← Back to US Funders Directory

Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$5.9M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,926,910 (2023)
  • Success Rate: N/A - Invitation only
  • Decision Time: N/A - Invitation only
  • Grant Range: Variable - grants typically range from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars
  • Average Grant: $74,086
  • Geographic Focus: National with emphasis on California and Israel-related work
  • Total Assets: $157,378,165

Contact Details

Address: 700 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 199, Larkspur, CA 94939-1754
Phone: 415-461-4260
Website: www.beckertrust.org
Email: Available through website contact form

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. They only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust was established in 2006 by Newton Becker (1928-2012), entrepreneur and founder of Becker CPA Review. The trust carries forward Becker's personal commitment, formed in response to experiencing anti-Semitism as a teenager in Cleveland, Ohio, to protect Jews worldwide if he had the means. Today, the California-based trust supports over 100 grantees annually with total assets exceeding $157 million. The trust is dedicated to safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, bringing an entrepreneurial and high-impact approach to philanthropy. In 2023, the trust distributed $5.93 million across 80 awards. Since David Becker assumed leadership as Managing Trustee following his father's death in 2012, the trust has maintained Newton Becker's legacy of supporting start-up charitable organizations and taking an innovative approach to grantmaking.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust operates on an invitation-only basis. Staff identify potential grantees aligned with strategic priorities and invite them to apply. There is no open application process or published deadlines. Grants typically range from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars, with an average grant size of approximately $74,086.

Recent Grant Examples (2022):

  • $180,000 to PEF Israel Endowment Funds
  • $125,000 to FairVote
  • $125,000 to Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, Marin and Sonoma

Historical Grant Examples (2007):

  • $487,000 to Middle East Media Research Institute
  • $473,000 to Foundation For The Defense Of Democracies
  • $150,000 to Jewish Community Relations Council Of San Francisco

Priority Areas

The trust focuses giving in five priority areas:

  1. Research and Education to Advance Middle East Peace and Security: Supports organizations promoting accuracy and context regarding Middle East matters, including initiatives like Tiyul-Rihla, which brings Israelis and Palestinians together through immersive education to learn each other's historical narratives.

  2. Jewish Continuity and Identity: Supports organizations strengthening Jewish communities and ensuring the Jewish future, with significant funding directed to Israel-related educational and community initiatives.

  3. Supporting Democratic Values: Funds organizations fostering and protecting values underlying democratic institutions, including freedom of speech, religion, and press, free and fair elections, human rights, and an informed citizenry. Example grantees include FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting reforms.

  4. California Jewish Communities: Supports organizations strengthening California's Jewish communities through education, community building, and identity development.

  5. Cultural and Civic Institutions: Supports civic, cultural, and community-based organizations making California a better place to live, work, and grow.

What They Don't Fund

The trust does not accept unsolicited applications and only makes contributions to preselected organizations. Organizations outside their five priority areas are unlikely to receive consideration.

Governance and Leadership

Managing Trustee: David Becker - Has led the trust since his father Newton's death in 2012. Receives compensation of $494,450 (2024).

President: Dylan Tatz - Appointed in 2020, becoming the first person outside the Becker family to serve as President. Joined BCT in 2016 and previously served as Executive Vice President.

Executive Director: Jason Porth - Receives compensation of $255,233 (2024).

Director of Finance: Allison Brown - Receives compensation of $234,667 (2024).

Additional Leadership:

  • Coby Schoffman, Senior Director, U.S. Work
  • Marina Cohen, Program Coordinator
  • Jason Brzoska, Director of Operations

The trust operates with a professional staff that conducts research to proactively identify organizations aligned with strategic priorities before inviting them to apply for funding.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

The trust operates on an invitation-only basis, where BCT staff identify potential grantees and invite applications on behalf of the trust, communicating all necessary requirements and deadlines directly to selected organizations. Trustees and staff conduct research and proactively select organizations aligned with their five strategic priority areas before initiating contact.

Getting on Their Radar

The trust's staff and trustees identify potential grantees through:

  • Active research and scanning of organizations working in their five priority areas
  • Network relationships within Jewish philanthropy, democratic values advocacy, and California civic institutions
  • Board and staff connections who work in relevant sectors and identify promising initiatives

Given the trust's emphasis on "entrepreneurial and high-impact philanthropy" inherited from founder Newton Becker's approach to supporting start-up charitable organizations, they may be particularly interested in innovative initiatives addressing their priority areas through new approaches.

Organizations working in the trust's priority areas should focus on:

  • Building visibility within Jewish philanthropic networks, California civic society, and democratic values advocacy communities
  • Demonstrating measurable impact and innovative approaches consistent with the trust's "entrepreneurial" philosophy
  • Developing strong programs in Middle East peace and security research/education, Jewish continuity, democratic values, California Jewish communities, or civic/cultural institutions

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Decision timelines are communicated directly to invited applicants.

Success Rates

Not applicable - invitation-only process. The trust makes approximately 80-100+ grants annually from among preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only process.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, organizations that have received funding from the Becker Trust typically demonstrate:

  1. Strong Alignment with Priority Areas: The trust maintains focused giving across five specific areas. Funded organizations clearly advance at least one priority area and ideally connect to the trust's overarching mission of safeguarding democratic values and ensuring the future of the Jewish people and Israel.

  2. Entrepreneurial and High-Impact Approaches: Continuing Newton Becker's legacy, the trust has supported start-up charitable organizations and values innovative approaches. Tiyul-Rihla, which brings Israelis and Palestinians together for immersive education, exemplifies the type of creative programming that attracts funding.

  3. California Connections: With a significant portion of giving directed to California Jewish communities and civic/cultural institutions, organizations with California presence or impact may receive priority consideration.

  4. National or International Reach: Major grants support national organizations working on democratic values (FairVote), Middle East research and education (Middle East Media Research Institute, Foundation for Defense of Democracies), and Israel-focused initiatives (PEF Israel Endowment Funds).

  5. Proven Track Record: Recent grants in the six-figure range suggest the trust prioritizes established organizations with demonstrated capacity to deploy significant funding effectively.

  6. Mission-Driven Leadership: Newton Becker's personal experience with anti-Semitism drove his philanthropic vision. Organizations whose leadership demonstrates similar personal commitment to addressing threats to democratic values, Jewish communities, or Israeli security may resonate with the trust's values.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted - The trust operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis. Organizations cannot apply unless invited by BCT staff.

  • Focus on visibility within relevant networks - Since staff proactively identify potential grantees, building visibility in Jewish philanthropy, democratic values advocacy, and California civic networks is essential.

  • Substantial grant sizes - With an average grant of $74,086 and recent awards ranging from $125,000-$487,000, this trust makes significant investments in fewer organizations rather than many small grants.

  • Entrepreneurial innovation valued - The trust's support of start-up charitable organizations and innovative programs like Tiyul-Rihla suggests appetite for creative approaches to longstanding challenges.

  • Five focused priority areas - Organizations must clearly align with at least one of the five priorities: Middle East peace/security research and education, Jewish continuity and identity, democratic values, California Jewish communities, or cultural and civic institutions.

  • Mission connects to founder's personal story - Newton Becker's commitment stemmed from experiencing anti-Semitism as a teenager. Organizations whose work addresses threats to Jewish communities, democratic values, or Israeli security connect to this foundational motivation.

  • Professional staff-driven process - With Executive Director Jason Porth, President Dylan Tatz, and Managing Trustee David Becker leading a professional team, the trust conducts systematic research to identify aligned organizations rather than relying solely on personal networks.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory