The Richard C. von Hess Foundation concentrates on substantial, capital-focused philanthropy for art museums and cultural heritage organizations. Its giving emphasizes building projects, restorations, and naming opportunities rather than operating support, and grantees are regional art institutions and heritage preservation groups. The foundation makes a small number of large, targeted grants and repeats support for select beneficiaries.
The Richard C Von Hess Foundation 0262-02-40 makes invitation-only, capital-focused grants for art museums, historic houses, and cultural heritage organizations, with a clear emphasis on buildings, restorations, and named spaces. Its largest recent grant was $500,000 to The Baltimore Museum of Art Inc for Jacobs Wing, and that scale is consistent with a portfolio of targeted institutional awards rather than broad operating support. Recent support also includes $280,500 to The Royal Oak Foundation for restoration of an entryway and $250,000 to Woodmere Art Museum for secure naming rights, showing how the foundation uses major gifts to underwrite physical improvements and recognition opportunities. The pattern extends across museums, historical societies, and preservation groups in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond, including project-specific support for facility upgrades, collection infrastructure, and site restoration. Repeated awards to some recipients suggest long-term relationships, especially when projects unfold over multiple years. The foundation funds only nonprofit arts and culture organizations, including museums, arts education, performing arts, and historic preservation groups, and it also makes grants to support exhibitions, conservation, archival work, and museum training programs. Its giving is national, but the grant record shows a strong Pennsylvania presence and a consistent preference for substantial, purpose-specific gifts.
Capital projects are central to the foundation’s giving. It awarded $125,000 to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for PAFA’s historic landmark, and $100,000 to Historical Society of Pennsylvania for support interior renovation in both 2023 and 2024. Preservation and restoration are another major thread: The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America received $78,000 for restoration of the historic, while Ladew Topiary Gardens received $70,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for restoration of the library. The foundation also backs conservation and interpretive work, including $122,130 to Oak Spring Garden Foundation for conservation of the and $76,400 to Demuth Foundation for foundation reinterpretation. Its arts support reaches exhibitions and publications as well, such as $75,000 to The Barnes Foundation for creation of exhibition and $75,000 to Carnegie Museum of Art for publication of a.
$3.4M
$20.7M
$3.9M
$3.8M
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $63K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$63K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Concentrated, high-value grants (few recipients, large amounts) focused on capital and restoration projects; occasional repeat funding to the same organizations rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: The Royal Oak Foundation, The Baltimore Museum of Art, Woodmere Art Museum
Typical grants sit in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range: p25 is $49,600, median is $62,500, and p75 is $100,000. The recent record includes larger exceptions, but most awards cluster around project-sized grants rather than very small awards. The foundation appears to favor repeat support for selected institutions; the same grantees recur across multiple years, including several projects that received funding in consecutive years. Its grantmaking is invitation-only, with no public application process identified. It is organized as a foundation and also funds individuals, but the available record here centers on nonprofit arts and culture organizations.
Grantmaking is national, but Pennsylvania receives the largest share of awards by count, and 58% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Pennsylvania recipients include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lancaster, and Columbia. Outside Pennsylvania, notable recipient locations include Baltimore and Monkton in Maryland, New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, Salem, Upperville, and Iowa City. All recorded grants in the data go to US recipients.
It funds nonprofit arts and culture organizations, including arts services, arts education, performing arts, museums, historic preservation, and related historical activities. The recent record is especially strong in art museums, historic house museums, and preservation groups.
No public application process has been identified, and the active grant program is described as invitation-only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests in the program description provided.
Typical grants are substantial: the p25 value is $49,600, the median is $62,500, and the p75 is $100,000. Recent awards also include larger project grants, such as $500,000 and $280,500.
It shows repeated support for selected beneficiaries. For example, some organizations appear in multiple years with the same or related project descriptions, which suggests ongoing relationships around specific capital or preservation efforts.
