Jewish teen foundations give approximately $1 million to local, national and international non-profit agencies each year. Programs support both Jewish and secular non-profits.
For non-profit agencies interested in applying to Jewish teen foundations for grants, please review the following information about Jewish teen foundations:
- At their core, Jewish teen foundations are education-based, teaching about philanthropy through the lens of Jewish values. They serve as an introduction to philanthropic giving and emphasize teen leadership and empowerment.
- Teen participants are philanthropists-in-training and not seasoned experts.
- Most Jewish teen foundations support organizations in their local communities.
- Each teen foundation sets its own unique rules and funding guidelines. There is no standard process, grant application form, or timeline.
- The funding priority of a Jewish teen foundation is likely to change each year, as teens develop new mission statements and choose new areas of focus.
Information about applying for funding:
- There is no standard application process for all teen foundations; you must be in touch with each program to learn about its grantmaking process.
- Almost all Jewish teen foundations will require a brief written grant proposal. Most will require either a site visit or applicant interview as part of the teens’ learning experience.
- When applying for funding, be sure to submit a proposal that is written in accessible, teen-friendly language. We encourage you to specify concrete services you provide (e.g. $1000 will purchase Shabbat meals for 100 homebound senior citizens).
- For a list of all Jewish teen philanthropy programs, see our network directory. Using the search bar, you may browse by city and state.
- Contact teen foundation staff for details on their application process. Remember: funding priorities often change from year to year. If your organization is not a fit this year, it may be next year!