Advance workforce development, education, research and industry-led initiatives to strengthen the hospitality industry, including scholarships, funded research and programs to prevent human trafficking and support survivors.
The Ahla Foundation’s grantmaking is anchored in the hospitality industry, with a visible emphasis on training, research, and support for people affected by human trafficking. Recent awards show three consistent lanes: scholarships and travel support for hospitality students, applied research for lodging-sector issues, and survivor-centered grantmaking through No Room For Trafficking. The largest recent grant went to The University of Maryland Safe Center in Baltimore for survivor fund disbursement, underscoring how central survivor support is within the portfolio. The foundation also backs workforce development in practical ways. It has funded apprenticeship training for lodging manager and line cook roles through the National Restaurant Association Solutions LLC, and it has supported opportunity youth programming through community-based partnerships. Alongside direct service, the portfolio includes research-oriented grants to universities and industry groups on hospitality topics such as career pathways, diversity in leadership, sustainability, and food waste management. Across the recent grants list, the same themes recur in different forms: student advancement into hospitality, stronger workforce pipelines, and anti-trafficking support tied to economic stability and self-sufficiency. That mix gives the foundation a clear profile as a field-specific funder rather than a generalist grantmaker.
In survivor support, the foundation directed $150,000 to Restore NYC for survivor fund grant disbursement and another $100,000 to Safe House Project in Virginia Beach for the same purpose. Those awards fit a broader anti-trafficking pattern that also includes support for community organizations serving survivors through economic stability and self-sufficiency. Workforce development appears in several forms. The foundation gave $200,000 to National Restaurant Association Solutions LLC for lodging manager apprentice course and line cook apprentice course training programs, and it awarded $40,000 to Skillpoint Alliance for an opportunity youth program. It also supported Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida with $35,000 for an opportunity youth program. Research is another recurring lane. The University of South Carolina received $48,299 for research and grants, while The Pennsylvania State University received $36,893 for the same category. These awards align with the foundation’s industry-relevant research work on hospitality workforce, leadership, and sustainability topics.
$1.4M
$31.9M
$5.5M
$7.9M
Most grants fall between $35K and $131K, with a median of $88K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$88K
75th Percentile
$131K
About 5% of grants go to recipients in CA.
KEVIN CAREY
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Typical awards cluster around mid-five figures to low six figures: p25 is $35,000, median is $87,500, and p75 is $130,783. The portfolio is not limited to one-off support; several organizations appear more than once, including Restore NYC, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking, Safe House Project, and The University of Maryland Safe Center. The foundation is classified as a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund. It also accepts unsolicited applications in several active programs, including the Academic Scholarship Program, Research Grant Program, the Survivor Fund Grant Program, Student Travel Scholarship Program, Empowering Youth Program, and Professional Development Scholarships.
Giving is national and every recent grant in the dataset went to U.S. recipients. Maryland is the top state by grant count, helped by Baltimore-area awards to The University of Maryland Safe Center. Other visible hubs include New York City through Restore NYC and Brooklyn through Ecpat-usa Inc, plus California recipients in Los Angeles, Compton, El Dorado Hills, and Westlake Village. Texas also appears repeatedly, with grants in Dallas, Austin, and Lake Worth.
Its main funding lanes are hospitality education and scholarships, industry research, workforce and career pathways, and human trafficking prevention and survivor support. Recent grants also show support for opportunity youth programs, apprenticeships, and sustainability-related research in the lodging sector.
Typical awards sit in the mid-five-figure range. The grant-size distribution shows p25 at $35,000, median at $87,500, and p75 at $130,783.
Yes, several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Academic Scholarship Program, Research Grant Program, No Room For Trafficking Survivor Fund Grant Program, Student Travel Scholarship Program, Empowering Youth Program, and Professional Development Scholarships.
The foundation funds hospitality-industry research on topics such as career pathways, diversity in leadership, human trafficking, sustainability, food waste management, workforce recruitment, retention, and advancement.
