The Hearst Foundations, comprised of the Hearst Foundation and The William Randolph Hearst Foundation, are private philanthropic institutions founded by media pioneer William Randolph Hearst. They have a long-standing mission to support well-established nonprofit organizations that demonstrate success and sustainability across the United States. Their areas of focus include culture, education, health, and social service, aiming to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families across diverse communities.
Grants provided by the Hearst Foundations are meant to support organizations that exhibit strong leadership, sound fiscal management, and a clear record of impact. While specific spending rules are not detailed on the public application page, proposals are typically expected to align closely with the foundations' core funding areas. Applicants are encouraged to present clear, achievable objectives and demonstrate the capacity to implement and sustain the proposed programs.
Eligibility for Hearst Foundations grants is generally limited to 501(c)(3) organizations within the United States. There are geographic distinctions for support inquiries: organizations east of the Mississippi River should contact the New York office, while those west of the river should contact the San Francisco office. Faith-based organizations are considered if their programming is non-sectarian, and fiscal sponsorships may be acceptable with adequate documentation.
The application process is conducted exclusively through the Hearst Foundations Grants Portal, which launched a new version in August 2025. Returning applicants with prior accounts are required to reset their passwords to regain access. Applications must be completed in full and include all required attachments; incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. Once created, an application remains accessible for editing for up to three months before being deleted from the system.
No pre-application steps such as a letter of intent are indicated, and there are no recurring deadlines or cycles mentioned, suggesting that applications may be accepted on a rolling basis. Once submitted, applicants receive an email confirmation (with potential email delivery limitations due to organizational security filters). Proposal status updates can be monitored via the Grants Portal Dashboard under the "Submitted Applications" tab.
Support is provided via email, with separate addresses based on organizational location relative to the Mississippi River. Additional resources including application instructions and a sample application are available to assist in the preparation process. The website offers comprehensive guidelines to help applicants understand evaluation procedures and limitations to funding.
Ensure all attachments are included; incomplete applications cannot be reviewed; proposals remain editable for 3 months before being purged.
