The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation was established by Lavinia Jensen in honor of her late husband Fritz Jensen. Their lifelong love for the arts has benefited many musicians and musical organizations. The Foundation's purpose is to continue their philanthropic support of the musical arts. The centerpiece of The Jensen Foundation is the annual voice competition designed to enhance the careers of singers in opera or classical singing.

The first competition took place in May 2000, organized by Vice-President and Manager of the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Todd Munday. The 2000 competition saw a field of 91 competitors. By the 2004 competition, 163 applications were received by the Jensen Foundation with 128 singers auditioning during the preliminary round of competition.