The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. The Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations addressing significant issues within their major focus areas and look for evidence of sustainability and demonstrable long-term impact.
A $2 million capital grant to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for a new Cancer Building shows how the William Randolph Hearst Foundation combines large-scale institutional support with a clear preference for established organizations and long-term projects. Across its major funding areas, it backs culture, education, health, and social service work, and it also runs scholarship programs and the United States Senate Youth Program. Recent support includes repeated operating grants to The Metropolitan Opera and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, alongside major funding for facility expansion, scholarships, and program support. The foundation’s grantmaking is national, but its recent awards cluster around large nonprofits with the capacity to sustain capital projects, ongoing services, and named scholarship funds. The pattern is consistent with the Hearst Foundations’ stated approach: they seek well-established nonprofits with demonstrable long-term impact. In practice, that means support for hospitals, universities, museums, and select service organizations rather than small, short-term awards. The portfolio also shows an interest in programs tied to arts training, journalism education, and civic youth leadership, reflecting the mix of institutional support and named educational initiatives that define the foundation’s work.
Health funding appears in both operating and capital forms. In 2025, the foundation gave $2 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital to support a new Cancer Building with a capital investment, and it also gave $375,000 to the University of California San Francisco for its Psychiatry and Urology departments. Arts and culture are another major thread: the foundation awarded $1 million to the Norton Museum of Art for the expansion and renovation of its facility, and $350,000 to Pioneer Works Art Foundation for construction of a public observatory. Education support includes both scholarships and institutional aid. The foundation gave $500,000 to Harvard University for undergraduate financial aid through the Phobe Apperson Hearst Scholarship, and $500,000 to The Juilliard School for scholarships in the performing arts. Journalism and media education also appear in the recent grants, including $500,000 to Columbia University in the City of New York to establish the WRH Journalism scholarship and $500,000 to The Paley Center for Media to establish the Hearst HS Media Internship.
$34.9M
$942.7M
$69.1M
$44.9M
Most grants fall between $10K and $150K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$150K
William R Hearst III
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Typical awards are substantial: the reported grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $150,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list shows both repeated annual support and one-off project grants, with several recipients appearing in consecutive years. That suggests a mix of continuing institutional relationships and targeted capital or program funding. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and its grant programs accept unsolicited applications in several areas. Endowment grants are more limited and are considered only in specific cases tied to existing Hearst endowments or named funds.
Grantmaking is national, and every listed recipient in the dataset is in the United States. New York is the top state by grant count, and 21% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent awards are concentrated in New York City, including multiple grants to organizations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with additional funding in Bronx, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Cambridge, San Francisco, West Palm Beach, New Haven, Cary, and Mount Vernon. The city pattern points to a strong emphasis on large urban institutions and major public-facing organizations.
The foundation funds well-established U.S. nonprofits across culture, education, health, and social service. Recent grants show support for hospitals, universities, museums, arts institutions, and direct-service organizations, with many awards tied to operations, capital projects, scholarships, or program support.
The reported distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $150,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include much larger grants, such as multi-million-dollar support for major institutions and capital projects.
Yes. Scholarship support is part of its core work, including higher education scholarships and limited postgraduate support. Recent examples include $500,000 to The Juilliard School for performing arts scholarships and $500,000 to Harvard University for undergraduate financial aid through the Phobe Apperson Hearst Scholarship.
No. The foundation gives nationally, and the recipient country distribution in the dataset is entirely U.S.-based. New York receives the highest share of grants, and recent awards also land in California, Texas, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Yes for several programs. The Education Funding Priorities, Capital Grants, Scholarship Grants, Social Service Funding Priorities, the United States Senate Youth Program, and Culture Funding Priorities all accept unsolicited applications. Endowment Grants are the main exception and are considered only in limited cases.
President Director
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Presbyterian Hospital | New York, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | To support new Cancer Building with a capital investment |
| Norton Museum of Art | West Palm Beach, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | To support the expansion and renovation of facility |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support undergraduate financial aid through the Phobe Apperson Hearst Scholarship |
| Los Angeles County Museum of Art | Los Angeles, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support the Building LACMA capital campaign |
| The Juilliard School | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To provide scholarships in the performing arts |
| Inner City Scholarship ( Partnership Schools) | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To provide scholarships |
| Covenant House | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To support Anti-Human trafficking program |
| Columbia University in the City of NY | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To establish the WRH Journalism scholarship |
| Alamo Trust Inc | San Antonio, TX | $500,000 | 2025 | To support a capital campaign for the Vistors Ctr and 4D Theater Lobby |
| The Paley Center for Media | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To establish the Hearst HS Media Internship |
| The New York Botanical Garden | Bronx, NY | $375,000 | 2025 | To support educational programs |
| University of California San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $375,000 | 2025 | To support the Psychiatry Urology Depts. |
| Pioneer Works Art Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $350,000 | 2025 | To support the construction of a public observatory |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | $350,000 | 2025 | To support RULER for recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing regulating emotions |
| Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | Los Angeles, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | To support environmental education programs |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the capital campaign for a Cold Lab in the College of Environment |
| Habitat for Humanity International | Atlanta, GA | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the implementation of Community Aging in Place |
| Texas Children's Hospital | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the pursue of youth mental heath care under the Bridge Clinic Program |
| New York University | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | To provide public service scholarships under the Tenney Scholarship Fund |
| Houston Grand Opera | Houston, TX | $300,000 | 2025 | To provide the expansion of the Community and Learning programs |
| Sustainable Development Solutions Network | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | To support science sustainability development curricula |
| San Francisco General Hospital | San Francisco, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | To support a capital campaign for the Outpatient Heath Center |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the Pathways to Leadership and Advancement in Nursing |
