THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Sunny Fischer
“Activism is a collaborative effort. Nothing I have done, have I done alone.”
A philanthropic pioneer and domestic violence leader, beginning as an early domestic violence activist in Evanston, Illinois. Executive Director of The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation from 1992—2013. A founding executive director of one of the first private women’s foundations in the country, the Sophia Fund and was the co-founder of the Chicago Foundation for Women. Led efforts to increase the philanthropic response to gender discrimination and poverty at the Donors Forum and United Way in Chicago. Honored for her work in philanthropy and women’s issues, including Jewish Women International, the Association of Fundraising Executives – Chicago Chapter, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, which gave her its “Point of Lightning” award and The Chicago Foundation for Women’s Impact Award. Educated at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Master’s from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Services Administration (SSA). A member of several boards including The National Public Housing Museum and The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, a Governor’s appointment.
Interviewed by Karen Fishman, VFA member, January 2022

Photo 1. Chicago Foundation for Women’s 30th Anniversary celebration. Left to right: K. Sujata, Ashley Judd, CFW founders Iris Krieg, Sunny Fischer and Marjorie Craig Benton. Photo by Romy Modlin, October 2015.