The Ruth & Itzhak Fisher Foundation shows a clear preference for arts and cultural giving—especially theater and performance-focused projects—while also making smaller gifts to Israel-related charities. Grants tend to be unrestricted “general purpose” support, suggesting a trust-based approach to funding organizations’ core work. The foundation concentrates its giving in a few recipients rather than spreading many small awards widely.
Concentrated, few but relatively large grants with repeat funding to flagship grantees; predominantly unrestricted/general purpose gifts.
A $50,000 general-purpose grant to Hanga Pitchfest in Kigali is the clearest signal in Ruth & Itzhak Fisher Foundation Inc.’s recent giving: the foundation backs performance and pitch-based arts work alongside selected Israel-related charities. The grant list shows a concentrated pattern, with repeated support for the same theater organization over multiple years and smaller awards to a few other recipients. In the arts, the foundation has supported theater and new-play development through Tectonic Theater, while also funding a performing-arts pitch event outside the United States. The rest of the portfolio includes general-purpose gifts to organizations connected to Israel, showing that cultural giving and Israel-related philanthropy sit side by side in its grantmaking. Most awards are flexible-purpose grants rather than project-restricted awards, which points to a relationship-driven approach centered on core operating support. The foundation’s recent activity is compact rather than broad, with a small set of recurring recipients receiving most of the dollars.
In theater and new-play development, Ruth & Itzhak Fisher Foundation Inc. gave $30,000 in 2023, $25,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025 to Tectonic Theater, all for general purpose support. That repeated backing suggests an ongoing relationship with a single performing-arts organization. In pitch-format arts programming, it awarded $50,000 to Hanga Pitchfest in Kigali for general purpose support. The portfolio also includes Israel-related philanthropy: Israel Gives received $10,000 in 2025 for general purpose support, while Central Fund of Israel received $5,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. Smaller gifts also went to Agahoza Shalom Youth Village and Fellowship at Auschwitz for Study of Professional Ethics.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $27,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent giving shows repeated support to the same recipient across multiple years, especially Tectonic Theater, which appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Grants are commonly labeled general purpose, indicating flexible support rather than tightly restricted project funding. The organization is a private foundation with no program-related investments and does not fund individuals.
$55K
$475K
$29K
$60K
Most grants fall between $3K and $28K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$28K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Ruth & Itzhak Fisher Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 9 | $121K | 90.0% |
| 2 | Rwanda |
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Notable grantees: Tectonic Theater, Hanga Pitchfest, Israel Gives, Central Fund of Israel
Grantmaking is concentrated in New York: 100% of grants went to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and New York is also the top state by grant count. Recipient locations in the recent grants include New York, NY; Cedarhurst, NY; and Kigali, Rwanda. The country distribution is mostly U.S.-based, with 9 grants in the United States and 1 in Rwanda.
Recent grants show a focus on theater and performing-arts work, including repeated support for Tectonic Theater and a grant to Hanga Pitchfest in Kigali. The foundation also funds Israel-related charities and philanthropic platforms such as Israel Gives and Central Fund of Israel.
Yes. The recent grants list repeatedly uses “general purpose” for awards to Tectonic Theater, Hanga Pitchfest, Israel Gives, Central Fund of Israel, Agahoza Shalom Youth Village, and Fellowship at Auschwitz for Study of Professional Ethics, which points to flexible support rather than project-only funding.
Typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $27,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards range from $1,000 to $50,000.
Yes. All recent grants went to recipients in New York state or Kigali, Rwanda, and 100% of grants were made to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state of New York. New York is also the top state by grant count.
Yes. Tectonic Theater appears repeatedly in the recent grants list, with awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The pattern suggests ongoing support rather than one-time funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 1 |
| $50K |
10.0% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TECTONIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TECTONIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ISRAEL GIVES | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TECTONIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| FELLOWSHIP AT AUSHCHWITZ FOR STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HANGA PITCHFEST | KIGALI, RW | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| TECTONIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CENTRAL FUND OF ISRAEL | CEDARHURST, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSEGENERAL PURPOSE |
| FELLOWSHIP AT AUSHCHWITZ FOR STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AGAHOZA SHALOM YOUTH VILLAGE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
ISRAEL GIVES
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
FELLOWSHIP AT AUSHCHWITZ FOR STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
$1,000GENERAL PURPOSE
HANGA PITCHFEST
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
FELLOWSHIP AT AUSHCHWITZ FOR STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
$2,500GENERAL PURPOSE