What does The Hersh Foundation fund?

**Mission:** The Hersh Foundation's mission is to support healthy communities in the United States, with a focus on North Texas. The foundation believes that a healthy community requires: • Quality cultural institutions accessible to all • Quality support organizations assisting those in need • Leaders and organizations who understand and cultivate democracy, valuing all people and points of view • Accessible healthcare with an intentional focus on research and treatments for mental health • Qu…

How do I apply for a grant from The Hersh Foundation?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $50,000 to $5,000,000 • The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no formal grant programs or application cycles • Grant amounts vary significantly based on the project and organization **Application Process:** The foundation does not maintain a public application process, operating instead through direct invitation and relationship-based grantmaking. **Recent Grantees:** The foundation has supported notable organizations including: • Kly…

The Hersh Foundation

DALLAS, TX EIN: 75-2720646 Website

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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The Hersh Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1997 and located in North Texas. The foundation is committed to enriching and improving the quality of life for all people by supporting organizations with demonstrable results in efforts aligned with its mission and focus areas.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$13.5M

-3.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$961K

+44.8% YoY

Grant Count

102

+59.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

-9.2% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: The Hersh Foundation's mission is to support healthy communities in the United States, with a focus on North Texas.

The foundation believes that a healthy community requires:

Quality cultural institutions accessible to all
Quality support organizations assisting those in need
Leaders and organizations who understand and cultivate democracy, valuing all people and points of view
Accessible healthcare with an intentional focus on research and treatments for mental health
Quality education beginning at birth and continuing throughout life

Primary Focus Areas:

Mental Health Research and Mental Illness Prevention Programs — Support for world-class institutions conducting research on mental health, mental illness, and well-being, as well as programs taking a proactive approach to mental health and wellness
Education and Leadership Programs — Programs working with students of all ages to become productive citizens and leaders
North Texas Cultural Organizations — Arts programs that foster creativity, conversation, collaboration, and inclusion

Grantmaking

The foundation does not maintain a public application process, operating instead through direct invitation and relationship-based grantmaking.

Grant Range

$50,000 to $5,000,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation focuses on Dallas and surrounding North Texas communities, with a primary emphasis on those in and around Dallas.

Grant Distribution by State

Texas $4.4M (74%)

California $418K (7%)

Virginia $380K (6%)

District of Columbia $260K (4%)

North Carolina $126K (2%)

Illinois $121K (2%)

Massachusetts $102K (2%)

New York $46K (1%)

+9 more states

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Illinois Indiana Kansas Massachusetts Maryland North Carolina New Jersey New Mexico New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaArlingtonAustinBaltimoreBerkeleyBostonBurkburnettCambridgeCarrolltonChapel HillChicagoClevelandDallasDentonFayettevilleFort WorthForth WorthFriscoGainesvilleGreenwood Village

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $13.5 million (2024)
Annual Giving: $1.25 million (2024)
Cumulative Giving: Ken and Julie Hersh have given away more than $30 million to North Texas mental health initiatives, leadership development, education, and cultural institutions

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$13,524,701	$13,952,196	$7,886,913
Revenue	$1,637,116	$12,305,364	$413,859
Expenses	$1,650,490	$1,156,818	$17,771,812
Qualifying Distributions	$1,253,082	$714,659	$2,021,216
Net Investment Income	$1,631,168	$6,477,792	—
Distributable Amount	$1,087,530	$676,925	$967,790

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Kenneth A. Hersh — Founder & Chairman

Kenneth A. Hersh is chairman of his family investment office, HFI Capital Management, which invests across the economy with emphasis on industrial, energy, financial, real estate, and technology sectors. From 2016 to 2025, he served as President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, a Dallas-based non-partisan institution. In 2024, Kenneth A. Hersh received the Horatio Alger Award for his lifetime achievements and philanthropy.

Julie Hersh — Co-Founder

Julie Hersh is a speaker and author of Struck by Living: From Depression to Hope, which chronicles her journey through depression and mental wellness. She serves as board chair of the Dallas Theater Center and is involved in volunteer work in the arts.