The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family

BALTIMORE, MD EIN: 26-3853840 Website

The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2009 and based in Baltimore, Maryland. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a private foundation under the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.1M

+35.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$344K

+23.1% YoY

Grant Count

+18.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+4.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family reported a distributable amount of $255K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily funds unrestricted grants to a variety of organizations. Based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports:

Arts and cultural organizations
Libraries and educational institutions
Jewish community organizations and causes

Grantmaking

The foundation primarily makes unrestricted grants, allowing recipient organizations flexibility in how funds are deployed.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in the Baltimore, Maryland area, though it also supports national organizations.

Grant Distribution by State

Maryland $1.2M (88%)

New York $104K (8%)

California $69K (5%)

States

California Maryland New York

Cities

AnnapolisBaltimoreLos AngelesNew YorkOwings MillsPikesvilleSan Jose

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total Assets: $6,136,258
Total Revenues: $1,990,402
Total Expenses: $383,222
Investment Income and Dividends: $54,194
Number of Employees: 0

As of December 2023:

Total Assets: $4,530,000
Total Revenues: $155,000
Total Expenses: $295,000

Tax-Exempt Status: The foundation has been tax-exempt since July 2009 (EIN: 26-3853840). Donations to the organization are tax-deductible.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$6,136,258	$4,529,078	$4,668,542
Revenue	$1,990,402	$155,410	$131,275
Expenses	$383,222	$294,874	$369,081
Qualifying Distributions	$343,934	$279,500	$328,100
Net Investment Income	$1,951,189	$140,036	$90,294
Distributable Amount	$255,334	$267,847	$286,156

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

167 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ($50,000), Beth Am - Carob Tree Fund ($50,000), Planned Parenthood National ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
American Jewish World Services New York, NY	Unrestricted	$6,000
Baltimore Banner Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$2,500
Baltimore Clayworks Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$1,000
Baltimore Jewlery Center Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$3,000
Baltimore Museum of Art Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$10,000
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$50,000
Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$1,500
Beth Am Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$11,934
Beth Am - Carob Tree Fund Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$50,000
Blue Water Baltimore Baltimore, MD	Unrestricted	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Sara Fishman	Vice-President	1	—
Jonathan Fishman	President & Treasurer	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family fund?

The foundation primarily funds unrestricted grants to a variety of organizations. Based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports: • Arts and cultural organizations • Libraries and educational institutions • Jewish community organizations and causes

How do I apply for a grant from The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family?

**Grant Activity:** • In 2024, the foundation made 26 grants totaling approximately $256,934 • Recent grantees include: • Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ($50,000) • Enoch Pratt Free Library ($15,000) • National Jewish Fund for Legal Education ($15,000) **Grant Type:** The foundation primarily makes unrestricted grants, allowing recipient organizations flexibility in how funds are deployed.

Where does The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in the Baltimore, Maryland area, though it also supports national organizations.

What size grants does The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family award?

In 2024, The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family awarded 39 grants totaling $344K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family reported a distributable amount of $255K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family's EIN?

The Nelson & Sara Fishman Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3853840. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.