The Herbster Family Foundation
The Herbster Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Established in 1997, it provides funding and expertise to nonprofit organizations, typically in communities where its members live and work.
Key facts about The Herbster Family Foundation
In short: The Herbster Family Foundation gave $35K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Arizona. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 73-1514860
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $34,600
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $2,307
- Median grant
- $1,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (4 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $612,953
- Primary geography
- Arizona (38% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$613K
-0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$35K
+23.6% YoY
Grant Count
15
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
+23.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Herbster Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Herbster Family Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 15 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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
The foundation’s stated purpose is to assist organizations working for the betterment of the general public in its communities and to help organizations fulfill their missions. Its website identifies charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, with special consideration for educational, medical, and research projects.
The 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, HonorHealth Foundation says its mission is to advance HonorHealth through philanthropy; Foothills Animal Rescue describes work rescuing, sheltering, fostering, and placing dogs and cats; and Samaritan’s Purse describes providing spiritual and physical aid to people affected by war, poverty, disasters, disease, and famine. Other grantees describe work in legal advocacy, education, child welfare, and emergency financial relief.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $34,600. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $1,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $10,000 to HonorHealth Foundation, $5,000 to Special Olympics Mecklenburg County, $3,000 to Appalachian State University Foundation, and $2,600 to Foothills Animal Rescue. Other grants included $2,000 each to American Transparency, Public Interest Legal Foundation, and Youth Challenge of Connecticut, and $1,500 each to Pacific Legal Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse, and Mikeroweworks Foundation.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. No application process or required materials are specified in the available information.
Ready to take the next step with The Herbster Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it typically supports organizations in areas where its members live and work. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona (38%), North Carolina (32%), California (12%), Illinois (6%), and Indiana (6%). The listed grants also included recipients in Connecticut and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $28K (2024) to $35K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $35K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Honorhealth Foundation ($10K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 75 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Honorhealth Foundation Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Special Olympics Mecklenburg County Morrisville, NC | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Appalachian State University Fdn Boone, NC | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Foothills Animal Rescue Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable | $2,600 |
| American Transparency Hinsdale, IL | Charitable | $2,000 |
| Public Interest Legal Foundation Indianapolis, IN | Charitable | $2,000 |
| Youth Challenge of Connecticut Hartford, CT | Charitable | $2,000 |
| Pacific Legal Foundation Sacramento, CA | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Mikeroweworks Foundation Santa Monica, CA | Charitable | $1,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $612,953 | $48,883 | $52,351 | $34,600 (15 grants) |
| 2024 | $616,421 | $86,661 | $41,419 | $28,000 (15 grants) |
| 2023 | $571,179 | $48,270 | $44,751 | $31,000 (18 grants) |
The filing identifies the foundation’s type as Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $612,953 | $616,421 | $571,179 |
| Revenue | $48,883 | $86,661 | $48,270 |
| Expenses | $52,351 | $41,419 | $44,751 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $39,786 | $32,155 | $35,431 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,467 | $77,397 | $38,950 |
| Distributable Amount | $37,535 | $36,188 | $34,844 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James R. Herbster as President/Treasurer and Barry F. Herbster, Stacey L. Herbster, Bradley J. Herbster, and Laura J. Herbster as directors.
The Herbster Family Foundation is led by James R. Herbster, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James R. Herbster
President
President & Treasurer → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Barry F. Herbster
Director
On filings since 2020
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Stacey L. Herbster
Director
On filings since 2020
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Bradley J. Herbster
Director
On filings since 2021
$2K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Laura J. Herbster
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Brad J. Herbster (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Barry F Herbster (Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 7291 East Calle Primera Vista, Scottsdale, AZ 85266
Phone: (480) 789-3072
Website: https://www.herbster.com
Frequently asked questions about The Herbster Family Foundation
How much does The Herbster Family Foundation give each year?
The Herbster Family Foundation gave $35K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $28K across 15 grants.
What is The Herbster Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Herbster Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $2,307, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Herbster Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Herbster Family Foundation give grants?
The Herbster Family Foundation's top state is Arizona, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (32%) and California (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Scottsdale, AZ (2 grants), Boone, NC (2 grants) and Santa Monica, CA (2 grants).
Does The Herbster Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on The Herbster Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (15 grants).
Who are The Herbster Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Herbster Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Honorhealth Foundation ($10,000), Special Olympics Mecklenburg County ($5,000) and Appalachian State University Fdn ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Herbster Family Foundation?
The Herbster Family Foundation reported $613K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $40K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $38K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Herbster Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to assist organizations working for the betterment of the general public in its communities and to help organizations fulfill their missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Herbster Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Herbster Family Foundation's EIN?
The Herbster Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1514860. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Herbster Family 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.
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