOLOS-ZIAS | ASST.TREASURER & COO | 35 | $329,409 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced recent grant awards including:
Queensborough Heckscher Foundation for Children Grant$750,000 to Central Park Conservancy for playground restoration (2023)
$659,000 to Literacy Academy Collective for school support (2023)
$300,000 grant to LaGuardia Community College for a pipeline to degree program
LaGuardia Community College Receives $300000 Grant from ...$2 million in grants awarded through a foundation partnership to re-engage young New Yorkers
Foundation Partnership Awards $2 Million in Grants to Re-engage ...The foundation published a 2025 Annual Report documenting its approach to addressing challenges faced by underserved youth.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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