The Lodestar Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in Arizona in 1999 and based in Phoenix, AZ. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to expanding the capacity of the social sector through philanthropic support and collaborative initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$510K
+26.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-13.2% YoY
Grant Count
52
+15.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
-24.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lodestar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to maximize the leverage of philanthropic dollars, time, and effort through two primary strategies:
Increasing philanthropic resources by supporting organizations, programs, and projects that encourage philanthropy, public service, and volunteerism
Increasing philanthropic impact by encouraging long-term collaborations among nonprofits working in the same or complementary areas to increase efficiency and impact, reduce duplication of efforts, and promote the adoption of sound business practices
The foundation's philosophy is grounded in five interrelated sequential principles: that human happiness is a basic goal; that happiness comes from identifying meaningful purpose; that helping others is one meaningful purpose; that resources are limited; and that leveraging philanthropic tools can maximize impact and opportunity for achieving happiness.
The foundation's tagline reflects its evolution: originally "Seeking happiness in philanthropy," it has evolved to "Seeking meaning from philanthropy," recognizing that meaning—rather than happiness alone—is the ultimate reward of philanthropic work.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 49 grants in 2023, with total giving of $1,570,590. Recent notable grants include:
Grant Range
is approximately $20,000, with an average grant amount in the $23,500 range. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on organizations, projects, and programs that further its mission of promoting philanthropy and nonprofit collaboration.
Average Grant
amount in the $23,500 range. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on organizations, projects, and programs that further its mission of promoting philanthropy and nonprofit collaboration.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $402,285
- Total Revenue: $2,109,752
- Total Expenses: $1,889,083
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $1,570,590
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Grants and contributions: $1,639,934
- Investment income and dividends: $13,646
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $456,172
The foundation experienced significant growth in 2023, with total grants and contributions increasing 134.8% compared to 2022.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $510,298 | $402,285 | $181,616 |
| Revenue | $1,722,402 | $2,109,752 | $663,994 |
| Expenses | $1,614,389 | $1,889,083 | $1,131,979 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,597,628 | $1,877,611 | $1,120,194 |
| Net Investment Income | $820,641 | $1,350,722 | $463,823 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,837 | $5,921 | $8,515 |
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
224 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Lodestar Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Arizona Community Foundation ($200,000), Core ($150,000), Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix ($80,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA CENTER FOR LAW IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST PHOENIX, AZ | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ARIZONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZ | General & Unrestricted | $200,000 |
| ARIZONA JUSTICE PROJECT INC PHOENIX, AZ | General Operations - One Injustice Is One Too Many - Gala Event | $5,000 |
| ARIZONA JUSTICE PROJECT INC PHOENIX, AZ | Larry Hammond Justice program | $75,000 |
| ARIZONA LOCAL NEWS FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZ | General $ Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMER TEMPE, AZ | Voices for National Service Fund | $30,000 |
| BARROW NEUROLOGICAL FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZ | in support of the Pituitary Surgery Research Consortium | $36,000 |
| CALMATTERS SACRAMENTO, CA | The Markup fund | $37,250 |
| CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGT WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA | Strategic Volunteer Engagement Initiative - Consulting Services for Transition of SVEI to Independent Sector | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Jerry Hirsch – Chairman
- Lois Savage – President
- Jerome Hirsch – Director, Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Jerome Hirsch | Dir, Sec | 5 | — |
| Lois Savage | Pres | 20 | $110,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: 4455 E Camelback Rd Ste C250, Phoenix, AZ 85018-2894
- Phone: 602-956-2699
- Website: www.lodestarfoundation.org
- Email: info@lodestarfoundation.org
- EIN: 20-4480084
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Lodestar Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to maximize the leverage of philanthropic dollars, time, and effort through two primary strategies: 1. **Increasing philanthropic resources** by supporting organizations, programs, and projects that encourage philanthropy, public service, and volunteerism 2. **Increasing philanthropic impact** by encouraging long-term collaborations among nonprofits working in the same or complementary areas to increase efficiency and impact, reduce duplication of efforts, and promot…
How do I apply for a grant from The Lodestar Foundation?
The foundation made 49 grants in 2023, with total giving of $1,570,590. Recent notable grants include: • Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix (JCF): $150,000 (General & Unrestricted) • Seachange Capital Partners: $100,000 (Administrative Fund) • Arizona Justice Project: $75,000 (Larry Hammond Justice Fellowship) The median grant size is approximately $20,000, with an average grant amount in the $23,500 range. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on organizations, projects, and progr…
What size grants does The Lodestar Foundation award?
In 2024, The Lodestar Foundation awarded 52 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Lodestar Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Lodestar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Lodestar Foundation's EIN?
The Lodestar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4480084. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lodestar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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