The David Herro Charitable Foundation
The David Herro Charitable Foundation was a private foundation based in Palm Beach, Florida. Its 2021 filing is marked as a final return: after distributing all of its currently held assets, the foundation ceased operations, so it appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
The David Herro Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The David Herro Charitable Foundation gave $4.6M across 13 grants in 2021 (avg $352K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2021)
- $4,572,517
- +46.7% vs 2020
- Grants made (2021)
- 13
- -18.8% vs 2020
- Average grant
- $351,732
- +80.6% vs 2020
- Median grant
- $72,471
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (79% of itemized 2021 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2021 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2021; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The David Herro Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1230 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480
Phone: (312) 587-0408
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The David Herro Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2021
The largest 2021 recipient was HF Foundation Inc ($3.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
29 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 29 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2021 grant dollars were reported as 79% to Wisconsin, 8% to Illinois, 5% to Texas, 4% to Florida, and 3% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2021 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
How The David Herro Charitable Foundation gives
- 25% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
- In 2021 it paid out 292% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021). 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 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $3.1M (2020) to $4.6M (2021). In 2021 it made 13 grants totaling $4.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HF Foundation Inc Hartland, WI | Unrestricted | $3,423,046 |
| Big Shoulders Fund Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Contribution | $250,000 |
| Keystone Church Keller, TX | Unrestricted Contribution | $250,000 |
| Institute of Contemporary Art Miami Miami, FL | Unrestricted Contribution | $167,000 |
| Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation New York, NY | Unrestricted Contribution | $150,000 |
| Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Milwaukee, WI | TREK 100 | $100,000 |
| HF Foundation Inc Hartland, WI | Unrestricted | $72,471 |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Contribution | $50,000 |
| Catholic Charities USA Alexandria, VA | Unrestricted Contribution | $25,000 |
| Friends of Sarnelli House Madison, WI | Unrestricted Contribution | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2021 filing states that it distributed all currently held assets by contributing $72,471 in cash and $3,423,046 in securities to HF Foundation, Inc.; after the distribution, it ceased operations.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | $2,921,972 | $4,577,511 | $4,572,517 | 13 | $4,573,517 | $215,376 | $1,564,999 |
| 2020 | $2,898,930 | $1,150,534 | $3,131,164 | $3,116,577 | 16 | — | $647,800 | $150,127 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The David Herro Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2021 — 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 2021 grantees included organizations working in education, arts and culture, history, and charitable services. Big Shoulders Fund describes its work as supporting underserved schools that provide quality, values-based education for Chicago’s children. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, says it promotes contemporary artists and the exchange of art and ideas. The Chicago History Museum describes its work as connecting people to Chicago’s history through exhibitions, programs, and other activities.
Grantmaking
In 2021, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $4,572,517. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $3,423,046, with a median of $72,471. In 2020, it reported 16 grants totaling $3,116,577. Its 2021 filing, the latest on this page, reports 13 grants totaling $4.6 million.
The largest reported grants in 2021 included $3,423,046 to HF Foundation Inc. for unrestricted use; $250,000 each to Big Shoulders Fund and Keystone Church; $167,000 to the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami; and $150,000 to Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation. The filing also lists a second $72,471 unrestricted grant to HF Foundation Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing lists David Herro as trustee.
The David Herro Charitable Foundation is led by David Herro, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2021 filing
David Herro
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "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 The David Herro Charitable Foundation
How much does The David Herro Charitable Foundation give each year?
The David Herro Charitable Foundation gave $4.6M across 13 grants in 2021, according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2020 it gave $3.1M across 16 grants.
What is The David Herro Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The David Herro Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2021 was $72,471, and its average grant was $351,732, across 13 grants on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The David Herro Charitable Foundation give grants?
The David Herro Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (8%) and Texas (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (4 grants) and Hartland, WI (2 grants).
Does The David Herro Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 92% of The David Herro Charitable Foundation's 2021 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The David Herro Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The David Herro Charitable Foundation's largest 2021 grantees include HF Foundation Inc ($3,495,517 across 2 grants), Big Shoulders Fund ($250,000) and Keystone Church ($250,000), according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2021 grant dollars.
What does The David Herro Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2021 grantees included organizations working in education, arts and culture, history, and charitable services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The David Herro Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The David Herro Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2021, The David Herro Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The David Herro Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The David Herro Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4121681. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Does The David Herro Charitable 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-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2021
Live grants for the work The David Herro Charitable Foundation funds
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The David Herro Charitable 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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