← Back to US Funders Directory

SFF Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.7M
Grant Range
$1K - $3.3M

SFF Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,500,000 - $9,900,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no open applications)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations only)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $3,260,000
  • Median Grant: $10,000
  • Total Grants Annually: 129-130
  • Geographic Focus: New York, New Jersey, with some grants to Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Canada

Contact Details

Address: 300 Boulevard of the Americas, Suite 201, Lakewood, NJ 08701

Phone: (732) 415-7153

EIN: 20-8522594

Note: The foundation does not have a public website and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

The SFF Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2009 and based in Lakewood, New Jersey. With assets ranging from $22-31 million, the foundation focuses on supporting Jewish educational and religious institutions across the United States and Canada. The foundation is led by three trustees—Avi Schron, Eli Schron, and Mark Schron—who are sons of prominent real estate developer Rubin Schron, founder of Cammeby's International, which owns and manages over 28,000 residential units and 20 million square feet of commercial space primarily in the New York metropolitan area. The foundation distributes between $5.5 million and $9.9 million annually through 129-130 grants, primarily supporting Orthodox Jewish education, yeshivas, day schools, and religious congregations. The foundation operates exclusively by selecting charitable organizations proactively and does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The SFF Foundation operates without formal grant programs or application cycles. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organizations. Grants are designated primarily as "general support" for recipient organizations.

Grant Distribution (2024 data):

  • Median grant: $10,000
  • Range: $1,000 - $3,260,000
  • Total grants: 130
  • Total distributions: $5,500,000

Notable Recent Grants:

  • BMA Special Fund: $3,260,567
  • Bnos Devorah School: $350,000
  • Congregation Kollel of Flatbush LLC: $300,000
  • Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute: $310,000
  • National Society for Hebrew Day Schools: $180,000
  • Bais Yaakov Shiras Miriam: $125,000

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Jewish Orthodox education (yeshivas and day schools for boys and girls)
  • Religious institutions and congregations
  • Jewish communal organizations
  • Educational support organizations

Geographic Priorities:

  • Strong concentration in New York (particularly Brooklyn and surrounding areas)
  • New Jersey (including Lakewood area)
  • Secondary support to Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio
  • Some grants to Canadian Jewish institutions (Toronto and other cities)

What They Don't Fund

Based on grant patterns, the foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Secular educational institutions
  • Non-Jewish religious organizations
  • Arts and culture organizations (outside Jewish context)
  • Health and medical organizations
  • Environmental causes
  • Social services (outside Jewish community context)
  • Individual scholarships or grants

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by three trustees, all members of the Schron family:

Avi Schron - Trustee

  • Part of the leadership team at Cammeby's International real estate firm
  • Taking an increasingly prominent role in family business operations
  • Minimal hours reported for foundation work (0.1 hours/week)
  • No compensation for trustee role

Eli Schron - Trustee

  • Co-leader with Avi in directing Cammeby's International into ground-up development
  • Active in family real estate and philanthropic endeavors
  • Minimal hours reported for foundation work (0.1 hours/week)
  • No compensation for trustee role

Mark Schron - Trustee

  • Member of Schron family leadership
  • Minimal hours reported for foundation work (0.1 hours/week)
  • No compensation for trustee role

Family Background

The Schron family, led by patriarch Rubin Schron, has been active in real estate development for nearly 40 years and is known for both business success and significant philanthropy in Jewish communities. According to reports, Rubin Schron is "involved with many local, national and international charities, both secular and religious, and is highly respected in those communities where he works towards those endeavors." The next generation—Avi, Eli, and Mark—continue this philanthropic tradition through the SFF Foundation while also managing the family's extensive real estate holdings.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The SFF Foundation does not have a public application process.

According to the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings, "the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

This means:

  • There is no application form or portal
  • Letters of inquiry are not accepted
  • Unsolicited proposals will not be reviewed
  • Organizations cannot initiate contact to request funding

All grants are made at the trustee's discretion to organizations they have selected based on their own research, relationships, and knowledge of the Jewish educational and religious community.

Getting on Their Radar

IMPORTANT: The following information is specific to understanding the SFF Foundation's approach, not generic networking advice.

