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Jerusalem Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$11.7M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M
Decision Time
4mo
Success Rate
31%

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Jerusalem Foundation Inc (EIN: 132563745)

Quick Stats

  • EIN: 132563745
  • Annual Giving: $11,672,900 (2023, US office)
  • Total Raised (Global): $66.8 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: 31% (2023 Innovation Fund)
  • Decision Time: 3-4 months (November deadline to March notification)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $50,000 (Innovation Fund)
  • Geographic Focus: Jerusalem, Israel
  • Charity Navigator: Listed with accountability measures

Contact Details

USA Office (Fundraising)

  • Address: 17 West 60th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10023
  • Phone: (212) 697-4188
  • Fax: (212) 697-4022
  • Website: https://jerusalemfoundation.org
  • CEO: Rabbi Joy Levitt (as of June 2024)
  • Chair: Steven Scheinfeld

Israel Office (Grantmaking)

Overview

Established in 1966 by Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek, the Jerusalem Foundation is the leading grantmaking institution in Jerusalem, supporting projects and initiatives that promote communal strength, creative culture, and future leadership. The Foundation operates as an international organization with fundraising offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada, while grantmaking decisions are centered in Jerusalem.

Since its founding, the Foundation has invested in more than 4,000 projects throughout Jerusalem, ranging from physical developments like parks, cultural centers, and health facilities to programmatic initiatives delivering education, cultural competency, and economic vitality. The US entity (EIN: 132563745) serves primarily as a fundraising arm, raising funds that support grants to cultural and community organizations in Jerusalem. In 2024, the Foundation achieved its greatest fundraising success to date, raising $66.8 million globally.

Rabbi Joy Levitt assumed leadership of the US operations in June 2024, succeeding decades of leadership under Alan Hassenfeld (now Chair Emeritus). Arik Grebelsky, a third-generation owner of Jerusalem Marble and social entrepreneur, became International President in January 2025, bringing business acumen and deep commitment to Jerusalem's diverse communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Innovation Fund for Culture and Community (Launched 2020)

  • Grant amounts: $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000
  • Established in response to COVID-19 to support cultural and community-based organizations
  • Annual call for proposals (typically October-November)
  • Has raised over $6 million and funded 160+ projects since inception
  • 2023 cycle: 65 grants awarded from 212 applications

The Innovation Fund focuses on organizations across Jerusalem's social and cultural landscape, including traditionally under-resourced groups such as ultra-Orthodox Jews, Palestinians, immigrants and asylum-seekers, the elderly, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Priority Areas

The Foundation's "Jerusalem 2030" strategic vision centers on three core spheres:

1. Future Leadership

  • Developing next-generation leaders
  • Community activism
  • Professional development and leadership training

2. Communal Strength

  • Social and communal needs of vulnerable populations
  • Strengthening social fabric and community support systems
  • Education and youth programs
  • Healthcare and technological advancement
  • Economic opportunity and growth
  • Urban sustainability

3. Creative Culture

  • Visual and performing arts
  • Cultural initiatives across the full artistic spectrum
  • Projects that promote arts and culture in the public sphere
  • Platforms for populations lacking cultural infrastructure

Cross-Cutting Priorities:

  • Multilateral collaboration: Projects that create partnerships across different communities
  • Cross-cultural engagement: Initiatives promoting coexistence between Jewish, Arab, secular, and religious communities
  • Innovation: Original or creative approaches to cultural and communal engagement
  • Jerusalem economic impact: Projects that engage local workforce, source materials locally, and attract/retain creative professionals
  • Equal opportunity: Ensuring all of Jerusalem's diverse residents can participate

Seven Traditional Focus Areas:

  • Social Services
  • Youth and Education
  • Diversity and Tolerance
  • Arts and Culture
  • Parks and Recreation
  • History and Heritage
  • Jerusalem as a World Capital

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the Foundation's grants are restricted to:

  • Projects and organizations operating in Jerusalem, Israel
  • Cultural and community-based initiatives (through Innovation Fund)
  • The Foundation does not appear to fund individual applicants or projects outside Jerusalem

Governance and Leadership

International Leadership (Jerusalem-based)

  • President: Arik (Aharon) Grebelsky (since January 1, 2025) - Leading Israeli businessman, industrialist, social entrepreneur, and third-generation owner/CEO of Jerusalem Marble A. Grebelsky & Son, Inc.
  • Previous President: Shai Doron (deceased)
  • Founding President: Teddy Kollek, Mayor of Jerusalem (1966)

Grebelsky has emphasized: "Jerusalem is a living model of coexistence, and the work of the Foundation is to ensure that all of the city's communities—Jewish, Arab, secular, religious—can live side by side with dignity and opportunity."

