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Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago

Annual Giving
$107.5M
Grant Range
$3K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo
Success Rate
20%

Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $107.5 million (JUF) + $183 million (Jewish Federation) = ~$200 million mobilized
  • Success Rate: Approximately 20% for some programs (e.g., Voices Teen Foundation)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $150,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago metropolitan area, Israel, and international Jewish communities

Contact Details

Main Office: 30 S. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60606

Website: https://www.juf.org

Grant Portal: https://juf-grants.smapply.org

Email: grants@juf.org

Phone: (312) 444-2800

Program-Specific Contacts:

  • Jewish Women's Foundation: Genna Kahn, GennaKahn@juf.org, (312) 444-2867
  • General Grant Inquiries: Julie Brodsky, Alex Goodman

Overview

The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF), founded over 120 years ago, is the central philanthropic address of Chicago's Jewish community and one of the largest nonprofit social welfare institutions in Illinois. With assets of $238 million and mobilizing over $200 million annually in financial resources, JUF funds a network of 100+ agencies, schools, and initiatives that bring food, refuge, health care, education, and emergency assistance to 500,000 Chicagoans of all faiths and millions of Jews in Israel and around the world. Under President Lonnie Nasatir's leadership since 2019, JUF has responded to historic crises including COVID-19, the Ukraine war, and the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, investing over $100 million in emergency relief since October 7 alone. The organization allocates funds to more than 70 affiliates and beneficiary agencies through a sophisticated planning process involving nearly 200 board and community members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Jewish Women's Foundation (JWF)

  • Grant Range: $15,000 minimum, typically $20,000-$25,000 average
  • Focus: Strategic grantmaking to expand opportunities for Jewish women and girls
  • Types: Annual Grants and Innovation Grants (for startups within 3 years or pilot projects)
  • Application: Through JUF grant portal, contact Genna Kahn

Voices: The Chicago Jewish Teen Foundation

  • Grant Range: $2,500-$8,000
  • Annual Distribution: ~$50,000 total ($30,000 from Voices 101 Board, $25,000 from Alumni Board)
  • Success Rate: Approximately 20% (50 proposals received, ~10 funded annually)
  • Eligibility: 75% must go to Jewish/Israeli organizations; only 25% may go to secular organizations
  • Application: Rolling basis through grant portal

Breakthrough Fund (Note: Final cycle completed; replaced by Fund for the Future)

  • Historical Grant Range: $25,000-$150,000
  • Focus: Leading-edge programs, capacity-building, planning, R&D initiatives for Chicago's Jewish community

Springboard Access Grants

  • Grant Amount: Up to 50% of tuition costs, maximum $300-$400
  • Eligibility: Teens in grades 8-12 in Chicago metro area attending first-time Jewish teen programs
  • Requirements: Minimum 15 hours over 3 days with approved Jewish nonprofit
  • Contact: Springboard@juf.org

Additional Programs:

  • jBaby Chicago
  • 18 Under 18
  • Chicago Resiliency Roundtable Microgrant
  • JUF Israel and Overseas Commission Ukraine Grant
  • Organizations with National Reach grants

Core Allocation Priorities

Social Services ($26.3 million to local agencies):

  • Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS Chicago)
  • CJE SeniorLife
  • Jewish Vocational Services
  • Sinai Chicago (Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center)
  • The Ark
  • EZRA Multi-Service Center
  • SHALVA
  • Basic needs: food assistance, financial aid for housing, medical care, affordable housing services

Jewish Education and Continuity:

  • Jewish Community Center of Chicago (JCC Chicago)
  • Community Foundation for Jewish Education
  • Associated Talmud Torahs
  • 16 Chicago-area Jewish day schools
  • Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning & Leadership
  • Hebrew Theological College
  • Youth programs: BBYO, NFTY, USY, NCSY

Cultural and Holocaust Education:

  • Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center

Israel and Overseas:

  • Jewish Agency For Israel (JAFI)
  • American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
  • World ORT
  • Jewish Federations of North America (received $48.7 million in 2023)

Security:

