The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in 1966 and based in New York City. The foundation is committed to improving the health and healthcare of all people, especially groups and communities who experience inequity, discrimination, and indifference. Its primary focus is advancing nursing-driven innovations and supporting higher education, particularly schools of nursing, along with support for the arts.
Key facts about The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
- EIN
- 13-2560546
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,291,279
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- Average grant
- $82,282
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (16 of 40, 2024)
- Total assets
- $110,474,293
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (33% 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 Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation's 40 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (33%), 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). 5% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Innovation/ Marginalized Populations" (13 grants), "Support Nursing Education" (6 grants) and "Education" (5 grants).
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 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 Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
- How to evaluate The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$110.5M
+19.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.3M
-12.5% YoY
Grant Count
40
-14.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$82K
+2.8% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to advance bold, nursing-driven innovations that promote equitable, person-centered, and trustworthy care. The foundation aims to help ignite and develop game-changing interventions and cultivate a vibrant ecosystem of nurse innovators, grantees, and partners dedicated to building a healthier, more equitable future for all.
Primary funding areas include:
- Nursing-driven innovations targeting marginalized populations
- Higher education with emphasis on schools of nursing
- Serious illness and end-of-life care
- Arts and social well-being
- Healthcare innovation and research
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through three primary grant programs designed to support nursing-driven interventions at different stages of development:
Ready to take the next step with The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York, which account for 43% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 29 states, with concentration in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 40 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of 2023)
- Total assets: $92.5 million to $110.5 million
- Total revenue: $2.2 million (2023)
- Total expenses: $5.8 million to $7 million annually
- Total liabilities: $109,000 (2023)
Annual Giving
- Total giving: $3.0 million to $3.8 million annually
- Grantmaking activity was highest in 2022 with $7 million distributed across 84 grants
- Annual distributions have ranged between $3.8 million and $7 million from 2021-2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $110,474,293 | $92,468,865 | $96,159,027 |
| Revenue | $22,567,983 | $2,208,714 | $1,443,533 |
| Expenses | $4,971,072 | $5,845,430 | $5,611,850 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,566,882 | $5,301,200 | $4,901,205 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,915,271 | $1,666,164 | $613,216 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,588,719 | $4,506,716 | $4,740,706 |
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
208 grants across all recorded years
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
Rolling / Open
Hillman Emergent Innovation:Serious Illness and End of Life Grant
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Hillman Innovations in Care Grant
The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation
Amount
Up to US $500,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Trustees of the University of Penn ($876,505), University of NC at Chapel Hill ($340,505), University of Utah ($250,000).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lizanne Fontaine | Director | 1 | — |
| Kristen Choi | Director | 1 | — |
| Ahrin Mishan | VP/Sec/Ex Dir | 40 | $450,300 |
| David Gould | Pres. & Treasur | 1 | — |
| Peter Hammack | Director | — | — |
| Paul Garfinkle | Director | 1 | — |
| Takouhi Mosoian | Asst Sec/Dir Op | 40 | $140,000 |
| Arthur Chu | Director | — | — |
| Dr Jennifer Mieres | Director | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 200 Park Ave S, Suite 1705, New York City, NY 10003-1500
Phone: 212-265-3115
Website: www.rahf.org
EIN: 13-2560546
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to advance bold, nursing-driven innovations that promote equitable, person-centered, and trustworthy care. The foundation aims to help ignite and develop game-changing interventions and cultivate a vibrant ecosystem of nurse innovators, grantees, and partners dedicated to building a healthier, more equitable future for all. Primary funding areas include: • Nursing-driven innovations targeting marginalized populations • Higher education with emphasis on schools of nur…
How do I apply for a grant from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation?
The foundation operates through three primary grant programs designed to support nursing-driven interventions at different stages of development: **Hillman Emergent Innovation** • Accelerates development of bold, early-stage (untested or minimal-evidence) interventions • Up to ten $50,000 grants awarded per cycle • Project duration: 12-18 months **Hillman Emergent Innovation: Serious Illness and End of Life** • Focuses on early-stage interventions in serious illness and end-of-life care • Up to…
Where does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York, which account for 43% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 29 states, with concentration in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.
What size grants does The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation award?
In 2024, The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $3.3M — an average of about $82K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.