The Hibernian Society of Savannah
The Hibernian Society of Savannah is a Savannah, Georgia-based charitable organization founded in 1812 to aid needy Irish immigrants. It says it has broadened its charitable work as immigration from Ireland has slowed, and its foundation supports charitable, religious, and educational organizations.
The Hibernian Society of Savannah at a glance
In short: The Hibernian Society of Savannah gave $52K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Georgia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $52,000
- +76.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,889
- +56.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,700
- Total assets
- $450,445
- +5.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Georgia (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.
How to apply to The Hibernian Society of Savannah
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 14 East State Street, Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: (912) 234-8243
Website: https://www.thehiberniansociety.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hibernian Society of Savannah funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Sacred Heart Church ($10K). Together the top 10 received $44K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 50 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Georgia. The funder’s filing describes its potential charitable contributions as serving national, state, and local organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Hibernian Society of Savannah gives
- 72% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 72% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 158% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $28K (2020) to $52K (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $52K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Church Savannah, GA | Religious | $10,000 |
| Benedictine Military School Savannah, GA | Education | $7,000 |
| St Vincent's Academy Savannah, GA | Education | $7,000 |
| Social Apostolate Savannah, GA | Care for and empower the poor, homeless, disabled, and "at risk" of South Georgia | $5,000 |
| The Hibernian Society of Savannah Scholarship Fund Statesboro, GA | Georgia Southern University Foundation | $5,000 |
| America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia Savannah, GA | Alleviating Food Insecurity | $2,800 |
| Chathamsavannah Citizens Advocacy Savannah, GA | Provide Protection of and Advocacy for Disabled People | $2,200 |
| Georgia Southern University Foundation Statesboro, GA | The Irish Studies Program | $2,000 |
| Saint Joseph'scandler Foundation Savannah, GA | Medical Services, Facilities, and Financial Assistance | $2,000 |
| Cathedral Preservation Society Savannah, GA | Preservation | $1,400 |
Ready to take the next step with The Hibernian Society of Savannah?
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 | $450,445 | $78,877 | $57,366 | $52,000 | 18 | $52,000 | $50,461 | $32,907 |
| 2023 | $428,934 | $97,108 | $33,115 | $29,500 | 16 | $29,500 | $64,392 | $29,186 |
| 2022 | $364,941 | $73,446 | $28,897 | $28,800 | 1 | $28,800 | $10,178 | $29,645 |
| 2021 | $320,392 | $26,822 | $31,533 | $30,250 | 1 | $30,250 | $9,318 | $30,086 |
| 2020 | $325,102 | $56,018 | $31,653 | $27,600 | 14 | — | $6,383 | $25,672 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hibernian Society of Savannah reported a distributable amount of $33K 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
The Society’s website describes its founding purpose as offering aid and assistance to needy Irish immigrants. It says its charitable scope has since expanded to include other worthy causes. In its 2024 filing, the foundation describes its direct charitable activity as donating funds to national, state, and local 501(c)(3) charitable, religious, and educational organizations.
2024 grants included support for religious organizations, schools, food assistance, disability advocacy, preservation, medical services, and Irish studies. Georgia Southern University Foundation, which received $2,000, describes its own primary mission as promoting higher education and helping Georgia Southern University meet educational and institutional needs not addressed by state allocations.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the funder reported 18 grants totaling $52,000. Grants ranged from $600 to $10,000, with a median of $1,700. Larger awards included $10,000 to Sacred Heart Church; $7,000 each to Benedictine Military School and St. Vincent’s Academy; $5,000 each to Social Apostolate and the Hibernian Society of Savannah Scholarship Fund; and $2,800 to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James Collins as chairman, Patrick Rossiter as ex-officio, and Joseph Ganem and Timothy Ward as trustees. The Society’s website lists Patrick C. Rossiter as president for 2023–2024.
The Hibernian Society of Savannah is led by James Collins, Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Collins
Chairman
Treasurer → Executive Officio, 2022
Executive Officio → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Joseph Ganem
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Timothy Ward
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Patrick Rossiter
Ex-Officio
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Thomas Hussey (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: William Shearhouse Jr. (2020–2023) — Chairman
- Former: John Haslam (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Joe Connors (2021) — Treasurer
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Hibernian Society of Savannah
How much does The Hibernian Society of Savannah give each year?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah gave $52K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $30K across 16 grants.
What is The Hibernian Society of Savannah's typical grant size?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah's median grant in 2024 was $1,700, and its average grant was $2,889, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Hibernian Society of Savannah give grants?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah gives mostly in Georgia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Savannah, GA (14 grants) and Statesboro, GA (2 grants).
Does The Hibernian Society of Savannah give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Hibernian Society of Savannah's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious" (3 grants).
Who are The Hibernian Society of Savannah's largest grantees?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah's largest 2024 grantees include Sacred Heart Church ($10,000), Benedictine Military School ($7,000) and St Vincent's Academy ($7,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Hibernian Society of Savannah?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah reported $450K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $52K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hibernian Society of Savannah fund?
The Society’s website describes its founding purpose as offering aid and assistance to needy Irish immigrants. It says its charitable scope has since expanded to include other worthy causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hibernian Society of Savannah?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it 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 Hibernian Society of Savannah's EIN?
The Hibernian Society of Savannah's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2414112. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Hibernian Society of Savannah 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 Hibernian Society of Savannah funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hibernian-society-of-savannah-morg_cf438a99057549e39d5c3dbad8e0e310
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_582414112_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hibernian Society of Savannah funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hibernian-society-of-savannah-morg_cf438a99057549e39d5c3dbad8e0e310},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Hibernian Society of Savannah'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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