The Hollyhock Foundation makes very large, highly concentrated grants primarily through donor-advised/charitable giving vehicles and to a single education operator. Most of its funding is routed to donor-advised fund platforms (J.P. Morgan and Schwab), with a substantial direct investment in Uncommon Schools focused on high school programming and music. The pattern suggests the foundation uses donor-advised funds for flexible philanthropic distribution while maintaining a targeted operating grant posture in K–12 charter/middle-high school improvement.
The Hollyhock Foundation Inc C/o Robert a Karr makes outsized commitments to a small set of education, journalism, and charitable-giving vehicles, with a $19.6 million transfer to Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving and a $16.475 million grant to Jp Morgan Charitable Giving Fund among its largest recent awards. That pattern sits alongside direct operating support for Uncommon Schools, which received multi-million-dollar grants for HS 2.0 and music, showing that the foundation combines donor-advised giving with targeted support for specific program lines. Its recent grants also show a sustained interest in school improvement and talent development. The foundation backed Stanford Graduate School of Education through the Hollyhock Fellows and funded fellowships at Stanford University and Relay Graduate School of Education. In K-12 work, it has supported Teaching Lab for NYC K-2 literacy professional development and coaching, while Uncommon Schools received repeated support over multiple years. The portfolio also includes journalism, basic needs, clean energy, and museum support, but the largest awards remain concentrated in a few named institutions and giving platforms.
Education is a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $1,696,325 to Teaching Lab for NYC K-2 literacy PD & coaching, and in 2023 it made a $1,548,250 grant for the same work. Higher education and educator development also appear through graduate-level and fellowship support. Mount St Joseph University received $1,254,528 in 2025 for a reading science doctoral program, after earlier grants of $755,440 and $728,560 for the same program. Stanford University received $844,000 in 2024 for the Hollyhock Fellowship Program Fund, while Relay Graduate School of Education received $770,394 in 2025 for the Hollyhock Humanities Fellowship. Beyond education, the foundation funded public-interest reporting and basic needs. Propublica received $1,719,706 in 2025 for the PNW Reporting Network, and Robin Hood received $1,500,000 in 2024 for general operating support for basic needs.
Typical grant size sits at $90,000 at the 25th percentile, $180,000 at the median, and $647,220 at the 75th percentile, which fits a portfolio that includes both smaller awards and very large transfers. The grant list shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Uncommon Schools, Teaching Lab, Propublica, Mount St Joseph University, Relay Graduate School of Education, and Robin Hood. The foundation is a regular funder and also funds individuals, while making no program-related investments. Its recent activity suggests a mix of direct operating support and donor-advised/charitable-giving platform grants rather than a one-off approach.
$35.7M
$676.3M
$10.2M
$37.8M
Most grants fall between $90K and $647K, with a median of $180K.
25th Percentile
$90K
Median
$180K
75th Percentile
$647K
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Highly concentrated, low-volume giving: very large single grants (multi-million-dollar) concentrated in a few recipients. Two repeat gifts to donor-advised fund platforms and repeat support to one education nonprofit indicate a mix of pass-through funding and targeted operational support rather than many small, diverse grants.
Notable grantees: JP Morgan Charitable Giving Fund, Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving, Uncommon Schools
Grantmaking is concentrated in the United States, with all listed recipient-country grants going to US organizations. New York appears most often, and 55% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recipient locations also cluster in Washington, DC; Cincinnati, OH; Stanford, CA; and Philadelphia, PA, with additional grants to Berkeley, San Francisco, Orlando, and Brooklyn. The distribution points to a regional U.S. footprint rather than broad international giving.
The recent grants show repeated support for education-related organizations, especially K-12 and graduate-level programming, plus journalism, basic needs, clean energy, and museum support. Examples include Teaching Lab for NYC K-2 literacy coaching, Mount St Joseph University for reading science doctoral work, and Propublica for reporting networks.
Yes. Two of the largest recent grants went to Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving at $19.6 million and Jp Morgan Charitable Giving Fund at $16.475 million, with another $15.7 million grant to Jp Morgan Charitable Giving Fund in 2025.
The grant-size distribution is $90,000 at the 25th percentile, $180,000 at the median, and $647,220 at the 75th percentile. That range matches a mix of smaller program grants and very large transfers.
Yes. New York is the top state by grant count, and 55% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The recipient list also includes organizations in Washington, DC; Cincinnati, OH; Stanford, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Berkeley, CA; San Francisco, CA; Orlando, FL; and Brooklyn, NY.
