The Hsieh Family Foundation
The Hsieh Family Foundation is a private, independent foundation based in Pasadena, California. Established in January 2006, it operates as a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization dedicated to grantmaking across multiple sectors including education, arts and culture, and human services.
Key facts about The Hsieh Family Foundation
In short: The Hsieh Family Foundation gave $1.6M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $161K), mostly in California. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-2790125
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,612,965
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $161,297
- Median grant
- $100,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (6 of 10, 2024)
- Total assets
- $7,665,476
- Primary geography
- California (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Quick answers about The Hsieh Family Foundation
How much does The Hsieh Family Foundation give each year?
The Hsieh Family Foundation gave $1.6M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 12 grants.
What is The Hsieh Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hsieh Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $161,297, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hsieh Family Foundation that year got $138K on average.
Where does The Hsieh Family Foundation give grants?
The Hsieh Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (7%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Pasadena, CA (2 grants).
Does The Hsieh Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of The Hsieh Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Hsieh Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hsieh Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include City of Hope ($600,000), The J Paul Getty Trust ($509,703) and Asian American Scholar Forum Inc ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is The Hsieh Family Foundation open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 10 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $138K; repeat grants $197K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $92K repeat.
- 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 246% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 396% 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.
Next steps with The Hsieh Family Foundation
- How to evaluate The Hsieh Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Hsieh Family Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.7M
+1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
-8.5% YoY
Grant Count
10
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$161K
+9.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hsieh Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $407K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education: Higher education, educational initiatives, and academic institutions
- Arts and Culture: Museums, art museums, and cultural organizations
- Human Services: Community-focused programs and initiatives
- Philanthropy and Grantmaking: Support for philanthropic endeavors
- Health and Science Research: Including nanomedicine and cancer therapy research
Grantmaking
The foundation appears open to new applicants and accepts grant proposals.
Grant Range
$910–$1,170,000
Average Grant
$910–$1,170,000
Ready to take the next step with The Hsieh Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states and locations, including:
- Primary states: California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, and New York
- Specific cities: Armonk, Duarte, La Jolla, Los Angeles, New York, Pasadena, San Marino, Tampa, Washington, West Haven, and Yorba Linda
- International: Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 10 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $7,564,913
- Total Revenue: $364,618
- Total Expenses: $504,937
- Total Liabilities: $17,900,000
As of December 2021:
- Total Assets: $11,437,584
The foundation's financial position reflects significant assets dedicated to its grantmaking mission, with annual expenses exceeding revenues in recent years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,665,476 | $7,564,913 | $9,110,660 |
| Revenue | $1,432,330 | $364,618 | $741,220 |
| Expenses | $1,689,627 | $504,937 | $7,634,284 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,613,065 | $1,790,749 | $3,340,640 |
| Net Investment Income | $347,237 | $297,615 | $229,689 |
| Distributable Amount | $407,036 | $422,754 | $551,005 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
71 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CITY OF HOPE Duarte, CA | TO SUPPORT CANCER AND DIABETES TREATMENT AND RESEARCH | $600,000 |
| THE J PAUL GETTY TRUST Los Angeles, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE J. PAUL GETTY TRUST'S PST ART | $509,703 |
| ASIAN AMERICAN SCHOLAR FORUM INC New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| CAF AMERICA Alexandria, VA | TO SUPPORT CHINA ART FOUNDATION | $100,000 |
| HUNTINGTON LIBRARY San Marino, CA | TO SUPPORT LIU FANG YUAN | $100,000 |
| INSTITUTE 2100 INC Milwaukee, WI | FOR NIXON FOUNDATION PROJECT | $100,000 |
| POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL Pasadena, CA | TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $83,686 |
| THE ROYAL OAK FOUNDATION New York, NY | TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT HISTORIC PLACES AND SPACES - FOREVER, FOR EVERYONE | $12,576 |
| CALTECH Pasadena, CA | CREATE THE TYPE OF RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS IMAGINATIVE INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY | $4,000 |
| CHINA INSTITUTE IN AMERICA New York, NY | TO SUPPORT CHINA INSTITUTE IN AMERICA'S EVENT | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Ming Hsieh: Director and Chairman
- Fang Zhi Liu Hsieh: Director, Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer
Both leaders serve without compensation. Ming Hsieh founded Cogent Inc., a Pasadena-based company that revolutionized automated fingerprint identification. He earned a BSEE in 1983 and an MSEE in 1984 from USC and serves as a trustee of the university. He was previously listed on the Forbes billionaire list and has given away at least $100 million since the foundation's establishment in 2006.
The Hsieh Family Foundation is led by Ming Hsieh, Director - Chairman on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ming Hsieh
Director - Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fang Zhi Liu Hsieh
Director - Secretary & CFO
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Hsieh Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • **Education**: Higher education, educational initiatives, and academic institutions • **Arts and Culture**: Museums, art museums, and cultural organizations • **Human Services**: Community-focused programs and initiatives • **Philanthropy and Grantmaking**: Support for philanthropic endeavors • **Health and Science Research**: Including nanomedicine and cancer therapy research
How do I apply for a grant from The Hsieh Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 21 grants in 2023 • Total giving of $1,612,965 (based on 2024 filing data) • Average grant size: $910–$1,170,000 • Median grant size: $100,000 **Recent Grants (2023):** • University of New Haven: $140,000 (to support Henry C. Lee Institute) • Huntington Library Art Museum and Botanical Gardens: $100,000 (to support Liu Fang Yuan) • National Academy of Engineering Fund: $100,000 (to support NAE's Programs) **Notable Historical Support:** • $35 million to USC electrical…
How much is The Hsieh Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Hsieh Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $407K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Hsieh Family Foundation's EIN?
The Hsieh Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2790125. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Hsieh Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Jewish Community Federation of San
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
Greater Horizons
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
3,282
Total Given
$212.2M
The Rose Hills Foundation
Pasadena, CA
Assets
$561.2M
Grants
297
Total Given
$27.9M
Asian Pacific Community Fund of
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$34.7M
Grants
67
Total Given
$3.2M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$382.1M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Sempra Foundation
San Diego, CA
Assets
$11.5M
Grants
1,501
Total Given
$1.8M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
Chamberlin Education Foundation
Richmond, CA
Assets
$80.6M
Grants
1,302
Total Given
$3.0M
More Funders in California
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.