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Fisher Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.1M

Fisher Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,050,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $16.4 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: Varies by trustee discretion
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts and Jewish organizations
  • Application Process: No public application - preselected organizations only
  • Founded: 1999

Contact Details

Address: 99 Kirkstall Road, Newton, MA 02460-2245
Phone: (617) 332-1106
EIN: 04-6899625

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests.

Overview

The Fisher Family Foundation was established in 1999 as an independent private foundation based in Newton, Massachusetts. With total assets of $16.4 million as of 2023, the foundation distributed $1,050,000 in charitable grants that year. The foundation focuses primarily on Jewish organizations, with additional support for education and human services. The foundation operates with a trustee-directed giving model, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation also sponsors Matanah, a youth philanthropy project that teaches young people about charitable giving by involving them in the grant-making process. The foundation is governed by three family trustees who serve without compensation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed giving rather than formal grant programs. In recent years, grant activity has included:

  • 2023: 2 grants totaling $1,050,000
  • 2022: 5 grants
  • 2021: 2 grants
  • 2020: 10 grants

The foundation also supports the Matanah Youth Philanthropy Project, which operates under the foundation's auspices and enables teenagers to participate in grant-making decisions to other 501(c)(3) organizations.

Priority Areas

  • Jewish Organizations (primary focus)
  • Education
  • Human Services

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations without proper IRS tax-exempt status
  • Organizations that "preach hate or are, in any other way, objectionable to our funders" (as stated in Matanah guidelines)
  • Unsolicited applications from organizations not already known to the trustees

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is managed by three family trustees:

  • Ronald Fisher - Trustee
  • Lisa Rosenbaum - Trustee
  • Matthew Fisher - Trustee

All trustees serve without compensation. The foundation operates as a classic family foundation model with grant-making decisions made by trustee discretion rather than through formal application review processes.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Fisher Family Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion to organizations already known to the family trustees.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's connection to the Matanah youth philanthropy project (located at the same address: 99 Kirkstall Road, Newton, MA 02460-2245, email: guys@matanah.org) suggests the family has an interest in engaging with community organizations, particularly those aligned with their focus areas of Jewish organizations, education, and human services. However, no specific process for introducing new organizations to the trustees has been documented.

Organizations seeking support would need to establish relationships with the trustees through existing networks in the Massachusetts Jewish philanthropic community or through shared board connections with organizations the foundation already supports.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made by trustee discretion on a rolling basis rather than through scheduled review cycles.

Financial Profile

The foundation demonstrates strong financial health with significant assets supporting its grant-making:

  • Total Assets (2023): $16.4 million
  • Total Liabilities: $0
  • Net Assets: $16.4 million
  • Charitable Disbursements: $1.1 million (78.7% of expenses)

The foundation's revenue comes primarily from investment income:

  • Contributions (2023): $25,713
  • Dividends (2023): $212,623
  • Investment portfolio performance has shown significant volatility, with the asset base fluctuating between $5.7 million and $31.4 million over the past decade

The foundation consistently dedicates 70-97% of annual expenses to charitable disbursements, demonstrating a strong commitment to grant-making as its primary activity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals; grants are made exclusively to preselected organizations known to the trustees
  • Family Foundation Model: Decisions are made by three family trustees (Ronald Fisher, Lisa Rosenbaum, and Matthew Fisher) without staff or formal review processes
  • Focus on Jewish Causes: Primary interest in Jewish organizations, with secondary support for education and human services
  • Massachusetts Connection: Based in Newton, MA, with likely preference for local or Massachusetts-based organizations
  • Youth Philanthropy Initiative: The family's support of the Matanah project demonstrates interest in educational approaches to philanthropy and youth engagement
  • Relationship-Based Giving: Success requires existing relationships with trustees or introduction through trusted intermediaries in the Massachusetts Jewish philanthropic community
  • Small Number of Annual Grants: With only 2-10 grants made per year, the foundation maintains a very selective and focused giving approach

References

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