William F Harnisch Foundation Inc
The William F Harnisch Foundation Inc is a private grantmaking foundation based in East Quogue, New York. Established in 1997, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple sectors and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.4M
+130.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
+109.3% YoY
Grant Count
56
-5.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
+120.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation invests in individuals and organizations working across several key areas:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Leadership development
- Storytelling and media
- Health and disease prevention
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Social justice and advocacy initiatives
- Convenings and community building
The foundation describes itself as an early believer in organizations, providing initial capital to support emerging initiatives and celebrating when grantees succeed enough to outgrow the foundation's support.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected basis, meaning it makes contributions only to organizations it has identified in advance. The foundation is open to new applicants.
Grant Range
$10,000
Average Grant
approximately $30,000-$96,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across the United States, with particular concentration in:
- New York (primary focus)
- California
- Virginia
- Utah
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 23 states, with 61% of grants supporting organizations in New York, California, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $2.36 million to $5.4 million (figures vary by source)
- Total Revenue: $1.11 million
- Total Expenses: $1.44 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $2.96 million (2024 data)
Historical Giving: The foundation has made 168 grants totaling $5.1 million across its history, with individual grants ranging up to $325,000.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,449,646 | $2,360,736 | $2,682,997 |
| Revenue | $6,131,502 | $1,114,624 | $1,985,253 |
| Expenses | $3,042,592 | $1,436,885 | $2,437,621 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,027,423 | $1,721,835 | $2,833,271 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,128,652 | $1,106,431 | $1,977,805 |
| Distributable Amount | $383,599 | $425,974 | $437,873 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- William F Harnisch — President and Treasurer (serves without compensation)
- Ruth Ann Harnisch — Director (serves without compensation)
- Laura Scott — Director (serves without compensation)
The foundation is governed by three officers and trustees, all of whom provide their services without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM F HARNISCH | PRESIDENT/TREASURER | 20 | — |
| RUTH ANN HARNISCH | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| LAURA SCOTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated active grantmaking in recent years, including:
Support for YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee's social justice and advocacy initiatives
The Harnisch Foundation Invests $100,000 in YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee\u2019\Continued funding of educational initiatives through Baruch College
Support for medical research and operations through Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation
Investment in storytelling and media organizations including documentaries and journalism training programs
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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