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Sherman Fairchild Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$47.2M
Grant Range
$25K - $20.0M

Sherman Fairchild Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $47,188,693 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $676 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $20,000,000
  • Average Grant: $646,420
  • Number of Grants: 73 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States), with strong concentration in New York (59.8%), Ohio (11.9%), DC (10.1%), Massachusetts (6.1%)
  • Application Type: Invitation-only, does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1205, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Phone: 301-913-5990

Website: The foundation does not maintain a public website

Leadership:

  • President/Director: Bonnie Burke Himmelman
  • Chairperson of the Board: Dale T. Knobel
  • Chief Investment Officer/Chairman: Walter F. Burke III

Overview

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation was established in 1955 by Sherman Mills Fairchild (1896-1971), a prolific American inventor and businessman who founded over 70 companies, including Fairchild Camera and Instrument. As IBM's largest individual stockholder (his father co-founded IBM), Fairchild leveraged his considerable wealth to create a foundation focused on advancing higher education, the fine arts, and cultural institutions. The foundation maintains a low profile and operates primarily through trustee discretion, identifying and approaching potential grantees rather than accepting open applications. With assets of $676 million and annual giving of approximately $47 million distributed among 73 awards in 2023, the foundation represents one of the most significant private funding sources for elite universities and cultural institutions in the United States.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation does not have formally named grant programs but focuses its funding in three primary areas:

Higher Education (Primary Focus)

  • Grants ranging from $247,500 to $20,000,000
  • Supports both public and private colleges and universities across the U.S.
  • Typical focus areas: science facilities and equipment, faculty development, undergraduate research programs, arts and technology integration
  • Recent example: Caltech received $20 million for construction of quantum measurement laboratories
  • Recent example: Dartmouth College received $10 million to support early-career faculty recruitment and retention
  • Recent example: Occidental College received $247,500 over three years to support underrepresented students in the sciences

Fine Arts and Cultural Institutions

  • Grants ranging from $500,000 to $8,000,000
  • Supports major museums, performing arts organizations, and cultural venues
  • Recent example: New 42 (New Victory Theater) received $8 million in October 2024, including $5 million for endowment and $750,000 over four years for general operating support
  • Recent example: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (recurring major grantee)
  • Focus areas: accessibility, underserved community engagement, artistic programming

Arts and Technology Integration

  • Grants typically $500,000 for four-year programs
  • Supports interdisciplinary projects combining arts and technology
  • Recent example: Lafayette College received $500,000 to advance the intersection between arts and technology
  • Recent example: Bates College received $500,000 for an Immersive Media Studio

Priority Areas

  • Scientific research facilities and equipment at universities
  • Early-career faculty development and retention programs
  • Undergraduate research opportunities, particularly for underrepresented students in STEM
  • Major museum collections and exhibitions
  • Performing arts venues and programs
  • Arts and technology innovation spaces
  • General operating support for elite institutions

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, which effectively excludes most organizations from consideration. While specific funding exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation's giving pattern shows clear preferences:

  • The foundation does not appear to fund small or regional organizations
  • Grants concentrate heavily on elite, nationally recognized institutions
  • No evidence of funding for individuals, grassroots organizations, or startups
  • Geographic giving is concentrated in specific states, with 59.8% going to New York organizations

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Dale T. Knobel - Chairperson of the Board

  • Current board chair guiding the foundation's strategic direction

Bonnie Burke Himmelman - President/Director

  • Leads day-to-day operations and grant-making decisions
  • Daughter of the late Walter Burke, who served as president for 35 years

Walter F. Burke III - Chief Investment Officer/Chairman

  • Manages the foundation's substantial endowment

Leadership Legacy

Walter Burke (deceased November 1, 2018)

  • Served on the board for more than 50 years, including 35 years as president
  • Graduated from Columbia Law School in 1948
  • Became financial advisor to Sherman Fairchild and succeeded him as Chairman of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
  • His long tenure shaped the foundation's focus on scientific research and established close relationships with institutions like Caltech (where the Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics is named in his honor) and Dartmouth

The foundation's governance reflects continuity through family connections and long-term relationships with grantee institutions, which influences its invitation-only approach to grant-making.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Sherman Fairchild Foundation does not have a public application process and does not accept unsolicited applications.

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, with trustees and leadership identifying potential grantees through:

  • Long-standing relationships with elite institutions
  • Board connections and institutional knowledge
  • Direct outreach from the foundation to organizations

As one source noted regarding Lafayette College's grant: "Lafayette was approached by the Sherman Fairchild Foundation to apply for the grant." This indicates the foundation proactively identifies organizations aligned with its priorities rather than reviewing incoming proposals.

