Herscher Foundation Inc
Herscher Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Charleston, West Virginia. Its 2024 grants supported education, cultural activities, and social and welfare services, with all reported grant dollars going to recipients in West Virginia.
Herscher Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Herscher Foundation Inc gave $160K across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in West Virginia. 3% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $160,250
- +4.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- -3.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,526
- +7.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,267,844
- +5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Herscher Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It has no prescribed application form; applicants should provide proof of exempt status and all information relevant to the proposed grant. Awards are generally limited to West Virginia and adjacent areas in Ohio; grants are not made to individuals.
- Contact
Application contact: Susan Salisbury
Mailing address: 1116 Smith St, Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 541-1406
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Herscher Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Clay Center ($15K). Together the top 10 received $111K.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 150 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic restriction is generally West Virginia and adjacent areas in Ohio. In 2024, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in West Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Herscher Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 29 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 97% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 119% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2022) to $168K (2021). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $160K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Clay Center Charleston, WV | Cultural Activities | $15,000 |
| University of Charleston Charleston, WV | Education | $15,000 |
| University of Charleston Health Care Bootcamp Charleston, WV | Education | $15,000 |
| West Virginia Symphony Charleston, WV | Cultural Activities | $15,000 |
| Library Foundation of Kanawha County Charleston, WV | Education | $10,000 |
| United Way Charleston, WV | Social and Welfare Services | $10,000 |
| West Virginia Public Broadcasting Charleston, WV | Cultural Activities | $10,000 |
| Covenant House Charleston, WV | Social and Welfare Services | $7,500 |
| YWCA Charleston, WV | Social and Welfare Services | $7,500 |
| Kanawha Valley Collective - Equinox Men's Shelter Charleston, WV | Social and Welfare Services | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Herscher Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,267,844 | $340,405 | $183,888 | $160,250 | 29 | $160,250 | $316,767 | $134,723 |
| 2023 | $2,147,762 | $111,257 | $175,743 | $153,850 | 30 | $153,850 | $92,864 | $126,564 |
| 2022 | $2,177,507 | $-76,307 | $175,207 | $150,150 | 30 | $150,150 | $38,909 | $134,074 |
| 2021 | $2,430,062 | $183,536 | $193,985 | $168,150 | 32 | $168,150 | $157,701 | $155,566 |
| 2020 | $2,440,441 | $110,155 | $189,414 | $160,500 | 29 | — | $81,241 | $139,260 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herscher Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $135K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included support for educational and cultural organizations, as well as organizations providing social and welfare services. For example, the Library Foundation of Kanawha County says it supports the vision and mission of the Kanawha County Public Library system, while Covenant House says it champions West Virginians’ rights to food, housing, and health care. Daymark says it was created by its community to address children at risk of moving into a street existence.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $160,250. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $15,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $15,000 each to the Clay Center for cultural activities, the University of Charleston and University of Charleston Health Care Bootcamp for education, and the West Virginia Symphony for cultural activities. Other notable grants included $10,000 to the Library Foundation of Kanawha County for education and $7,500 to Covenant House for social and welfare services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Susan Salisbury as president and treasurer; Michael Wehrle as vice president; and W Marston Becker, Thomas A Heywood, H Dill Battle III, and Nancy Bruns as trustees.
Herscher Foundation Inc is led by Susan Salisbury, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Salisbury
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
H. Dill Battle III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas A. Heywood
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
W. Marston Becker
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Bruns
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Wehrle
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: John F. Allevato (2020–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Herscher Foundation Inc
How much does Herscher Foundation Inc give each year?
Herscher Foundation Inc gave $160K across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $154K across 30 grants.
What is Herscher Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Herscher Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,526, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Herscher Foundation Inc that year got $1K on average.
Where does Herscher Foundation Inc give grants?
Herscher Foundation Inc gives mostly in West Virginia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, WV (28 grants).
Does Herscher Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Herscher Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social and Welfare Services" (15 grants), "Cultural Activities" (10 grants) and "Education" (4 grants).
Who are Herscher Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Herscher Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Clay Center ($15,000), University of Charleston ($15,000) and University of Charleston Health Care Bootcamp ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Herscher Foundation Inc?
Herscher Foundation Inc reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $160K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $135K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Herscher Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational and cultural organizations, as well as organizations providing social and welfare services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Herscher Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Herscher Foundation Inc's EIN?
Herscher Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 55-6018744. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Herscher Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/herscher-foundation-inc-morg_4ec81e82674040c48f0daf6fce124c82
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_556018744_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Herscher Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/herscher-foundation-inc-morg_4ec81e82674040c48f0daf6fce124c82},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Herscher Foundation Inc'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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