← Back to US Funders Directory

Gramma Fisher Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.4M
Grant Range
$400K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,265,000 - $1,435,000
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: ~$400,000 - $500,000 per grant
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)

Contact Details

  • Phone: 410-822-8450
  • Address: 6986 Cheston Way, Easton, MD 21601-8522
  • Website: None
  • Email: Not publicly available

Overview

Established in 1957 by Jasper William "Bill" Fisher in honor of his mother, the Gramma Fisher Foundation is a private family foundation with assets of $24.5 million that has been a major supporter of opera in the United States for over 67 years. The foundation, originally incorporated in Iowa and now operating from Maryland, distributes approximately $1.2-1.4 million annually to support major opera companies across the country. Named to honor Bill Fisher's mother, known to family as "Gramma," the foundation represents the Fisher family's commitment to supporting opera as an art form, stemming from the wealth created through Fisher Controls, the worldwide corporation built by the Fisher family. The foundation primarily provides grants to support and sponsor opera productions, maintaining long-term relationships with a select group of major opera institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation consistently makes 3 grants annually, typically ranging from $400,000-$500,000 per recipient, focused exclusively on:

  • Production sponsorship for major opera productions
  • Multi-year support for significant opera cycles
  • General operating support at the $100,000+ level for established opera companies
  • Historical support included the National Gramma Fisher Foundation Award for opera singers

Priority Areas

  • Opera production and performance
  • Support for major metropolitan opera companies
  • Multi-year commitments to significant artistic projects (e.g., Wagner's Ring Cycle)
  • Broadcast and media support for opera accessibility

What They Don't Fund

  • Individual artists (current focus is institutional)
  • Organizations outside the opera sector
  • Unsolicited requests from new organizations
  • Small or emerging opera companies

Governance and Leadership

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with trustee-managed grant distributions. Historical leadership includes Christine F. Hunter of the foundation, who served as president of the Board of Trustees for the Washington National Opera in the 1970s, demonstrating the foundation's deep engagement with opera governance at the highest levels.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made through trustee discretion to organizations with which the foundation has established relationships.

Known Beneficiaries

Based on donor acknowledgments and public records, the foundation's primary beneficiaries include:

  • Metropolitan Opera (New York): Major donor at $100,000+ level for broadcast support and production sponsorship
  • Lyric Opera of Chicago: Major production sponsor including multi-year support for the Ring Cycle (2016-2020)
  • Washington National Opera: Long-standing relationship with board-level engagement
  • Cincinnati Opera: Recipient of production support

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion to pre-selected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation only.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's closed application process, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, based on their giving patterns:

  • Established Excellence: All known recipients are major, internationally recognized opera companies with decades of operational history
  • Scale of Impact: Recipients operate at the highest professional level with multi-million dollar budgets
  • Geographic Diversity: While supporting national institutions, the foundation shows particular interest in companies in New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
  • Production Focus: The foundation favors supporting specific productions rather than general operations, particularly major works and cycles
  • Media and Accessibility: Support for broadcast initiatives suggests interest in expanding opera's reach

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The Gramma Fisher Foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications
  • Only major, established opera companies with existing relationships receive support
  • Individual grants are substantial, typically $400,000-$500,000 annually
  • The foundation maintains long-term, multi-year relationships with its beneficiaries
  • Focus is exclusively on opera, with no evidence of support for other performing arts
  • Board-level connections and institutional relationships are essential for consideration
  • The foundation represents "old philanthropy" model of relationship-based giving rather than competitive application processes

References

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Join the Launch ListLearn More
← Back to US Funders Directory