Grantmakers in the News

The Robert M. Fisher Memorial Foundation recently made a contribution of $2.85 million to the Helen Hayes Awards, the largest donation in the nonprofit arts organization's 23-year history. The donation includes a $2 million outright gift along with an $850,000 grant that must be matched by other donors. This match would increase the organization's endowment to $3.7 million.

The Helen Hayes Awards, named in honor of the legendary Washington-born actress, works to support and promote theater in the D.C. region. The annual proceeds from the endowment will support a program that introduces D.C. schoolchildren to theater. The organization provides the learning experience to 3,000 third- through ninth-grade students each year, buying tickets to performances and renting buses to transport them.

This donation will also fund a new initiative, the Fisher Angels Program, which will help to pay the cost of tickets to the annual awards ceremony for actors, artists, administrators and technicians. Since 1984, the organization has given more than 500 awards to actors, directors, choreographers, designers, and others in the theater community.

The Fisher Foundation was established by real estate developer Jess Fisher in honor of his son, Robert, who died in 1969. His daughter, Cecilia "Cookie" Fisher Rudman, Robert's twin, died in 2002. Fisher died in 2003, three days after the death of his wife, Mildred.

John Schofield, a trustee of the foundation, said in a statement: "Jess, Mildred and Cookie cared deeply about the Helen Hayes Awards and the education and service programs they offer to young students and to the entire Washington community. The foundation is thrilled to support this organization, whose efforts make our community a better place to live."

The Robert M. Fisher Memorial Foundation
is located at:

11140 Rockville Pike, Suite 340
North Bethesda, Maryland 20852