Horizon Housing Foundation

Horizon Housing Foundation is a private operating foundation — not a traditional open-door grantmaker. Understanding this distinction is essential before investing any time in an approach strategy. With $691.6 million in total assets (FY2024) and annual charitable disbursements of only $1.8–2.6 million, HHF deploys the vast majority of its resources through program-related investments in affordable housing developments, not through competitive grants to external nonprofits.

The foundation's core identity is as an affordable housing owner-operator, providing homes for low-income families, seniors, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities across properties in at least 12 states. Revenue comes primarily from investment income, tax credit sales, consulting fees, and program-related loan returns — not charitable fundraising. HHF employs only 4 staff members (Executive Director Daniel Lee, Director of Services Noel McKay, Director of Operations Kimberly Ursery, and one additional position), meaning every stakeholder interaction carries real weight.

For individual grant seekers — specifically, tenants residing at HHF-affiliated affordable housing developments — the $5,000 renewable scholarship is the clearest and most accessible funding pathway. This scholarship is administered externally through The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and targets tenants pursuing their first postsecondary credential.

For organizations (nonprofits, educational institutions, service providers), the path to HHF funding is more indirect. Educational institutions that enroll HHF tenant-scholars have received institutional grants ($21,000 to Christian Brothers College; $12,000 to Kennesaw State University; $5,899 to Conserve School Corporation). Service organizations that partner with HHF properties to deliver on-site programming — after-school tutoring, health services, financial literacy — may be better positioned to seek MOUs or service contracts than traditional grant awards.

First-time relationship builders should lead with mission alignment: HHF's language centers on economic self-sufficiency, educational advancement, health and wellness, and community building among low-income tenants. Organizations that can demonstrate direct impact on HHF residents and propose tangible on-site programming are the most compelling fit.

Horizon Housing Foundation's giving history reveals a foundation that has scaled philanthropy alongside its investment portfolio, though its payout rate remains very low by conventional standards.

Giving trajectory (total annual giving): - FY2012: $222,293 (assets $101M — 0.22% payout) - FY2013: $329,912 (assets $116.7M — 0.28% payout) - FY2015: $365,280 (assets $144M — 0.25% payout) - FY2018: $857,658 (assets $358.3M — 0.24% payout) - FY2019: $986,198 (assets $415.6M — 0.24% payout) - FY2020: $1,010,163 (assets $446.5M — 0.23% payout) - FY2021: $2,574,915 (assets $452.3M — 0.57% payout — COVID spike) - FY2023: $2,131,822 (assets $515.6M — 0.41% payout) - FY2024: ~$1.8M (assets $691.6M — ~0.26% payout)

The foundation gives far below the 5% minimum distribution requirement applicable to private foundations — which strongly suggests HHF qualifies as a private operating foundation under IRC Section 4942(j)(3), meaning it directly operates charitable programs (affordable housing + tenant services) rather than distributing grants to others.

Known grant sizes: The few documented external grants are small — Christian Brothers College ($21,000), Kennesaw State University ($12,000), Conserve School Corporation ($5,899). The tenant scholarship is $5,000 per year renewable (up to $40,000 over 8 semesters). No single documented external grant exceeds $21,000.

Program areas by type (estimated allocation): - Educational scholarships (tenant-facing): largest component of documented grants - After-school programming: on-site at housing properties - Health services: regular on-site nurse visits to tenants - Fitness and wellness: age-appropriate programs at properties

Geographic distribution: Primarily Missouri (HHF is headquartered in St. Louis), with scholarship recipients documented at properties across CA, CO, DC, GA, HI, IL, KS, MO, NE, OK, SC, and WI.

Horizon Housing Foundation sits in a unique category among Human Services-classified foundations: massive asset bases built primarily through affordable housing investments, with very low grantmaking payout rates reflecting their operating foundation status.

Horizon Housing Foundation dwarfs its peer set with nearly 2.5x the assets of its closest comparable (Movement Resources at $276.8M). However, this asset advantage does not translate into proportionally larger grantmaking — HHF's giving remains tightly constrained to tenant-facing programs and small institutional grants.

Among this peer group, Holland Foundation (NE) is the only organization with a publicly accessible website and open grantmaking program, making it the most actionable alternative for nonprofits seeking Human Services funding. HHF's scale reflects its status as a sophisticated affordable housing investment entity, not a conventional philanthropic foundation — a critical distinction for any grant seeker calibrating their prospect list.

FY2024 Financial Surge: The most significant recent development is the extraordinary jump in HHF's FY2024 financials — revenue rose from $67.9 million (FY2023) to $179.7 million, while total assets climbed $176 million to $691.6 million. This surge reflects investment income, program-related returns, and likely significant activity within HHF's affordable housing investment portfolio, possibly including tax credit transactions or property dispositions.

Leadership Stability: Available IRS data identifies Daniel Lee as Executive Director (salary $94,448), Noel McKay as Director of Services ($74,890), and Kimberly Ursery as Director of Operations ($68,601). Board leadership lists Amy McDermott as President, Loura Gilbert as Vice President, Alice Duarte-Fletcher as Treasurer, and Juliet Simone as Secretary — all serving without compensation, consistent with the volunteer board structure typical of affordable housing foundations.

Scholarship Program Continuity: The tenant scholarship program through The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis continues to operate with a consistent April 15 annual deadline. There is no evidence of major changes to scholarship criteria or amounts in recent years.

No External Press Coverage Found: Web research did not surface any press releases, new program announcements, or major news coverage specific to this St. Louis-based HHF in 2025 or 2026. (Note: Multiple national organizations share the "Horizon" and "Horizon Housing Foundation" name; coverage of those entities does not apply here.)

Tenant Scholarship Applicants:

• Confirm your property eligibility first. Not all affordable housing in St. Louis qualifies — only tenants of Horizon Housing Foundation-affiliated developments are eligible. Contact HHF directly at (314) 269-0809 to verify your property's status before investing time in the application.
• Tenant standing is a hard eligibility gate. The application explicitly screens for tenants "in good standing" — on-time rent, limited formal complaints. If you have any unresolved issues with property management, resolve them before applying. A strong rental record is as important as academic credentials.
• Start the General Application at MyScholarshipCentral.org first. The HHF-specific scholarship supplement only appears after you've completed the universal General Application. Allow at least 2–3 hours for the full application sequence.
• FAFSA documentation is required. Upload all pages of your 2025-26 FAFSA Submission Summary. Apply for FAFSA by February if you haven't already — delays in FAFSA processing will block your scholarship application.
• The essay is your differentiator. The prompt asks what issues matter to you involving your community, educational success, or future. Ground your answer in your lived experience as an HHF tenant — economic self-sufficiency, neighborhood impact, and community building are the foundation's own language and will resonate with reviewers.
• Apply by April 15 — no exceptions. Awards are announced in June. Incomplete applications or missing documents are disqualifying. Submit at least one week early and confirm all uploads.
• Plan for renewal. The scholarship is renewable for up to 8 semesters (4 years, worth up to $40,000 total). Maintain your 2.0 GPA and tenant standing each year to remain eligible.

Organizational Applicants (Nonprofits, Schools):

• Do not submit an unsolicited proposal. HHF has no documented open RFP process for external organizations. The known institutional grants (to Christian Brothers College, Kennesaw State, Conserve School) appear to flow through tenant enrollment relationships rather than competitive processes.
• Build the relationship through tenant impact. Organizations that serve HHF residents on-site — health clinics, tutoring, job training — are better positioned to seek service agreements than traditional grants. Contact Director of Services Noel McKay as the most relevant staff contact.