The Hearst Foundations are private philanthropies that support U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with a proven ability to produce transformative outcomes. Within their education funding portfolio, the Foundations focus primarily on higher education but also invest in K–12 and early childhood education initiatives that demonstrate innovative approaches and exceptional results. Educational institutions must show strong leadership, financial health, and impact to be considered for funding.
The Foundations allocate approximately 30% of their total grant funding to education initiatives, with a significant portion (about 80%) awarded to institutions with annual budgets over $10 million. Roughly 25% of all grant applicants receive funding, and among those, the majority are returning grantees. New grantees comprise only 20% of awarded funds, highlighting the competitive nature of this opportunity. Grants may support programmatic efforts, capital projects, scholarships, and—in limited instances—general operations or endowments.
Funding priorities include scholarships for undergraduate and, on a limited basis, postgraduate education; college access and success initiatives; professional development for educators; STEM and environmental science education programs that build career pipelines; and training for future healthcare professionals, including nurses and mental health providers. Applications must be submitted through the Hearst Foundations’ online Grants Portal.
There are no application deadlines. The review process occurs on a rolling basis and typically takes four to six weeks, including financial analysis and internal team discussions. If a proposal is advanced to the Board of Directors for consideration, it will be preceded by a site visit and further due diligence. Board decisions are made quarterly, and the average time from application to award is approximately six months.
The minimum grant amount is $100,000. Organizations must wait one year from a declination or three years from a prior grant award before submitting a new request. Applicants must be U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations with audited expenses exceeding $2 million and leadership in place for at least one year. The Hearst Foundations do not support seed programs, pilot projects, productions, advocacy, fundraising events, or local chapters of national organizations. Eligibility and application instructions are detailed on the Foundations’ website, which also includes a searchable database of past grantees.
