Herak Foundation
Herak Foundation is a private foundation based in Priest Lake, Idaho. Its 2025 filing is marked as a final return and states that the foundation made a complete liquidation distribution of its assets on December 31, 2025; it therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
Herak Foundation at a glance
In short: Herak Foundation gave $299K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), mostly in Washington. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $299,000
- +686.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,900
- +608.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (88% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Herak Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The final filing listed a written request regarding qualifications or need; family members of co-trustees were ineligible. The filing listed no deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: Donna Herak
Mailing address: PO Box 921, Sandpoint, ID 83864
Phone: (509) 838-5873
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Herak Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gonzaga University ($100K). Together the top 10 received $299K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 47 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, 9% to recipients in Idaho, and 3% to recipients in Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Herak Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 708% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $37K (2021) to $299K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $299K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga University Spokane, WA | Donation | $100,000 |
| Lady of Lourdes Spokane, WA | Donation | $68,000 |
| Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame Spokane, WA | Donation | $40,000 |
| Nazareth Guild Spokane, WA | Donation | $40,000 |
| Priest Lake Food Bank Priest Lake, ID | Donation | $20,000 |
| Eternal Word Television Network Inc Irondale, AL | Donation | $10,000 |
| Union Gospel Mission Spokane, WA | Donation | $10,000 |
| St Anthony Catholic Church Spokane, WA | Donation | $5,000 |
| St Blanche Church Priest Lake, ID | Donation | $4,000 |
| University of Idaho Moscow, ID | Donation | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Herak 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 | — | $12,544 | $308,592 | $299,000 | 10 | $299,000 | $10,576 | $7,485 |
| 2024 | $296,048 | $16,394 | $40,376 | $38,000 | 9 | $38,000 | $14,018 | $14,955 |
| 2023 | $320,030 | $16,321 | $39,250 | $37,000 | 9 | $37,000 | $14,071 | $16,040 |
| 2022 | $339,946 | $-49,257 | $39,125 | $37,000 | 9 | $37,000 | $10,414 | $16,543 |
| 2021 | $427,720 | $10,556 | $39,075 | $36,500 | 10 | $36,500 | $8,667 | $21,978 |
| 2020 | $469,657 | $-9,512 | $44,025 | $41,500 | 11 | — | $8,453 | $24,007 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herak Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame describes its mission as raising up joyful leaders and saints through a Catholic classical education. Union Gospel Mission describes its mission as helping people move from homelessness to wholeness by following Christ. Eternal Word Television Network describes its work as operating Catholic television, radio, and internet media networks.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $299,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $100,000, with a median of $15,000. Larger grants included $100,000 to Gonzaga University, $68,000 to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, $40,000 each to Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame and Nazareth Guild, and $20,000 to Priest Lake Food Bank.
The 2025 filing says the foundation made these distributions in complete liquidation. The filing listed a written request regarding qualifications or need as the application material, no deadline, and a restriction that family members of co-trustees are not eligible. These instructions are from the final filing and should not be treated as a current application process.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing listed Marc A. Dorendorf, Donna Herak, and Jerome P. Herak as trustees.
Herak Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Donna Herak
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2025)
Jerome P. Herak
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2025)
Marc A. Dorendorf
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1K, to Marc a Dorendorf (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Herak Foundation
How much does Herak Foundation give each year?
Herak Foundation gave $299K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $38K across 9 grants.
What is Herak Foundation's typical grant size?
Herak Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $29,900, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Herak Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Herak Foundation give grants?
Herak Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Idaho (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spokane, WA (6 grants) and Priest Lake, ID (2 grants).
Does Herak Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Herak Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (10 grants).
Who are Herak Foundation's largest grantees?
Herak Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Gonzaga University ($100,000), Lady of Lourdes ($68,000) and Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does Herak Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame describes its mission as raising up joyful leaders and saints through a Catholic classical education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Herak Foundation?
The final filing listed a written request regarding qualifications or need; family members of co-trustees were ineligible. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Herak Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Herak Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Herak Foundation's EIN?
Herak Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1621226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Herak Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Mattaini Family Foundation
Bellevue, WA
The Bellevue-based foundation’s 2025 grants supported health and medical research, hunger relief, social services, and community organizations, primarily in Washington, with some funding in Tennessee and California. Its 12 grants ranged from $2,000 to $300,000, with a median of $35,500. The final filing says organizations could submit a letter about their charitable work, but the foundation appears to have ended grantmaking.
Assets
—
Grants
12
Total Given
$758K
Roy and Leona Nelson Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Roy and Leona Nelson Foundation primarily funds college scholarships for students in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, with some grants for senior housing, disability services, food assistance, mental health, and homelessness. In 2025, grants ranged from $1,000 to $45,000, with a median of $2,000, and went to organizations in Washington and Idaho. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
25
Total Given
$196K
Innovia Foundation
Spokane, WA
Innovia Foundation supports charities, public entities, and other eligible organizations working in arts and culture, economic opportunity, education and youth development, health and wellbeing, and quality of life. Its 2026 Community Grants are typically around $7,500, with a maximum of $15,000, for work in 20 counties across Eastern Washington and North Idaho; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$286.5M
Grants
422
Total Given
$12.7M
Bluescope Foundation North America
Kansas City, MO
BlueScope Foundation North America supports U.S. nonprofits working in STEM, transitional living, education, and arts and development programs for underserved populations. Its 2025 grants ranged from $25 to $75,000, with a median of $3,000. It accepts initial inquiries by letter, email, or phone to the Foundation Director, who may request more information if the organization meets eligibility requirements.
Assets
$8.9M
Grants
211
Total Given
$1.0M
First Interstate BancSystem Foundation
Billings, MT
The First Interstate BancSystem Foundation funds poverty reduction, youth development, financial education, and community development, as well as civic, arts, education, health, human services, and sustainability efforts in communities served by First Interstate Bank across 10 states. Its 2025 grants had a median award of $2,500, though amounts varied widely; the stated minimum grant is $2,500. Organizations can submit grant requests online, which are traditionally reviewed monthly, but grants must be recommended by a local First Interstate branch.
Assets
$19.2M
Grants
767
Total Given
$5.0M
The Avista Foundation
Spokane, WA
The Avista Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in education, basic needs and poverty, and economic and cultural vitality. Its 2025 grants had a median of $1,000, though awards ranged from $20 to $350,000, and it serves communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, parts of southern Oregon, Sanders County, Montana, and Juneau, Alaska.
Assets
$10.6M
Grants
577
Total Given
$2.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Idaho
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Herak Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/herak-foundation-morg_0dcdd8d7d52e4b188af2ca3a29168af3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911621226_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Herak Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/herak-foundation-morg_0dcdd8d7d52e4b188af2ca3a29168af3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Herak 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.
Herak Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?