Fischer Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £334,320 (2023 expenditure)
• Total Given to Education Since 1999: £10 million+
• Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (partnership-based)
• Grant Range: Core funding for major projects
• Geographic Focus: UK (Oxfordshire, City of York) and Colombia

Contact Details

Address: Fischer Family Trust, 5-7 West Central, 127 Olympic Avenue, Milton Park, Milton, Oxfordshire OX14 4SA

Phone: 01235 827400

Website: www.fischerfamilyfoundation.org.uk

Email: Available through contact page on website

Overview

The Fischer Family Foundation (Charity No. 1075453) was established in 1999 by Mike Fischer CBE, co-founder of Research Machines (RM plc) and the stock photography agency Alamy. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed over £10 million to education initiatives and core-funds cutting-edge medical research. The Foundation's approach is distinctive: rather than accepting open applications, it works with longstanding partners to implement innovative, transformative projects that address social and health inequalities in the UK and globally. Mike Fischer remains actively involved, particularly in leading the Apex literacy project day-to-day. The Foundation was awarded recognition when Mike Fischer received his CBE for services to Business and to Charity in 2006.

Funding Priorities

Major Funded Initiatives

FFT Education & FFT Education Datalab

• Created and continues to support FFT Education, a leading schools' data service used across the UK
• Founded FFT Education Datalab in 2015, providing independent research to inform education policy and practice
• Changed how UK schools and policymakers access and use education data

FFT Apex Project (launched 2019)

• Tackles avoidable early literacy failure in primary schools
• Works with 10 core schools using a rigorous 'Deming-Juran' quality management methodology
• Provides digitally-assisted tutoring programme “Tutoring with Alphie” (1:4 ratio, Years 1 and 2)
• Includes vision screening (over 2,600 children screened; 18-20% requiring optician follow-up)
• 155 children tutored in 9 schools with excellent early results

Systems Biology Laboratory (SBL)

• Core-funds this innovative medical science research unit in Oxfordshire
• Founded by Mike Fischer in 2004
• Primarily funded through Alamy (Fischer's stock photography company)
• Conducts collaborative, clinically-focused research to improve patient treatment options
• During COVID-19, converted to testing, providing 250-500 tests weekly to NHS healthcare workers

University College Oxford Access Programme

• Supported pioneering Opportunity Programme for students from disadvantaged backgrounds
• This initiative served as a model for the university-wide Opportunity Oxford scheme

Priority Areas

1. Education Innovation: Data-driven approaches to improving educational outcomes, particularly early literacy
2. Medical Research: Clinically-focused research with potential to change lives
3. Access & Equity: Addressing educational inequalities for disadvantaged students
4. Evidence-Based Improvement: Projects using systematic methodologies and quality management approaches

Geographic Focus

• UK: Primarily Oxfordshire and City of York
• International: Colombia (specific projects not detailed in public sources)

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but the Foundation does not fund:

• One-off projects without potential for systematic improvement
• Organisations outside their established partnership network
• Projects without clear evidence-based methodologies

Ready to write a winning application for Fischer Family Foundation?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

1. Michael Fischer (Founder) - Co-founder of Research Machines and Alamy, CBE recipient (2006), Oxford physics graduate
2. James West - Co-founder of Alamy with Mike Fischer
3. Kenneth Williams Brooks
4. Gordon James McMillan

The Foundation has 4 trustees total, with one or more receiving payments for services (likely reflecting Mike Fischer's active day-to-day involvement in projects like Apex).

Key Personnel

Mike Fischer CBE - Active in day-to-day leadership of the Apex project, interacting directly with school leaders. His background in technology entrepreneurship (RM plc, Alamy) informs the Foundation's focus on data-driven, systematic approaches to social problems.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Fischer Family Foundation operates through a partnership model, working with “longstanding partners” to implement innovative projects. Their website states they “collaborate with longstanding partners” rather than accepting unsolicited grant applications.

Grants are made at the trustees' absolute discretion under the Foundation's charitable purposes, which include:

1. Advancement of education of the public
2. Such charitable purposes as the trustees in their discretion think fit

The Foundation creates and core-funds major initiatives (like FFT Education, Systems Biology Laboratory, and the Apex project) rather than responding to external applications.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee-led partnership decisions rather than application cycles.

Application Success Factors

Given the Foundation's partnership-based approach, the following factors characterize their funded work:

Evidence-Based Methodology

The Foundation favours rigorous, systematic approaches. The Apex project explicitly applies 'Deming-Juran' quality management methodology - a data-driven, continuous improvement framework rarely seen in education charity work.

Transformative Potential

Projects must have the potential to “change lives” and create systematic improvement, not just incremental gains. FFT Education changed how an entire nation's schools access performance data; the Apex project aims to eliminate “avoidable” early literacy failure.

Long-Term Commitment

The Foundation provides core funding and sustained support (e.g., Systems Biology Laboratory since 2004, FFT Education since 1999) rather than time-limited grants.

Innovation in Service Delivery

Funded projects combine technology with evidence-based practice (digital tutoring, data analytics, blended learning models).

Founder's Personal Engagement

Mike Fischer maintains active, day-to-day involvement in projects, particularly those aligned with his background in technology and education.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - this Foundation works exclusively through established partnerships and trustee-initiated projects
• Focus on systematic transformation rather than individual organisational support - they create new entities (FFT Education) or core-fund research units (SBL)
• Education and health research are primary areas with particular emphasis on data-driven approaches and early intervention
• Long-term relationships characterize their funding - partnerships span decades, not grant cycles
• Quality management methodologies (Deming-Juran) inform their approach, reflecting founder's technology entrepreneurship background
• Active founder involvement - Mike Fischer's continued engagement suggests personal passion drives project selection
• Partnership model might include organisations connected to Success for All, Johns Hopkins University, University College Oxford - existing partners in their network

References

• Charity Commission Register of Charities: Fischer Family Foundation (1075453). Available at: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/3958022/full-print []

• Fischer Family Foundation website: https://fischerfamilyfoundation.org.uk/ []

• FFT Education - About FFT: https://fft.org.uk/about-fft/ []

• FFT Education Datalab: https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/ []

• FFT Apex Project: https://apex.fft.org.uk/project/ []

• Systems Biology Laboratory UK: http://www.sbl-uk.org/ []

• Wikipedia: Mike Fischer. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Fischer []

• University of Oxford (2019): “Two new Oxford initiatives to help students from under-represented backgrounds”. Available at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-05-20-two-new-oxford-initiatives-help-students-under-represented-backgrounds []