Yes. Several organizations appear across multiple years, including Uncommon Schools, Teaching Lab, Propublica, Mount St Joseph University, Relay Graduate School of Education, and Robin Hood. That pattern indicates ongoing support rather than isolated one-time grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP MORGAN CHARITABLE GIVING FUND | JENKINSTOWN, PA | $15,700,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTE TO DONOR ADVISED FUND. |
| UNCOMMON SCHOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $3,802,654 | 2025 | HS 2.0 AND MUSIC |
| PROPUBLICA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,719,706 | 2025 | PNW REPORTING NETWORK |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR BASIC NEEDS |
| MOUNT ST JOSEPH UNIVERSITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,254,528 | 2025 | READING SCIENCE DOCTORAL PROGRAM |
| MOUNT ST JOSEPH UNIVERSITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,055,300 | 2025 | CURRICULUM PROJECT |
| RELAY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $770,394 | 2025 | HOLLYHOCK HUMANITIES FELLOWSHIP |
| REEL STORIES TEEN FILMMAKING | BROOKLYN, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | AFTERSCHOOL EXPANSION |
| GRIDLAB | BERKELEY, CA | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | CENTENNIAL MATCHING GRANT |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | ELECTRIC GRID AND CARBON MARKET |
| RECIDIVIZ | PINELLAS PARK, FL | $500,000 | 2025 | TOOLS FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS |
| AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP | ST PAUL, MN | $400,000 | 2025 | SOLD A STORY SEASON 2 |
| CITY LORE | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | SOCAPA CITY CINEMA |
| GOOD SHEPHERD SERVICES | NEW YORK, NY | $350,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WEST CONTRA COSTA PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND | RICHMOND, CA | $337,700 | 2025 | INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES FOR NYSTROM ELEMENTARY |
| LITERACY ACADEMY COLLECTIVE | NEW YORK, NY | $325,000 | 2025 | INSTRUCTIONAL LEADS |
| THE READING LEAGUE | SYRACUSE, NY | $320,000 | 2025 | CURRICULUM NAVIGATION REPORTS |
| MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY | MURFREESBORO, TN | $287,000 | 2025 | LITERACY STUDIES PH.D. PROGRAM SCALE-UP |
| ASSOCIATED PRESS | NEW YORK, NY | $279,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION REPORTING NETWORK - COLLABORATIONS EDITOR |
| CITY REPORT | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE TEAM |
| GENERATION TEACH | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN RENEWABLE EDUCATION FUND | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $250,000 | 2025 | COMMS & OPS DIRECTORS |
| IMMIGRANT JUSTICE CORPS | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MARSHALL PROJECT | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY | KNOXVILLE, TN | $245,000 | 2025 | POLICY MANAGER & TECHNICAL CONSULTANT |
| THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $242,000 | 2025 | PROJECT TRANSLATE |
| CHANGE SUMMER | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | CAMP UNCOMMON |
| FRONTLINE | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | SHORTDOCS |
| MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | VP AND EXHIBITION SUPPORT |
| ARRAY EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $180,000 | 2025 | AI PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY |
| COMMUNITY LIBRARY | KETCHUM, ID | $170,000 | 2025 | SUN VALLEY EARLY LITERACY SUMMIT |
| RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $161,250 | 2025 | ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN READING SCIENCE |
| URBAN ASSEMBLY CHARTER SCHOOL FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE | BRONX, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | SUMMER PD AND TEACHER PASSION SCHOLARSHIPS |
| THE JAPAN SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | JUNIOR FELLOWS PROGRAM |
| THE ACADEMY IN MANAYUNK | CONSHOHOCKEN, PA | $132,000 | 2025 | NYCPS DISTRICT 16 TRAININGS |
| JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | JAZZ ACADEMIES |
| UNCOMMON SCHOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $117,000 | 2025 | PROJECT READY IMPLEMENTATION |
| ISLANDWOOD | BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR THE EEC PROGRAM |
| ST BENEDICT'S PREPARATORY ACADEMY | NEWARK, NJ | $90,000 | 2025 | ST. BENEDICT'S PREP ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| WILLIAMS COLLEGE | WILLIAMSTOWN, MA | $82,000 | 2025 | SUMMER INTERNSHIP STIPENDS |
| BEAM CENTER | BROOKLYN, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | THEATER RENOVATION |
| THE ACADEMY FOR TEACHERS | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| COLLEGE OF IDAHO | CALDWELL, ID | $40,545 | 2025 | LITERACY LEARNING LAB |
| THE SPACE IDAHO | HAILEY, ID | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SOUTH BRONX UNITED | BRONX, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SAINT DAVID'S SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | HORIZONS PROGRAM |
| BLAINE COUNTY HUNGER COALITION | BELLEVUE, ID | $25,000 | 2025 | FOOD ACCESS PROJECT |
| FAR WISE | HAILEY, ID | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
JP MORGAN CHARITABLE GIVING FUND
$15,700,000CONTRIBUTE TO DONOR ADVISED FUND.
RECIDIVIZ
$500,000TOOLS FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES FOR NYSTROM ELEMENTARY
LITERACY ACADEMY COLLECTIVE
$325,000INSTRUCTIONAL LEADS
THE READING LEAGUE
$320,000CURRICULUM NAVIGATION REPORTS
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
$287,000LITERACY STUDIES PH.D. PROGRAM SCALE-UP
ASSOCIATED PRESS
$279,000EDUCATION REPORTING NETWORK - COLLABORATIONS EDITOR
SOUTHERN RENEWABLE EDUCATION FUND
$250,000COMMS & OPS DIRECTORS
FRONTLINE
$200,000SHORTDOCS
COMMUNITY LIBRARY
$170,000SUN VALLEY EARLY LITERACY SUMMIT
ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN READING SCIENCE
SUMMER PD AND TEACHER PASSION SCHOLARSHIPS
THE JAPAN SOCIETY
$150,000JUNIOR FELLOWS PROGRAM
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
$125,000JAZZ ACADEMIES
ST BENEDICT'S PREPARATORY ACADEMY
$90,000ST. BENEDICT'S PREP ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
BEAM CENTER
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
COLLEGE OF IDAHO
$40,545LITERACY LEARNING LAB
THE SPACE IDAHO
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SAINT DAVID'S SCHOOL
$25,000HORIZONS PROGRAM