Hearst Foundations

The Foundations fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. The focus is largely on higher education, but they also fund innovative models of K–12 education.

Average award: $75,000
Total awarded: $15,425,000

Application Timeframe:

Deadline: None
Award Project Period: Annual

Address: 300 West 57th Street, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10019-3741

90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 1212
San Francisco, CA 94105

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 212-649-3750

Phone: 415-908-4500

Email: [email protected]

Hearst Foundations will support well-established organizations that address significant issues within education, and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. The Foundations seek to identify organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support. Education grants fund educational institutions demonstrating uncommon success in preparing students to thrive in a global society. The focus is largely on higher education, but they also fund innovative models of K–12 education, as well as professional development.

In recent years, 30% of total funding has been allocated to education. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 80% of the funding in education.

Eligibility Details: 

Nonprofit organizations that have an annual operating budget of more than $1,000,000.

• $100,000 to Oakland Military Institute College Preparatory Academy (Oakland, CA) for construction of a new math, science, and technology center at this charter school.
• $75,000 to Cristo Rey Miami High School (Miami, FL) to support the opening of the school.
• $50,000 to Red Cloud Indian School (Pine Ridge, SD) to provide arts education programming through The Heritage Center to this private, catholic school.
• $25,000 to La Salle Academy (New York City, NY) for technology upgrades at this private school.

Complete the online application that requires information on the following: organization contact
information; proposal narrative; financials; education statistics relating to student population and academic results; benchmarks showing measurable terms; application contact information; attachments, including most recent audit, organization budget, program budget, list of 10 largest foundation and corporate grants, board member list, and IRS documentation; and set up of an organization profile page.