The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

charitable foundation, established in 1944 by

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

entrepreneur

Conrad Hilton Conrad Nicholson Hilton Sr. (December 25, 1887 – January 3, 1979) was an American businessman who founded the Hilton Hotels chain. From 1912 to 1916 Hilton was a Republican representative in the first New Mexico Legislature, but became disil ...

. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979, when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate. In 2007, Conrad's son,

Barron Hilton William Barron Hilton (October 23, 1927 – September 19, 2019) was an American business magnate, philanthropist and sportsman. The second son and successor of hotelier Conrad Hilton, he was the chairman, president and chief executive officer of ...

announced that he would leave about 97% of his fortune to a

charitable remainder unitrust A charitable remainder unitrust (known as a "CRUT") is an irrevocable trust created under the authority of the United States Internal Revenue Code ("Code"). This special, irrevocable trust has two primary characteristics: (1) Once established, t ...

which names the foundation as the remainder beneficiary.

Financial information

The foundation's assets, as of September 2019, were approximately $2.9 billion and had increased to $6.3 billion due to

's passing. Since inception, the foundation has awarded more than $1.7 billion in grants. Currently more than 50% supports international charitable projects. According to the

OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...

, the foundation's financing for 2019 development decreased by 11% to US$42.3 million.

Program areas

The foundation's mission is derived from the last will and testament of

that directs the organization to ''"relieve the suffering, the distressed, and the destitute."''Excerpt from the Last Will and Testament of Conrad N. Hilton
The foundation invests in seven program areas: Catholic sisters,

disaster relief Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actuall ...

and recovery, foster youth,

homelessness Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, chevalier de J ...

workforce development, safe water, and young

children A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

affected by

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

and

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

. The foundation also supports organizations in four transitioning program areas: avoidable

blindness Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

, Catholic education,

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...

and substance use prevention.

Catholic Sisters

The Hilton Foundation Catholic Sisters program is focused on recognizing catholic sisters as leaders in the human development field by supporting organizations and congregations in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

Disaster Relief and Recovery

The Disaster Relief and Recovery program supports communities to prepare for disasters and provide long-lasting solution towards long-term recovery.

Foster Youth

This program works with

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organizations in the

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

to provide assistance to transition age

youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood ( maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as being a young adult. You ...

ages 16–24 as they age out of the foster care system.

Homelessness

The foundation partners with organizations in

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...

to build permanent supportive

housing Housing, or more generally, living spaces, refers to the construction and assigned usage of houses or buildings individually or collectively, for the purpose of shelter. Housing ensures that members of society have a place to live, whether it ...

for individuals experiencing chronic

Hospitality Workforce Development

This program area works with organizations in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

to provide pathways for young people towards a career in the

industry.

Safe Water

Working with international nonprofits and

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

agencies in

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the ...

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesUganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

to build water systems.

Young Children Affected by HIV and AIDS

The program focuses on early childhood development globally and partners with international and local NGOs working in HIV prevalent communities in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

and

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

Transitioning Programs

The Hilton Foundation is transitioning out of the following program areas: *Avoidable Blindness *Catholic Education *Multiple Sclerosis *Substance Use Prevention

Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize

The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize is awarded annually by the foundation. It was inaugurated in 1996 and is the largest

humanitarian Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...

award in the world. Its annual award of USD 1.5 million was increased in 2015 to 2 million to commemorate its 20th Hilton Humanitarian Prize laureate, Landesa. It is currently larger than any one of the six

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureates

*1996 –

Operation Smile Operation Smile is a nonprofit medical service organization founded in 1982 by Dr. William P. Magee Jr. and his wife Kathleen (Kathy) S. Magee. It is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition to providing cleft lip and palate repair ...

*1997 –

International Rescue Committee The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 as the International Relief Association, at the request of Albert Einstein, and changing its name in 19 ...

*1998 – Médecins Sans Frontières *1999 –

African Medical and Research Foundation African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

*2000 –

Casa Alianza Casa Alianza is an international non-profit organization and the Latin American branch of Covenant House. It is a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless and ...

*2001 – St Christopher's Hospice *2002 – SOS Children's Villages *2003 –

International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) is an independent, international health professional organization that promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and works for the prevention of torture worldwid ...

