Lori and Mark Fife Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Lori and Mark Fife Foundation’s grantmaking includes support for K-12 and higher education, as well as Jewish organizations and Jewish education. 

IP TAKE: The foundation keeps a low public profile, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities; but this funder leaves plenty of room for new grantees that make it alongside multi-year grantees.

PROFILE:  Founded in 1996, the Lori and Mark Fife Foundation was established by financier Mark Fife and his wife Lori, a retired partner at a law firm. The Lori and Mark Fife Foundation’s grantmaking includes support of education and Jewish organizations. 

Grants for K-12 and Higher Education, and Jewish Causes

The Lori and Mark Fife Foundation’s grants for education reflect a wide range of interests. Primarily an education funder, this grantmaker invests in K-12 education and charter school education. Giving for education intersects here with interests in Jewish identity, Holocaust education, childhood literacy, historical activities and social justice, as well as health education, so grantees should note these trends.

The Fifes steadily support their mutual alma mater University of Pennsylvania. In New York, meanwhile, grantees have included  Cardozo School of Law (Lori is an alumna), Columbia Law School, Park Avenue Synagogue, UJA Federation, Manhattan Theater Club (Lori is on the board), and Mount Sinai. Past grantees also include USC Shoah Foundation, Sephardic Academy of Manhattan, Jewish Distribution Committee, International Rescue Committee, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Children’s Literacy Initiative, New York Historical Society, Bronx Success Academy Charter School.

This funder’s grants for Jewish causes centers not only on supporting Jewish education, outlined above, but also supporting Jewish culture and identity. Recent grantees include Penn Hillel and United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc, among several others.

Important Grant Details:

This funder’s grants range widely from about $1,000 to $500,000. Most grants tend to be on the smaller size in recent years, but can reach sizeable amounts.

  • This funder priorizes giving for education efforts, with secondary interests in nonprofit development and arts and culture.

  • While the Fife Foundation prioritizes giving to organizations located in New York, it has also given to nonprofits in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, Kenya, Poland, and a few one-off grants around the U.S.

  • This foundation supports many of the same grantees year over year; however, it leaves plenty of room for new grantees, so don’t hesitate to reach out here.

  • Grantees range widely from small organizations to mid-sized and established institutions.

The foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited applications, but an address has been provided below.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

The Lori and Mark Fife Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but you may reach them at the below address:

Lori and Mark Fife Foundation

998 5th Ave Apt 3w

New York City, NY 10028-0102

United States