Yes. The recent grants list includes repeat recipients such as Restore NYC, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking, Safe House Project, and The University of Maryland Safe Center, which indicates recurring support rather than purely one-time grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLANDSAFE CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $302,600 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| REBECCA BENDER INITIATIVE | LAKE WORTH, TX | $150,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| RESTORE NYC | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| NEW FRIENDS NEW LIFE | DALLAS, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| EMPOWERED NETWORK | NEW LONDON, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| 3STRANDS GLOBAL FOUNDATION | EL DORADO HILLS, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| BUSINESSES ENDING SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING | SEATTLE, WA | $60,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| SAFE HOUSE PROJECT | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA | COLUMBIA, SC | $48,299 | 2025 | RESEARCH AND GRANTS |
| SKILLPOINT ALLIANCE | AUSTIN, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM |
| THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $36,893 | 2025 | RESEARCH AND GRANTS |
| SOLEDAD ENRICHMENT ACTION INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA | ORLANDO, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM |
| ENTRENOUS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERVICES INC | WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT |
| LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER ANITA MAY ROSENSTEIN C | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT |
| CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK | AUSTIN, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | OPPORTUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM |
| FIU FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $16,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH AND GRANTS |
| HOSPITALITY SALES & MARKETING ASSOCIATION INTL | MCLEAN, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | HSMAI FOUNDATION CORPORATE TALENT PARTNER |
| HOOLA NA PUA | HONOLULU, HI | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| WILLOWBEND FARMS INC | CLEVELAND, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| WELLSPRING LIVING INC | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| STREET GRACE | NORCROSS, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| THE SOAP PROJECT | WESTERVILLE, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| FAIR GIRLS | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| LOVE146 | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| JUSTICE RESOURCE INSTITUTE INC | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SAFE CENTER THROUGH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTI | BALTIMORE, MD | $200,000 | 2024 | AHLAF EMPOWERING YOUTH PROGRAM GRANT |
| RESTORE NYC | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2024 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| SAFE HOUSE PROJECT | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| BUSINESSES ENDING SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING | SEATTLE, WA | $75,000 | 2024 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $35,000 | 2024 | SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT |
| NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SOLUTIONS LLC | WASHINGTION, DC | $200,000 | 2023 | RTI GRANT TRAINING PROGRAMS:AHLA LODGING MANAGER APPRENTICE COURSE AHLA LINE COOK APPRENTICE COURSE |
| ENRENOUS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERVICES | COMPTON, CA | $148,131 | 2023 | EYP GRANTS 2022 |
| ECPAT-USA INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $115,000 | 2023 | ECPAT PARTNERSHIP |
| EMENTORCONNECT LLC | ATLAANTA, GA | $39,500 | 2023 | APPLY TO GRANTS OR FEES TO PROVIDE MENTOR PROGRAM |
| LA CAUSA YOUTHBUILD | LA, CA | $35,000 | 2023 | EYP GRANT 2023 |
| COVENANT HOUSE NEW ORLEANS | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $35,000 | 2023 | 2023 GRANT |
| REPEQUITY LLC | VIENNA, VA | $10,000 | 2023 | AD CAMPAIGN |
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
$48,299RESEARCH AND GRANTS
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$36,893RESEARCH AND GRANTS
SOLEDAD ENRICHMENT ACTION INC
$35,000CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT
ENTRENOUS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERVICES INC
$25,000CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT
CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION GRANT
HOSPITALITY SALES & MARKETING ASSOCIATION INTL
$15,000HSMAI FOUNDATION CORPORATE TALENT PARTNER
WILLOWBEND FARMS INC
$10,000SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT
WELLSPRING LIVING INC
$10,000SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT
THE SOAP PROJECT
$10,000SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT
FAIR GIRLS
$10,000SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT
AHLAF EMPOWERING YOUTH PROGRAM GRANT
COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
$35,000SURVIVOR FUND GRANT DISBURSEMENT
NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SOLUTIONS LLC
$200,000RTI GRANT TRAINING PROGRAMS:AHLA LODGING MANAGER APPRENTICE COURSE AHLA LINE COOK APPRENTICE COURSE
ENRENOUS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERVICES
$148,131EYP GRANTS 2022
EMENTORCONNECT LLC
$39,500APPLY TO GRANTS OR FEES TO PROVIDE MENTOR PROGRAM
LA CAUSA YOUTHBUILD
$35,000EYP GRANT 2023
REPEQUITY LLC
$10,000AD CAMPAIGN
Current and upcoming funding from Ahla Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Community-based organizations and partners supporting Opportunity Youth ages 16-24 for hospitality careers.
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