The Hershey Foundation
The Hershey Foundation is a private foundation based in Concord Township, Ohio. It supports organizations serving children in Northeast Ohio, including schools, museums, cultural institutions, and other nonprofits working to create opportunities for children’s personal growth and development.
The Hershey Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hershey Foundation gave $563K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), mostly in Ohio. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $562,500
- -47.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $23,438
- -60.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $13,470,750
- -10.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (12 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% 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 Hershey Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests and that organizations may apply only by invitation. Board members contact organizations of interest to begin the process. Invited applicants submit a full proposal through the grant portal, including program objectives, goals, time frame and budget; an organizational overview; the latest annual report and financial statement; a current list of officers, directors, or trustees; proof of charitable status; and approval from the executive director and/or board chair. The Foundation says it makes grants to organizations tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), not to individuals. Its guidelines list equipment that directly impacts children, capital campaigns, and endowment campaigns as eligible funding purposes. They list salaries, computers, software or technology, annual campaigns, research or feasibility studies, consulting services, operating budgets, individual loans, scholarships, general purposes, mass mailings, and individuals as not funded. The 2024 filing lists the application form and materials as open, with no deadlines or restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Debra H Guren
Mailing address: 10229 Prouty Road, Concord Township, OH 44077
Phone: (216) 389-9317
Website: https://thehersheyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hershey Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hershey Montessori School ($300K). Together the top 10 received $505K.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 109 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website says it does not make grants outside Northeast Ohio. In filing year 2024, all grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Hershey Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 24 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $563K (2024) to $1.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $563K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hershey Montessori School Concord TWP, OH | Building Capacity, Enhancing Learning, and Supporting Sustainability | $300,000 |
| Montessori Development Partnerships Cleveland, OH | Montessori Training and Materials for CMSD Schools | $50,000 |
| Cleveland Zoological Society Cleveland, OH | Primate Forest | $25,000 |
| Holden Forests & Gardens Cleveland, OH | Hershey Children's Garden Repairs and Upgrades | $25,000 |
| Ruffing Montessori School Cleveland, OH | Ruffing design house: a new model for montessori education | $25,000 |
| Cleveland Council on World Affairs Cleveland, OH | Endowment for the maura odonnell-mccarthy center for global understanding | $20,000 |
| Cleveland Institute of Music Cleveland, OH | Advancing racial equity in classical music education: musical pathway fellowship | $20,000 |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History Cleveland, OH | Naming Opportunity for Museum Pendulum | $20,000 |
| Cleveland Foundry Cleveland, OH | Row. Sail. Dream. Program | $10,000 |
| Cleveland Metroparks Cleveland, OH | Lakefront Floating Education Center | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hershey 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 | $13,470,750 | $707,129 | $912,969 | $562,500 | 24 | $787,138 | $586,569 | $817,296 |
| 2023 | $15,040,382 | $37,229 | $1,413,500 | $1,065,000 | 18 | $1,065,000 | $49,637 | $892,433 |
| 2022 | $16,416,653 | $515,255 | $1,130,151 | $827,000 | 30 | $827,000 | $241,829 | $873,065 |
| 2021 | $17,031,549 | $1,293,388 | $871,015 | $563,000 | 12 | $563,000 | $985,373 | $966,385 |
| 2020 | $16,609,176 | $351,769 | $1,269,703 | $1,016,500 | 25 | — | $100,618 | $918,369 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hershey Foundation reported a distributable amount of $817K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it seeks to provide “bridges of opportunity” for children in Northeast Ohio and to support their quality of life, self-esteem, learning, exposure to other cultures and ideas, and development of independent thinking and problem-solving skills. Its stated strategic initiative is to empower educators and community leaders to dismantle patterns of racism and injustice in Northeast Ohio schools and neighborhoods.
The Foundation’s website identifies creative educational programs, early childhood initiatives, and nature, arts, cultural, and science experiences for children as areas of support. Its 2024 grants included support for Montessori education, a children’s garden, environmental education, music education, and youth rowing and sailing.
The grantees describe their own work in varied ways. Hershey Montessori School says it provides prepared learning environments for children from birth to 18 and fosters personal and academic growth, independence, confidence, responsibility, and lifelong learning. Montessori Development Partnerships says it coordinates human and financial resources to support Montessori schools. Cleveland Foundry says it transforms Cleveland youths’ lives through access to rowing and sailing. Cleveland Institute of Music describes its mission as empowering classical music students to fulfill their potential.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $562,500. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $300,000, with a median award of $5,000. The largest award was $300,000 to Hershey Montessori School for “Building Capacity, Enhancing Learning, and Supporting Sustainability.” Other notable awards included $50,000 to Montessori Development Partnerships for Montessori training and materials for CMSD schools; $25,000 each to Cleveland Zoological Society for Primate Forest, Holden Forests & Gardens for Hershey Children’s Garden repairs and upgrades, and Ruffing Montessori School for a new model for Montessori education; and $20,000 each to Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Debra H. Guren as president, Zachary Guren as vice president, Adam M. Guren as treasurer, and Sara B. Guren as secretary. The Foundation’s history page says that in 2025 Debra stepped down as president and CEO and passed the role to her daughter, Sara B. Guren.
The Hershey Foundation is led by Debra H. Guren, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Debra H. Guren
President
President & Trustee → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Adam M. Guren
Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$54K (2023) → $54K (2024)
Sara B. Guren
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zachary A. Guren
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Carole H. Walters (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: David J. Walters (2020–2023) — Trustee
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 $125K, to Debra H Guren (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Hershey Foundation
How much does The Hershey Foundation give each year?
The Hershey Foundation gave $563K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 18 grants.
What is The Hershey Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hershey Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $23,438, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hershey Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Hershey Foundation give grants?
The Hershey Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (20 grants) and Cleveland Heights, OH (2 grants).
Does The Hershey Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on The Hershey Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Hershey Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hershey Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hershey Montessori School ($300,000), Montessori Development Partnerships ($50,000) and Cleveland Zoological Society ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hershey Foundation?
The Hershey Foundation reported $13.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $787K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $817K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Hershey Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it seeks to provide “bridges of opportunity” for children in Northeast Ohio and to support their quality of life, self-esteem, learning, exposure to other cultures and ideas, and development of independent thinking and problem-solving skills. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hershey Foundation?
The Foundation’s website says it does not accept unsolicited requests and that organizations may apply only by invitation. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Hershey Foundation's EIN?
The Hershey Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1525626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hershey 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 October 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 Hershey Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hershey-foundation-morg_9d7da2762c474b048c5057a0aedb8d79
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341525626_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hershey Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hershey-foundation-morg_9d7da2762c474b048c5057a0aedb8d79},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Hershey 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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