*2004 – Heifer International *2005 – Partners in Health *2006 –

Women for Women International Women for Women International (WfWI) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to female survivors of war. WfWI helps such women rebuild their lives after war's devastation through a year-long tiered progra ...

*2007 – Tostan Organization *2008 – BRAC *2009 –

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health PATH (formerly known as the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) is an international, nonprofit global health organization based in Seattle, with 1,600 employees in more than 70 countries around the world. Its president and CEO is Niko ...

*2010 – Aravind Eye Care System *2011 – Handicap International *2012 –

HelpAge International HelpAge International is an international NGO that helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination, and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Five organisations from Canada, Colombia ...

*2013 –

ECPAT ECPAT International is a global network of civil society organisations that works to end the sexual exploitation of children. It focuses on ending the online sexual exploitation of children, the trafficking of children for sexual purposes, the se ...

*2014 – Fountain House & Clubhouse International. *2015 – Landesa *2016 –

The Task Force for Global Health The Task Force for Global Health is an international, nonprofit organization that works to improve health of people most in need, primarily in developing countries. Founded in 1984 by global health pioneer William Foege, Dr. William Foege, The Task ...

*2017 –

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh ICDDR,B (formerly known as the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh) is an international health research organisation located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dedicated to saving lives through research and treatment, ICDDR,B a ...

*2018 –

Shining Hope for Communities Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) is a grassroots movement based in Nairobi, Kenya in urban slums providing services, community advocacy platforms, and education and leadership development for women and girls. SHOFCO serves more than 350,000 ...

*2019 –

METAdrasi METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development (Greek: ΜΕΤΑδραση - Δράση για τη Μετανάστευση και την Ανάπτυξη), commonly known as METAdrasi (pronounced: metaðɾasi), is a Greek non-profit civil soc ...

Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Jury

Gro Harlem Brundtland Gro Brundtland (; born Gro Harlem, 20 April 1939) is a Norwegian politician (Arbeiderpartiet), who served three terms as the 29th prime minister of Norway (1981, 1986–89, and 1990–96) and as the director-general of the World Health Organizati ...

, former director general,

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

; former prime minister of

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

* Leymah Gbowee, founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa *Hawley Hilton McAuliffe, board of directors, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation *Mark Rosenberg, MD, MPP, board of directors, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation * Zainab Salbi, founder,

; TV host; author * Ann M. Veneman, former executive director, United Nations Children's Fund (

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...

; former

Secretary of Agriculture

Leadership

Conrad Hilton's granddaughter, Hawley Hilton McAULIFFE, became chair of the board January 2021, superseding

Steven M. Hilton Steven Michael Hilton (born November 9, 1950) is an American philanthropist. He is the son of hotel magnate Barron Hilton, and grandson of Conrad Hilton who founded the Hilton Hotels chain. Steven Hilton is the chairman of the Conrad N. Hilton F ...

, who was the chairman of the organization for most of its existence. He started working at the foundation in 1983 and served as its CEO from 2005 to 2015. Hilton retired as president and CEO, and was succeeded by Peter Laugharn. In his retirement announcement, Hilton said, “When I joined the Hilton Foundation in 1983, I couldn’t imagine the path that lay ahead. At that time, a handful of staff guided about $6 million in grants annually. Fast forward to today, and we have grown to a staff of over 50 and have awarded over a billion dollars in grants to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people around the world.” Peter Laugharn began his tenure as president and CEO on January 1, 2016.

Board of Directors

As of May 22, 2021 *

(chairman emeritus) *Donald H. Hubbs (director emeritus) *Kofi Appenteng, 2019– *James R. Galbraith, 1989– *Conrad N. Hilton III, 2001– *Linda Hilton (vice chair)2014– *Michael O. Hilton, 2017– *Hawley Hilton McAuliffe (chair) 2006– * Justin McAuliffe, 2019– *Sister Joyce Meyer, PBVM, 2009– * John L. Notter. 2005– *Mark Rosenberg, MD, MPP, 2016–

References

External links

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation official website
*

List of wealthiest charitable foundations This is a list of wealthiest charitable foundations worldwide. It consists of the 45 largest charitable foundations, private foundations engaged in philanthropy, and other charitable organizations such as charitable trusts that have disclosed the ...

* Hilton family {{Authority control Humanitarian and service awards Foundations based in the United States Organizations established in 1944 Conrad Hilton family