Herbst Family Foundation
HERBST FAMILY FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2024 filing lists grants to organizations working in higher education, the arts, public media, and reproductive health.
Key facts about Herbst Family Foundation
In short: Herbst Family Foundation gave $126K across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Illinois. 39% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 36-4333045
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $126,310
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- Average grant
- $3,947
- Median grant
- $500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (12 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (65% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$126K
+12.9% YoY
Grant Count
32
+18.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-4.7% YoY
Is Herbst Family Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 31 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $318; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $850 repeat.
- 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include program support for cultural organizations such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, which says it provides cultural service to the Chicago region and the nation and advances opera, and Arizona Theatre Company, which says its mission is to create theatre that inspires curiosity and creativity and brings Arizonans together. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association says its mission is to enrich, inspire, and transform lives through music, community engagement, and education.
The foundation also supported the University of Chicago, whose stated mission is to sustain excellence in communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. Planned Parenthood Federation of America says its mission includes providing reproductive and complementary health care services and advocating public policies.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $126,310. The median grant was $500; grants ranged from $200 to $70,500. The largest grant was $70,500 to the University of Chicago for program support. Other notable grants included $15,000 to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History for program support, $10,000 to the University of Arizona Foundation for the School of Art, and $5,000 each to Arizona Theatre Company, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Tucson Symphony Orchestra for program support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 19% to Arizona, and 13% to New York. Recipients in Washington, DC, and Massachusetts each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 32 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $70,500 |
| GILDER LEHRMAN INST OF AMER HIST New York, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| U OF A FOUNDATION Tucson, AZ | SCHOOL OF ART | $10,000 |
| ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY Tucson, AZ | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Tucson, AZ | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Chicago, IL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $4,500 |
| ARIZONA PUBLIC MEDIA Tucson, AZ | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC New York, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Chicago, IL | WOMEN'S BOARD | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $126,310 | 32 |
| 2023 | $111,875 | 27 |
| 2022 | $138,450 | 26 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lee G Herbst as president and Arthur L Herbst Jr as director.
Herbst Family Foundation is led by Lee G. Herbst, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lee G. Herbst
President
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arthur L. Herbst Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Arthur L. Herbst (2019–2023) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 1040 N Lake Shore Drive 5C, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 636-1796
Frequently asked questions about Herbst Family Foundation
How much does Herbst Family Foundation give each year?
Herbst Family Foundation gave $126K across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $112K across 27 grants.
What is Herbst Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Herbst Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $3,947, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Herbst Family Foundation that year got $318 on average.
Where does Herbst Family Foundation give grants?
Herbst Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest states were Arizona (19%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (11 grants), Chicago, IL (7 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Herbst Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 32 grants with a stated purpose on Herbst Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (30 grants).
Who are Herbst Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Herbst Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Chicago ($71,500 across 2 grants), Gilder Lehrman Inst of Amer Hist ($15,000) and U of a Foundation ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Herbst Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include program support for cultural organizations such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, which says it provides cultural service to the Chicago region and the nation and advances opera, and Arizona Theatre Company, which says its mission is to create theatre that inspires curiosity and creativity and brings Arizonans together. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association says its mission is to enrich, inspire, and transform lives through musi…
How do I apply for a grant from Herbst Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Herbst Family Foundation's EIN?
Herbst Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4333045. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Herbst Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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