Hess Philanthropic Fund

The Hess Philanthropic Fund operates as a highly discretionary family foundation with no public application process, no staff, and no published mission statement. All grantmaking decisions rest with three family directors — Marlene Hess, Peter Hess Friedland, and Margaret Hess Chi — who collectively determine priorities based on personal relationships and long-standing institutional affiliations. This is a preselect-only funder in the most literal sense: the foundation finds its grantees rather than the reverse.

With $239 million in assets and approximately $21.3 million in annual giving (FY2024), the fund ranks as a mid-to-large family foundation by national standards, yet operates with the intimacy of a family office. No grants page, no program officer, no RFP cycle. The clearest picture of giving philosophy emerges from the grantee list: 80% of grants flow to New York City organizations, dominated by three institution types — world-class cultural institutions (Museum of Modern Art, American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center), elite research universities and scientific institutes (Rockefeller University, New York Stem Cell Foundation), and premium healthcare institutions (NewYork-Presbyterian). Beyond these anchors, smaller recurring gifts support NYC civic organizations, early childhood education, historic preservation, and advocacy.

For first-time applicants, the path to funding runs entirely through relationship cultivation with the Hess family, not through written submissions. Documented grantees consistently describe initial contact originating from a chance encounter or personal introduction to a Hess family member — followed by sustained, multi-year commitment. The foundation's typical engagement arc moves from personal introduction → board member interest → discretionary gift → recurring annual commitment. Most organizations in the portfolio have received grants in every documented fiscal year.

Organizations without an existing connection to the Hess family face a genuine structural barrier. The most realistic strategy is to create conditions for organic board-level contact through shared involvement in institutions the family actively supports — chiefly MoMA, AMNH, Rockefeller University, and the Metropolitan Opera. First-time applicants should not budget more than three to five years for relationship development before expecting a funded outcome.

Total documented giving across 249 grants in the IRS database spans approximately four fiscal years and totals $60.3 million, with an average grant of $242,266. This average is dramatically skewed by a handful of anchor relationships: the top five grantees alone — MoMA ($17.1M), Rockefeller University ($13.7M), AMNH ($7M), Metropolitan Opera ($5.2M), and NewYork-Presbyterian ($3.4M combined) — account for $46.4 million, roughly 77% of all documented grantmaking.

Annual giving has grown substantially over six years: $10.7M (2018), $16.3M (2019), $19.3M (2020), $20.9M (2021), $20.3M (2023), and $21.3M (2024). Annual cash grants paid have followed a similar trajectory: $8.3M (2018), $12.3M (2019), $14.2M (2020), $15.8M (2021), $14.5M (2022).

The grant size distribution is bimodal and extreme. The median grant is $25,000 — the typical size for smaller recurring commitments to civic organizations, early childhood centers, religious institutions, and arts membership bodies. The observed full range spans from $4 to $8.85 million. In practice, meaningful new grants likely begin at $25,000–$100,000 before escalating as relationships deepen.

By program area, arts and culture dominates at approximately 53% of documented giving: MoMA ($17.1M), AMNH ($7M), Metropolitan Opera ($5.2M), and a constellation of performing arts venues, theaters, and museum organizations (Lincoln Center Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC Ballet, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Neue Galerie) collectively account for this share. Scientific research comes second at roughly 24%, driven almost entirely by Rockefeller University ($13.7M). Healthcare represents approximately 6%, civic and social services about 5%, and international policy affairs (Council on Foreign Relations, Asia Society) about 4%.

Geographically, 201 of 249 grants (80.7%) go to New York organizations. Washington DC receives 9 grants (3.6%), Massachusetts 7 (2.8%), and California 6 (2.4%), with Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Rhode Island accounting for 3–4 grants each — likely legacy Hess Corporation ties that may diminish post-acquisition.

The Hess Philanthropic Fund sits among a cohort of similarly-sized ($239–242M in assets) private foundations classified under Philanthropy & Grantmaking (NTEE T90). However, it is notably more active in annual disbursements, more geographically concentrated, and more anchor-institution-oriented than most comparably-sized peers.

Hess distinguishes itself from peers through its exceptionally high giving rate — approximately 8.8% of assets disbursed annually, well above the 5% minimum required for private foundations. Its concentration in a single metro area (New York City, 80%+ of grants), its anchor-institution model with multi-million-dollar recurring gifts, and its willingness to make transformational single grants (the $8.85M Rockefeller gift in FY2024) are all atypical for foundations in this asset tier. Most comparable family foundations maintain more diversified geographic footprints and programmatic portfolios rather than concentrating resources into a small set of flagship institutions.

The defining recent development for the Hess Philanthropic Fund is the October 2024 completion of Chevron Corporation's $60 billion acquisition of Hess Corporation. The hess.com domain now redirects permanently to chevron.com, eliminating any standalone web presence for the fund. The foundation itself remains a legally independent 501(c)(3) entity and continues under the stewardship of Marlene Hess, Peter Hess Friedland, and Margaret Hess Chi — all of whom serve without compensation.

Fiscally, FY2024 is the most active year on record: $21.3 million in charitable disbursements across approximately 62 grants. The single largest documented FY2024 grant was $8,850,000 to Rockefeller University — a dramatic increase over its prior multi-year average of approximately $3.4M per year, suggesting either a capital campaign commitment or endowment gift. Other confirmed FY2024 major grantees include Museum of Modern Art ($1,003,625 documented in the data snapshot, though prior-year tranches have been far larger), NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ($1.1M), and American Museum of Natural History ($235,000).

No public press releases, new program announcements, leadership changes, or application guideline updates have been identified for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains no social media presence and issues no public communications. The accelerating giving trajectory since 2018 may reflect deliberate philanthropic intensification following the Chevron transaction — with the Hess family now directing greater personal attention and resources toward their charitable interests.

The Hess Philanthropic Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals, maintains no application portal, and publishes no open solicitations. Every documented grant in the portfolio originates from a pre-existing personal relationship between the applicant organization's leadership and one of the three family directors: Marlene Hess, Peter Hess Friedland, or Margaret Hess Chi. This is not a limitation to work around; it is the defining feature of this funder's operating model.

Relationship-first, always. Multiple grantees in publicly available research describe their first contact with the Hess family as arising from a chance encounter — at a cultural event, through a mutual board member, or via another funded institution. There is no substitute for this organic connection. Cold outreach to (212) 275-1573 or 810 Seventh Ave without an existing relationship is unlikely to yield results.

Cultivate shared institutional spaces. The Hess family's active institutional affiliations are visible in the grantee list: MoMA, AMNH, Metropolitan Opera, Rockefeller University, Lincoln Center, and the 92nd Street Y. Organizations whose board members or senior leadership participate in these institutions as donors, trustees, or event attendees are best positioned for organic introductions.

Frame around institutional excellence, not need. Unlike equity-focused funders, Hess supports organizations of exceptional reputational standing — world-class museums, elite research universities, flagship hospitals. Proposals (if ever requested) should lead with institutional quality, program distinction, and leadership caliber, not with descriptions of underserved gaps or urgent community needs.

Expect a multi-year path. There is no annual grant cycle, no deadline, and no formal review process. The relationship-to-grant timeline can span two to five years. Organizations should not forecast Hess Philanthropic Fund revenue in near-term budgets unless a personal connection to a director already exists.

When contact is made, prepare concisely. No standard application form has been documented. If a director expresses interest following personal outreach, prepare: a one-page institutional overview, audited financials for two years, a brief program or operating budget, a list of major institutional funders, and a two-paragraph narrative on the specific request. Keep it tight — this is a relationship conversation, not a grant competition.