The Heller Family Foundation
The Heller Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Franklin, Tennessee. In 2024, it reported making 15 grants totaling $88,000 to charitable organizations.
The Heller Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Heller Family Foundation gave $88K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), top state New Jersey. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $88,000
- -28.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -21.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,867
- -9.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,500
- Total assets
- $1,039,698
- -13.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (28% 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 Heller Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1344 Carnton Lane, Franklin, TN 37064
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Heller Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Princeton University ($25K). Together the top 10 received $83K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 77 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in several states. Recipient-state shares were New Jersey 28%, Tennessee 21%, Florida 17%, California 15%, and Maryland 11%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Heller Family Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $72K (2021) to $123K (2023). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $88K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | General Use | $25,000 |
| Tampa Museum of Art Tampa, FL | General Use | $15,000 |
| Cumberland University Lebanon, TN | General Use | $10,000 |
| The Roland Park Community Foundation Baltimore, MD | General Use | $10,000 |
| Fund for the City of New York - Power of Two New York, NY | General Use | $5,000 |
| Franklin's Charge Franklin, TN | General Use | $5,000 |
| Rise Education Fund Sherman Oaks, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| The Partners Program at College Prep Oakland, CA | General Use | $3,500 |
| Equal Chance for Education Nashville, TN | General Use | $2,500 |
| UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Use | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Heller Family Foundation?
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 | $1,039,698 | $-31,121 | $110,827 | $88,000 | 15 | $88,000 | — | $98,593 |
| 2023 | $1,199,780 | $35,923 | $140,384 | $122,988 | 19 | $122,988 | $18,739 | $95,094 |
| 2022 | $1,305,561 | $39,164 | $102,058 | $93,000 | 16 | $93,000 | $30,201 | $87,360 |
| 2021 | $1,323,281 | $39,497 | $83,611 | $71,500 | 14 | $71,500 | $28,474 | $93,623 |
| 2020 | $1,384,863 | $49,552 | $99,442 | $85,000 | 13 | — | $47,186 | $77,676 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Heller Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $99K 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 foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Tampa Museum of Art says it collects and exhibits art to educate, engage, and inspire; Cumberland University says it provides a personalized, value-based educational experience; and Equal Chance for Education says it provides scholarships paid directly to educational institutions.
Other 2024 recipients describe work in college affordability and civic participation (RISE Education Fund), preservation and public education about Civil War battlefields (Franklin’s Charge), youth and family services (East Bay Asian Youth Center), and African American culture and heritage (African American Heritage Society). These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $88,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median grant of $3,500. The largest awards included $25,000 to Princeton University, $15,000 to Tampa Museum of Art, and $10,000 each to Cumberland University and The Roland Park Community Foundation. Other reported grants included $5,000 to Franklin’s Charge and RISE Education Fund, and $2,500 to Equal Chance for Education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Anne Heller as chairman of the board, Carolynn Ayres Heller as president, Roderick Heller III as secretary, and Roderick Heller IV as treasurer.
The Heller Family Foundation is led by Carolynn Ayres Heller, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carolynn Ayres Heller
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Anne Heller
Chairman of the Board
Director → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roderick Heller III
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roderick Heller IV
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 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 Heller Family Foundation
How much does The Heller Family Foundation give each year?
The Heller Family Foundation gave $88K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $123K across 19 grants.
What is The Heller Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Heller Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,500, and its average grant was $5,867, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Heller Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Heller Family Foundation give grants?
The Heller Family Foundation's top state is New Jersey, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Tennessee (21%) and Florida (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (4 grants) and Franklin, TN (2 grants).
Does The Heller Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Heller Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Heller Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Heller Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Princeton University ($25,000), Tampa Museum of Art ($15,000) and Cumberland University ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Heller Family Foundation?
The Heller Family Foundation reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $88K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $99K (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 Heller Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Heller Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Heller Family Foundation's EIN?
The Heller Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2034432. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Heller Family 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
Live grants for the work The Heller Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Heller Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-heller-family-foundation-morg_9a8538594a8148f28a201b699fe3574f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522034432_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Heller Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-heller-family-foundation-morg_9a8538594a8148f28a201b699fe3574f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Heller Family 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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