Philip E Fess Family Foundation
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable causes. Its mission centers on providing unrestricted funding to organizations that focus on food security, health-related issues, and community services. The foundation has a strong commitment to supporting food banks, cancer research centers, and health charities, with notable grants to organizations such as Feeding San Diego and the American Brain Tumor Association. It serves a diverse range of populations through its funding, reflecting a broad interest in enhancing community welfare and health outcomes.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-midsize charities operating in food security, health, or community services—especially organizations with an existing relationship or local presence in California or Illinois—seeking modest unrestricted support.
Good Fit
- • Demonstrable mission alignment with food banks, health charities, or local community service providers.
- • An existing introduction or prior relationship with a board member, past grantee, or intermediary.
- • Requests sized in the small-to-midsize range (several thousand to mid-five figures) for general operating or program support.
- • Geographic presence or program activity in California or Illinois, where giving has been concentrated.
Geography
Observed grants span four states in the latest year with heavy shares to California (about 46%) and Illinois (about 41%), indicating a multi-state but regionally concentrated footprint.
Recipient Variety
Across three years the foundation funded multiple distinct recipients each year (14, 16, then 9), with a mix of repeat grantees and new entrants, showing a moderate but not vast variety of independent recipients.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly reports it considers only preselected applicants and the latest year had very few new grantees (one new recipient), so unfamiliar applicants appear unlikely to enter the portfolio without an introduction; prior years did include more new entrants, but the stated preselection policy and recent low turnover point to limited openness.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
