Sherman Fairchild Foundation Inc
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 1955 and incorporated in New York. It is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The foundation was founded by Sherman Fairchild, who served as Chairman of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Company, a manufacturer of semiconductor devices. Sherman Fairchild was also a director of International Business Machines, a company founded by his father. Upon his death on March 28, 1971, he left the bulk of his estate to his foundations. The foundation's current name was adopted in 1974.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$689.6M
+2.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$48.3M
+2.4% YoY
Grant Count
88
+20.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$549K
-15.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation emphasizes support for higher education and fine arts and cultural institutions, with additional support for medical research and social welfare.
Higher Education is the foundation's largest area of giving, supporting a broad range of public and private colleges and universities across the United States. Recent areas of focus include theology, with multi-million-dollar grants supporting institutions such as Union Theological Seminary in New York City and Yale Divinity School. The foundation has also supported Northwestern University, Bard College, and Purchase College. Fostering national and amateur sports competition appears to be an interest, though the foundation does not provide support for equipment or facilities.
Arts and Culture represent a secondary but significant funding area, with support for fine arts and cultural institutions.
Medical Research and Social Welfare receive additional but more modest support.
Grantmaking
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation does not maintain a website or accept proposals for funding. The foundation does not articulate a formal strategy for its giving.
Grant Range
s and Types:** Typical awards range from $10,000 to $15,000,000. The foundation provides general support, summer stipend programs, and emergency services funding.
How to Apply
** The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Prospective applicants are advised to connect with a past grantee or staff member for guidance on how to approach the foundation.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation's grantmaking is national in scope, with particular activity in New York, the District of Columbia, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2024: $690,000,000
- 2023: $676,011,787
- 2019: Over $829,000,000
Annual Giving:
- 2024: $55,200,000 (expenses)
- 2023: $48,329,343 (total giving)
- 2019: $35,861,412
Revenue:
- 2024: $68,762,271
- 2023: $71,596,138
Liabilities:
- 2024: $2,430,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $689,599,455 | $676,011,787 | $714,467,162 |
| Revenue | $68,762,271 | $71,596,138 | $58,536,264 |
| Expenses | $55,150,326 | $53,332,794 | $64,419,576 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $51,098,381 | $49,825,060 | $60,685,728 |
| Net Investment Income | $64,293,391 | $63,680,846 | $53,382,404 |
| Distributable Amount | $49,854,617 | $46,837,003 | $48,915,054 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Bonnie Burke Himmelman serves as the current president of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has continued active grantmaking in recent years, with notable recent grants including an $8 million award to New 42 for arts and cultural programming, and support for digital arts and technology initiatives at Hamilton College. The foundation has also supported scientific research and teaching equipment at institutions including Willamette University and summer research programs at Susquehanna University.
Hamilton Receives Digital Arts & Technology GrantSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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