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The Herr Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Herr Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$214k
Granted FY2024still arriving
4
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$200k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0179% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$408kHealth$107kEducation$77kPhilanthropy$40kCivil Rights$16kReligion$14kHuman Services$3kInternational$2kOther$0
02FY2024 · 4 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k3 grants · $14k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $200k
$7,500
Median grant
3
States reached
$2.8M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM$200,000
Uniting Voices$7,500
Congregation Rodfei Zedek$5,830
Hand in Hand$1,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–17, $500) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 13%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 13%WORKING CREDIT NFP: $500 → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

IL
NY
OR
IN
PA
DC
AL
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

79%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$537k · 14 repeat orgs$142k to everyone else

14 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2024, 11 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

14
17

Total granted

$537k
$136k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+32%
+103%

Still filing today

64%
59%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $6k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Crime & LegalArts & CultureHealthEducationHuman ServicesInternationalOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • TU
    The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
    2× · 2023–2024 · $400k · revenue +3%
  • BZ
    BERNARD ZELL ANSHE EMET DAY SCHOOL
    4× · 2017–2020 · $41k · revenue +10%
  • EI
    Erikson Institute
    2× · 2018–2022 · $36k · revenue +42%

Funded once

  • SH
    SINAI HEALTH SYSTEMgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $100k · revenue +37%
  • IF
    INSTITUTE FOR NON VIOLENCE
    one grant, 2018 · $15k
  • TP
    THE PENN FUND
    one grant, 2020 · $10k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Bar Ilan University in Israel Inc

Biu produces students who excel in the sciences, humanities, law, engineering, business & the arts.

—
2
Stanley Manne Childrens Research Institute

Stanley manne children's research institute strives to generate new knowledge and advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric diseases.

Health
3
Institute for Advanced Study - Louis Bamberger & Mrs Felix Fuld Foundation

The institute for advanced study (the institute) is one of the world's leading centers for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. see schedule o.

Science & Tech
4
The Lieber Institute Inc

The mission of the institute is to translate basic genetic and molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia and related developmental brain disorders into clinical advances that change the lives of affected individuals. it is catalyzing a new…

Health
5
Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute

The chicago psychoanalytic institute transforms the lives of individuals, families and communities, using psychoanalytic knowledge to help them grow and thrive.

Social Science
6
Institute of Medicine of Chicago

Mission - the institute of medicine of chicago is an independent non-profit organization of distinguished leaders in the health field who collaborate to improve the health of the public. drawing upon the expertise of a diverse membership…

—
7
Jewish Women International
—
8
Saint Xavier University

Saint xavier university, a catholic institution inspired by the heritage of the sisters of mercy, educates persons to search for truth, think critically, communicate effectively and serve wisely and compassionately in support of human…

Education
9
Nijc Nfp

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is a leader in advancing immigrant rights through its unique strategy drawing on its legal services to promote legal reform through litigation, advocacy and strategic communications.

Crime & Legal
10
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Ann & robert h. lurie children's hospital of chicago is dedicated to the health and well-being of all children. as the pediatric teaching facility for northwestern university feinberg school of medicine, this commitment drives us to be a…

Health
11
Live Free Chicago

Live Free Illinois is a statewide organization partnering with over 120 congregations and directly impacted individuals to build safer more equitable communities across Illinois. Operating at the intersection of criminal justice reform and…

—
12
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Federation amplifies our collective strength to make the world a better place for everyone. we assist people in need, impact chicagoans of all faiths; support israel and the jewish people worldwide; respond swiftly to crises; cultivate…

Philanthropy
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Community Crisis Center Inc; the most unlike its peers is Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

20 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 20 of the 33 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
20/20
Grantees still filing
18/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: $400,000 · Arts & CultureThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum+2 more: $8,000 · Arts & CultureSINAI HEALTH SYSTEM: $100,000 · HealthSINAI HEALTH SYST…+2 more: $5,000 · HealthBERNARD ZELL ANSHE EMET DAY SCHOOL: $41,000 · EducationBERNARD ZELL…Erikson Institute: $36,250 · EducationErikson Inst…INSTITUTE FOR NON VIOLENCE: $15,000 · OtherINSTITUTE…THE PENN FUND: $10,000 · OtherTHE PENN …CHICAGO SINAI CONGREGATION: $7,500 · OtherCHICAGO S…CONGREGATION RODFEI ZEDEK: $5,830 · OtherCONGREGAT…BPI: $3,000 · OtherBPIIndividual grant recipient: $2,000 · OtherTHEZETA BETA TAV FOUNDATION: $2,000 · Other+11 more: $8,700 · Other+11 moreJEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO: $30,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY CRISIS CENTER INC: $2,500 · Human ServicesWorking Credit NFP: $500 · Human ServicesREADING BETWEEN THE LINES NFP: $1,000 · Crime & LegalSOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER INC: $1,000 · Crime & LegalKIND INC: $500 · Crime & LegalInstitute for Nonviolence Chicago: $500 · Crime & Legal
Arts & Culture$408,000Health$105,000Education$77,250Other$54,030Philanthropy$30,000Human Services$3,000Crime & Legal$3,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: $400,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSINAI HEALTH SYSTEM: $100,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBERNARD ZELL ANSHE EMET DAY SCHOOL: $41,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetErikson Institute: $36,250 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetJEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO: $30,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetUNITING VOICES: $7,800 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBRAIN RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $3,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY CRISIS CENTER INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRehabilitation Institute of Chicago: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetJEWISH NATIONAL FUND (KEREN KAYEMETH LEISRAEL) INC: $1,250 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetHAND IN HAND AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE CENTER FOR JEWISH-ARAB EDUCATION IN ISRA: $1,200 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE WETLANDS INITIATIVE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKIND INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSPECIAL OLYMPICS ILLINOIS: $500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetWOMEN'S COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROJECT: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetInstitute for Nonviolence Chicago: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Chicago Community…John D and Catherine …Circle of Service Fou…The Bluhm Family Foun…Robert R McCormick Fo…Polk Bros Foundation …Arie and Ida Crown Me…United Way of Metropo…Jewish Federation of …Jpmorgan Chase Founda…AbbVie FoundationVanguard Charitable E…
The Chicago Community TrustIL19× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Chicago Community Trust · John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · Circle of Service Foundation · The Bluhm Family Foundation · Robert R McCormick Foundation · Polk Bros Foundation Inc · Arie and Ida Crown Memorial · United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc · Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · AbbVie Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Herr Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Herr Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to The Herr Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Herr Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 33 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Herr’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home