FISA Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately $1.5 million (FY2025: $2,225,674 in total charitable disbursements; approximately $1.5 million in direct grants)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Approximately 4 months from initial LOI to final decision
• Grant Range: $11,231 - $375,000 (typical grants $20,000 - $60,000; average approximately $25,000)
• Geographic Focus: Southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties)

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Contact Details

• Website: fisafoundation.org
• Phone: 412-456-5550
• Email: info@fisafoundation.org
• Address: 535 Smithfield Street, Suite 710, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
• Program Officer Contact: Shani Lasin, Senior Program Officer — shani@fisafoundation.org

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Overview

FISA Foundation is a private charitable grantmaking foundation established in 1996 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with roots tracing to 1911 when the Federation of Girls' School Societies was founded as an all-women-led organization. The foundation emerged when a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities (which the Federation had operated) was sold, and the proceeds were used to create FISA Foundation to continue serving women, girls, and people with disabilities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

With total assets of approximately $48.9 million, FISA awards grants three times per year to nonprofits operating in its ten-county service area. Its mission is to champion equity, justice, safety, and inclusion for women, girls, and people with disabilities, combating systemic racism that impedes progress for these populations. The foundation is distinctive for its 113-year legacy of all-women leadership and its explicit racial-justice lens. Beyond grantmaking, FISA convenes grantees, hosts educational opportunities, and co-leads Southwest PA Says NO MORE, a regional effort to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. Recent special initiatives include the Access to Healthcare Initiative, which commissioned independent research and ran a competitive RFP for grants up to $20,000 specifically to improve healthcare access for people with disabilities.

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Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

FISA operates a general grants program alongside periodic special initiative grant rounds. All grants must benefit women, girls, or people with disabilities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

General Grants Program (Three Cycles Per Year)

• Grant amounts range from approximately $11,231 to $375,000
• Typical individual grants: $20,000 - $60,000
• Average grant: approximately $25,000
• Typical grant periods: 18 - 24 months (multi-year grants are awarded selectively)
• Application method: Rolling LOI submission, reviewed monthly; full proposals by invitation only
• Approximately 50 - 67 grants awarded per year across three cycles

Access to Healthcare Initiative (Special RFP)

• Grants up to $20,000
• Competitive RFP process focused on improving accessible healthcare for people with disabilities
• Most recent round awarded $171,016 to multiple organizations
• Application method: Specific RFP with defined deadlines (issued on an ad hoc basis)

Priority Areas

FISA Foundation funds in four main areas, with explicit attention to intersectionality across race, gender, and disability:

Health and Well-being

• Improving access to healthcare and dental care for people with significant disabilities or complex health conditions
• Addressing healthcare bias and discrimination against people with disabilities
• Improving health outcomes for women and girls, particularly those of color

Preventing Violence

• Supporting organizations serving victims of domestic and sexual violence, with a priority on people with disabilities, people of color, immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ+ individuals
• Prevention programs and advocacy to end cycles of domestic and sexual violence

Removing Societal Barriers

• Promoting equal rights, access, and full inclusion for people with disabilities — particularly Black people and other people of color with disabilities
• Programs and advocacy focused on girls who have been marginalized, particularly Black girls and other girls of color, girls with disabilities, and girls in under-resourced areas
• Addressing the needs of women marginalized by addiction, homelessness, trauma, and poverty
• Addressing the school-to-prison pipeline for girls of color
• Employment opportunities and economic empowerment for people with disabilities

Eligible Funding Types

• General operating support
• Ongoing and innovative programs
• Capacity building
• Advocacy

FISA explicitly welcomes organizations that work at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities: Black women with disabilities, immigrant and refugee women, trans women, and girls of color with disabilities are among the specific populations the foundation seeks to uplift.

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals
• Political campaigns or partisan activities
• Religious purposes
• Travel grants or scholarships
• Services focused primarily on aging-related disabilities
• Building renovations or capital projects
• Primary mental health services (mental health as a primary diagnosis is outside scope, though they recognize its intersection with other priorities)
• Biomedical research
• General parenting programs (unless specifically addressing stated priorities)
• Programs that serve women and girls incidentally but are not specifically gender-designed
• Organizations operating outside the ten-county southwestern Pennsylvania service area

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Governance and Leadership

FISA Foundation has a small, all-women staff and an all-women Board of Directors — a governance model it has maintained for its entire 113-year institutional history.

