Hillsdale Fund Incorporated
The Mary Scott Hillsdale Fund Inc is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes. Its mission focuses on assisting tax-exempt organizations in carrying out their exempt purposes, with a strong emphasis on community service, education, human services, and addressing food insecurity. The foundation provides funding to a diverse range of recipients, including educational institutions, community service organizations, and initiatives aimed at youth development and environmental conservation. While it primarily operates in North Carolina, its funding extends to organizations across multiple states.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A tax-exempt organization with a clear IRS exemption letter seeking single-project or program grants in the typical mid-size range (many awards cluster around $10K–$50K), with programs in education, community services, youth, or local community development; applicants may be in North Carolina or elsewhere in the U.S.
Good Fit
- • Has 501(c)(3) status and can supply an IRS exemption letter with the application.
- • Asks aligned with the foundation's common grant sizes (median about $15,000; many grants in $10K–$50K bands).
- • Project or program fits broad community, education, youth development, or human services priorities.
- • Can submit a completed mailed application by the spring or fall deadline and follow the stated offline process.
- • Is comfortable being a one-time or occasional grantee (portfolio shows many new, single-year awards).
Geography
The foundation funded recipients in 14 states in the latest year; while based in North Carolina, about two-thirds of grant dollars went out of state, showing a multi-state footprint rather than a strictly local focus.
Recipient Variety
The latest year included 69 distinct grantees and historically the foundation made 71 and 76 grants in prior years; a large majority of 2024 grantees were new (55 new), indicating a broad and diverse recipient set.
New Applicants
Direct behavioral evidence supports new entrants: roughly 80% of 2024 recipients were new and the funder has repeatedly added many new grantees year-to-year; a public offline application route with submission instructions is also documented, reinforcing practical openness to unfamiliar applicants.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
