The HAND Foundation concentrates on a small number of high-dollar grants that bridge education, cultural programs, and public policy/health initiatives. Recent gifts fund K–12 institutional capital and curriculum-driven initiatives (including STEM/CS), support cultural programming for the Iranian/Persian community, and back nutrition policy and planning at the university level. Their giving suggests an interest in strategic, visible investments rather than many small operating grants.
A $250,000 grant to Trustees of Tufts College for The White House Conference on Nutrition Planning Fund stands out as HAND Foundation’s largest recent gift and shows the kind of policy-linked, high-visibility work it supports. Across its recent giving, the foundation combines education, culture, and public-interest projects rather than spreading funds widely across many small awards. The grants include institutional support for The Nueva School’s capital campaign, general support for Code Org, and repeated backing for Stanford University Graduate School of Business’s Dean’s Fund. It also funds community-oriented work tied to Iranian and Persian identity, including Farhang Foundation and Diaspora Arts Connection Inc, and supports health and relief-oriented projects through groups such as Moms Against Poverty and Dignitas Ukraine Inc. The pattern points to a funder that makes selective investments in organizations with clear program, capital, or convening goals. Its portfolio also includes university programs, civil liberties work, and initiatives tied to public policy, education access, and cultural programming.
In education, HAND Foundation has backed school and university programs at several levels. It gave $100,000 to The Nueva School for a capital campaign and $100,000 to Code Org for general and unrestricted support, indicating interest in both institutional growth and computer science learning. Higher education appears as well through $50,000 gifts to Stanford University Graduate School of Business for its Dean's Fund and $25,000 to California Polytechnic State University Foundation for the Cleared for Success program. The foundation also supports arts and community programming, including $100,000 to Farhang Foundation for its 2021 Gala and $20,000 to Diaspora Arts Connection Inc for general and unrestricted support. On civic and policy issues, it awarded $50,000 to Media Matters for America for general and unrestricted support and $25,000 to The Barack Obama Foundation for the Digital Ecosystem Fund.
HAND Foundation’s recent awards cluster around a relatively tight band: p25 at $5,000, a median of $10,000, and p75 of $25,000, even though a few larger grants push the top end higher. The grant list shows repeated support to several organizations across multiple years, including Moms Against Poverty, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, The Barack Obama Foundation, and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. That pattern suggests more than one-off giving. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, makes grants nationally, and also funds individuals, as shown by a scholarship grant to Sina Ziaee. Its recent awards include both general support and project-specific gifts, along with capital and event funding.
$1M
$9.1M
$343K
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Hand Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 102 | $2.7M | 99.0% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 1 |
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Concentrated portfolio of a few large, single-year gifts ($100k–$250k) to distinct organizations; not highly diversified and appears to favor visible projects (capital campaigns, conferences, galas) over many small grants or long-tail operating support.
Notable grantees: TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE, THE NUEVA SCHOOL, CODE.ORG, FARHANG FOUNDATION
Grant recipients are heavily U.S.-based: 77 of 78 grants, or 98.7%, go to U.S. organizations, with one grant to the UK. Washington, DC is the top state-level destination by grant count, and several recipients are in the DC area, including Media Matters for America and National Iranian American Council. California appears frequently through organizations in Burlingame, Torrance, Hillsborough, Stanford, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and Los Angeles. Outside the U.S., the only named country in the distribution is the UK.
The recent grants show support for education, culture, public policy, health, and humanitarian work. Examples include The Nueva School for a capital campaign, Code Org for general support, Farhang Foundation for its 2021 Gala, Tufts College for nutrition planning, and Moms Against Poverty for hospital equipment and a breakfast program.
Yes. The recent grants include multiple awards to Moms Against Poverty, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, The Barack Obama Foundation, and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which shows recurring support rather than only one-time grants.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards even though some gifts are much larger. The 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $25,000.
Yes. One recent grant went to Sina Ziaee for a scholarship grant of $29,361, showing that the foundation’s giving includes support to individuals as well as organizations.