Staff

• Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director — Trautmann has led FISA since 2010. Prior to FISA, she led financial empowerment programming at the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh and provided community education and training at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape. She is the founder of Southwest PA Says No More and the co-founder of the Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Annual compensation: approximately $184,000 - $188,000.
• Shani Lasin, Senior Program Officer — Primary program contact for grant inquiries, including disability-related funding.
• Susan Clarke, Office Manager and Grants Administrator
• Anya Fredrickson, Communications Associate

Board of Directors (selected)

• Karen Farmer White — Board President
• Lynette R. Lederman — Immediate Past President
• Chaton T. Turner, Esq. — Vice President
• Paula L. Garrett — Treasurer
• Paula K. Davis — Secretary
• Hon. Kim Berkeley Clark — Retired Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge; first African American to serve as President Judge in Allegheny County
• Nancy A. Hubley, Esq. — Retired civil rights attorney and former Director of the Pittsburgh Education Law Center
• Suzie Lachut — VP of Partnership Development at Parkhurst Dining; former Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 awardee
• Alexis James Steals — VP of Operations at The Advanced Leadership Institute; 25 years of financial services experience

Key Leadership Quotes

On grantee relationships: "Our grantee partners are integral to igniting community change. We want to uplift and support them with the tools they need to positively impact women, girls, and people with disabilities." — Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director

On partnerships: "We need strong partnerships between philanthropy and nonprofits to create real change. FISA aims to be a supportive partner to our grantees." — Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director

On recent grants: "From supporting women in recovery to advocating for the rights of people with disabilities to live in communities of their choice, these organizations are making a profound difference in our region." — Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director

On design thinking: Senior Program Officer Shani Lasin has noted that design thinking offers "a new lens and potentially new tools to move the needle on some very entrenched social issues" relevant to FISA's populations, indicating the foundation's openness to innovative approaches.

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Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

FISA Foundation uses a two-step application process. Unsolicited inquiries are accepted on a rolling basis, but unsolicited full proposals are not accepted.

Step 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

• Submit a 2-3 page LOI by email to info@fisafoundation.org
• LOIs are accepted on an ongoing (rolling) basis and reviewed monthly
• The LOI should include:
  • Brief organizational overview
  • Description of the need to be addressed
  • Brief description of the proposed project or program
  • Expected outcomes
  • Amount of the funding request
  • Total program budget
• Include the completed FISA Grant Application form alongside the LOI
• Response time: within six weeks of submission

Step 2: Full Proposal (by invitation only)

• If invited, either the Executive Director or Senior Program Officer will contact the applicant to discuss scope and specifications and provide a specific deadline
• The full proposal must include:
  • Cover letter (maximum 1 page)
  • Executive summary (maximum 1 page)
  • Narrative (maximum 6 pages, 12-point font)
  • Project budget
  • Board of Directors list (including demographic information)
  • Executive Director biography
  • Key staff biographies
  • Organizational budget
  • Recent financial statements
• All documents should be combined into a single Word document (PDFs are not accepted), named "organization name proposal.doc"
• Proposals are submitted electronically to info@fisafoundation.org
• FISA accepts (but does not require) the Common Grant Application Format

FISA asks applicants to provide demographic information about board and staff leadership, as the foundation believes diversity strengthens organizations and the nonprofit sector.

Decision Timeline

• LOI response: within 6 weeks of submission
• Full process from LOI to final decision: approximately 4 months
• All proposals are reviewed by staff and the Grant Review Committee of the board
• Applicants may be contacted for additional information, a site visit, or a virtual meeting during the review
• If the Grant Review Committee declines, applicants are notified within two weeks after the committee meeting
• Approved proposals are placed on the Board of Directors' agenda for final vote
• Grants are awarded three times per year

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly disclosed. However, FISA consistently awards 50-67 grants per year across three cycles, with recent annual giving of approximately $1.5 million. Grant cycles have included as few as 9 and as many as 14-15 grantees per cycle.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication waiting period is publicly documented. As a rolling LOI process with three grant cycles per year, organizations may submit LOIs at any time. Given that many organizations appear in the grantee list across multiple years, repeat funding relationships are clearly part of FISA's model.

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Application Success Factors

Demonstrate explicit alignment with FISA's three focal populations: FISA is clear that all grants must directly benefit women, girls, or people with disabilities. Applications that serve these populations incidentally rather than as their primary design will not be funded. Articulate clearly and specifically how your project is designed for and centers these populations.

Emphasize intersectionality: FISA's leadership and grantmaking explicitly prioritizes organizations working at the intersection of race, gender, and disability. Nearly two-thirds of recent grants have focused on intersectional issues. Applications that address, for example, the specific needs of Black girls, immigrant women with disabilities, or trans women facing violence are well-positioned.

Apply a racial justice frame: FISA uses a racial justice lens throughout its work. Applications should frame problems and solutions using this lens and demonstrate awareness of how systemic racism intersects with disability and gender inequity.

Amplify lived experience and community voice: FISA's philosophy centers the leadership and voices of people with disabilities and other marginalized communities. Applications that demonstrate community leadership within the organization — including board and staff diversity — will be favorably received. FISA specifically asks for demographic information about leadership.

Show clearly defined outcomes and a realistic evaluation plan: FISA states explicitly that it gives priority to projects and programs with "clearly defined outcomes and a realistic evaluation plan." Proposals should articulate measurable impact, not just activities.

