The Sylvan C Herman Foundation channels almost all of its resources through donor-advised/public funds closely tied to the Herman family and a small number of targeted issue groups. Giving is dominated by large, pass-through grants to philanthropic intermediaries (family public funds and an impact funding trust) with a single direct programmatic gift to a national treatment/mental-health advocacy organization. The foundation appears to use these intermediaries to steward family philanthropy while making select issue-focused investments.
Highly concentrated: very few, very large grants primarily to donor-advised or public funds (repeat family-related funds and an impact trust) with one notable direct grant to a policy/advocacy organization. This indicates pass-through funding and selective direct program support rather than many small grants.
The Sylvan C Herman Foundation Inc’s recent grantmaking is defined by large transfers to donor-advised and public-fund vehicles, especially Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust at nearly $2.0 million in 2025 and the J E Herman Public Fund at nearly $2.0 million in 2024. Those grants sit alongside a narrower set of direct programmatic awards, including support for Treatment Advocacy Center and Brainfutures Incorporated. The pattern suggests a foundation that uses intermediary funds to carry out much of its charitable purpose while making select gifts into mental health advocacy and related public-benefit work. The foundation’s direct grants are usually much smaller than its largest pass-through awards, with amounts ranging from a few hundred dollars to six figures in the recent record. It gave to organizations such as Active Minds, The Mental Health Association, Friendship Circle, Save a Limb Foundation, and Hope Connections, showing a mix of national advocacy, local community support, and flexible charitable support. Several grantees appear in more than one year, which points to continued relationships rather than isolated one-time awards.
Mental health is the clearest direct issue area in the recent record. The foundation gave $200,000 to Treatment Advocacy Center and another $143,808 to the same organization, both marked to fulfill charitable purpose. It also awarded $100,000 to Brainfutures Incorporated, indicating support for mental health-related work beyond a single grantee. Community and public-benefit giving also appears in smaller awards. Active Minds received $25,000 in 2024, while The Mental Health Association in Frederick received $15,000 in 2025 and $12,000 in 2024. Friendship Circle in Potomac received $15,000 in 2024, and Hope Connections in Bethesda received $2,100 in both 2024 and 2025, plus a $500 gift to Hope connection for cancer in 2024. The foundation also supported Jewish Federation of G Wash and Frederick Rescue Mission Inc.
Recent grants cluster around a few large awards and many smaller gifts. The typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile, which shows a long tail of modest awards even though the annual total is shaped by multi-million-dollar transfers. The record also shows repeated giving to several recipients across 2024 and 2025, including Treatment Advocacy Center, The Mental Health Association, Friendship Circle, Save a Limb Foundation, and Hope Connections. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its use of public-fund and impact-fund intermediaries is a clear part of its structure.
$2M
$87.1M
$10.8M
$9.6M
Most grants fall between $3K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 15% of grants go to recipients in MD.
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Notable grantees: MORGAN STANLEY GLOBAL IMPACT FUNDING TRUST, J E Herman Public Fund, JOHN E Herman Public Fund, TREATMENT ADVOCACY CENTER
Giving is concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic, with Maryland the top state by grant count. Washington, DC recipients also appear frequently, and 19% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state. The recent record includes multiple Maryland cities such as Bethesda, Frederick, Potomac, Baltimore, and Lutherville Timonium, along with Washington, DC, Arlington, Alexandria, New York, Charlottesville, and Dallas. All recent grants went to US recipients.
The recent record is centered on donor-advised and public-fund vehicles such as Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust and the J E Herman Public Fund, plus direct support for mental health advocacy and related charitable work. Named recipients also include Treatment Advocacy Center, Brainfutures Incorporated, Active Minds, and The Mental Health Association.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year. Treatment Advocacy Center received two 2024 grants, The Mental Health Association received grants in 2024 and 2025, and Hope Connections received grants in 2024 and 2025. Friendship Circle and Save a Limb Foundation also appear multiple times.
The typical recent grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The record includes both very large transfers near $2.0 million and many smaller awards in the $2,100 to $25,000 range.
Maryland is the top state by grant count. Washington, DC is also a major recipient location, and 19% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipient cities include Bethesda, Frederick, Potomac, Baltimore, Lutherville Timonium, and Washington, DC.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MORGAN STANLEY GLOBAL IMPACT FUNDING TRUST | NEW YORK, NY | $1,999,624 | 2025 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION | FREDERICK, MD | $15,000 | 2025 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SAVE A LIMB FOUNDATION | BETHESDA, MD | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| FREDERICK RESCUE MISSION INC | FREDERICK, MD | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HOPE CONNECTIONS | BETHESDA, MD | $2,100 | 2025 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| J E Herman Public Fund | Washington, DC | $1,990,782 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| JOHN E HERMAN PUBLIC FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,304,477 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| TREATMENT ADVOCACY CENTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $200,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| Treatment Advocacy Center | Arlington, VA | $143,808 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| BRAINFUTURES INCORPORATED | LUTHERVILLE TIMONIUM, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| Active Minds | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | To fulfill charitable purpose |
| The Goodness Foundation | Charlottesville, VA | $25,000 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| Jewish Federation of G Wash | N Bethesda, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| ACTIVE MINDS | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| Meadows Mental Health Policy | Dallas, TX | $25,000 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE | POTOMAC, MD | $15,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| Friendship Circle | Potomac, MD | $15,000 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| Catoctin Affair Sponsorship | Frederick, MD | $12,000 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION | FREDERICK, MD | $12,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| NATIONAL CONCERT BAND | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $4,000 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| National Concert Band | Alexandria, VA | $2,500 | 2024 | To Fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| Save a Limb Foundation | Baltimore, MD | $2,500 | 2024 | To fulfill Charitable Purpose |
| SAVE A LIMB FOUNDATION | BETHESDA, MD | $2,500 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| HOPE CONNECTIONS | BETHESDA, MD | $2,100 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| Hope connection for cancer | Bethesda, MD | $500 | 2024 | To fulfill charitable purpose |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $103 | 2024 | TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
MORGAN STANLEY GLOBAL IMPACT FUNDING TRUST
$1,999,624TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
$15,000TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
SAVE A LIMB FOUNDATION
$2,500TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HOPE CONNECTIONS
$2,100TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
J E Herman Public Fund
$1,990,782To fulfill Charitable Purpose
JOHN E HERMAN PUBLIC FUND
$1,304,477TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BRAINFUTURES INCORPORATED
$100,000TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
The Goodness Foundation
$25,000To fulfill Charitable Purpose
Jewish Federation of G Wash
$25,000To fulfill Charitable Purpose
Meadows Mental Health Policy
$25,000To fulfill Charitable Purpose
FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE
$15,000TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
Friendship Circle
$15,000To fulfill Charitable Purpose
Catoctin Affair Sponsorship
$12,000To fulfill Charitable Purpose
NATIONAL CONCERT BAND
$4,000TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
National Concert Band
$2,500To Fulfill Charitable Purpose
Save a Limb Foundation
$2,500To fulfill Charitable Purpose
SAVE A LIMB FOUNDATION
$2,500TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
HOPE CONNECTIONS
$2,100TO FULFILL CHARITABLE PURPOSE
Hope connection for cancer
$500To fulfill charitable purpose