The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York. It honors excellence in journalism in service of the common good through journalism awards and programs, and it offers reporting grants for stories about the U.S. workplace.
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc gave $51K across 40 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $51,031
- +1.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 40
- +48.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,276
- -31.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $965,107
- -11.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (50% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
For workplace reporting grants, submit a focused proposal of no more than three pages through the foundation’s online form. For awards, the 2024 filing lists a copy of the work and a cover letter submitted online.
- Review Cycle
- Workplace reporting grants have no deadline and are reviewed on a rolling basis. The January 31 deadline listed in the 2024 filing applies to the award process described there.
- Deadline
- Workplace reporting grants have no deadline and are reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Contact
Application contact: Alexandra Lescaze
Mailing address: 498 7Th Avenue - Suite 1600, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (646) 448-6413
Website: https://www.hillmanfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
Canadian Hillman Prize Grant
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Hillman Labor and Workplace Reporting Grants
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Sidney Awards Grant
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
Amount
US $500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Committee to Protect Journalists ($5K). Together the top 5 received $7K.
Organizations only. It also paid 35 grants to individuals ($43,806), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
182 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 182 grants of 182 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s workplace reporting grants focus on stories about the U.S. workplace. Its website also describes Hillman Prizes in the United States and Canada. In filing year 2024, 50% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 21% to California, 2% to Washington, D.C., and 1% to Maryland; the filing data leaves another 21% of recipient-state share unidentified.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2023) to $107K (2020). In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling $51K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 35 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $43,806 |
| Committee to Protect Journalists New York, NY | AWARD | $5,000 |
| Contra Costa Justice Alliance Richmond, CA | AWARD | $1,000 |
| First Amendment Coalition San Rafael, CA | AWARD | $1,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, MD | AWARD | $125 |
| Type Media Center New York, NY | AWARD | $100 |
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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 | $965,107 | $430,204 | $552,897 | $51,031 | 40 | $527,472 | $101,552 | — |
| 2023 | $1,087,661 | $315,384 | $587,067 | $50,119 | 27 | $559,551 | $45,919 | — |
| 2022 | $1,217,923 | $296,025 | $490,789 | $53,878 | 36 | $445,169 | $55,060 | — |
| 2021 | $1,710,764 | $528,075 | $391,686 | $66,619 | 37 | $341,010 | $366,057 | — |
| 2020 | $1,704,373 | $454,114 | $421,956 | $106,927 | 42 | — | $39,530 | $74,593 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says its awards and programs honor Sidney Hillman’s legacy and vision, and its website describes its purpose as honoring journalism that serves the common good. Its programs include the annual Hillman Prizes, monthly Sidney Awards, and reporting grants for ambitious, timely, under-covered stories about the U.S. workplace. The workplace grants are intended to help cover reporting costs, such as travel and related expenses.
The foundation’s 2024 filing also describes awards for media publications dealing with themes related to Sidney Hillman, an annual Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire commemoration in New York City, and an education program for early- to mid-career journalists on covering labor and the workplace, undertaken through an agreement with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Among the organizations receiving 2024 grants, the Committee to Protect Journalists says it promotes press freedom worldwide and defends journalists’ ability to report safely. The First Amendment Coalition says it protects and promotes a free press, freedom of expression, and the public’s right to know.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 40 grants totaling $51,031. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $5,000, with a median of $500. The largest listed grants included $5,000 awards to individual recipients and a $5,000 grant to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Other listed recipients included the Contra Costa Justice Alliance, which received $1,000, and the First Amendment Coalition, which received $1,000.
The foundation’s website says workplace reporting grant proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, with no deadlines. Applicants must submit a focused proposal of no more than three pages through the online form. Professional journalists are eligible; freelance journalists must have a media outlet committed to running the story before funds are dispersed. The foundation says it gives strong preference to stories that otherwise would not be written.
The 2024 filing describes an award application process requiring a copy of the material considered and a cover letter, submitted online. It lists January 31 as the deadline and restricts awards to journalism, books, or video published or aired in the previous year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alexandra Lescaze as executive director and Bruce Raynor as president. It lists Lynne Fox and Edgar Romney as directors and vice presidents; Gary Bonadonna Jr. as treasurer; and Stuart Appelbaum, Gary Bonadonna Sr., Clayola Brown, Alexandra Dagg, and Thomas Dubbs as directors.
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc is led by Alexandra Lescaze, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 21 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexandra Lescaze
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$105K (2020) → $100K (2024)
Bruce Raynor
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexandra Dagg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Stern
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Clayola Brown
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Danny Glover
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edgar Romney
Director & Vice President
Director → Director & Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gerald Hudson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jean Hervey
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynne Fox
Director & Vice President
Director → Director & Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Levinson
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Mallen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Dubbs
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Bonadonna Sr.
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Appelbaum
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Hill
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Hall
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Loparco
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Milly Silva
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Randy Kitt
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Bonadonna Jr.
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Keith Mestrich (2020) — Director
- Former: Sam Fried (2020) — Director
- Former: Stuart Applebaum (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 $100K, to Alexandra Lescaze (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc
How much does The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc give each year?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc gave $51K across 40 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $50K across 27 grants.
What is The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $1,276, across 40 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc give grants?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 40 grants with a stated purpose on The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Award" (37 grants) and "Grant" (3 grants).
Who are The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Committee to Protect Journalists ($5,000), Contra Costa Justice Alliance ($1,000) and First Amendment Coalition ($1,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 35 grants to individuals ($43,806), which are not listed by name. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc reported $965K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $430K.
What does The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation says its awards and programs honor Sidney Hillman’s legacy and vision, and its website describes its purpose as honoring journalism that serves the common good. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc?
For workplace reporting grants, submit a focused proposal of no more than three pages through the foundation’s online form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-5550943. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sidney-hillman-foundation-inc-morg_698313c8e40c4cf3956f3059a2e7edee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_135550943_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sidney-hillman-foundation-inc-morg_698313c8e40c4cf3956f3059a2e7edee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Sidney Hillman Foundation Inc'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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