  • $10 million in state nonprofit security grants to 59 Jewish institutions
  • $10 million in U.S. Homeland Security grants to 73 Jewish institutions

Priority Areas

  • Basic Human Needs: Food, housing, financial assistance (served 27,000 with food, 13,000 with $19.2 million in financial aid in 2024)
  • Healthcare: Medical care, prescriptions, mental health services (45,000 received medical care, 48,000 participated in mental health programs in 2024)
  • Security: Enhanced security for Jewish institutions ($20 million in security grants in 2024)
  • Mental Health: Allocated $2.2 million additional funding, doubled respite services
  • Immigrant/Refugee Support: Record 10,000 immigrants and refugees served in 2024, many from Ukraine
  • Jewish Education: Day schools, supplementary education, cultural programs
  • Israel Connection: Israel experience programs, emergency relief
  • Community Engagement: 194,000 engaged in Jewish programs, 12,000 volunteers contributing 220,000+ hours in 2024

What They Don't Fund

Jewish Women's Foundation Specific Exclusions:

  • Political campaigns or PACs
  • Loans, scholarships, or tuition reimbursements
  • Event sponsorships or ticket/table purchases
  • Group homes
  • Capital campaigns
  • Direct service or job training programs

Israeli Programs Additional Requirements:

  • Must demonstrate national/regional social change impact or serve as replicable models
  • Five-year threshold applies for established programs

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Lonnie Nasatir, President & CEO (since 2019)

  • Only the fifth president in JUF's 120+ year history
  • Former Regional Director of ADL's Greater Chicago/Upper Midwest area
  • Led organization through COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine crisis, and October 7 Hamas attacks
  • Quote: "To lead this singular institution that impacts the lives of so many is a privilege and a once in a lifetime opportunity."
  • Focus on strategic visioning, organizational culture, and next-generation engagement

Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, Executive Vice Chairman

  • Served as JUF President 1979-2019 (40 years)
  • Raised over $8 billion during tenure

Jay Tcath, Executive Vice President

  • 30-year tenure overseeing security, policy, marketing, fundraising, and Israel office
  • Former U.S. Army captain and Green Beret paratrooper

Boaz Blumovitz, Chief Financial Officer

  • Oversees $2.5 billion in assets, $200 million annual budget, $1 billion investment portfolio

Emily Sweet, Chief Impact Officer

  • 25+ years nonprofit/philanthropic experience
  • Former Executive Director of Public Affairs and Jewish Women's Foundation at JUF

Dan Goldwin, Chief Public Affairs Officer

  • Oversees advocacy, antisemitism work, U.S.-Israel relations
  • Former AIPAC Midwest Regional Director

David Prystowsky, Chief Development Officer

  • JUF career since 2001
  • Quote: "Leaders who have come before me have built the foundation...I take great pride in being the steward."

David S. Rosen, Senior Vice President, Endowments

  • 37+ year tenure
  • Grew endowments to $2 billion+ with $120 million+ annual distributions

Board Leadership

Wendy C. Abrams - Board Chair

Planning and Allocations

JUF's planning and allocations process involves nearly 200 board and community members through four standing commissions and committees. The process is informed by periodic local population studies examining the demographic composition of the Chicago-area Jewish community.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Online Grant Management System: JUF operates a comprehensive online grant management system through SurveyMonkey Apply (Smapply) at https://juf-grants.smapply.org. Applicants scroll to the "Programs" section to begin applications for specific grant programs.

Application Types:

  • Competitive Grant Programs: Jewish Women's Foundation, Voices Teen Foundation, and other named programs accept applications through the portal
  • Core Allocations: JUF's largest allocations ($26.3 million+ to social service agencies) are distributed through the annual planning and allocations process involving standing commissions and committees, not through open applications

Eligibility Requirements (General):

  • 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscally-sponsored projects
  • Israeli nonprofits (amutot) may apply through Jewish Federations of North America
  • Geographic scope varies by program: Chicago metro, U.S., Israel, and international

Program-Specific Processes:

  • Each grant program has specific guidelines, deadlines, and requirements
  • Organizations may apply to multiple committees/programs for separate projects
  • Pre-application consultations available through program officers

Decision Timeline

Israel Experience Scholarships:

  • Summer programs (June-July): Applications due March 15, notifications by early May
  • Fall/academic year programs: Applications due June 1, notifications by mid-July

Other Programs: Specific timelines vary by program; contact program officers for details.