The grants center on capital and preservation work: building projects, restorations, secure naming rights, facility improvements, conservation, exhibition creation, publications, and museum training support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOUISE STEINMAN VON HESS FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, PA | $2,000,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT TRANSFORMATION OF THE ADJACENT RAILROAD BUILDING INTO A VISITOR'S CENTER, MUSEUM AND LIBRARY ANNEX |
| PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $314,600 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE RICHARD C. VON HESS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AND TRAVEL AWARDS, THE RECONFIGURED MEMORIAL TRAVEL AWARD IN CONJUNCTION WITH PAFA CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, THE HVAC REPLACEMENT PROJECT FOR PAFA'S HISTORIC LANDMARK BUILDING, AND THE A NATION OF ARTISTS EXHIBITION |
| WOODMERE ART MUSEUM | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $250,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND TO SECURE NAMING RIGHTS FOR FRANCES M. MAGUIRE HALL |
| WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $200,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE FALLINGWATER |
| ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM | BOSTON, MA | $150,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE BOOK OF ESTHER IN THE AGE OF REMBRANDT EXHIBITION |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $125,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT RENOVATIONS OF HSP'S CONSERVATION SERVICES LABORATORY |
| PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM | SALEM, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE SAINTS, SINNERS, LOVERS AND FOOLS: 300 YEARS OF FLEMISH MASTERWORKS EXHIBITION |
| DELAWARE ART MUSEUM | WILMINGTON, DE | $60,000 | 2026 | RENOVATION OF GALLERIES 15 & 16 |
| DEMUTH FOUNDATION | LANCASTER, PA | $52,150 | 2026 | SUPPORT THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN |
| HILLWOOD ESTATE MUSEUM & GARDENS | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE SETTING SAIL: THE STORY OF SEA CLOUD EXHIBITION |
| LANDIS VALLEY ASSOCIATES | LANCASTER, PA | $30,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE GUNSMITHS OF THE EARLY REPUBLIC: LANCASTER'S LEGACY IN AMERICAN FIREARMS EXHIBITION |
| FRIENDS OF THE MARYLAND STATE ARCHIVES INC | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE PUBLICATION OF FINDING THE MARYLAND 400 |
| LONGWOOD GARDENS | KENNET SQUARE, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | MEMORIAL DONATION - GARY HUFFORD |
| The Baltimore Museum of Art Inc | Baltimore, MD | $500,000 | 2025 | JACOBS WING |
| The Royal Oak Foundation | New York, NY | $280,500 | 2025 | RESTORATION OF ENTRYWAY TO |
| Woodmere Art Museum | Philadelphia, PA | $250,000 | 2025 | SECURE NAMING RIGHTS |
| The Frick Art & Historical Center | Pittsburgh, PA | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT VERMEER MONET |
| Rubicon Productions Inc | Sparks Glencoe, MD | $150,000 | 2025 | CREATION OF A DOCUMENTARY |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | Philadelphia, PA | $125,000 | 2025 | PAFA'S HISTORIC LANDMARK |
| Oak Spring Garden Foundation | Upperville, VA | $122,130 | 2025 | CONSERVATION OF THE |
| Peabody Essex Museum | Salem, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE SAINTS, |
| Museum of the American Revolution | Philadelphia, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | THE DECLARATION'S JOURNEY |
| Demuth Foundation | Lancaster, PA | $76,400 | 2025 | FOUNDATION REINTERPRETATION |
| Museum of Fine Arts Boston | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | 2025 EXHIBITION VAN GOGH |
| The Barnes Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | CREATION OF EXHIBITION |
| Historical Society of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT 200TH ANNIVERSARY |
| The Phillips Collection | Washington, DC | $62,500 | 2025 | BONNARD'S WORLDS EXHIBITION |
| Walters Art Museum Foundation | Baltimore, MD | $62,500 | 2025 | ETHIOPIA AT THE CROSSROADS |
| Westmoreland Museum of American Art | Greensburg, PA | $55,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR 65 ARTISTS, 65 |
| Delaware Art Museum | Wilmington, DE | $55,000 | 2025 | JAZZ AGE ILLUSTRATION |
| James A Michener Art Museum | Doylestown, PA | $55,000 | 2025 | INTERWOVEN EXHIBITION |
| LancasterHistory | Lancaster, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | THADDEUS STEVENS' LAW |
| Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | THE STORY OF SEA CLOUD |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | Philadelphia, PA | $49,600 | 2025 | MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP & |
| The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America | Washington, DC | $37,000 | 2025 | AMERICAN TREASURES: |
| Victoria Mansion | Portland, ME | $34,000 | 2025 | BOLD, DESIGNING FELLOWS |
| Independence Seaport Museum | Philadelphia, PA | $20,000 | 2025 | COMMEMORATE THE NATION'S |
| The Royal Oak Foundation | New York, NY | $280,500 | 2024 | RESTORATION OF ENTRYWAY TO |
| The von Hess Foundation Wright's Ferry Mansion | Columbia, PA | $237,500 | 2024 | PURCHASE OF FLORINE |
| Maryland Center for History and Culture | Baltimore, MD | $125,000 | 2024 | NEW FACILITY FOR VISITING |
| The University of the Arts | Philadelphia, PA | $108,280 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP, INTERNSHIPS, |
| Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR GRACE OF MONACO |
| Historical Society of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT INTERIOR RENOVATION |
| University of Iowa Center for Advancement | Iowa City, IA | $100,000 | 2024 | STANLEY MUSEUM'S |
| The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America | Washington, DC | $78,000 | 2024 | RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC |
| Carnegie Museum of Art | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PUBLICATION OF A |
| The Barnes Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | $75,000 | 2024 | CREATION OF EXHIBITION |
| Ladew Topiary Gardens | Monkton, MD | $70,000 | 2024 | RESTORATION OF THE LIBRARY |
| The Phillips Collection | Washington, DC | $62,500 | 2024 | BONNARD'S WORLDS EXHIBITION |
| Walters Art Museum Foundation | Baltimore, MD | $62,500 | 2024 | ETHIOPIA AT THE CROSSROADS |
LOUISE STEINMAN VON HESS FOUNDATION
$2,000,000SUPPORT TRANSFORMATION OF THE ADJACENT RAILROAD BUILDING INTO A VISITOR'S CENTER, MUSEUM AND LIBRARY ANNEX
PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS
$314,600SUPPORT THE RICHARD C. VON HESS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AND TRAVEL AWARDS, THE RECONFIGURED MEMORIAL TRAVEL AWARD IN CONJUNCTION WITH PAFA CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, THE HVAC REPLACEMENT PROJECT FOR PAFA'S HISTORIC LANDMARK BUILDING, AND THE A NATION OF ARTISTS EXHIBITION
SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND TO SECURE NAMING RIGHTS FOR FRANCES M. MAGUIRE HALL
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY
$200,000SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE FALLINGWATER
SUPPORT THE BOOK OF ESTHER IN THE AGE OF REMBRANDT EXHIBITION
SUPPORT RENOVATIONS OF HSP'S CONSERVATION SERVICES LABORATORY
PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM
$100,000SUPPORT THE SAINTS, SINNERS, LOVERS AND FOOLS: 300 YEARS OF FLEMISH MASTERWORKS EXHIBITION
DEMUTH FOUNDATION
$52,150SUPPORT THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
SUPPORT THE SETTING SAIL: THE STORY OF SEA CLOUD EXHIBITION
LANDIS VALLEY ASSOCIATES
$30,000SUPPORT THE GUNSMITHS OF THE EARLY REPUBLIC: LANCASTER'S LEGACY IN AMERICAN FIREARMS EXHIBITION
FRIENDS OF THE MARYLAND STATE ARCHIVES INC
$25,000SUPPORT THE PUBLICATION OF FINDING THE MARYLAND 400
LONGWOOD GARDENS
$1,000MEMORIAL DONATION - GARY HUFFORD
The Baltimore Museum of Art Inc
$500,000JACOBS WING
The Royal Oak Foundation
$280,500RESTORATION OF ENTRYWAY TO
Rubicon Productions Inc
$150,000CREATION OF A DOCUMENTARY
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
$125,000PAFA'S HISTORIC LANDMARK
Oak Spring Garden Foundation
$122,130CONSERVATION OF THE
Peabody Essex Museum
$100,000SUPPORT THE SAINTS,
Demuth Foundation
$76,400FOUNDATION REINTERPRETATION
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
$75,0002025 EXHIBITION VAN GOGH
The Phillips Collection
$62,500BONNARD'S WORLDS EXHIBITION
Westmoreland Museum of American Art
$55,000SUPPORT FOR 65 ARTISTS, 65
LancasterHistory
$50,000THADDEUS STEVENS' LAW
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
$49,600MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP &
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
$37,000AMERICAN TREASURES:
The Royal Oak Foundation
$280,500RESTORATION OF ENTRYWAY TO
The von Hess Foundation Wright's Ferry Mansion
$237,500PURCHASE OF FLORINE
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
$78,000RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC
Carnegie Museum of Art
$75,000SUPPORT PUBLICATION OF A
Ladew Topiary Gardens
$70,000RESTORATION OF THE LIBRARY
The Phillips Collection
$62,500BONNARD'S WORLDS EXHIBITION