The top state by grant count is DC. Recent grantees in the Washington, DC area include Media Matters for America and National Iranian American Council.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| $29K |
1.0% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIO | STANFORD, CA | $370,962 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted (See General Explanation) |
| MOMS AGAINST POVERTY | BURLINGAME, CA | $200,000 | 2026 | Hunger relief campaign |
| GLOBSEC US FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $60,000 | 2026 | Charitable Event |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | Maryam Mirzakhani Endowed Professorship Fund |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK | VERNON, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GSB Dean's Fund |
| THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | Digital Ecosystem Fund |
| COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | Food is Medicine Institute fund |
| BABY2BABY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | For the support of the studies of Dr. Michael Fischbach |
| MENLO SCHOOL | ATHERTON, CA | $13,248 | 2026 | HAND Foundation Fellowships fund - for travel, materials, lodging, and expenses for students undertaking an in-depth investigation, scholarly research, or social entrepreneurship project within the US or abroad over the summer |
| KHAN ACADEMY INC | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg Liberty Center fund |
| MOMS AGAINST POVERTY | BURLINGAME, CA | $6,000 | 2026 | For the Purchasing of Needed Items for 24-Hour Rehabilitation and care center for intellectually disabled girls aged 14 and up project |
| VISIONARY WOMEN | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | For Iranian Stanford Alumni Association, ISAA fund |
| MEALS ON WHEELS OF SAN FRANCISCO INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | Charitable Event |
| MENLO SCHOOL | ATHERTON, CA | $4,000 | 2026 | Youth Philanthropy Project |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | BioJam fund |
| CODE ORG | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MOMS AGAINST POVERTY | BURLINGAME, CA | $70,000 | 2025 | Hospital equipment fund and general support |
| DIGNITAS UKRAINE INC | CRANFORD, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | 1,000 Drones for Ukraine initiative |
| CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | the Cleared for Success program |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| KEEP CHILDREN IN SCHOOL FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | For the Karyar-KCIS project |
| MOMS AGAINST POVERTY | BURLINGAME, CA | $46,920 | 2025 | Breakfast Program for Nomadic Children in South Khorasan for Vahdat school and Hejrat school |
| EAT LEARN PLAY FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Maryam Mirzakhani Endowed Professorship Fund |
| COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Digital Ecosystem Fund |
| DIASPORA ARTS CONNECTION INC | PLEASANT HILL, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MOMS AGAINST POVERTY | BURLINGAME, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | For the Snyder Lab for general support |
| TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | Friedman School Annual Fund |
| KHAN ACADEMY INC | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Ruth Bader Ginsburg Liberty Center |
| CAREMESSAGE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CICERO RESEARCH | AUSTIN, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CIA OFFICERS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | HERNDON, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| IRANIAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| BILL WILSON CENTER | SANTA CLARA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | "I AM" work and for foster kids programs |
| MENLO SCHOOL | ATHERTON, CA | $4,966 | 2025 | HAND Foundation-Menlo Summer Fellowship Awards Program |
| MENLO SCHOOL | ATHERTON, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | Pakistan Children's Heart Foundation; MiracleFeet; Fauna and Flora |
| ALLIANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION INC | BALA CYNWYD, PA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
General & Unrestricted (See General Explanation)
GLOBSEC US FOUNDATION
$60,000Charitable Event
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$25,000Maryam Mirzakhani Endowed Professorship Fund
General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$25,000General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$25,000GSB Dean's Fund
THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION
$25,000Digital Ecosystem Fund
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$15,000For the support of the studies of Dr. Michael Fischbach
MENLO SCHOOL
$13,248HAND Foundation Fellowships fund - for travel, materials, lodging, and expenses for students undertaking an in-depth investigation, scholarly research, or social entrepreneurship project within the US or abroad over the summer
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Liberty Center fund
For the Purchasing of Needed Items for 24-Hour Rehabilitation and care center for intellectually disabled girls aged 14 and up project
VISIONARY WOMEN
$5,000General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$5,000For Iranian Stanford Alumni Association, ISAA fund
MENLO SCHOOL
$4,000Youth Philanthropy Project
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$2,500BioJam fund
DIGNITAS UKRAINE INC
$50,0001,000 Drones for Ukraine initiative
the Cleared for Success program
Breakfast Program for Nomadic Children in South Khorasan for Vahdat school and Hejrat school
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$25,000Maryam Mirzakhani Endowed Professorship Fund
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
DIASPORA ARTS CONNECTION INC
$20,000General & Unrestricted
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Liberty Center
IRANIAN-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION
$5,000Charitable Event
MENLO SCHOOL
$4,966HAND Foundation-Menlo Summer Fellowship Awards Program
MENLO SCHOOL
$3,000Pakistan Children's Heart Foundation; MiracleFeet; Fauna and Flora