The Horn Foundation
The Horn Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. Its stated mission is to identify, engage, and empower change makers addressing social and environmental challenges, with a focus on education and the environment.
The Horn Foundation at a glance
In short: The Horn Foundation gave $3.2M across 61 grants in 2024 (avg $52K), top state New York. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,170,000
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 61
- +7.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $51,967
- -0.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $57,029,461
- +10.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (14 of 61, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (23% 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 Horn 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: 2632 Wilshire Blvd 701, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Phone: (818) 884-8774
Website: https://horn-foundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Horn Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Sundance Institute ($550K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
326 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 238 grants of 326 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in New York (23%), California (21%), the District of Columbia (20%), Massachusetts (18%), and North Carolina (15%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Horn Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 61 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $59K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 121% 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 $3.0M (2023) to $6.3M (2020). In 2024 it made 61 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sundance Institute New York, NY | General | $550,000 |
| Harvard Business School Boston, MA | General | $355,000 |
| Duke University Durham, NC | General | $315,000 |
| The Climate Reality Project Washington, DC | General | $300,000 |
| Howard University Boston, MA | General | $200,000 |
| NRDC New York, NY | General | $125,000 |
| AFI Los Angeles, CA | General | $100,000 |
| State Leadership Project Raleigh, NC | General | $100,000 |
| The Wilderness Society Washington, DC | General | $100,000 |
| World Wildlife Fund Washington, DC | General | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Horn 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 | $57,029,461 | $3,516,718 | $2,763,362 | $3,170,000 | 61 | $3,202,123 | $3,134,647 | $2,641,459 |
| 2023 | $51,576,251 | $826,610 | $3,294,699 | $2,983,500 | 57 | $3,030,263 | $1,080,690 | $2,454,668 |
| 2022 | $50,449,629 | $4,460,118 | $2,781,163 | $4,967,550 | 66 | $5,008,133 | $2,879,859 | $2,800,612 |
| 2021 | $65,118,825 | $6,259,718 | $3,905,666 | $5,082,850 | 65 | $5,124,167 | $5,763,609 | $3,152,474 |
| 2020 | $66,122,634 | $5,845,996 | $4,356,252 | $6,304,635 | 77 | — | $4,505,388 | $3,164,133 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Horn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M 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
The foundation’s stated mission is to help change makers tackle social and environmental challenges by providing a platform, resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Its stated focus areas are education and the environment.
Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in varied areas. For example, the Archer School for Girls describes its mission as supporting young women through a rigorous college-preparatory education. Captain Planet Foundation says it engages and empowers young people to be problem solvers for the planet. The Wilderness Society says it works to protect wilderness and public lands, while World Wildlife Fund says its mission is to conserve nature and reduce threats to the diversity of life on Earth. Other 2024 recipients include organizations whose stated missions concern breast cancer advocacy and education about peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 61 grants totaling $3,170,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $550,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Among the largest awards were $550,000 to Sundance Institute, $355,000 to Harvard Business School, $315,000 to Duke University, and $300,000 to The Climate Reality Project. Other notable grants included $125,000 to NRDC and $100,000 each to AFI, State Leadership Project, The Wilderness Society, and World Wildlife Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Cindy Horn as president, Alan F. Horn as vice president, and Pamela Wenn as treasurer.
The Horn Foundation is led by Cindy Horn, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cindy Horn
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alan F. Horn
Vice President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Wenn
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
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 Horn Foundation
How much does The Horn Foundation give each year?
The Horn Foundation gave $3.2M across 61 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.0M across 57 grants.
What is The Horn Foundation's typical grant size?
The Horn Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $51,967, across 61 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Horn Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does The Horn Foundation give grants?
The Horn Foundation's top state is New York, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (21%) and District of Columbia (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (16 grants), Washington, DC (8 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does The Horn Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Horn Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (61 of 61) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Horn Foundation's largest grantees?
The Horn Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Sundance Institute ($550,000), Harvard Business School ($355,000) and Duke University ($315,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Horn Foundation?
The Horn Foundation reported $57.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Horn Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to help change makers tackle social and environmental challenges by providing a platform, resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Its stated focus areas are education and the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Horn 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 Horn Foundation's EIN?
The Horn Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4247470. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Horn 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 Horn Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-horn-foundation-morg_0065e392217e4f85a52afe9b2ac21bab
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954247470_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Horn Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-horn-foundation-morg_0065e392217e4f85a52afe9b2ac21bab},
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 Horn 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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