Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work fits one of its themes (early childhood, Jewish, arts and culture for children and young people, impact investing, legacy giving, capacity building or the philanthropy sector), the foundation is worth approaching by letter of inquiry through its database, as it encourages.
- Most of its grants fall between $4,000 and $200,000, and half are $40,000 or less, so a modest request in that region is the realistic ask; the largest grant was about $5,050,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- The filings give no geographic focus, although its grants have mainly gone to Michigan, New York and Florida, so check how your area compares before writing.
- Repeat funding is strong, with 75% of grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded, so a first approach should be framed with care and may be helped by any existing connection to its partners.
- The filing states no exclusions or eligibility limits, so no kind of organisation should rule itself out on the basis of the filing alone.
Overview
Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation is a US private foundation based in Southfield, MI.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation works with partners and leaders to strengthen and empower children and families in need. Its early-childhood work gives children aged 0 to 8 and their families access to high-quality development resources; its Jewish work supports the needs and ongoing vitality, success and well-being of the Jewish People. It provides children and young people in need with arts and culture enrichment, exposure and instruction, and works to give organisations focused on social and environmental impact access to growth capital. It also invests in institutions and partners that honour the Fisher family’s philanthropic legacy. Through capacity building, it assists grant partners with strategic funding, planning and leadership development, and strengthens philanthropy by supporting organisations that provide resources, peer networks, research and training and cultivate young professionals. It describes its approach as partnership with those inside the issues it seeks to address.
Themes
- Jewish
- Early childhood
- Arts and culture
- Impact investing
- Legacy giving
- Capacity building
- Philanthropy sector
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Michigan, New York and Florida.
How to apply
Organisations interested in a programme aligned with the Foundation’s mission and current impact areas are encouraged to submit an initial letter of inquiry by creating an account in the database.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 582 grants to organisations were $40,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Current grant partners are encouraged to work directly with programme staff through proposal review, grant agreements, reporting, stewardship and post-grant reflection.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to organisations Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 2% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Israel).
- 27% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 188 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $48,416 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Jewish Federation of Detroit · 2024 and 2025 annual campaign$1,290,0002024 tax year
- Everybody Ready · Brightmoor quality childcare initiative$737,1102024 tax year
- Development Centers Inc Dba Mi Early Years · Brightmoor childcare quality initiative$452,9112024 tax year
- Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan · Marjorie m. fisher fund$450,0002024 tax year
- United Jewish Foundation · Jane f. & larry d. sherman family support foundation$400,0002024 tax year
- Jewish Agency for Israel - North American Council · Spark.il$400,0002024 tax year
- United Jewish Foundation · Phillip wm fisher support foundation$400,0002024 tax year
- Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties · Fisher-cummings family fund$300,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Douglas Bitonti Stewart — Executive Director
- Andrew Sherman — Next Generation Trustee
- Alissandra Aronow — Next Generation Trustee
- Amanda Fisher — Next Generation Trustee
- Caroline Rafferty — Next Generation Trustee
- David Sherman — Next Generation Trustee
- Jane F Sherman — Trustee
- Dr Marjorie M Fisher — Treasurer
- Phillip WM Fisher — Managing Trustee
- Julie Fisher Cummings — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $23,126,911 | $14,595,199 | $279,901,104 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $27,230,526 | $19,512,853 | $280,244,201 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $21,492,813 | $15,315,204 | $280,007,862 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@mmfisher.org
- Southfield, MI
- mmfisher.org
Applying to Max & Marjorie Fisher Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@mmfisher.org
- Southfield, MI
- mmfisher.org