Qualified charitable nonprofit organizations are eligible, but the foundation determines which organizations to approach.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has deep, multi-generational relationships with certain institutions, particularly:

Institutions with Historical Connections:

  • Caltech: The foundation's philanthropy dates back to the 1970s, with grants supporting 80 postdoctoral scholars and hundreds of distinguished visitors. The Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics honors the foundation's longtime president. These decades-long relationships result in major grants like the $20 million quantum measurement center.

  • Dartmouth College: The foundation provided lead gifts for the Sherman Fairchild Physical Sciences Center, the Burke Laboratory, and the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professorships in Emerging Fields, demonstrating institutional commitment over many years.

Leadership-Driven Discovery: Given the foundation's concentration in specific states (particularly New York) and elite institutions, organizations are most likely to be discovered through:

  • Existing board member connections to the higher education and cultural sectors
  • Reputation as a nationally significant institution in higher education or the fine arts
  • Track records of innovation in science, technology, or arts education
  • Previous foundation investments in building infrastructure or programs

The foundation's approach suggests that cold outreach is unlikely to be successful. Organizations should focus on building national recognition in their fields and cultivating relationships with peer institutions that have received Sherman Fairchild funding.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of the Sherman Fairchild Foundation, success depends on institutional characteristics rather than application strategy:

Institutional Profile

  • Elite status: The foundation consistently funds nationally recognized universities and cultural institutions with established reputations
  • Geographic positioning: Strong preference for institutions in New York (59.8% of grants), followed by Ohio, DC, and Massachusetts
  • Scale and impact: Average grant size of $646,420 indicates the foundation seeks institutions capable of deploying substantial funding effectively

Project Characteristics That Attract Funding

Based on recent grants, the foundation is drawn to:

Science and Technology Infrastructure:

  • Major capital projects like Caltech's $20 million quantum measurement laboratories
  • Equipment and facilities that advance cutting-edge research
  • Integration of arts and technology (Bates' Immersive Media Studio, Lafayette's arts-technology initiative)

Faculty and Student Development:

  • Programs supporting early-career faculty (Dartmouth's $10 million commitment)
  • Undergraduate research opportunities, especially for underrepresented students (Occidental's three-year program)
  • Summer research stipends for STEM students (University of Portland)

Cultural Institution Sustainability:

  • Endowment building (New 42's $5 million endowment seed funding)
  • Multi-year operating support demonstrating long-term commitment
  • Accessibility and community engagement initiatives

The Foundation's Language and Values

While the foundation maintains a low profile without public communications, their giving patterns reveal priorities:

  • Long-term institutional relationships over one-time projects
  • Excellence and innovation in established fields
  • Infrastructure and capacity building rather than programmatic funding alone
  • Strategic investments that leverage the institution's existing strengths

What Makes Organizations Stand Out

Organizations that have successfully received Sherman Fairchild funding share these characteristics:

  1. National significance in their field (higher education or fine arts)
  2. Track record of excellence over many years or decades
  3. Ambitious, transformative projects requiring substantial capital
  4. Strategic alignment with the founder's legacy in science, technology, and the arts
  5. Institutional capacity to steward large grants effectively
  6. Existing relationships with board members or previously funded peer institutions

The foundation's pattern suggests they seek institutions where significant investment will amplify existing excellence rather than build capacity at emerging organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - do not invest time in preparing a speculative proposal
  • Invitation-only model - the foundation approaches organizations rather than responding to incoming requests; focus instead on building institutional reputation
  • Elite institutional focus - grants concentrate on nationally recognized universities and major cultural institutions, with nearly 60% going to New York organizations
  • Substantial grant sizes - average grant of $646,420, with recent awards ranging from $247,500 to $20 million; this is a major donor requiring significant organizational capacity
  • Long-term relationships matter - successful grantees often have multi-decade relationships with the foundation, evidenced by Caltech's 50+ year connection
  • Science, technology, and arts alignment - funding reflects founder Sherman Fairchild's legacy in innovation, particularly at the intersection of technology and creative fields
  • Multi-year commitments preferred - recent grants show preference for 3-4 year programs or permanent endowment support rather than one-time projects

If your organization is invited to apply, emphasize institutional excellence, transformative project scale, and strategic alignment with the foundation's historical priorities in advancing science, technology, and the arts at elite institutions.

References

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