The Beir Foundation
The Beir Foundation is a private foundation established in 1944 and located in New York, NY. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees. The foundation primarily provides general support and funding for various campaigns and endowments.
Key facts about The Beir Foundation
In short: The Beir Foundation gave $549K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), mostly in New York. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-6084093
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $549,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- Average grant
- $26,143
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (3 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $3,355,906
- Primary geography
- New York (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Quick answers about The Beir Foundation
How much does The Beir Foundation give each year?
The Beir Foundation gave $549K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $578K across 25 grants.
What is The Beir Foundation's typical grant size?
The Beir Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $26,143, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Beir Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Beir Foundation give grants?
The Beir Foundation gives mostly in New York: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maine (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (12 grants) and Aspen, CO (4 grants).
Does The Beir Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of The Beir Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Beir Foundation's largest grantees?
The Beir Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Calhoun School ($368,500 across 2 grants), The Jewish Board ($30,000) and Bowdoin College ($27,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is The Beir Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 20 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Beir Foundation
- How to evaluate The Beir Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.4M
+15.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$549K
-5.0% YoY
Grant Count
21
-16.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
+13.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Beir Foundation reported a distributable amount of $596K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The Beir Foundation made 23 grants in 2024. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 21 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $3,355,906
- Total Revenues: $1,154,239
- Total Expenses: $706,505
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: (prior year data available)
The foundation maintains a modest asset base and demonstrates consistent annual grantmaking activity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,355,906 | $2,902,989 | $3,010,073 |
| Revenue | $1,154,239 | $619,537 | $493,657 |
| Expenses | $706,505 | $726,715 | $774,293 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $549,750 | $578,920 | $630,920 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,003,275 | $543,674 | $364,516 |
| Distributable Amount | $596,364 | $548,315 | $576,689 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
116 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE CALHOUN SCHOOL New York, NY | THE CALHOUN ENDOWMENT | $318,500 |
| THE CALHOUN SCHOOL New York, NY | 2024-2025 CALHOUN ANNUAL FUND | $50,000 |
| THE JEWISH BOARD New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE Brunswick, ME | GENERAL SUPPORT | $27,500 |
| CHILDREN'S ACADEMY New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| THE 92ND STREET Y New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| THE WNET GROUP New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Aspen, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Beir Foundation is led by Scott R. Hirsch, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Scott R. Hirsch
President
Secretary → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Luke M. Babcock
Vice President & Treasurer
Director → Vice President & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Joan S. Beir (2020–2023) — President
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
How do I apply for a grant from The Beir Foundation?
The Beir Foundation made 23 grants in 2024. Recent grants include: • The Calhoun School: $318,500 (Calhoun Endowment, December 2024) • The Calhoun School: $50,000 (2024-2025 Calhoun Annual Fund, December 2024) • Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services: $30,000 (General Support, December 2024) The foundation has historically funded campaigns including the Calhoun Endowment, the 2022-2023 Calhoun Annual Fund, Never Again: What You Do Matters Campaign, Courage Classic 2022, and Cooke's Annu…
How much is The Beir Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Beir Foundation reported a distributable amount of $596K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Beir Foundation's EIN?
The Beir Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6084093. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.