The WHH Foundation is a private independent family foundation based in San Marino, California, established in 2004. Originally known as William H. Hurt Charities, Inc., the foundation was established in 1961 by William Holman Hurt (1927-2021), a longtime Capital Group Companies executive and graduate of USC and Harvard Business School. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a focus on investing in human capital and supporting people doing meaningful work across education, health, the arts, and community-building.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$165.6M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.9M
+90.8% YoY
Grant Count
149
+38.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
+38.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Whh Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philosophy centers on "investing in people" and "human capital" as necessary components to building a better world over extended periods. Primary funding areas include:
- Education: Broad support for universities and educational institutions, with particular emphasis on higher education
- Health: Support for health-related initiatives and medical institutions
- Arts and Culture: Including performing arts, museums, and cultural organizations
- Community Building: Human services, family services, and child welfare
- Scientific Purposes: Support for scientific research and advancement
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or requests for funding. All grants are made by invitation only.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $225,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, with particular concentration in the Los Angeles area. Geographic reach has expanded to include states where board members reside:
- California (primary focus)
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Illinois
- Arizona
- Additional funding in New York and other states where board members are located
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: Approximately $163 million (2023)
- Total assets: $179 million (2024 tax year)
- Annual revenue: $79.4 million (2023)
- Annual expenses: $4.98 million (2023)
- Total liabilities: $199 (2023)
Tax Status:
- EIN: 20-0775264
- Tax-exempt since June 2004
- 501(c)(3) organization
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $165,604,790 | $163,332,898 | $88,877,785 |
| Revenue | $11,426,815 | $79,431,209 | $10,711,186 |
| Expenses | $9,155,199 | $4,975,359 | $3,320,776 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,350,634 | $4,488,781 | $2,966,221 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,999,936 | $4,330,835 | $1,335,446 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,646,559 | $7,125,752 | $3,783,136 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Children's Hospital Los Angeles ($2,270,200), Hoag Hospital Foundation ($560,000), Huntington Library ($350,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ANCHORS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES VANCOUVER, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ASPEN HOPE CENTER BASALT, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET ASPEN, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $145,000 |
| ASPEN SPORTS MEDICINE FOUNDATION ASPEN, CO | PROGRAM/PROJECT SUPPORT | $58,000 |
| ASPEN YOUTH CENTER ASPEN, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| BENDFILM INC BEND, OR | PROGRAM/PROJECT SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BIKE VENTURA VENTURA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BIRCH COMMUNITY SERVICES INC PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CALIFORNIA COUNCIL ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (CCST) SACRAMENTO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $72,500 |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PASADENA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members:
- Mark L. Purnell (Chair)
- Kristen S. Purnell (Vice Chair)
- Kelley A. Purnell (Treasurer)
- Lukas Liebischer (Secretary)
- Michael T. Kerr (Board Member)
- Douglas S. Murray (Board Member)
- Courtney MacMillan (Board Member)
- Eve-Lynne Murray (Board Member)
- Bernadette Glenn (Board Member, part-year)
Staff:
- Alyson Sattler (Executive Director)
- Lauren Leon (Operations Coordinator)
- Kate Good (Programming and Operations)
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KELLEY A PURNELL | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| MARK L PURNELL | CHAIR | 3 | — |
| BERNADETTE GLENN | BOARD MEMBER (PART-YEAR) | 2 | — |
| KRISTEN S PURNELL | VICE CHAIR | 3 | — |
| MICHAEL T KERR | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| DOUGLAS S MURRAY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| COURTNEY MACMILLAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| EVE-LYNNE MURRAY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| LUKAS LIEBISCHER | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| ALYSON SATTLER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $201,923 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
$4 million gift launched USC Dornsife endowment campaign for its International Center on Water Policy
$4M gift launches USC Dornsife endowment campaign for its ...Foundation participation in the Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge, a collaborative initiative addressing global food security
Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge: FinalistsContinued support for higher education institutions across the West Coast, including University of Southern California, California Institute of Technology, and Oregon State University
Contact Information
Primary Address: 1060 Avondale Rd San Marino, CA 91108-1134
Alternative Address: 333 S. Hope St., 54th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: 626-449-6321 or (213) 486-9500
Website: www.whh-foundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Whh Foundation fund?
The foundation's philosophy centers on "investing in people" and "human capital" as necessary components to building a better world over extended periods. Primary funding areas include: • **Education**: Broad support for universities and educational institutions, with particular emphasis on higher education • **Health**: Support for health-related initiatives and medical institutions • **Arts and Culture**: Including performing arts, museums, and cultural organizations • **Community Building**:…
How do I apply for a grant from Whh Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: Approximately $4.1 million (2023) • Number of grants: 108 awards (2023) • Grant range: $5,000 to $225,000 • Median grant: $10,000 to $15,000 • Total distributions: $8.4 million (2024 tax year) **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or requests for funding. All grants are made by invitation only. **Notable Grants:** • $75 million gift to Caltech establishing the William H. Hurt Scholars Program, supporting early-caree…
Where does Whh Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, with particular concentration in the Los Angeles area. Geographic reach has expanded to include states where board members reside: • California (primary focus) • Colorado • Oregon • Illinois • Arizona • Additional funding in New York and other states where board members are located
What size grants does Whh Foundation award?
In 2024, Whh Foundation awarded 149 grants totaling $7.9M — an average of about $53K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Whh Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Whh Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Whh Foundation's EIN?
Whh Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0775264. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Whh Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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