Success Rates

Voices Teen Foundation: Approximately 20% success rate (receives ~50 proposals annually, funds ~10 projects)

General Notes:

  • JUF made 62 awards in 2024 across various programs
  • Success rates vary significantly by program type and funding availability

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may reapply to programs in subsequent funding cycles. Grant-seeking organizations may apply for funding from more than one JUF committee or program, provided applications are for separate projects/programs.

Application Success Factors

For Jewish Women's Foundation

Critical Alignment Factors:

  • Apply both a "gender lens" and "Jewish lens" - projects must recognize Jewish women and girls have unique needs because of both gender and religious/cultural heritage
  • Demonstrate social change approach through: reframing community issues, shifting behavior, increasing engagement, changing institutional policies, or maintaining previous progress
  • Organizational commitment: JWF considers holistic support of women and girls, including representation of Jewish women and girls among leadership and key staff positions

Funding Strategy:

  • General operating support only available to organizations exclusively serving Jewish women and girls
  • Most grants are project-specific funding
  • Innovation grants favor startups within 3 years or pilot projects with creative approaches

Priority Focus Areas (choose one):

  1. Economic Security/Legal Reform
  2. Education/Leadership Development
  3. Health and Well-Being
  4. Innovation

For All JUF Grant Programs

Strategic Considerations:

  • Community Impact: JUF prioritizes programs serving broad community needs - food assistance, healthcare, education, security, mental health
  • Crisis Response: Organization demonstrated strong crisis response capacity, having mobilized over $100 million for Israel emergency relief and $21.6 million for COVID-19 relief
  • Jewish Connection: Programs strengthening Jewish identity, education, and community connections highly valued
  • Vulnerable Populations: Strong focus on serving those with basic needs - in 2024, 27,000 received food assistance, 13,000 received $19.2 million in financial aid
  • Next Generation: President Lonnie Nasatir emphasizes engaging younger generations
  • Israel Connection: Programs supporting Israel and U.S.-Israel relationship prioritized, especially given recent events

Application Best Practices:

  • Attend program-specific presentations where offered (e.g., JWF hosts presentations on application process)
  • Contact program officers before applying to discuss project fit
  • For Israeli programs, ensure clear demonstration of national/regional impact or replicability
  • Align with JUF's sophisticated planning process informed by demographic studies
  • Consider JUF's network approach - they fund 70+ affiliates and beneficiary agencies through coordinated system

Language and Approach:

  • Emphasize community-powered solutions
  • Demonstrate ability to address "totality of local and global Jewish needs"
  • Show capacity for crisis response and organizational stability
  • Highlight volunteer engagement and community participation (12,000 volunteers contributed 220,000+ hours in 2024)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Know Your Program: JUF operates multiple distinct grant programs with different requirements, amounts, and success rates - research the specific program that fits your work
  • Core vs. Competitive: Understand that largest allocations ($26.3 million to social services) go through planning commissions, not open competition; competitive grants (JWF, Voices, etc.) are separate opportunities
  • Jewish Lens Essential: All programs require Jewish connection - for JWF specifically, both Jewish and gender lenses are mandatory
  • Crisis Capacity Matters: JUF values organizations that can respond to emergencies and demonstrate stability - they invested $100 million+ after October 7 and $21.6 million for COVID relief
  • Build Relationships: Contact program officers (Genna Kahn for JWF, others for different programs) before applying to ensure good fit
  • Social Change Framework: For JWF, demonstrate how project creates social change through reframing issues, shifting behavior, increasing engagement, or changing policies - not just providing services
  • Community Integration: JUF sees itself as network hub connecting 100+ agencies - show how your work fits into broader Chicago Jewish community ecosystem and aligns with their sophisticated planning process involving 200+ community members

References

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