Hirsch Philanthropy Partners

What Hirsch Philanthropy Partners does

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners is a boutique philanthropic advisory firm founded in San Francisco in 1999 by Susan Mayer Hirsch, one of America's first philanthropic advisors. The firm provides professional consulting services to high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, private and community foundations, nonprofits, and public sector entities, with a service catalog spanning philanthropic advising, program design, grants management, finance and accounting, board governance, impact evaluation, spend down strategy, funder collaboratives, and grantee capacity building. Its methodology centers on community-centered change, public-private partnerships, and strategic grant-making frameworks, exemplified by high-profile engagements such as the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival with the Hellman family.

The firm operates as a pure-play professional services practice with no software, platform, or technology product. Revenue is generated through retainer arrangements and project-based engagements with foundations and philanthropists, delivered by senior consultants through intimate, high-touch advisory relationships. Pricing is custom-quoted and not publicly disclosed. GTM is relationship-driven, relying on founder reputation, content marketing via case studies and thought leadership articles, conference participation, and referral-based networking within the philanthropy ecosystem.

In 2023, Hirsch Philanthropy Partners merged with Third Plateau, bringing its entire team into the combined entity. The merger combined Hirsch's Bay Area foundation expertise with Third Plateau's broader social-sector strategy and management capabilities, effectively expanding the service surface to include nonprofit-side offerings (strategy & planning, research & evaluation, organizational design, leadership development, facilitation, succession planning). The combined firm is headquartered in San Francisco, operates with 11-50 employees, and is now part of Third Plateau. Hirsch Philanthropy Partners itself no longer operates as an independent entity.

Name

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners

Legal name

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners

Website

https://hirschphilanthropy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners is a San Francisco-based philanthropic advisory firm offering strategic philanthropy, program design, grants management, and organizational consulting to high-net-worth donors, foundations, nonprofits, and public sector clients. Founded in 1999, it merged with Third Plateau in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Advisory Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH), Private Banking Philanthropy & Impact Advisory (FSABADAJ), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Philanthropic advisory services
• Foundation management
• Grants management
• Nonprofit consulting
• Philanthropy strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Advisory Services: Professional consulting fees for strategic philanthropy advisory, program design, grants management, board governance consulting, impact evaluation, and capacity building services. Revenue generated through retainer arrangements and project-based engagements with foundations and philanthropists.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners provided professional philanthropic advising and consulting services to high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, private and community foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Its offering spanned strategic philanthropic advising, program design, grants management, finance and accounting, board governance, impact evaluation, spend down strategy, funder collaboratives, grantee capacity building, organizational strategy, leadership development, facilitation, and succession planning. Services were human-delivered advisory engagements rather than technology products or platforms.

Product overview

Hirsch Philanthropy Partners, now part of Third Plateau following a 2023 merger, offers a suite of professional consulting services for philanthropists and nonprofit organizations rather than a software product or platform. The firm provides philanthropic advising, program design, grants management, finance and accounting, board governance, impact evaluation, spend down strategy, funder collaboratives, and grantee capacity building for philanthropists and funders. For organizations, services include strategy and planning, research and evaluation, organizational design, organizational health, leadership development, facilitation, and succession planning. These are human-delivered advisory services focused on helping clients build lasting social impact, not technology products or SaaS offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Philanthropic Advising
• Program Design
• Grants Management
• Finance and Accounting
• Board Governance
• Impact Evaluation
• Spend Down Strategy
• Funder Collaboratives
• Grantee Capacity Building
• Strategy and Planning
• Research and Evaluation
• Organizational Design
• Organizational Health
• Leadership Development and Coaching
• Facilitation

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Third PlateaucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, Hirsch Philanthropy Partners merged with Third Plateau, bringing Hirsch's entire team into the combined entity. The partnership combined Hirsch's deep Bay Area roots and best-in-class philanthropy expertise with Third Plateau's innovative strategy and management capabilities, amplifying impact for philanthropists, funder networks, nonprofits, and the public sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• La Piana Consulting: California-based consultancy advising nonprofits and foundations on strategy, organizational design, and executive transitions — directly comparable on nonprofit-side services and a likely West Coast peer to Hirsch/Third Plateau.
• Campbell & Company: Consulting firm serving nonprofits and foundations on fundraising strategy, campaigns, and strategic planning — overlaps with Hirsch's strategy, planning, and philanthropic advisory offerings for foundations and grantees.
• Changing Our World: Philanthropic consulting firm advising high-net-worth donors, family foundations, and corporations on giving strategy and impact — a boutique peer to Hirsch's HNW philanthropic advisory and family-foundation mandates.
• Lodestar Foundation / Lodestar Center: Phoenix-based nonprofit and philanthropy research and advisory organization focused on nonprofit effectiveness and philanthropic infrastructure — thematically aligned with Hirsch's capacity-building and foundation advisory work.
• TCC Group: Consulting firm focused on foundations and nonprofits, offering strategy, evaluation, and capacity-building services — closely comparable to Hirsch's philanthropic advising and grantee capacity-building service lines.
• The Bridgespan Group: Boston-based nonprofit and philanthropy advisory firm providing strategy consulting, organizational development, and impact advisory to foundations and nonprofits — a leading peer in the high-end philanthropic and social-sector consulting space where Hirsch competes.
• Third Plateau: Acquirer of Hirsch Philanthropy Partners in 2023 and now its parent platform; offers overlapping philanthropic advising, program design, strategy, and organizational consulting services to foundations, nonprofits, and public-sector clients — the closest direct comparison and effectively the operating entity for Hirsch today.

Emerging players

• Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF): Nonprofit financial advisory and consulting organization offering finance, accounting, and capital-services support to nonprofits — comparable to Hirsch's 'Finance & Accounting' service line within the social sector advisory niche.
• Genevieve Shiroma Social Impact Consulting: Boutique social-impact consultancy supporting nonprofits, foundations, and public agencies with strategy, facilitation, and leadership development — a smaller West Coast peer overlapping with Hirsch/Third Plateau's organizational and leadership services.

Broad incumbents

• Baker Tilly (Nonprofit Practice): Large professional services firm with a dedicated nonprofit and foundation practice delivering audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services — represents the broader incumbent option foundations may choose versus boutique advisors like Hirsch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/third-plateau-social-impact-strategies
• Xx.com/hirschimpact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hirsch Philanthropy Partners