Fancy Hill Foundation
Fancy Hill Foundation is a private foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland. Its 2025 filing reports 17 grants totaling $445,000, with most grant dollars going to organizations in Maryland.
Fancy Hill Foundation at a glance
In short: Fancy Hill Foundation gave $445K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $26K), mostly in Maryland. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $445,000
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,176
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $8,263,410
- +21.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (3 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (96% 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 Fancy Hill Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 901 South Bond Street Ste 400, Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (410) 537-5404
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fancy Hill Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Maryland Zoo in Baltimore ($65K). Together the top 10 received $363K.
Grant Size Distribution
83 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 83 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 96% of the foundation’s grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, 2% to recipients in Massachusetts, and 2% to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Fancy Hill Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 17 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 53% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $380K (2020) to $548K (2021). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $445K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Columbia, MD | General | $65,000 |
| Maryland Center for History and Culture Baltimore, MD | General | $57,500 |
| Ladew Topiary Gardens Monkton, MD | General | $50,000 |
| Living Classrooms Foundation Baltimore, MD | General | $30,000 |
| Mercy Health Foundation Baltimore, MD | General | $30,000 |
| Sheppard Pratt Baltimore, MD | General | $30,000 |
| Ashley Treatment Havre De Grace, MD | General | $30,000 |
| St Frances Academy Baltimore, MD | General | $25,000 |
| Back on My Feet Baltimore, MD | General | $25,000 |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit School Baltimore, MD | General | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Fancy Hill Foundation?
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 | $8,263,410 | $1,977,989 | $534,872 | $445,000 | 17 | $471,599 | $1,929,073 | $892,853 |
| 2024 | $6,822,425 | $832,448 | $528,732 | $455,000 | 17 | $480,167 | $786,597 | $427,154 |
| 2023 | $6,527,240 | $456,354 | $485,429 | $425,000 | 14 | $443,422 | $413,197 | $393,748 |
| 2022 | $6,547,507 | $250,631 | $601,798 | $530,000 | 17 | $555,114 | $219,536 | $405,771 |
| 2021 | $6,914,513 | $630,653 | $604,205 | $547,500 | 18 | $569,500 | $594,132 | $464,652 |
| 2020 | $6,888,995 | $107,267 | $433,193 | $380,000 | 15 | — | $73,464 | $393,648 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fancy Hill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $893K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $445,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $65,000, with a median of $25,000. All 12 listed grants below were for general purposes.
Notable 2025 grants included $65,000 to Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, $57,500 to Maryland Center for History and Culture, and $50,000 to Ladew Topiary Gardens. The foundation also gave $30,000 each to Living Classrooms Foundation, Mercy Health Foundation, Sheppard Pratt, and Ashley Treatment; $25,000 each to St Frances Academy and Back on My Feet; $20,000 each to Cristo Rey Jesuit School and Mother Mary Lange Catholic School; and $15,000 to Cathedral Church of the Incarnation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Benjamin H Griswold IV, Jack S Griswold, Jack S Griswold Jr, Michael D Hankin, and Benjamin Hufty Griswold as trustees.
Fancy Hill Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Benjamin H. Griswold IV
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Hufty Griswold
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack S. Griswold
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack S. Griswold Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael D. Hankin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Fancy Hill Foundation
How much does Fancy Hill Foundation give each year?
Fancy Hill Foundation gave $445K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $455K across 17 grants.
What is Fancy Hill Foundation's typical grant size?
Fancy Hill Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $26,176, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fancy Hill Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Fancy Hill Foundation give grants?
Fancy Hill Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (9 grants) and Monkton, MD (2 grants).
Does Fancy Hill Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Fancy Hill Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Fancy Hill Foundation's largest grantees?
Fancy Hill Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Maryland Zoo in Baltimore ($65,000), Maryland Center for History and Culture ($57,500) and Ladew Topiary Gardens ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fancy Hill Foundation?
Fancy Hill Foundation reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $472K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $893K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
How do I apply for a grant from Fancy Hill Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fancy Hill Foundation's EIN?
Fancy Hill Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2284314. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Fancy Hill 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fancy Hill Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Linehan Family Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
The Linehan Family Foundation supports program-related work by universities, schools, churches, and charitable organizations. Its 2024 grants ranged from $250 to $100,000, with a median of $25,000; most funding went to Maryland, with additional grants in New Jersey, Indiana, and Florida. It does not accept unsolicited requests and funds only preselected organizations.
Assets
$11.4M
Grants
14
Total Given
$428K
Buckingham School Frederick County MD
Baltimore, MD
In 2025, the foundation supported organizations working in health, education, arts, civil liberties, housing, and conservation, with the largest share of grants going to Maryland and additional funding across several states. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $14,000, with a median of $2,000. It funds only preselected charities and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
30
Total Given
$84K
Middendorf Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
Middendorf Foundation supports education, healthcare, social services, arts and culture, the environment, and historic preservation, with a priority on one-time capital projects for established nonprofits serving Baltimore City or Baltimore County. Recent grant figures vary: its 2025 IRS filing reports a median grant of about $1.38 million, largely reflecting a very large donor-advised-fund grant; unsolicited requests are not explicitly addressed.
Assets
$36.0M
Grants
2
Total Given
$2.8M
Batza Family Foundation Inc
Towson, MD
The Batza Family Foundation supports preselected 501(c)(3) organizations conducting direct charitable work, including education, health, human services, and religious activities, primarily in Maryland and New York. Its 2025 grants ranged from $250 to $155,500, with a median of $32,500; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$6.6M
Grants
18
Total Given
$814K
The Charles T Bauer Charitable
Baltimore, MD
The Charles T Bauer Charitable supports schools and universities, community organizations, environmental learning, and health-related organizations, with most of its giving going to Maryland. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $100,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$105.9M
Grants
46
Total Given
$6.1M
James S and Gail P Riepe Charitable Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The foundation’s grants support a range of charitable organizations, including groups focused on education, community well-being, and youth programs. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $252,563, with a median of $10,000; most funding went to Maryland, followed by Florida. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$47.2M
Grants
50
Total Given
$1.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Maryland
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fancy Hill Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fancy-hill-foundation-morg_20f501c2bb6240ca85f19abe50baf114
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522284314_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fancy Hill Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fancy-hill-foundation-morg_20f501c2bb6240ca85f19abe50baf114},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Fancy Hill 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.
Fancy Hill Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?