Be strategic about where FISA funding fits: FISA states it "carefully considers where it can have the greatest impact, as well as the availability of other funding sources." Applications that demonstrate a gap in available funding and articulate why FISA's investment is uniquely impactful will stand out.

Prepare proposals simply and economically: FISA's own guidance instructs applicants to "prepare proposals simply and economically" — meaning clarity and concision are valued over length or complexity. The narrative maximum of 6 pages reflects this.

Recent funded examples:

• $375,000 (3 years) to Disability Lead to bring an innovative disability leadership model to southwestern PA
• $120,000 to Education Law Center for education advocacy
• $60,000 (2 years) to Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
• $60,000 (2 years) to ACLU PA for disability rights
• $50,000 to Women and Girls Foundation
• $40,000 to 412 Justice (disability-focused)
• $35,000 to Black Women's Policy Center
• $25,000 to Disability Rights Pennsylvania

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Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic restriction is absolute: FISA funds only organizations serving its ten-county southwestern Pennsylvania area. This is a hard eligibility requirement — no exceptions.
• Rolling LOI process means you can apply anytime: FISA reviews LOIs monthly and awards grants three times per year. There is no single annual deadline to miss — organizations can submit an LOI whenever their project is ready.
• Intersection of race, gender, and disability is the sweet spot: FISA's most competitive applications will address the needs of multiple marginalized identities simultaneously — such as Black women with disabilities, girls of color, or immigrant women facing violence.
• Demographic data matters: FISA explicitly requests information about the diversity of board and staff and values diversity as an organizational strength. Applicants should be prepared to share this information openly.
• The LOI is a gateway, not a formality: Unsolicited full proposals are not accepted; the LOI step determines whether you are invited to submit. Invest time in crafting a strong, focused 2-3 page LOI with a completed application form.
• Shani Lasin is the primary program contact: For disability-related inquiries specifically, the Senior Program Officer (shani@fisafoundation.org) has been identified as a key contact. For general inquiries, use info@fisafoundation.org.
• Multi-year and larger grants are possible: While the average grant is approximately $25,000, FISA has made grants as large as $375,000 over three years (to Disability Lead) and regularly makes two-year grants. Strong proposals with significant system-change potential may be competitive for larger awards.

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References

1. FISA Foundation official website — fisafoundation.org (accessed February 2026)
2. FISA Foundation Grants page — https://fisafoundation.org/grants/ (accessed February 2026)
3. FISA Foundation Grant Priorities page — https://fisafoundation.org/grant-priorities/ (accessed February 2026)
4. FISA Foundation Grant Application page — https://fisafoundation.org/grant-application/ (accessed February 2026)
5. FISA Foundation About page — https://fisafoundation.org/about/ (accessed February 2026)
6. FISA Foundation Board and Staff page — https://fisafoundation.org/board-and-staff/ (accessed February 2026)
7. FISA Foundation Grantees page — https://fisafoundation.org/grantees/ (accessed February 2026)
8. FISA Foundation — "FISA Awards February 2024 Grants to Uplift Women, Girls, and People with Disabilities" — https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-february-2024-grants-to-uplift-women-girls-and-people-with-disabilities/ (accessed February 2026)
9. FISA Foundation — "FISA Awards June 2024 Grants to Uplift Women, Girls, and People with Disabilities" — https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-june-2024-grants-to-uplift-women-girls-and-people-with-disabilities/ (accessed February 2026)
10. FISA Foundation — "FISA Awards October 2023 Grants" — https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-october-2023-grants/ (accessed February 2026)
11. FISA Foundation — "FISA Foundation Announces New Board Members" — https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-foundation-announces-new-board-members-oct-2025/ (accessed February 2026)
12. FISA Foundation — Access to Healthcare Initiative — https://fisafoundation.org/access-to-health-care-initiative/ (accessed February 2026)
13. FISA Foundation — "Submitting Letters of Inquiry for Disability-Related Funding" — https://fisafoundation.org/4877/ (accessed February 2026)
14. FISA Foundation Financial Statements Years Ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 — https://fisafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FISA-FS-FINAL-2023.pdf (accessed February 2026)
15. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — FISA Foundation (EIN: 25-0965388) — https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/250965388 (accessed February 2026)
16. Instrumentl 990 Report — FISA Foundation — https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/fisa-foundation (accessed February 2026)
17. Charity Navigator — FISA Foundation (EIN: 25-0965388) — https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/250965388 (accessed February 2026)
18. IUP Social Equity — Bio: Kristy Trautmann — https://www.iup.edu/socialequity/events/passhe-womens-consortium/bio-kristy-trautmann.html (accessed February 2026)
19. Carnegie Mellon School of Design — Flip Labs CEO Hosts Mini-Course on Designing for Systems Change (mentions Shani Lasin) — https://design.cmu.edu/content/flip-labs-ceo-hosts-mini-course-designing-systems-change (accessed February 2026)