Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation
The Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation is a private foundation based in Deerfield, Illinois. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing also describes an application process for education-related awards to eligible children and stepchildren of Gold Eagle Co. employees.
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation at a glance
In short: Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation gave $822K across 96 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Illinois. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $822,441
- -19.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 96
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,567
- -21.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,750
- Total assets
- $8,094,209
- +115.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (25 of 79, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (62% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Gold Eagle Co. Human Resources and submit the application and materials described above.
- Review Cycle
- Submission deadlines are set annually for a specific date in May.
- Deadline
- Submission deadlines are set annually for a specific date in May.
- Contact
Application contact: Gold Eagle Co Human Resources
Mailing address: 4400 S Kildare Ave, Chicago, IL 60632
Phone: (773) 376-4400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Curehht ($75K). Together the top 10 received $372K.
Organizations only. It also paid 16 individual scholarships ($93,941), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
565 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 545 grants of 565 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 62% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 10% to California, 9% to Maryland, 8% to New York, and 2% to Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 96 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 25 of 79 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $642K (2023) to $1.0M (2021). In 2025 it made 96 grants totaling $822K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Curehht Monkton, MD | Unrestricted | $75,000 |
| Discovery Eye Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Research to Find a Cure for Macular Degeneration | $37,000 |
| Camp Chi Northbrook, IL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Center on Halsted Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Community Alternatives Unlimited Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Connections for the Homeless Evanston, IL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Michael J Fox Foundation New York, NY | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundationmalnati Brain Tumor Institute Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $35,000 |
| Aacf Sacramento, CA | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,094,209 | $5,337,857 | $993,201 | $822,441 | 96 | $828,376 | $5,200,521 | $1,065,609 |
| 2024 | $3,749,553 | $960,041 | $1,134,620 | $1,020,146 | 93 | $1,029,308 | $854,818 | $1,062,587 |
| 2023 | $3,924,132 | $-443,211 | $746,807 | $641,693 | 89 | $654,680 | $6,291 | $828,617 |
| 2022 | $5,114,150 | $596,077 | $989,015 | $847,716 | 169 | $789,367 | $393,906 | $825,283 |
| 2021 | $5,604,652 | $1,021,654 | $1,148,205 | $1,025,692 | 118 | $977,017 | $915,403 | $1,007,012 |
| 2020 | $5,731,203 | $1,370,885 | $875,820 | $788,707 | 127 | — | $1,293,335 | $762,337 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is not stated. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including eye-disease research, homelessness services, disability support, LGBTQ community well-being, hunger relief, youth development, and children’s learning.
For example, Discovery Eye Foundation says it supports research, education, and advocacy related to sight-threatening eye disease. Connections for the Homeless says it works to end homelessness through eviction prevention, shelter, and housing services. The Greater Chicago Food Depository describes its mission as ending hunger and says it works with community-based organizations and individuals.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 96 grants totaling $822,441. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median of $4,750. Larger grants included $75,000 to CUREHHT for unrestricted purposes; $37,000 to Discovery Eye Foundation for research to find a cure for macular degeneration; and $35,000 each to Camp Chi, Center on Halsted, Community Alternatives Unlimited, Connections for the Homeless, the Michael J Fox Foundation, and Northwestern Memorial Foundation Malnati Brain Tumor Institute. The filing also lists $25,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and $20,000 each to All Stars Project and JUF Path to Parenthood.
The filing describes an application process requiring an application, transcripts, information about the applicant’s community service, and pages 1 and 2 of the applicant’s and parents’ Forms 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. Applicants must be children or stepchildren of current Gold Eagle Co. employees who are full-time and in good standing, or of deceased employees who met those employment conditions at the time of death. Only one grant is provided per applicant per academic year. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard Hirsch, Paul Hirsch, David Hirsch, and Robert Hirsch as directors.
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation
How much does Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation give each year?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation gave $822K across 96 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.0M across 93 grants.
What is Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's typical grant size?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,750, and its average grant was $8,567, across 96 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation give grants?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (10%) and Maryland (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (26 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Northbrook, IL (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 78% of Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (75 of 96) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (17 grants).
Who are Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's largest grantees?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Curehht ($75,000), Discovery Eye Foundation ($37,000) and Camp Chi ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 16 individual scholarships ($93,941), which are not listed by name. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation reported $8.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $828K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is not stated. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in areas including eye-disease research, homelessness services, disability support, LGBTQ community well-being, hunger relief, youth development, and children’s learning. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation?
Contact Gold Eagle Co. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's EIN?
Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3774078. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/armin-and-esther-hirsch-foundation-morg_9c0bee7b3bb74757bc2de56bc346127a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363774078_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/armin-and-esther-hirsch-foundation-morg_9c0bee7b3bb74757bc2de56bc346127a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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