The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation was established in 1990 by the descendants of Frederick A.O. Schwarz, a German immigrant who founded the beloved FAO Schwarz toy store in 1862. The Foundation continues its lifelong mission of bringing love and joy into children’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations committed to social impact, especially in the areas of education, the environment, and the arts.

Mr. Schwarz’s descendants serve on the Board of Trustees as volunteers and stewards of his legacy. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on our signature FAO Schwarz Fellowship, a unique two-year program that trains recent college graduates to be tomorrow’s leaders.

The FAO Schwarz Family Foundation has always been grounded in the enduring values of education, imagination, wonder, and social awareness. Over the years, we’ve supported a wide range of nonprofit organizations—beginning with early gifts to Wellesley College, the Museum of the City of New York, and the American Museum of Natural History in honor of the FAO Schwarz store founders. 

Today, the Foundation continues to support high-impact nonprofits committed to meaningful social change and greater educational equity and opportunity. The organizations we work with not only address existing social challenges with skill and innovative thinking, but also develop and implement lasting solutions that change lives and strengthen the communities we treasure.

The Fellowship is a critical part of that commitment. It’s a way we can accelerate social change and the development of the next generation of nonprofit leaders.