The Hussman Foundation
The Hussman Foundation is a private foundation based in Little Rock, Arkansas, established in 1985. The foundation operates with a mission to provide life-changing assistance through medical research, education, and direct aid to vulnerable populations facing urgent needs or significant disabilities.
Key facts about The Hussman Foundation
- EIN
- 58-1605071
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $491,400
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- Average grant
- $10,238
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (12 of 48, 2024)
- Total assets
- $10,764,878
- Primary geography
- Arkansas (67% 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).
Who The Hussman Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Hussman Foundation's 48 itemized 2024 grants were Arkansas (67%), Virginia (11%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Little Rock, AR (29 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Arlington, VA (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Hussman Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 48 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (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 Hussman Foundation
- How to evaluate The Hussman Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.8M
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$491K
-1.3% YoY
Grant Count
48
+14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-13.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hussman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $507K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to provide life-changing assistance through medical research, education, and direct aid to vulnerable populations having urgent needs or significant disabilities. The foundation emphasizes projects with the capacity to save or significantly improve lives at a small financial commitment per person affected, seeking to "tip the balance" in critical areas where research or intervention can significantly alter the course of individual lives.
Primary funding areas include:
- Medical Research: Supporting promising medical research in autism, diabetes, malaria, and other conditions, along with under-funded lines of investigation
- Education: Funding preschool and primary school programs, community-based programs that take children off the streets, training for migrant workers, support for young adult migrant students, and teacher training in remote areas
- International Programs: Supporting education for refugees and displaced populations, particularly Burmese migrant workers and their families
- Special Projects: Establishing model programs and providing direct aid to vulnerable populations
Grantmaking
The foundation made 41 grants in 2023. Recent grants include:
Ready to take the next step with The Hussman Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects primarily in Arkansas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. International work focuses on education programs for Burmese migrant workers and refugees, with particular emphasis on communities in Thailand and Burma.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 48 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $10,024,424
- Total Revenues: $643,151
- Total Expenses: $530,710
- Investment Income and Dividends: $261,359
The foundation operates with 0 employees and is run by its board of trustees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,764,878 | $10,024,424 | $9,116,698 |
| Revenue | $418,840 | $643,151 | $321,380 |
| Expenses | $533,014 | $530,710 | $494,089 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $491,400 | $498,600 | $454,700 |
| Net Investment Income | $389,280 | $620,431 | $302,553 |
| Distributable Amount | $507,001 | $455,409 | $473,097 |
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
209 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Arkansas Community Foundation ($100,000), Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts ($70,000), Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Community Foundation Little Rock, AR | General Support | $100,000 |
| Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Little Rock, AR | General Support | $70,000 |
| Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation Vienna, VA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Artspace Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $25,000 |
| Equitable Facilities Fund New York City, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| Hoover Institution Washington, DC | General Support | $25,000 |
| PARK Endowment Fund Little Rock, AR | General Support | $20,000 |
| Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Center Little Rock, AR | General Support | $20,000 |
| The Muses Inc Hot Springs, AR | General Support | $19,000 |
| Arkansas Newspaper Foundation Little Rock, AR | General Support | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Walter Hussman Jr.: Trustee
- Robena Hussman: Trustee
- Robert Tucker: Trustee
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2022 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Hussman Jr | President | 1 | — |
| Robena Hussman | Director | 1 | — |
| Robert Tucker | Director | 1 | — |
| Palmer Hussman | Executive Director | 1 | — |
| Eliza Gaines | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Olivia Ramsey | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Hussman Foundation's work was honored with the 2013 Philanthropist of The Year award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Hussman announces four $25K awards for \u2018most fair, objective, impartial\u2019\The foundation maintains an active research and perspectives program, with leadership publishing remarks and research presentations on topics including autism, philanthropy, and medical research.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Hussman Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to provide life-changing assistance through medical research, education, and direct aid to vulnerable populations having urgent needs or significant disabilities. The foundation emphasizes projects with the capacity to save or significantly improve lives at a small financial commitment per person affected, seeking to "tip the balance" in critical areas where research or intervention can significantly alter the course of individual lives. Primary funding areas include:
How do I apply for a grant from The Hussman Foundation?
The foundation made 41 grants in 2023. Recent grants include: • Arkansas Community Foundation: $100,000 (General Support) • Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation: $50,000 (General Support) • The Muses: $40,000 (General Support) Typical grant awards range from $250 to $100,000. The foundation also supports the Burmese Migrant Workers Education Committee (BMWEC), currently funding 22 schools and core administrative costs for the organization. The foundation helps organizations develop grant-writ…
Where does The Hussman Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds projects primarily in Arkansas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. International work focuses on education programs for Burmese migrant workers and refugees, with particular emphasis on communities in Thailand and Burma.
What size grants does The Hussman Foundation award?
In 2024, The Hussman Foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $491K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Hussman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Hussman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $507K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Hussman Foundation's EIN?
The Hussman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1605071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.