Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher is a private foundation based in Annapolis, Maryland. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations, including arts and cultural organizations, homelessness services, and land conservation efforts.
Key facts about Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher
In short: Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher gave $1.3M across 57 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in Maryland. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-8973776
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,299,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 57
- Average grant
- $22,789
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (7 of 57, 2025)
- Total assets
- $7,375,207
- Primary geography
- Maryland (72% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.4M
+4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+111.9% YoY
Grant Count
57
-1.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+115.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher reported a distributable amount of $646K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 57 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 139% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 202% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, organizations addressing homelessness, and conservation organizations. For example, Annapolis Opera Company describes its mission as delighting audiences through musical storytelling and engaging new audiences with diverse programming. Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts describes itself as a multidisciplinary arts center offering arts education and visual and performing arts opportunities. Good Samaritan Haven says it provides emergency shelter and support services for people experiencing homelessness, while Scenic Rivers Land Trust works to preserve natural and scenic areas in Anne Arundel County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 57 grants totaling $1,299,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $254,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable grants included $254,000 to Watershed Stewards Academy, $250,000 each to Annapolis Opera Company and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, $150,000 to Good Samaritan Haven, and $50,000 to Scenic Rivers Land Trust. The stated purpose for most of these grants was “to help build a healthier community life”; an additional $20,000 grant to Onion River Community Access Media supported the Green Mountain Film Festival.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 72% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 23% to recipients in Vermont. The remaining shares went to recipients in Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington, DC, at 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $544K (2022) to $1.9M (2020). In 2025 it made 57 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Watershed Stewards Academy ($254K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
301 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 287 grants of 301 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Watershed Stewards Academy Millersville, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $254,000 |
| Annapolis Opera Company Annapolis, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $250,000 |
| Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts Annapolis, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $250,000 |
| Good Samaritan Haven Barre, VT | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $150,000 |
| Scenic Rivers Land Trust Annapolis, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $50,000 |
| Center for an Agricultural Economy Hardwick, VT | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $30,000 |
| Annapolis Film Festival Annapolis, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $25,000 |
| Onion River Community Access Media Inc Montpelier, VT | To Support the Green Mountain Film Festival | $20,000 |
| American Cancer Society Inc Hagerstown, MD | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $18,000 |
| Friends of the Peter a Krusch Nature Preserve Cambridge, VT | To Help Build a Healthier Community Life | $12,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,299,000 | 57 |
| 2024 | $613,000 | 58 |
| 2023 | $563,000 | 57 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,375,207 | $7,032,858 | $6,850,432 |
| Revenue | $1,720,132 | $871,186 | $621,719 |
| Expenses | $1,377,520 | $689,015 | $610,852 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,305,896 | $626,714 | $565,016 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,671,906 | $820,031 | $575,883 |
| Distributable Amount | $645,722 | $641,668 | $553,601 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 30, 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 12, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Claudia Gohl as director, Tom Dekornfeld as president, Nina Fisher as secretary, and Katherine Gibb as treasurer.
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher is led by Tom Dekornfeld, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tom Dekornfeld
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Claudia Gohl
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Gibb
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nina Fisher
Secretary
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2021
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 307 Dewey Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: (410) 562-4489
Frequently asked questions about Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher
How much does Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher give each year?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher gave $1.3M across 57 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $613K across 58 grants.
What is Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's typical grant size?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $22,789, across 57 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher that year got $8K on average.
Where does Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher give grants?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher gives mostly in Maryland: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Vermont (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Annapolis, MD (12 grants), Hardwick, VT (7 grants), Montpelier, VT (4 grants) and Baltimore, MD (4 grants).
Does Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 57 grants with a stated purpose on Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Help Build a Healthier Community Life" (51 grants).
Who are Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's largest grantees?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's largest 2025 grantees include Watershed Stewards Academy ($254,000), Annapolis Opera Company ($250,000) and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $646K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for arts and cultural organizations, organizations addressing homelessness, and conservation organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
What is Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's EIN?
Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8973776. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Norman J Fisher and Doris Fisher accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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