| Weill Medical College of Cornell University | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | To support the creation of the Center for the Study and Support of Caregivers |
| Beacon Education | Wilmington, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | To support girls leadership programs at GLOWS Academy |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | To support the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN | $250,000 | 2025 | To support the School of Nursings micro-credentialing program and the TV News Archive |
| San Francisco Film Society | San Francisco, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | To provide general operating support |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | To support the Immuno-Oncology Fellowship program |
| Punahou School | Honolulu, HI | $250,000 | 2025 | To provide capital support for the construction of the Academy Learning Commons |
| Translational Genomics Research Institute Fdn | Phoenix, AZ | $250,000 | 2025 | To support pancreatic cancer research program |
| Scripps Health | San Diego, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | To support capital campaign to expand Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas |
| Hackensack Meridian Health | Edison, NJ | $250,000 | 2025 | To support an early career investigator in Aging research |
| San Francisco Symphony | San Francisco, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | To support the music education programs |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, TX | $250,000 | 2025 | To provide equipment for the Health Professions Simulation Skills Center |
| Brown University of Providence | Providence, RI | $250,000 | 2025 | To provide support for Hearst Medical Scholars Program |
| Phoenix Children's Hospital | Phoenix, AZ | $250,000 | 2025 | To support implementation of a system-wide Suicide Screening Initiative |
| New York Genome Center | New York, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | To support genomic research to cure disease |
| Houston Symphony Society | Houston, TX | $225,000 | 2025 | To support Education and Community Engagement initiatives |
| American Federation for Aging Research | New York, NY | $225,000 | 2025 | To support research in aging |
| Martin Luther King Jr Community Hospital | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | To support the Community Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Program |
| University of Montana Missoula | Missoula, MT | $200,000 | 2025 | To support Montana Media Lab Youth Voices program |
| BRIDGE Housing | San Francisco, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | To provide Mental Health First Aid Certification Training |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | San Francisco, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | To support School, Teacher and Family initiatives in the arts |
| United Way of Greater Houston | Houston, TX | $200,000 | 2025 | To support Navigator and Integrated Client Journey Services. |
| Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | To provide enhanced support services vital for student retention and success |
| Asheville Art Museum Association | Asheville, NC | $200,000 | 2025 | To support conservation, digitization and education programming |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | To provide scholarships for students in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program |
| Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts | New York, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the 10 arts organization within the Lincoln Center Campus |
| Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital | Boston, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | To support CIH |
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
$2,000,000To support new Cancer Building with a capital investment
To support the expansion and renovation of facility
Harvard University
$500,000To support undergraduate financial aid through the Phobe Apperson Hearst Scholarship
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
$500,000To support the Building LACMA capital campaign
The Juilliard School
$500,000To provide scholarships in the performing arts
To provide scholarships
Columbia University in the City of NY
$500,000To establish the WRH Journalism scholarship
Alamo Trust Inc
$500,000To support a capital campaign for the Vistors Ctr and 4D Theater Lobby
University of California San Francisco
$375,000To support the Psychiatry Urology Depts.
To support the construction of a public observatory
Yale University
$350,000To support RULER for recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing regulating emotions
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
$300,000To support environmental education programs
University of Washington
$300,000To support the capital campaign for a Cold Lab in the College of Environment
Habitat for Humanity International
$300,000To support the implementation of Community Aging in Place
Texas Children's Hospital
$300,000To support the pursue of youth mental heath care under the Bridge Clinic Program
To provide public service scholarships under the Tenney Scholarship Fund
Houston Grand Opera
$300,000To provide the expansion of the Community and Learning programs
Sustainable Development Solutions Network
$300,000To support science sustainability development curricula
San Francisco General Hospital
$300,000To support a capital campaign for the Outpatient Heath Center
Columbia University in the City of New York
$300,000To support the Pathways to Leadership and Advancement in Nursing
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
$300,000To support the creation of the Center for the Study and Support of Caregivers
To support the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship
To support the School of Nursings micro-credentialing program and the TV News Archive
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
$250,000To support the Immuno-Oncology Fellowship program
Punahou School
$250,000To provide capital support for the construction of the Academy Learning Commons
To support pancreatic cancer research program
To support capital campaign to expand Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas
Hackensack Meridian Health
$250,000To support an early career investigator in Aging research
University of the Incarnate Word
$250,000To provide equipment for the Health Professions Simulation Skills Center
Brown University of Providence
$250,000To provide support for Hearst Medical Scholars Program
To support implementation of a system-wide Suicide Screening Initiative
Houston Symphony Society
$225,000To support Education and Community Engagement initiatives
Martin Luther King Jr Community Hospital
$200,000To support the Community Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Program
University of Montana Missoula
$200,000To support Montana Media Lab Youth Voices program
To provide Mental Health First Aid Certification Training
To support School, Teacher and Family initiatives in the arts
To support Navigator and Integrated Client Journey Services.
Otis College of Art and Design
$200,000To provide enhanced support services vital for student retention and success
Asheville Art Museum Association
$200,000To support conservation, digitization and education programming
To provide scholarships for students in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program
To provide support for the 10 arts organization within the Lincoln Center Campus
Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital
$200,000To support CIH
Current and upcoming funding from William Randolph Hearst Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations must be U.S.-based, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), with audited expenses of at least $2 million; the Foundations generally prefer prior grantees and organizations with budgets over $5 million in this area.
Who can apply: Organizations must be U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits (IRS determination letter required). The Foundations generally do not fund organizations with audited expenses under $2 million, organizations undergoing leadership transitions (new leadership in place less than one year), or organizations based outside the U.S. Limited exceptions may be made for endowment grants (existing Hearst endowment recipients), faith-based organizations with inclusive services, and local chapters of national organizations in certain circumstances.
Deadline: No deadlines — the Hearst Foundations accept applications year-round on a rolling basis.
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