The Herson-Stirman Family
The Herson-Stirman Family is a private foundation based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports 30 grants totaling $233,000 to charitable organizations.
The Herson-Stirman Family at a glance
In short: The Herson-Stirman Family gave $233K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), top state Maryland. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $233,000
- +54.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,767
- +38.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,750
- Total assets
- $1,272,861
- -8.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (6 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (18% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Herson-Stirman Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1704 Vander Ridge Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: (865) 588-2282
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Herson-Stirman Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was World Dance for Humanity ($25K). Together the top 10 received $139K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 148 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Maryland (18%), New York (17%), Washington, DC (16%), California (13%), and Texas (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Herson-Stirman Family open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 30 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 206% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $138K (2020) to $233K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $233K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| World Dance for Humanity Santa Barbara, CA | To Support Charitable Organization | $24,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | To Support Charitable Organization | $17,000 |
| Equest Dallas, TX | To Support Charitable Organization | $15,500 |
| US Against Alzheimers Chevy Chase, MD | To Support Charitable Organization | $15,000 |
| DC Central Kitchen Washington, DC | To Support Charitable Organization | $12,500 |
| Home of the Sparrow Exton, PA | To Support Charitable Organization | $11,500 |
| Philabundance Philadelphia, PA | To Support Charitable Organization | $11,500 |
| The Cholangiocarcinome Foundation Herriman, UT | To Support Charitable Organization | $10,500 |
| Montgomery College Rockville, MD | To Support Charitable Organization | $10,500 |
| Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces New York, NY | To Support Charitable Organization | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Herson-Stirman Family?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,272,861 | $132,217 | $256,888 | $233,000 | 30 | $238,154 | $113,483 | $115,655 |
| 2024 | $1,397,532 | $103,692 | $172,077 | $151,000 | 27 | $155,576 | $87,191 | $111,977 |
| 2023 | $1,465,917 | $209,857 | $178,514 | $157,000 | 26 | $160,841 | $189,693 | $106,337 |
| 2022 | $1,434,574 | $-65,392 | $248,804 | $222,500 | 33 | $225,363 | $18,260 | $117,292 |
| 2021 | $1,754,607 | $478,443 | $192,786 | $168,500 | 32 | $168,500 | $461,349 | $126,719 |
| 2020 | $1,468,950 | $242,898 | $160,982 | $138,000 | 28 | — | $228,771 | $110,746 |
| 2019 | $1,387,034 | $156,055 | $174,410 | $157,000 | 27 | — | $140,795 | $110,693 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Herson-Stirman Family reported a distributable amount of $116K for 2025 — 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 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Philabundance says it works to drive hunger from communities and end hunger, while A Wider Circle describes its mission as advancing equity in the Greater Washington, DC region through exchanges between neighbors and advocacy addressing poverty.
Other examples include EQUEST, which says it partners with horses to provide activities and therapies for children and adults with diverse needs, and the Knoxville Museum of Art, which says it supports public interest, knowledge, and education in the visual arts in East Tennessee. The National Network of Abortion Funds describes its mission as advancing accessible, stigma-free reproductive options and reproductive justice.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $233,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $24,500, with a median of $5,750. Its largest listed grants were $24,500 to World Dance for Humanity, $17,000 to World Central Kitchen, $15,500 to EQUEST, $15,000 to US Against Alzheimers, and $12,500 to DC Central Kitchen. Other listed grants included $11,500 each to Home of the Sparrow and Philabundance, and $10,500 each to the Cholangio Carcinome Foundation and Montgomery College.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sonia S Herson as president and director; Carole H Martin as vice president and director; Gail Herson as treasurer and director; and Lynn H Grad as secretary and director.
The Herson-Stirman Family is led by Sonia S. Herson, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sonia S. Herson
President & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carole H. Martin
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gail Herson
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynn H. Grad
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Herson-Stirman Family
How much does The Herson-Stirman Family give each year?
The Herson-Stirman Family gave $233K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $151K across 27 grants.
What is The Herson-Stirman Family's typical grant size?
The Herson-Stirman Family's median grant in 2025 was $5,750, and its average grant was $7,767, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Herson-Stirman Family that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Herson-Stirman Family give grants?
The Herson-Stirman Family's top state is Maryland, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), Silver Spring, MD (3 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants).
Does The Herson-Stirman Family give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on The Herson-Stirman Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Charitable Organization" (29 grants).
Who are The Herson-Stirman Family's largest grantees?
The Herson-Stirman Family's largest 2025 grantees include World Dance for Humanity ($24,500), World Central Kitchen ($17,000) and Equest ($15,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Herson-Stirman Family?
The Herson-Stirman Family reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $238K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $116K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Herson-Stirman Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Herson-Stirman Family?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Herson-Stirman Family's EIN?
The Herson-Stirman Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2279879. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Herson-Stirman Family 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 8, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Herson-Stirman Family's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Herson-Stirman Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-herson-stirman-family-morg_b8ee36bcb4ca4fadb3e597588559e67d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522279879_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Herson-Stirman Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-herson-stirman-family-morg_b8ee36bcb4ca4fadb3e597588559e67d},
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 Herson-Stirman Family'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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