Hirsch Philanthropy Partners was founded in San Francisco in 1999 by Susan Mayer Hirsch, a visionary leader known for her extraordinary knowledge of private philanthropy, public policy, and community needs. As one of the first philanthropic advising firms in the United States, Hirsch built a reputation for deep expertise in family philanthropy, public-private partnerships, and community-centered change.

Before launching Hirsch, Susan spent eight years as the founding Executive Director of the Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, where she created a new philanthropic model focused on partnerships to address deep disparities in early childhood education. She saw an opportunity to share these approaches with more philanthropists motivated to support high-impact solutions. Legendary San Francisco philanthropists Warren and Chris Hellman were among the firm’s first clients, collaborating with Hirsch to launch transformative philanthropy projects including the beloved Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival.

For years, Hirsch Philanthropy Partners and Third Plateau collaborated to solve pressing community needs and safeguard our democracy, united by a shared passion for proven and fresh solutions to urgent challenges. In 2023, the firms merged, bringing Hirsch’s entire team into Third Plateau. The partnership combined deep Bay Area roots and best-in-class philanthropy with innovative strategy and management, amplifying impact for philanthropists, funder networks, nonprofits, and the public sector.