The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc
The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc is a private independent foundation established in 2015 in West Hempstead, New York. Founded by Jeanine Heller, who chose to distribute her assets to charitable causes during her lifetime rather than after her death, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff, and all board members serve without compensation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.1M
+26.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+55.8% YoY
Grant Count
51
+30.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
+19.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission statement is "Helping Others Help Others." The foundation aims to support lesser-known organizations run primarily by volunteers that are making a difference in their communities.
While Jeanine Heller personally supported Armenian churches and cat charities during her lifetime, she encouraged the foundation to broaden its scope beyond her individual interests. The foundation now supports charitable organizations across multiple focus areas including education, human services, and philanthropy/voluntarism/grantmaking.
Grantmaking
The foundation offers general grants with no fixed application deadlines. An online contact form is available through the foundation's website for inquiries.
Grant Range
** $2,500 to $150,000, with a median grant size of $10,000
Review Cycle
. An online contact form is available through the foundation's website for inquiries.
Ready to take the next step with The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations across the United States and Canada, with particular activity in New York, Alaska, and Virginia, as well as other states including California and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $23,034,755 (as of fiscal year ending September 2024)
Annual Revenue: $6,431,345 (fiscal year 2024)
Annual Expenses: $1,462,144 (fiscal year 2024)
Total Giving: $1,395,655 (2024)
The foundation has experienced significant growth since its inception, expanding from initial assets of approximately $320,000 in 2017 to over $23 million by 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,085,615 | $18,236,105 | $17,295,305 |
| Revenue | $6,431,345 | $5,630,103 | $12,219,042 |
| Expenses | $1,411,284 | $866,933 | $903,059 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,345,784 | $866,933 | $880,924 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,431,345 | $386,187 | $107,188 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,293,618 | $878,178 | $707,600 |
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
153 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Koinonia-martin Luther Camp Corp ($100,000), Lutheran Disaster Response-elca Gift Processing Center ($100,000), Planned Parenthood of Nassau County ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACDS PLAINVIEW, NY | THE SUNSHINE FUND GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER SEWARD, AK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION BINGHAMPTON, NY | FOR HARPURS FERRY VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE | $10,000 |
| BUILDING HOMES FOR HEROES ISLAND PARK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CAMP DUDLEY WESTPORT, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| CHILDREN OF HOPE FOUNDATION WANTAGH, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CITIZENS CAMPAIGN FUND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT FARMINGDALE, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ERASE RACISM SYOSSET, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| H FRANK CAREY HIGH SCHOOL FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY | FM SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| HOSPICE OF WESTCHESTER WHITE PLAINS, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a volunteer board of directors:
- William A. Vogel – President
- Shawn H. Vogel – Secretary/Treasurer
- Rev. Lynn Sullivan – Vice-President
- Sonja Greggersen – Vice-President
All board members serve without compensation and prefer to maintain a low profile while ensuring Jeanine Heller's generosity is acknowledged.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM A VOGEL | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| SONJA SANCHEZ GREGGERSEN | VICE-PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| SHAWN H VOGEL | SEC/TREAS | 3 | — |
| LYNN A SULLIVAN | VICE-PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 256 Hamilton Avenue, West Hempstead, NY 11552
Website: www.jhellerfoundation.org
EIN: 81-0691564
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission statement is **"Helping Others Help Others."** The foundation aims to support lesser-known organizations run primarily by volunteers that are making a difference in their communities. While Jeanine Heller personally supported Armenian churches and cat charities during her lifetime, she encouraged the foundation to broaden its scope beyond her individual interests. The foundation now supports charitable organizations across multiple focus areas including education, human…
How do I apply for a grant from The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc?
**Grant Range:** $2,500 to $150,000, with a median grant size of $10,000 **Annual Giving:** Approximately $1.4 million in grants distributed annually **Grant Activity:** The foundation supports over 75 charitable organizations annually across the United States and Canada. Recent grant activity shows 52 grants awarded annually, with documented grants including: • Long Island Cares (Harry Chapin Food Bank): $66,627 • Long Beach Humane Society: $60,028 The foundation offers general grants with no …
Where does The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation funds organizations across the United States and Canada, with particular activity in New York, Alaska, and Virginia, as well as other states including California and Florida.
What size grants does The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc awarded 51 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0691564. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Reich Family Charitable Trust
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$689K
Grants
1
Total Given
$453K
Launa Beuhler Foundation for
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$2K
Grants
4
Total Given
$20K
The Hilary Grace Foundation Inc
EAST AMHERST, NY
Assets
$126K
Grants
2
Total Given
$36K
Uw E J Madden Mem Open Hearts Club 10-214880
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$307K
Hindy's Foundation
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$142K
Grants
8
Total Given
$225K
Jeanne & Thomas Hardy Family Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$3K
Grants
3
Total Given
$3K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Jeanine Heller Foundation Inc to a real strategy.