The John S Hilson Family Fund

Foundation · Grantmaker NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-6135887

The John S Hilson Family Fund is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1964. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with no employees and focuses on general purpose grantmaking to educational and charitable institutions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.4M

-6.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$267K

-24.2% YoY

Grant Count

+4200.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-98.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John S Hilson Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $360K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services
Science and STEM Education

The foundation primarily supports institutions in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 28 grants in 2024, with total giving of $266,965. Recent notable grants include:

Grant Range

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $1.2M (91%)

Massachusetts $31K (2%)

Delaware $25K (2%)

Connecticut $18K (1%)

Illinois $12K (1%)

Florida $11K (1%)

Vermont $5K (0%)

California $5K (0%)

+5 more states

States

Alabama California Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Illinois Massachusetts Missouri North Carolina New York Virginia Vermont

Cities

ArlingtonBooklynBostonBrooklynChapel HillChicagoColunmbiaDeerfieldDerfieldEvanstonGreenwichLoxahatchee GrovesMiamiMiddletownMontgomeryMontpelierNew CanaanNew HavenNew YoekNew York

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year Ending June 2024:

Total Assets: $4,394,238
Total Giving: $266,965
Total Revenues: $30,819
Total Expenses: $330,593
Investment Income and Dividends: $155,263

Revenue Sources: The foundation's revenue is primarily derived from investment income and dividends, with minimal contributions from external sources.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,394,238	$4,704,935	$4,914,515
Revenue	$30,819	$246,770	$194,297
Expenses	$330,593	$458,143	$408,077
Qualifying Distributions	$291,340	$398,380	$353,300
Net Investment Income	$119,613	$187,267	$142,648
Distributable Amount	$360,272	$329,927	$381,289

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

46 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pratt Institute ($70,000), Manhattanville College ($30,000), Pratt Institute ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE PURCHASE, NY	GENERAL PURPOSE	$30,000
Boston University Boston, MA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$17,500
Deerfield Academy Derfield, MA	General Purpose	$10,000
One Story Brooklyn, NY	General Purpose	$10,000
Vermont College of Fine Arts Montpelier, VT	General Purpose	$5,000
The Humane Society Washington, DC	General Purpose	$2,500
NAACP Legal Defense & Education New York, NY	General Purpose	$1,000
Trout Unlimited Arlington, VA	General Puroose	$1,000
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Miami, FL	General Purpose	$1,000
International Justice Washington, DC	General Purpsoe	$500

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
WILLIAM HILSON	PRESIDENT	—	—
DWIGHT HILSON	VICE PRESIDENT	—	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The John S Hilson Family Fund fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Science and STEM Education The foundation primarily supports institutions in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

How do I apply for a grant from The John S Hilson Family Fund?

**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 28 grants in 2024, with total giving of $266,965. Recent notable grants include: • Pratt Institute: $70,000 (General Purpose) • Manhattanville College: $30,000 (General Purpose) • St. Andrew's School: $25,000 (General Purpose) **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $100 to $70,000.

Where does The John S Hilson Family Fund make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

What size grants does The John S Hilson Family Fund award?

In 2024, The John S Hilson Family Fund awarded 43 grants totaling $267K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The John S Hilson Family Fund required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The John S Hilson Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $360K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.