USA Leadership

  • Chief Executive Officer: Rabbi Joy Levitt (since June 2024) - Former CEO of Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
  • Chair: Steven Scheinfeld (2024)
  • Chair Emeritus: Alan G. Hassenfeld (deceased 2024, served for decades)
  • Board Members: Stephen R. Reiner, Dr. Jordan Kassalow, Ambassador Lyndon Olson Jr., and others

Governance Structure

  • General Assembly staffed by leading business and academic figures
  • Board of Directors convenes every 4-6 weeks
  • Peer jury scoring system for Innovation Fund applications
  • JFI Committee and Board approval required for final grant decisions

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Innovation Fund (Primary Public Grant Program):

  • Annual call for proposals typically opens in October-November
  • Online application submission through dedicated portal
  • Applications accepted in English
  • Applicants must read the Call for Proposals regulations carefully before submitting
  • Clarification questions submitted in writing to designated email address
  • Organizations can submit requests for either culture grants or community grants

Eligibility: All interested and eligible organizations operating in Jerusalem can apply for innovative projects in Jerusalem.

Application Review: Competitive review process including:

  1. Peer jury scoring
  2. JFI Committee review
  3. Board approval

Decision Timeline

Based on 2023 Innovation Fund cycle:

  • Application Opens: October 2022
  • Deadline: November 27, 2022 (3:00 PM)
  • Notification: First week of March 2023
  • Announcement: March 2023
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 3-4 months from deadline to notification

Success Rates

2023 Innovation Fund Statistics:

  • 212 applications received
  • 65 grants awarded
  • Success rate: 31%
  • Applications drawn from diverse social and cultural spectrum

Over three years (2020-2023), the Innovation Fund received 500+ applications and funded 160+ projects, suggesting consistent competitive review.

Reapplication Policy

Prior year grantees are explicitly welcomed to reapply. The 2023 call included proposals from prior year grantees both to expand on earlier initiatives and to propose new undertakings. This approach promotes continuity and allows the Foundation to build on successful grantmaking cycles.

No waiting period appears to be required for unsuccessful applicants, though specific reapplication policies are not publicly documented.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values (Based on Innovation Fund Criteria)

1. Innovation and Originality

  • Projects showing ingenuity and creativity in creating new cultural and communal engagement
  • Initiatives that contribute to flourishing civil life
  • Original approaches that enrich Jerusalem's cultural and communal scene

2. Partnerships and Collaborations Priority given to proposals that:

  • Create new partnerships and leverage organizational synergies
  • Multiply impact through collaboration
  • Reach new and more diverse audiences and communities
  • Bridge social gaps and promote multilateral collaboration
  • Create platforms for populations lacking cultural infrastructure

3. Jerusalem Economic Impact

  • Engage professional and creative workforce in Jerusalem
  • Nurture cultural/communal scene that attracts and retains creative professionals
  • Source labor, materials, and services from Jerusalem
  • Generate positive economic impact on the city

4. Demonstrated Understanding of Jerusalem's Diversity Successful projects serve diverse populations including:

  • Ultra-Orthodox Jews
  • Palestinians
  • Immigrants and asylum-seekers
  • Elderly
  • People with disabilities
  • LGBTQ+ communities
  • Multiple communities in collaboration

Examples of Funded Projects (2023)

  • Downtown Art Takeover: Collaboration among five art schools (Bezalel Academy, Sam Spiegel Film School, Nissan Nativ Acting Studio, School of Visual Theatre, Center for Middle Eastern Classical Music)
  • Embroidery among Cultures: Cross-cultural embroidery bank by Studio of Her Own, Maroc Impact, and Studio Roots
  • Integrative Community Orchestra: Partnership between SHEKEL and Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance bringing together professional musicians and Palestinians and Israelis with and without disabilities

Strategic Guidance

Alignment with Jerusalem 2030: Applications should demonstrate how they advance one or more of the Foundation's three strategic pillars (Future Leadership, Communal Strength, Creative Culture) with emphasis on shared living and equal opportunity.

Demonstrate Local Impact: Strong applications show clear benefits to Jerusalem residents and the city's economic, social, or cultural vitality.

Build Partnerships: Multi-organization collaborations receive priority; consider how your project creates synergies across different communities or sectors.

Read Requirements Carefully: The Foundation explicitly recommends reading the Call for Proposals regulations thoroughly before applying.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Geographic Restriction is Absolute: Only projects operating in Jerusalem, Israel are eligible. The US office raises funds but does not make grants to US organizations.

  2. Collaboration is Highly Valued: Projects demonstrating partnerships, especially cross-cultural or cross-community collaborations, have a competitive advantage. 31% of applications succeeded, so collaboration may be a differentiator.

  3. Prior Grantees Can and Should Reapply: The Foundation explicitly welcomes applications from previous grantees, both for expansions and new initiatives.

  4. Plan for 3-4 Month Timeline: From application deadline to notification, expect approximately 3-4 months. Projects should have implementation timelines that accommodate this.

  5. Three Funding Tiers Available: Applications can request $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000. Match your request to project scope and organizational capacity.

  6. Innovation Matters: The Innovation Fund specifically seeks creative, original approaches. Standard program replication is less competitive than innovative models.

  7. Demonstrate Economic Impact: Show how your project engages Jerusalem's workforce, sources locally, and contributes to the city's vitality and ability to attract/retain creative professionals.

  8. Serve Underserved Populations: The Foundation has clear commitment to traditionally under-resourced communities. Projects serving these populations align with strategic priorities.

References

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