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Jewish Federation Of Metropolitan Chicago

Annual Giving
$107.5M
Grant Range
$3K - $0.0M

Jewish Federation Of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $107.5 million (2024 grants distributed)
  • Total Resources Mobilized: $200+ million annually
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $25,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Chicago metropolitan area, Israel, and global Jewish communities
  • Beneficiaries: 70+ affiliate agencies and programs
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines (program-specific)

Contact Details

General Contact:

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

Program-Specific Contacts:

  • Jewish Women's Foundation: Genna Kahn, Program Officer - GennaKahn@juf.org, (312) 444-2867
  • Organizations with National Reach: Deborah Covington and Michelle Lawner (Planning & Allocations staff)

Overview

The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF), EIN 36-2167761, is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the United States and the central philanthropic address of Chicago's Jewish community. Founded over 100 years ago, JUF mobilizes more than $200 million in financial resources annually, serving Chicagoans of all faiths and Jewish people worldwide. The organization operates through a sophisticated planning and allocations process involving nearly 200 board and community members across four standing commissions and committees. JUF earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for financial health and transparency. In recent years, President Lonnie Nasatir (since 2019) has led the organization through major crises, investing over $100 million post-October 7 for mental health support, economic relief, and emergency aid. The organization manages $2.5 billion in assets and distributes over $120 million annually through endowment programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Jewish Women's Foundation (JWF)

  • Annual Grants: Minimum $15,000, average $20,000-$25,000, no maximum
  • Innovation Grants: Minimum $15,000, average $20,000-$25,000, no maximum
  • Multiyear Grants: Up to three new three-year grants per cycle (Year 1: up to $20,000; Year 2: up to $20,000; Year 3: $15,000)
  • Fixed deadline: Letter of Intent due May (typically early May)

Voices: The Chicago Jewish Teen Foundation

  • Approximately $50,000 in total grants awarded per cycle
  • Individual grants: $2,500 - $8,000
  • Teen-led grantmaking program

Organizations with National Reach

  • Two-year funding periods with no step-down in second year
  • Applications due March 1st at 3 PM CST
  • Pre-application meeting with Planning & Allocations staff encouraged

Breakthrough Fund/Fund for the Future

  • The Breakthrough Fund (2014-2024) has completed its final cycle
  • Fund for the Future is taking over grantmaking for specific communal priority areas
  • Supports leading-edge programs, capacity-building, planning, research and development initiatives

Israel Experience Scholarships

  • Need-based scholarships for college students and young adults (up to age 28)
  • Up to $4,000, potentially renewable
  • Fixed deadlines: Summer (March 15), Fall/Academic Year (June 1), Winter/Spring (November 1)

Annual Allocations to Affiliates

  • JUF provides ongoing annual allocations to 70+ established affiliate agencies
  • This represents the majority of JUF's grantmaking
  • Process involves Planning & Allocations committees and is typically by invitation

Priority Areas

Jewish Women's Foundation Focus Areas:

  1. Economic Security/Legal Reform
  2. Education/Leadership Development
  3. Health and Well-Being
  4. Innovation (startups within 3 years or pilot programs)

General JUF Priorities:

  • Social welfare services (child and family services, vocational services, multi-service centers)
  • Care of the aged
  • Medical services
  • Jewish education and culture
  • Community building
  • Holocaust survivor support ($15.6 million to 1,700 survivors in 2024)
  • Israel and overseas rescue, relief, and resettlement
  • Community security (awarded $20 million in security grants to Jewish institutions in 2024)
  • Emergency response (Israel Emergency Fund mobilized $62.5 million)

What They Don't Fund

Jewish Women's Foundation explicit exclusions:

  • Political campaigns or PACs
  • Loans, scholarships, or tuition reimbursements (within JWF; note JUF does offer scholarships through other programs)
  • Event sponsorships or ticket purchases
  • Group homes
  • Capital campaigns
  • Projects or programs providing direct service or job training

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Lonnie Nasatir - President (since 2019)

  • Led JUF through COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine war, and October 7 attacks
  • Invested over $100 million post-October 7 for mental health support, economic relief, and emergency aid

Dr. Steven B. Nasatir - Executive Vice Chairman

  • Former President (1979-2019), fourth chief executive in JUF's history
  • Raised over $8 billion during tenure
  • Pioneered rapid response to Soviet Jewish exodus and Ethiopian rescue

Jay Tcath - Executive Vice President

  • 30-year career with JUF
  • Oversees security, public policy, inter-group relations, marketing, and Israel office
  • Quote: "The international breadth and depth—profoundly enriching so many lives—makes this meaningful"

Boaz Blumovitz - Chief Financial Officer

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

David S. Rosen - Senior Vice President, Endowments

  • Grew legacy programs to $2 billion
  • Distributes over $120 million annually

David Prystowsky - Chief Development Officer

Emily Sweet - Chief Impact Officer

Board Leadership

2025 Annual Campaign Chair: Josh Herz Board Chair: Wendy Abrams Board Vice Chairs: Eric A. Rothner, Steven M. Greenbaum, Steven H. Lavin, Steven N. Miller, Ross S. Pearlstein

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Competitive Grant Programs (Jewish Women's Foundation, Voices, etc.):

  1. Review program guidelines on JUF's grant portal: https://juf-grants.smapply.org
  2. Scroll to "Programs" section and select appropriate program
  3. Submit Letter of Intent or application by stated deadline
  4. Applications uploaded through SM Apply system

For Annual Allocations to Affiliates: JUF's primary funding mechanism is annual allocations to established affiliate agencies. This process is largely by invitation and involves the Planning & Allocations committees. Organizations seeking to become new affiliates should:

  1. Build relationships with JUF leadership and Planning & Allocations staff
  2. Demonstrate alignment with JUF's mission and priorities
  3. Understand that the affiliate system is well-established with 70+ current partners

For Organizations with National Reach:

  • Applications due Friday, March 1st at 3 PM CST
  • Applicants encouraged to meet with Planning & Allocations staff (Deborah Covington and Michelle Lawner) to discuss program ideas before applying

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by program. Jewish Women's Foundation follows an annual cycle with Letters of Intent due in early May and decisions announced later in the year. The annual allocations process involves nearly 200 board and community members and is informed by periodic population studies of the Chicago-area Jewish community.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, JUF distributed 769 awards totaling $183 million in 2023, indicating a substantial grantmaking operation focused primarily on established affiliate relationships.

Reapplication Policy

  • Jewish Women's Foundation Multiyear Grants: Organizations that have demonstrated a solid track record in any of the past three grant cycles (since 2021) may apply for Multiyear Grants
  • Organizations with National Reach: At the close of year two, funding priority areas may change and agencies may be invited to reapply, but continued funding is not guaranteed
  • Israel Experience Scholarships: Applications are NOT considered on a rolling basis; follow specific deadlines for each program cycle

Application Success Factors

For Jewish Women's Foundation Applicants:

Demonstrate Dual Lens Approach: Projects must address Jewish women and girls through both a "gender lens" and a "Jewish lens," recognizing their unique needs based on gender and religious/cultural heritage.

Show Social Change Impact: Applications must address at least one of these outcomes:

  • Reframing how issues are defined in communities
  • Changing behavioral patterns
  • Increasing engagement and critical mass
  • Shifting institutional policies or practices
  • Maintaining previous progress

Leadership Representation Matters: JWF evaluates "an organization's holistic support of women and girls, as well as the specific project," including "the extent to which Jewish women and girls are included among your leadership and in key staff positions."

General Application Advice (from JUF scholarship guidelines, applicable to grants):

Be Comprehensive: "If you don't list it, we won't know you did it" - Provide as much detail about your activities and impact as possible

Demonstrate Leadership: Show evidence of leadership, range of community service and involvement (either Jewish or secular or both), and potential impact

Complete Applications Only: Applications which are incomplete, late, or completed by anyone other than the authorized person will not be accepted

For Organizations Seeking Affiliate Status:

Given that JUF's annual allocations represent the majority of their grantmaking ($107.5 million in 2024), becoming an affiliate is a significant achievement. The process involves:

  • Participating in the Planning & Allocations process with nearly 200 board and community members
  • Demonstrating sustained alignment with JUF's mission and community needs
  • Understanding that the affiliate network is well-established with specific roles (social welfare, aged care, education, etc.)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Relationship-focused funding model: JUF operates primarily through annual allocations to 70+ established affiliates. New organizations should focus on building relationships and understanding the affiliate ecosystem before expecting large grants.

  • Multiple entry points: While the affiliate system is established, JUF offers several competitive grant programs (Jewish Women's Foundation, Voices, Breakthrough Fund/Fund for the Future) that provide pathways for newer organizations.

  • Jewish women and girls as strategic priority: The Jewish Women's Foundation represents a significant, dedicated funding stream with clear criteria around gender lens and social change impact.

  • Scale and stability matter: With $2.5 billion in assets and distribution of over $120 million annually from endowments alone, JUF can provide substantial, multi-year support to aligned organizations.

  • Emergency responsiveness: JUF's rapid mobilization of $100+ million post-October 7 demonstrates capacity for significant emergency funding when community needs arise.

  • Encourage pre-application consultation: For programs like Organizations with National Reach, JUF explicitly encourages applicants to meet with staff before applying—take advantage of this.

  • Specificity in applications: Follow JUF's own advice: "If you don't list it, we won't know you did it." Be comprehensive and detailed in demonstrating impact and alignment with priorities.

References

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