Fisa Foundation
FISA Foundation is a private charitable grantmaking foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established in 1996, the organization emerged from the proceeds of the sale of Harmaville Rehabilitation Center to HEALTHSOUTH Corporation. The foundation's roots trace back to 1911 when the Federation of Girls' School Societies was founded as an all-women-led organization. FISA Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity and justice through grantmaking, convening, education, and advocacy.
Key facts about Fisa Foundation
- EIN
- 25-0965388
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,492,706
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- Average grant
- $29,269
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $48,944,981
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated June 2026.
Who Fisa Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Fisa Foundation's 51 itemized 2025 grants were Pennsylvania (92%) and Illinois (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (38 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (5 grants). 16% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$48.9M
+5.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+1.2% YoY
Grant Count
51
-13.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+17.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fisa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: FISA Foundation champions equity, justice, safety, and inclusion for women, girls, and people with disabilities, combatting systemic racism that impedes progress for these populations in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Women and girls
- People with disabilities
- Mental health care
- Crisis intervention
- Sexual assault victim services
- Domestic violence prevention and services
- Sexual abuse prevention and services
- Autism
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Supportive housing
- Youth development
- Human rights and anti-discrimination
The foundation is a signatory to Philanthropy's Promise, an initiative of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), committing to allocate the majority of its grantmaking dollars to marginalized communities and at least 25 percent to social justice strategies such as advocacy, community organizing, and civic engagement.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
is approximately $25,000.
Average Grant
is approximately $25,000.
Ready to take the next step with Fisa Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
FISA Foundation serves a ten-county region in southwestern Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. The foundation also funds select projects in other states including South Carolina and Illinois, and in cities such as Brooklyn, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $48.9 million (as of 2025)
Total Revenues: $2,686,628 (2025)
Total Expenses: $2,711,511 (2025)
Total Liabilities: $795,000 (2024)
Annual Revenue: $26.1 million (organizational revenue)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $48,944,981 | $46,217,713 | $43,292,313 |
| Revenue | $2,686,628 | $1,580,827 | $2,078,866 |
| Expenses | $2,711,511 | $2,874,796 | $2,408,028 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,225,674 | $2,191,453 | $2,236,921 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,029,806 | $1,330,881 | $1,791,595 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,317,627 | $2,174,580 | $2,074,790 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
306 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Fisa Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Disability Lead ($125,000), Gwen's Girls Inc ($75,000), Keystone Progress Education Fund ($66,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DISABILITY LEAD CHICAGO, IL | SUPPORT FOR BUILDING A PIPELINE OF LEADERS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE SOUTHWEST PA REGION | $125,000 |
| GWEN'S GIRLS INC PITTSBURGH, PA | SUPPORT FOR ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | $75,000 |
| KEYSTONE PROGRESS EDUCATION FUND PITTSBURGH, PA | SUPPORT FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY | $66,000 |
| EDUCATION LAW CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN SOUTHWESTERN PA HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION | $60,000 |
| PENNSYLVANIA ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN EARLY RECOVERY (POWER) PITTSBURGH, PA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR SERVICES TO WOMEN IN RECOVERY | $60,000 |
| WOMEN'S CENTER & SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH, PA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR THE STANDING FIRM PROGRAM | $60,000 |
| ABOLITIONIST LAW CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | SUPPORT FOR ADVOCACY FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES | $50,000 |
| WOMEN AND GIRLS FOUNDATION OF SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA PITTSBURGH, PA | FOR GIRL GOV PROGRAMMING | $50,000 |
| AUTISM CONNECTION OF PA PITTSBURGH, PA | ADVOCACY FOR AUTISTIC PEOPLE IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM | $46,350 |
| RYAN SHAZIER FUND FOR SPINAL REHABILITATION PITTSBURGH, PA | TO EVALUATE THE SPINAL CORD INJURY RESOURCE CONNECTOR | $45,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Kristy Trautmann (annual compensation: $184,175)
Senior Program Officer: Shani Lasin
Board Members: Paula Davis and Karen Farmer White (among others)
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RACHEL KALLEM WHITMAN | BOARD MEMBER (EXITED 4/2025) | 2 | — |
| KAREN FARMER WHITE | BOARD PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| LYNETTE R LEDERMAN | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| CHATON T TURNER | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| PAULA DAVIS | BOARD SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| LINDA BURKE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| BLAYRE HOLMES DAVIS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| SUSAN DAVIS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| PAULA GARRET | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| PEGGY HARRIS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| LIZ HEALEY | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| ENA LEBEL | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| JENNIFER R LUNDY | BOARD TREASURER | 2 | — |
| JORDANA STEPHENS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| KRISTY TRAUTMANN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $188,000 |
| CLAUDETTE LEWIS | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| SARAH PIOT | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| BERNADETTE SMITH | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| SUE CARDILLO | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
FISA Foundation has announced grant awards in multiple cycles:
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\**February 2026:** Grants awarded to improve the lives of women, girls, and people with disabilities
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\**October 2025:** Grants to uplift women, girls, and people with disabilities
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\**June 2025:** Grants to uplift women, girls, and people with disabilities
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\**February 2025:** Grants to uplift women, girls, and people with disabilities
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\**Previous Announcement:** Grants to improve accessible healthcare
FISA Awards February 2026 Grants to\_Improve the Lives of\_Women, Girls,\The foundation maintains active engagement with its grantee partners through convening, education opportunities, and advocacy initiatives alongside direct grantmaking.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fisa Foundation fund?
**Mission:** FISA Foundation champions equity, justice, safety, and inclusion for women, girls, and people with disabilities, combatting systemic racism that impedes progress for these populations in southwestern Pennsylvania. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Women and girls • People with disabilities • Mental health care • Crisis intervention • Sexual assault victim services • Domestic violence prevention and services • Sexual abuse prevention and services • Autism • Vocational rehabilitation • Supp…
How do I apply for a grant from Fisa Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical grants range from $20,000 to $60,000, with a broader range of $11,231 to $375,000. Average grant size is approximately $25,000. **Annual Giving:** Approximately $1.5 million in direct grants annually (FY2025: $2,225,674 in total charitable disbursements). **Grant Frequency:** Awards are made three times per year. **Application Timeline:** Approximately 4 months from initial Letter of Intent to final decision. **Recent Grantees Include:** • Autism Urban Connections — s…
Where does Fisa Foundation make grants?
FISA Foundation serves a ten-county region in southwestern Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. The foundation also funds select projects in other states including South Carolina and Illinois, and in cities such as Brooklyn, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
What size grants does Fisa Foundation award?
In 2025, Fisa Foundation awarded 51 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Fisa Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Fisa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Fisa Foundation's EIN?
Fisa Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-0965388. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fisa Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.