James S Fish Family Foundation
James S Fish Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Sacramento, California. It gave $28,983 through 14 grants in 2024 to charitable organizations, including organizations in California, Montana, New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania.
James S Fish Family Foundation at a glance
In short: James S Fish Family Foundation gave $29K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in California. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $28,983
- -8.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -41.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,070
- +57.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,338
- Total assets
- $452,479
- +5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (5 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James S Fish Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 255316, Sacramento, CA 95865
Phone: (916) 296-1088
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James S Fish Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was C M Russell Museum ($6K). Together the top 10 received $26K.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 107 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in California (52%), Montana (21%), New Hampshire (17%), Minnesota (5%), and Pennsylvania (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James S Fish Family Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 14 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 64% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2024) to $81K (2021). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $29K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| C M Russell Museum Great Falls, MT | General Support | $6,101 |
| Darthmouthtuck Annual Giving Hanover, NH | General Support | $5,000 |
| East African Village Outreach (Eavo) Elk Grove, CA | Ethiopian School | $3,000 |
| Pbskvie Sacramento, CA | General Support | $3,000 |
| Athletes in Action Norcal Sacramento, CA | Student Support | $2,500 |
| Fremont Presbyterian Church Sacramento, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| Boy Scout Troop 187 Minneapolis, MN | Camper Scholarship | $1,500 |
| Global Awakeningapostolic Network Mechanicsburg, PA | General Support | $1,175 |
| Sacramento Literacy Foundation Sacramento, CA | Literacy | $1,052 |
| Hope for the Future Orangevale, CA | Romanian Orphanage | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $452,479 | $74,071 | $46,257 | $28,983 | 14 | $28,983 | $74,071 | $29,807 |
| 2023 | $428,329 | $49,371 | $54,192 | $31,600 | 24 | $31,600 | $49,371 | $26,658 |
| 2022 | $433,310 | $65,185 | $67,339 | $45,500 | 32 | $45,500 | $43,394 | $27,329 |
| 2021 | $439,773 | $90,443 | $100,787 | $81,495 | 23 | $81,495 | $71,248 | $32,918 |
| 2020 | $449,986 | $62,787 | $42,965 | $29,100 | 14 | — | $49,019 | $28,915 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James S Fish Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Sacramento Literacy Foundation describes its mission as raising funds to support and promote community literacy programs; Reasons to Believe says its mission is to explore and communicate the reasonable and scientifically sound basis for the historic Christian faith; and Gold Country Wildlife Rescue Inc describes its work as rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife while advancing public awareness of wildlife’s role in shared ecosystems.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $28,983. Grant amounts ranged from $155 to $6,101, with a median grant of $1,338. It awarded 24 grants totaling $31,600 in 2023 and 32 grants totaling $45,500 in 2022.
Notable 2024 grants included $6,101 to C M Russell Museum for general support; $5,000 to Dartmouth Tuck Annual Giving for general support; $3,000 to East African Village Outreach for an Ethiopian school and $3,000 to PBSKVIE for general support; and $2,500 to Athletes in Action NorCal for student support. Other listed grants included $2,000 to Fremont Presbyterian Church for general support, $1,500 to Boy Scout Troop 187 for a camper scholarship, and $1,052 to Sacramento Literacy Foundation for literacy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James S Fish as president, James S Fish III as vice president and treasurer, and Ann T Fish as director.
James S Fish Family Foundation is led by James S. Fish, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James S. Fish
President
On filings since 2020
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James S. Fish III
Vice, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann T. Fish
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 James S Fish Family Foundation
How much does James S Fish Family Foundation give each year?
James S Fish Family Foundation gave $29K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $32K across 24 grants.
What is James S Fish Family Foundation's typical grant size?
James S Fish Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,338, and its average grant was $2,070, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James S Fish Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does James S Fish Family Foundation give grants?
James S Fish Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Montana (21%) and New Hampshire (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sacramento, CA (5 grants).
Does James S Fish Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 57% of James S Fish Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James S Fish Family Foundation's largest grantees?
James S Fish Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include C M Russell Museum ($6,101), Darthmouthtuck Annual Giving ($5,000) and East African Village Outreach (Eavo) ($3,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James S Fish Family Foundation?
James S Fish Family Foundation reported $452K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (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.
What does James S Fish Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James S Fish Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 James S Fish Family Foundation's EIN?
James S Fish Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1796666. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does James S Fish 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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