Annual Reports

2020 was undoubtedly the most challenging year for our Foundation. The travel restrictions and visa bans we faced, the lack of in person opportunities on the US side, the uncertainty and general atmosphere of so many “unkonwn unknowns” sent us back to the drawing board again and agin.

Yet 2020 gave us the opportunity to rethink and reevaluate all of our programs and add new ones into the mix we felt were needed.

The birth of the Budapest Fellowship Program through a partnership with MCC, was long overdue and we couldn’t be more proud of the first class of graduating fellows who returned to the United States with an in-depth knowledge about Hungary that no other program can provide.

We also launched our Alumni Interview Series which serves to highlight the many success stories that follow our scholarship and fellowship programs.

When we set out to focus our activities for the next five years at HIF on the next generation of Hungarian and American students and young professionals, we knew the return on our investments will be high. 
Season after season it is encouraging to see applicants to our programs who are motivated by the right ideas and end up having life-changing, eye-opening experiences in the US.
Whether it is through internship programs, or through the various fellowships we provide, or by offering memorable cultural programs that elevate our spirits and speak to our souls, we are building new relationships, new channels of communication, offering new pathways in a the dialogue between Hungary and the US.

Few organizations have the luxury of planning for and investing in the future of Hungarian-American people to people relations like we do.
2018 was a year when we launched two new programs with the long term goal of selecting, educating and engaging some of the brightest Hungarian leaders who, we hope, will play an important role in defending the best of the West.
Through our new Széll Kálmán Fellowship, a partnership with The Fund for American Studies, young Hungarians can now spend time interning, studying and networking in Washington through a world-class program. We also launched the Atlanticist Fellowship with the Atlantic Council as part of an effort to train and engage young Hungarian professionals in the transatlantic policy debate.
Through these new programs and our ongoing efforts, we have become a magnet for talent. We aim to leverage this unique opportunity in the upcoming years.

This Annual Report provides a record of our efforts to celebrate our Hungarian heritage and also to invest in the future. 2017 was one of our more successful years yet, and it would not have been possible without your efforts and support.
In 2017 we have achieved new milestones, and the impressive group of talented young individuals we have supported are proof of the expansion and strength of the Hungarian and American communities.
We hope to continue to build these strong intellectual and cultural bridges between the United States and Hungary. Thank you for making 2017 a successful year of growth!

For young and old, 2016 was a good year to be a Hungarian in America. It carried a special message: the message of freedom, the message of perseverance against odds, the message of hope. The heroes of 56 who live among us are our national treasures whom we honored with pride and appreciation. The record number of events hosted by our communities all across the nation together with the impressive group of talented young individuals we supported in 2016 are proof of the vitality and strength of our community.
Our first Annual Report provides a record of our efforts to celebrate our Hungarian heritage and also to invest in the future.
Thank you for making 2016 a year for the books!