The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. It supports nursing-driven innovations intended to improve health and healthcare, particularly for people and communities experiencing inequity, discrimination, or indifference.
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation at a glance
In short: The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation gave $3.3M across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $82K), top state Pennsylvania. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,291,279
- -12.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- -14.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $82,282
- +2.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $110,474,293
- +19.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (16 of 40, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its listed 2026 programs included requests for proposals and application information; the Innovation Dissemination program is by invitation only. The website states that the 2026 letters of intent deadline for Emergent Innovation, Serious Illness and End of Life, and Innovations in Care has passed.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 letters of intent deadline for the three programs above has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 letters of intent deadline for the three programs above has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Park Ave So Suite 1705, New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 265-3115
Website: https://www.rahf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Hillman Emergent Innovation Grant
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Hillman Emergent Innovation:Serious Illness and End of Life Grant
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Hillman Innovations in Care Grant
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Amount
Up to US $500,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Trustees of the University of Penn ($877K). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
208 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 208 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in New York, New York. In filing year 2024, recipients in Pennsylvania received 33% of grant dollars, followed by North Carolina at 12%, New York at 9%, and Massachusetts and Maryland at 8% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 40 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $62K; repeat grants $96K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.3M (2024) to $4.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $3.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of the University of Penn Philadelphia, PA | Support Nursing Education | $876,505 |
| University of NC at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Support Nursing Education | $340,505 |
| University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Education | $250,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Support Nursing Education | $224,124 |
| Rural Behavioral Health Institue Livingston, MT | Innovation / Marginalized Populations | $200,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Support Nursing Research | $185,411 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard Co Cambridge, MA | Innovation/ Marginalized Populations | $165,409 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cen New York, NY | Support Health Research | $100,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Innovation / Marginalized Populations | $100,000 |
| The Peaceful Presence Project Bend, OR | Innovation / Marginalized Populations | $51,875 |
Ready to take the next step with The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $110,474,293 | $22,567,983 | $4,971,072 | $3,291,279 | 40 | $4,566,882 | $21,915,271 | $4,588,719 |
| 2023 | $92,468,865 | $2,208,714 | $5,845,430 | $3,762,201 | 47 | $5,301,200 | $1,666,164 | $4,506,716 |
| 2022 | $96,159,027 | $1,443,533 | $5,611,850 | $3,802,921 | 39 | $4,901,205 | $613,216 | $4,740,706 |
| 2021 | $99,748,063 | $13,443,526 | $6,407,843 | $4,413,862 | 43 | $5,649,784 | $12,346,946 | $5,252,639 |
| 2020 | $95,853,408 | $2,614,980 | $6,631,164 | $4,565,985 | 39 | — | $1,828,119 | $4,671,871 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it invests in nursing-driven innovation to advance health equity and improve health and healthcare for marginalized populations. Its programs support early-stage interventions, evidence-based interventions ready to grow, and the dissemination of established interventions with proven outcomes. The foundation also says it welcomes applications from a wide variety of institutions and investigators.
Its 2024 grants show support for universities, healthcare and research institutions, and other organizations. For example, the Peaceful Presence Project, a grantee, says it aims to help communities live well, age well, and die well by reimagining how people talk about, plan for, and experience the last stage of life. Boston Medical Center Corporation describes its mission as providing excellent, accessible health services regardless of a person’s status or ability to pay. The American Nurses Foundation says it supports educational programs and research that advance nursing and public health.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 40 grants totaling $3,291,279. The median grant was $50,000; awards ranged from $250 to $876,505. The largest awards included $876,505 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for nursing education, $340,505 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for nursing education, and $250,000 to the University of Utah for education. Other notable awards included $200,000 to Rural Behavioral Health Institute for “Innovation / Marginalized Populations,” $185,411 to Johns Hopkins University for nursing research, and $100,000 each to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for health research and Yale University for “Innovation / Marginalized Populations.”
The foundation’s programs include Emergent Innovation, which supports early-stage interventions; Emergent Innovation: Serious Illness and End of Life, which focuses on early-stage work in that area; Innovations in Care, for evidence-based interventions ready to grow; and Innovation Dissemination, for scaling established interventions with proven outcomes. For the 2026 cycle, the website listed awards of up to ten $50,000 grants for Emergent Innovation, up to eleven $50,000 grants for Serious Illness and End of Life, up to four $250,000 grants for Innovations in Care, and one $200,000 Innovation Dissemination grant. The first three programs described 2026 work periods of 12–18 months, 12–18 months, and two years, respectively; Innovation Dissemination is by invitation only.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website lists Ahrin Mishan as Executive Director and David A. Gould as President. Its board includes Kristen Choi, Lizanne Fontaine, Paul Garfinkle, Peter Hammack, Brandy Parker, Jennifer Mieres, and Ahrin Mishan. The 2024 filing also lists Lizanne Fontaine, Kristen Choi, Peter Hammack, Paul Garfinkle, Arthur Chu, and Jennifer Mieres as directors; David Gould as President and Treasurer; Ahrin Mishan as Vice President, Secretary, and Executive Director; and Takouhi Mosoian as Assistant Secretary and Director of Operations.
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation is led by Ahrin Mishan, Vice President, Secretary & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 9 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ahrin Mishan
Vice President, Secretary & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$375K (2020) → $450K (2024)
David Gould
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Takouhi Mosoian
Assistant Secretary & Director Op
Director Ops → Assistant Secretary & Director Op, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$45K (2021) → $140K (2024)
Jennifer Mieres
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Choi
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lizanne Fontaine
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Garfinkle
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arthur Chu
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Peter Hammack
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Dori Jaffe (2020–2021) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Linda Le (2020–2021) — Assistant Secretary & Vice President Ops
- Former: Adam E. Max Note D. (2020) — President & Treasurer
- Former: David Gould Note D. (2020) — Director
- Former: Megan Monahan (2020) — Director
- Former: Raymond J. McGuire (2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $450K, to Ahrin Mishan (VP/Sec/Ex Dir). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
How much does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation give each year?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation gave $3.3M across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.8M across 47 grants.
What is The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's typical grant size?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $82,282, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation that year got $62K on average.
Where does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation give grants?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (12%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 5% of The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 40) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Innovation/ Marginalized Populations" (13 grants), "Support Nursing Education" (6 grants) and "Education" (5 grants).
Who are The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's largest grantees?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Trustees of the University of Penn ($876,505), University of NC at Chapel Hill ($340,505) and University of Utah ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation reported $110.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation fund?
The foundation says it invests in nursing-driven innovation to advance health equity and improve health and healthcare for marginalized populations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's EIN?
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2560546. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-rita-and-alex-hillman-foundation-morg_2893b718ddda4bb58d104a8694254d0c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_132560546_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-rita-and-alex-hillman-foundation-morg_2893b718ddda4bb58d104a8694254d0c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation'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.
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