Fairbairn Family Foundation
The Fairbairn Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including arts organizations, conservation groups, and community-serving organizations.
Fairbairn Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Fairbairn Family Foundation gave $136K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Pennsylvania. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $136,356
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,050
- +4.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $1,858,016
- -2.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (9 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (21% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fairbairn Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Glenmede 1650 Market St Ste, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 419-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fairbairn Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Bach Choir of Bethlehem ($28K). Together the top 10 received $110K.
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 131 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Pennsylvania (21%), New Jersey (19%), California (19%), Florida (16%), and Virginia (10%). These shares describe the reported grants for that year.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fairbairn Family Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 27 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $74K (2021) to $136K (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $136K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Bach Choir of Bethlehem Bethlehem, PA | General Charitable Purpose | $28,000 |
| Paper Mill Playhouse Millburn, NJ | General Charitable Purpose | $21,600 |
| Pasadena Playhouse Pasadena, CA | General Charitable Purpose | $16,200 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | General Charitable Purpose | $14,000 |
| Coral Reef Alliance Oakland, CA | General Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| American Red Cross Boone, IA | General Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
| Florida Studio Theatre Sarasota, FL | General Charitable Purpose | $4,000 |
| Seeds Access Newark, NJ | General Charitable Purpose | $4,000 |
| Solar One Long Island City, NY | General Charitable Purpose | $4,000 |
| Asolo Theatre Sarasota, FL | General Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,858,016 | $119,686 | $154,625 | $136,356 | 27 | $144,799 | $110,287 | $137,976 |
| 2024 | $1,897,766 | $50,360 | $134,618 | $116,380 | 24 | $121,246 | $56,653 | $129,944 |
| 2023 | $1,978,168 | $93,106 | $136,676 | $120,000 | 39 | $123,500 | $81,564 | $118,770 |
| 2022 | $2,024,565 | $97,483 | $147,937 | $128,645 | 20 | $134,845 | $85,601 | $118,617 |
| 2021 | $2,070,785 | $100,433 | $91,095 | $74,265 | 21 | $77,765 | $87,153 | $135,046 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fairbairn Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $138K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Paper Mill Playhouse describes its work as entertaining, inspiring, and enriching lives through musical theater, education, and access; The Nature Conservancy says its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which life depends. Florida Studio Theatre says it aims to make theater affordable and accessible, while Seaside Seabird Sanctuary describes its work as rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing native wild birds and promoting conservation awareness.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $136,356. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $28,000, with a median of $2,500. Its largest reported grants included $28,000 to The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, $21,600 to Paper Mill Playhouse, $16,200 to Pasadena Playhouse, $14,000 to The Nature Conservancy, and $10,000 to Coral Reef Alliance. Each was listed for general charitable purposes.
Other reported 2025 grants included $5,000 to the American Red Cross; $4,000 each to Florida Studio Theatre, Seeds Access, and Solar One; and $3,000 each to Asolo Theatre, Church of the Redeemer, and Plymouth Harbor Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ursula Otte Fairbairn and The Glenmede Trust Company N A as trustees.
Fairbairn Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ursula Otte Fairbairn
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$3K (2024) → $0 (2025)
The Glenmede Trust Company N A
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$17K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $17K, to The Glenmede Trust Company N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Fairbairn Family Foundation
How much does Fairbairn Family Foundation give each year?
Fairbairn Family Foundation gave $136K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $116K across 24 grants.
What is Fairbairn Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Fairbairn Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $5,050, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fairbairn Family Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Fairbairn Family Foundation give grants?
Fairbairn Family Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 21% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Jersey (19%) and California (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sarasota, FL (8 grants) and Portland, OR (2 grants).
Does Fairbairn Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Fairbairn Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Fairbairn Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Fairbairn Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Bach Choir of Bethlehem ($28,000), Paper Mill Playhouse ($21,600) and Pasadena Playhouse ($16,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fairbairn Family Foundation?
Fairbairn Family Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $145K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $138K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fairbairn Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fairbairn Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fairbairn Family Foundation's EIN?
Fairbairn Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5065755. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Fairbairn Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fairbairn Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fairbairn-family-foundation-morg_b58d15e7814c45b78ccbc0cc4fcf9149
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_465065755_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fairbairn Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fairbairn-family-foundation-morg_b58d15e7814c45b78ccbc0cc4fcf9149},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Fairbairn Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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