The Hera Foundation
The Hera Foundation is a private foundation based in Fisher Island, Florida. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including medical and educational institutions and organizations working in cancer research and assistance to children.
The Hera Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hera Foundation gave $136K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Florida. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $136,000
- -6.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- -8.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,364
- +2.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,515,571
- +3.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (4 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (82% 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 The Hera 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: 5043 Fisher Island Drive, Fisher Island, FL 33109
Phone: (305) 672-9190
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hera Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Miami Dept of Otolaryngology ($81K). Together the top 10 received $136K.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 66 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, 9% to New York, 7% to Connecticut, 1% to Illinois, and less than 1% to Washington, DC, as reported in the filing. The listed 2024 recipients also included Jefferson Medical in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Hera Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 11 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 65% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 127% 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 $82K (2021) to $145K (2023). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $136K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Miami Dept of Otolaryngology Coral Gables, FL | Support of the hearing and communications disorders research fund | $81,000 |
| Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation Miami Beach, FL | Education and Research | $31,000 |
| Albert Einstein School of Medicine Bronx, NY | To Advance Education in Field of Cancer | $5,000 |
| American Friends of Magen David Alom New York, NY | Medical Assistance | $5,000 |
| Simply Smiles Westport, CT | Care for Underprivileged Children | $5,000 |
| Uconn Foundation Storrs, CT | Education | $5,000 |
| Albert Ellis Institute New York, NY | Education | $1,000 |
| Foundation for Women's Cancer Chicago, IL | Cancer Research | $1,000 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering New York, NY | Support of Medical Education, Scholarships and Research | $1,000 |
| Friends of Cancer Research Washington, DC | Cancer Research | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hera 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,515,571 | $328,310 | $242,328 | $136,000 | 11 | $166,921 | $99,065 | $131,021 |
| 2023 | $2,429,589 | $81,198 | $244,761 | $145,000 | 12 | $189,217 | $17,953 | $123,384 |
| 2022 | $2,593,152 | $307,426 | $193,812 | $117,500 | 14 | $141,889 | $155,493 | $125,304 |
| 2021 | $2,479,538 | $156,905 | $139,016 | $82,300 | 15 | $102,524 | $20,413 | $143,498 |
| 2020 | $2,461,649 | $124,256 | $173,126 | $106,500 | 14 | — | $24,314 | $126,586 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hera Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K 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 hearing and communications disorders research, medical education and research, cancer research, education, medical assistance, and care for underprivileged children.
Among its grantees, Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation describes its mission as raising funds for Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida, a not-for-profit acute care teaching and research facility, to support health care, teaching, research, charity care, and financial responsibility. Simply Smiles says its mission is to improve the lives of impoverished people and that it is working in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Foundation for Women’s Cancer says it supports and empowers people affected by gynecologic cancers through education, research, and public awareness. Friends of Cancer Research says it works to advance science, policy, and regulation to speed life-saving treatments to patients.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $136,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $81,000, with a median of $5,000.
The largest awards were $81,000 to the University of Miami Department of Otolaryngology for its Hearing and Communications Disorders Research Fund, and $31,000 to Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation for education and research. Other grants included $5,000 each to Albert Einstein School of Medicine, American Friends of Magen David Adom, Simply Smiles, and UConn Foundation; $1,000 each to Albert Ellis Institute, Foundation for Women’s Cancer, and Memorial Sloan Kettering; and $500 each to Friends of Cancer Research and Jefferson Medical.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Arthur Goldberg, Michael Fischer, and Rebecca Gourevitch as directors; Carolyn Runowicz MD as president; and Sheldon Cherry MD as secretary/treasurer.
The Hera Foundation is led by Carolyn Runowicz MD, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carolyn Runowicz MD
President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Arthur Goldberg
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Fischer
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Gourevitch
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheldon Cherry MD
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
$36K (2020) → $48K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $48K, to Sheldon Cherry MD (Secretary/Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about The Hera Foundation
How much does The Hera Foundation give each year?
The Hera Foundation gave $136K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $145K across 12 grants.
What is The Hera Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hera Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $12,364, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hera Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Hera Foundation give grants?
The Hera Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (9%) and Connecticut (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Does The Hera Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Hera Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (3 grants).
Who are The Hera Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hera Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Miami Dept of Otolaryngology ($81,000), Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation ($31,000) and Albert Einstein School of Medicine ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hera Foundation?
The Hera Foundation reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $167K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $131K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hera Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for hearing and communications disorders research, medical education and research, cancer research, education, medical assistance, and care for underprivileged children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hera 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 ↑
What is The Hera Foundation's EIN?
The Hera Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3583082. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hera Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). The Hera Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hera-foundation-morg_a23971d14b2a465e9defc7be63e00cc1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133583082_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hera Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hera-foundation-morg_a23971d14b2a465e9defc7be63e00cc1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Hera 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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