The John S Hilson Family Fund
The John S Hilson Family Fund is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and trusts, with stated purposes including general purpose support. The funder’s 2024 return is marked final, indicating that it appears to have terminated or been winding down; however, a 2025 filing reports grant activity.
The John S Hilson Family Fund at a glance
In short: The John S Hilson Family Fund gave $4.6M across 76 grants in 2025 (avg $61K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,627,925
- +1633.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 76
- +76.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $60,894
- +880.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,750
- Primary geography
- New York (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The John S Hilson Family Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 61 Broadway Suite 1601, New York, NY 10006
Phone: (212) 583-1100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John S Hilson Family Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was John S Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04112023 ($1.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 115 grants of 122 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund is based in New York, NY. In 2025, 96% of its reported grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 2% to Florida, 1% to Massachusetts, and 1% to Delaware.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 76 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The John S Hilson Family Fund gives
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1210% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $267K (2024) to $4.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 76 grants totaling $4.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| John S Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04112023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $1,466,508 |
| Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04292023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $1,352,872 |
| The Hilson Parker Fund Trust UA Dtd 4242023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $1,331,923 |
| John S Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04112023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $38,219 |
| Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04292023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $38,219 |
| The Hilson Parker Fund Trust UA Dtd 4242023 New York, NY | General Purpose | $38,219 |
| Manhattanville College Purchase, NY | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| St Andrews School Middletown, DE | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Lake Worth Christian School Boynton Beach, FL | General Purpose | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John S Hilson Family Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing reports 43 grants; the 2023 filing reports 1 grant.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $304,267 | $4,701,629 | $4,627,925 | 76 | $4,639,961 | $243,599 | $373,059 |
| 2024 | $4,394,238 | $30,819 | $330,593 | $266,965 | 43 | $291,340 | $119,613 | $360,272 |
| 2023 | $4,704,935 | $246,770 | $458,143 | $352,050 | 1 | $398,380 | $187,267 | $329,927 |
| 2022 | $4,914,515 | $194,297 | $408,077 | $353,300 | 1 | $353,300 | $142,648 | $381,289 |
| 2021 | $5,123,664 | $325,347 | $401,076 | $341,700 | 1 | — | $277,090 | $354,537 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John S Hilson Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $373K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its reported grants include general-purpose support for trusts, Manhattanville College, Pratt Institute, St Andrews School, Lake Worth Christian School, and The Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Grantees describe a range of work: Pratt Institute says it expands access to creative careers; One Story Inc says it brings literary fiction to a wide audience and supports writers; and West Palm Beach Fishing Club says it promotes sport fishing, recreation, and marine conservation in Palm Beach County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund reported 76 grants totaling $4,627,925. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $1,466,508, with a median of $1,750. The largest reported awards included $1,466,508 to John S Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04112023, $1,352,872 to Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04292023, and $1,331,923 to The Hilson Parker Fund Trust UA DTD 4242023, each for general purposes. Other listed recipients included Manhattanville College ($30,000), Pratt Institute ($25,000), St Andrews School ($25,000), and Lake Worth Christian School ($25,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William Hilson as president and Dwight Hilson as vice president.
The John S Hilson Family Fund is led by William Hilson, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William Hilson
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dwight Hilson
Vice President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 John S Hilson Family Fund
How much does The John S Hilson Family Fund give each year?
The John S Hilson Family Fund gave $4.6M across 76 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $267K across 43 grants.
What is The John S Hilson Family Fund's typical grant size?
The John S Hilson Family Fund's median grant in 2025 was $1,750, and its average grant was $60,894, across 76 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The John S Hilson Family Fund give grants?
The John S Hilson Family Fund gives mostly in New York: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (20 grants), Brooklyn, NY (7 grants), New Canaan, CT (7 grants) and Deerfield, MA (4 grants).
Does The John S Hilson Family Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The John S Hilson Family Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (76 of 76) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The John S Hilson Family Fund's largest grantees?
The John S Hilson Family Fund's largest 2025 grantees include John S Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04112023 ($1,504,727 across 2 grants), Hilson Fam Fund Tr Agreement 04292023 ($1,391,091 across 2 grants) and The Hilson Parker Fund Trust UA Dtd 4242023 ($1,370,142 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does The John S Hilson Family Fund fund?
No mission statement for the funder is provided. Its reported grants include general-purpose support for trusts, Manhattanville College, Pratt Institute, St Andrews School, Lake Worth Christian School, and The Big Dog Ranch Rescue. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John S Hilson Family Fund?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2025, The John S Hilson Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $373K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The John S Hilson Family Fund's EIN?
The John S Hilson Family Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6135887. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The John S Hilson Family Fund 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Other open foundation grants in New York
New York Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John S Hilson Family Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
Synchrony Foundation
Stamford, CT
In 2024, Synchrony Foundation supported charitable organizations across workforce development, education, financial assistance, and giving, with grants ranging from $150 to $2.6 million and a median of $10,000. Its largest shares of grant funding went to Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina, followed by the District of Columbia and New Jersey; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$72.3M
Grants
394
Total Given
$20.5M
The Tapestry Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$46.5M
Grants
534
Total Given
$2.0M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Foundation For The Carolinas funds education and youth development, environmental and wildlife work, health and human services, and animal welfare, with a reported median grant of $25,000 in 2024. Its competitive programs focus on Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Carolinas, and specific local communities, while donor-advised funds may support eligible nonprofits more broadly; it accepts applications for some competitive grants, but most grants are recommended by fund advisors and have no application process.
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John S Hilson Family Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-s-hilson-family-fund-morg_9a14a01b16684e91b7d730049c4173e5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136135887_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John S Hilson Family Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-s-hilson-family-fund-morg_9a14a01b16684e91b7d730049c4173e5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-31. 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 John S Hilson Family Fund'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.
The John S Hilson Family Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?