The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation is a New York, New York–based private foundation that supports programs and individuals working in youth development, women’s leadership, and innovation. Established in 2010 as The Pussycat Foundation, it works with organizations and individuals to develop programs and pursue new ideas.
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation at a glance
In short: The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation gave $9.8M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $315K), top state New York. 48% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,774,531
- +31.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +47.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $315,307
- -10.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $149,335
- Total assets
- $95,877,615
- -2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (11 of 23, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (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 Helen Gurley Brown Foundation
- 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: 300 West 57Th St Fl 42, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 649-2045
Website: https://thehgbfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Northern Stage Company ($1.9M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $7.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($1,510,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 39 grants of 126 (31%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants went to recipients in multiple states. By grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were New York (31%), Vermont (25%), Massachusetts (14%), Tennessee (9%), and Colorado (6%). The foundation also made 2024 grants to organizations in states including Virginia and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 23 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $281K; repeat grants $544K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $382K repeat.
- 39% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). 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 $7.4M (2023) to $17.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $9.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $1,510,000 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Center Boston, MA | Leadership-the helen gurley brown presidential initiative grant: purpose: funding "helen fellows", "helen mentors", and "helen trailblazer" awards at dana-farber cancer institute to develop an initiative which is a supportive environment and network for researchers, and to advance their careers to help shepherd the next era of breakthroughs in cancer medicine and discovery. | $1,385,323 |
| Northern Stage Company White River Junction, VT | Leadership-"bold circle" grant: purpose: to create a network of artistic directors as well as associate artistic directors, producers, and fellows, who in turn will support innovative writers, directors, and designers, and the development of new pieces of artistic work written for the theater stage. | $1,260,652 |
| School Seed Foundation Memphis, TN | Youth and education- "bridgeup" "giddy up" grant:purpose: to offer under-resourced children a unique track to personal development, empowerment, academic excellence, and the pursuit of higher education through the medium of horseback riding. | $857,743 |
| National Center for Women and Information Technology Boulder, CO | Youth and education-"bridgeup" stem grant:purpose: to provide opportunities for underserved individuals of all backgrounds to learn the skills of computer science in small groups with their peers. | $624,198 |
| Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) New York, NY | Empowering innovation-robert a. Katzmann fellowship grant:purpose: to support ijc in recruiting, training and mentoring katzmann fellows. In addition, the grant supports up to three katzmann fellows through examination preparation, application fees, and scholarship support to attend law school. | $525,669 |
| Middlebury College Middlebury, VT | Leadership-"bold leadership network" grant:purpose: to establish and fund the "bold leadership network" program at middlebury college, the purpose of which is to develop leadership and support scholars within higher education. | $403,793 |
| Student Conservation Association Arlington, VA | Youth and education-"bridgeup" environment grant:purpose: to provide New York city high school youth with the opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, gain professional experience during summers between school years, and to develop, strengthen, and cultivate their skill sets into future conservation leaders. | $389,428 |
| Northern Stage Company White River Junction, VT | Youth and education-"bridgeup" theater in the schools grant:purpose: "changing the lives of students in Vermont and New Hampshire"-to support student and family matinee scholarships and to increase theater access and learning resources for rural and underserved youth in Vermont and New Hampshire through programs that bring teaching artists into the classroom, support curricular needs in underserved schools, and introduce young people to theater through access to professional productions. | $286,200 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Empowering innovation-brown institute, brown magic projects-deputy director fund:purpose: fund is used for the role of the deputy director of the brown institute who provides bi-coastal operational support of the brown institute directors and programming that includes education, partnerships, and fostering product thinking and programs to support entrepreneurs. | $283,333 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $95,877,615 | $7,882,480 | $11,245,429 | $9,774,531 | 31 | $10,520,216 | $7,531,512 |
| 2023 | $98,148,455 | $7,956,936 | $8,598,210 | $7,432,059 | 21 | $8,303,810 | $7,870,757 |
| 2022 | $97,722,247 | $2,893,682 | $18,241,868 | $17,036,170 | 27 | $17,636,075 | $2,514,526 |
| 2021 | $113,070,433 | $12,403,154 | $10,116,206 | $9,104,158 | 19 | $9,472,561 | $12,018,029 |
| 2020 | $110,783,485 | $5,514,427 | $17,078,735 | $16,335,996 | 28 | — | $5,140,963 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated vision is to build a world where all dreams are achievable. Its three program areas are Empowering Youth, which supports mentorship, education, and guidance; Empowering Women, which develops pathways through mentorship, workforce preparation, career guidance, and leadership; and Empowering Innovation, which supports projects seeking new ways to create change.
Foundation-supported work includes youth opportunities in areas such as computer science, academics, sports, environmental conservation, and the arts; leadership and career development; and innovative projects. Among its 2024 grantees, Northern Stage Company received grants for theater leadership, new theater work, and youth access to theater. Northern Stage describes its own mission as presenting professional theater and supporting community outreach, education, and the development of young artists. The National Center for Women and Information Technology received a grant for small-group computer science learning opportunities for underserved individuals.
The foundation says its programs, apart from Genius Grants, are co-created with grantees and involve regular communication to refine and develop the work. It also reports that its programming has reached more than 110,000 participants since 2012.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $9,774,531. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $1,510,000, with a median grant of $149,335.
Among the largest reported grants were $1,510,000 to an individual recipient High School for BridgeUP and BridgeOut support, including programming, scholarships, college preparation, job assistance, and alumni support; $1,385,323 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the Helen Gurley Brown Presidential Initiative; and $1,260,652 to Northern Stage Company for the Bold Circle, a network supporting theater leaders and the development of new work. Other large awards included $857,743 to School Seed Foundation for BridgeUP GiddyUP, $624,198 to the National Center for Women and Information Technology for a BridgeUP STEM program, and $525,669 to Immigrant Justice Corps for the Robert A. Katzmann Fellowship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eve Burton as president, Kim St Clair Bodden as vice president/secretary, and Roger Paschke as vice president/treasurer.
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation is led by Eve Burton, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eve Burton
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim St Clair Bodden
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger Paschke
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
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 Helen Gurley Brown Foundation
How much does The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation give each year?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation gave $9.8M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.4M across 21 grants.
What is The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's typical grant size?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $149,335, and its average grant was $315,307, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation that year got $281K on average.
Where does The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation give grants?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's top state is New York, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Vermont (25%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants) and Newark, NJ (3 grants).
Does The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's largest grantees?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Northern Stage Company ($1,873,852 across 4 grants), Dana-Farber Cancer Center ($1,385,323) and School Seed Foundation ($857,743), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($1,510,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation reported $95.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $7.9M.
What does The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated vision is to build a world where all dreams are achievable. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation?
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 Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's EIN?
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3406311. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation 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
(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 Helen Gurley Brown Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-helen-gurley-brown-foundation-morg_6bebff30be224d1782bb575f908fd20f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_273406311_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-helen-gurley-brown-foundation-morg_6bebff30be224d1782bb575f908fd20f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Helen Gurley Brown 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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