Given that the SFF Foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than open applications, organizations that align with their mission may consider:

Focus on Excellence and Reputation:

  • The foundation's grant recipients are established Jewish educational institutions with strong reputations in the Orthodox community
  • Building a track record of educational excellence and community impact in Jewish education appears to be foundational
  • The foundation supports institutions across a geographic range, suggesting they stay informed about quality Jewish educational programs beyond their immediate area

Community Connections:

  • The Schron family has deep roots in the Orthodox Jewish community, particularly in the New York/New Jersey area
  • The foundation's trustees are based in Lakewood, NJ, which has a significant Orthodox Jewish population and numerous yeshivas
  • Organizations that are well-known and respected within Orthodox Jewish educational networks appear more likely to be on the foundation's radar

Institutional Characteristics:

  • Review of grant recipients shows the foundation supports both large, established institutions (like Mirrer Yeshiva) and smaller schools and congregations
  • Organizations receiving funding appear to be directly involved in Jewish education or religious life, not intermediary organizations
  • The foundation shows willingness to make both very large grants (over $3 million) and modest grants ($1,000-$10,000), suggesting they support institutions at various stages

Geographic Presence:

  • While concentrated in NY/NJ, the foundation does support institutions in other states and Canada
  • This suggests the trustees have knowledge of or connections to Jewish educational institutions beyond their immediate region

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made at trustee discretion without formal cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no open application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no application process exists. Organizations that have received funding in the past may continue to receive support based on trustee evaluation, though this is at their sole discretion.

Application Success Factors

Note: Since there is no application process, these observations are based on patterns in actual grants made by the foundation.

Characteristics of Funded Organizations

1. Jewish Educational Mission All identified grant recipients are involved in Jewish education or religious life. The foundation exclusively supports organizations with Orthodox Jewish missions, particularly:

  • Yeshivas (boys' schools)
  • Bais Yaakov schools (girls' schools)
  • Torah institutions
  • Synagogues and congregations
  • Jewish educational support organizations

2. Established Operations Grant recipients include well-established institutions like Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute and the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, suggesting the foundation prefers organizations with proven track records.

3. Geographic Positioning The strong concentration of grants in New York and New Jersey, particularly areas with significant Orthodox populations, suggests geographic proximity or familiarity may play a role in trustee awareness.

4. Range of Grant Sizes The foundation makes both substantial grants (over $3 million to BMA Special Fund) and smaller grants (median $10,000), indicating they:

  • Support major institutional needs with large grants
  • Provide general operating support through smaller grants
  • May have long-term relationships with certain organizations (explaining very large grants)

5. General Support Approach Most grants are designated for "general support" rather than specific programs, suggesting the foundation trusts recipient organizations to use funds according to their institutional needs and priorities.

What Sets Recipients Apart

Based on analysis of grant patterns:

  • Alignment with Orthodox Jewish education: 100% of identified recipients serve the Orthodox Jewish community
  • Institutional credibility: Recipients are recognized institutions within the Orthodox Jewish educational world
  • Direct service delivery: Recipients are primarily schools and congregations, not intermediary or support organizations
  • Multi-year support potential: The foundation appears to support some organizations repeatedly, though specific multi-year data is not publicly available

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Application Process: The SFF Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or proposals. All grants are made to preselected organizations.

  • Orthodox Jewish Education Focus: The foundation exclusively supports Orthodox Jewish educational institutions, religious congregations, and related organizations. Organizations outside this sphere should not expect funding.

  • Trustee Discretion Drives All Decisions: Grant decisions are made entirely at the discretion of the three Schron family trustees based on their knowledge of and connections within the Orthodox Jewish community.

  • Geographic Concentration with Some Reach: While heavily concentrated in New York and New Jersey, the foundation does support institutions in other states and Canada, indicating the trustees maintain awareness of Jewish educational institutions beyond their immediate area.

  • Wide Range of Grant Sizes: The foundation makes both very large grants (over $3 million) and modest grants (as low as $1,000), with a median of $10,000, suggesting they support both major institutional initiatives and general operating needs.

  • Institutional Excellence Matters: Grant recipients are established, reputable institutions within the Orthodox Jewish educational community. Building institutional reputation and demonstrating educational excellence appears critical to being considered.

  • Relationship-Based Grantmaking: As a foundation operated by a prominent real estate family with deep roots in Orthodox Jewish philanthropy, relationships and reputation within the community likely play a significant role in trustee awareness of potential recipients.

References

  1. Cause IQ - SFF Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/sff-foundation,208522594/ (Accessed January 2026)

  2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - SFF Foundation. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/208522594 (Accessed January 2026)

  3. Grantmakers.io - SFF Foundation Profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/208522594-sff-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026). Contains statement: "The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

  4. Instrumentl - SFF Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/sff-foundation (Accessed January 2026)

  5. The Real Deal - "Heirs to the Schron: Cammeby's eyes development push as sons take more control" (October 7, 2015). https://therealdeal.com/new-york/2015/10/07/heirs-to-the-schron-cammebys-eyes-development-push-as-sons-take-more-control/ (Accessed January 2026). Regarding Schron family business and philanthropy.

  6. IRS Form 990-PF filings for SFF Foundation (EIN 20-8522594), various years 2021-2024, accessed through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and other public databases.

← Back to US Funders Directory