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Adelson Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$43.8M
Grant Range
$1K - $30.0M

Adelson Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $43.8 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,200 - $30,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Israel

Contact Details

Website: www.adelsonfoundation.org
Email: questions@adelsonfoundation.org
Phone: (781) 972-5950
Address: Needham, MA

Overview

The Adelson Family Foundation was established in 2007 by Dr. Miriam Adelson and the late Sheldon G. Adelson with the primary purpose of strengthening the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The foundation has grown to become one of the largest private foundations supporting Jewish and Israeli causes, distributing approximately $200 million annually. With total assets supporting sustained grantmaking, the foundation focuses on programs in both the United States and Israel across healthcare, Holocaust and antisemitism awareness, Israel advocacy and defense, Jewish and Zionist identity and education, media and culture, and welfare. The foundation awarded $43.8 million through 51 grants in 2023, with a median grant of $100,000. Following Sheldon Adelson's passing in January 2021, Dr. Miriam Adelson continues to lead the foundation's strategic direction, maintaining its commitment to causes aligned with conservative approaches to Israel and U.S.-Israel relations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Adelson Family Foundation does not operate distinct grant programs with separate application processes. Instead, the foundation makes grants to preselected organizations across its priority areas. Grant amounts vary significantly based on organizational scope and project scale:

  • Major Institutional Grants: $5 million - $30 million (for large-scale initiatives and established institutions)
  • Mid-Range Grants: $100,000 - $5 million (median grant approximately $100,000)
  • Smaller Grants: $1,200 - $100,000 (for specific projects or emerging organizations)

All grants are awarded through trustee discretion to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation does not operate on fixed deadlines or rolling applications.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses its support on six core programmatic categories:

Holocaust and Anti-Semitism Awareness Programs that educate about the Holocaust, combat antisemitism, and preserve Holocaust memory and testimony.

Israel Advocacy and Defense Organizations that advocate for Israel in public discourse, support Israel's security, and strengthen U.S.-Israel relations. Recent major recipients include Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ($4.92 million) and the Maccabee Task Force Foundation ($10.9 million).

Israel Programs Direct service organizations operating in Israel, including emergency services, youth programs, and community development. Examples include Friends of United Hatzalah and Friends of Israel Scouts.

Jewish and Zionist Identity & Education Educational initiatives that strengthen Jewish identity, Zionist education, and connections to Israel. The foundation has donated over $500 million to Birthright Israel over approximately 15 years, including $9 million in 2022.

Social Services and Health Health and welfare programs serving Jewish communities and Israeli populations, including medical research and community health initiatives.

Media and Culture Programs that promote Jewish culture, Israeli perspectives in media, and cultural exchange.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does not provide support for:

  • Capital projects (buildings, construction, infrastructure)
  • Endowment funding
  • Organizations outside the United States and Israel
  • Causes unrelated to Jewish or Israeli interests
  • Organizations that do not align with the foundation's conservative approach to Israel advocacy

Governance and Leadership

Dr. Miriam Adelson - Co-Founder and current leader of the foundation. Dr. Adelson is a research physician specializing in internal and emergency medicine, with a focus on drug abuse and addiction research since 1986. She holds an MD from Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and a BSc in microbiology and genetics from Hebrew University. She previously served as head physician in internal and emergency medicine at Rokach (Hadassah) Hospital in Tel Aviv.

Sheldon G. Adelson (deceased January 11, 2021) - Co-Founder and founding Trustee. Mr. Adelson had a seven-decade career as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, creating over 50 companies including Comdex. He served as Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp and was instrumental in establishing the foundation's strategic direction.

The foundation's website states: "The Adelson Family Foundation focuses its support primarily on programs that benefit the State of Israel and the Jewish people."

Additional board members and trustees are not publicly disclosed on the foundation's website.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Adelson Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's website explicitly states: "The Adelson Family Foundation is not accepting unsolicited proposals at this time."

The foundation operates on a trustee-discretion model, making grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. Organizations interested in future funding opportunities are advised to monitor the foundation's website for potential updates to their grant process, though no timeline for accepting applications has been provided.

Key Points:

  • No application portal or submission process
  • No solicitation of grant proposals
  • All grants awarded to preselected organizations
  • Organizations must be public charities or qualified non-profit organizations
  • Primary focus on organizations located in Israel or the United States

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, as grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than a structured application cycle. The foundation distributed 51 grants in 2023 and 44 grants in 2022, suggesting ongoing throughout-the-year grantmaking rather than seasonal award cycles.

Success Rates

Success rates are not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations are selected by trustees based on alignment with the foundation's mission and strategic priorities.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept applications or unsolicited proposals.

Application Success Factors

Since the Adelson Family Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with preselected grantees, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of the foundation's grantmaking patterns reveals the following characteristics of funded organizations:

Alignment with Foundation Values Successful grantees demonstrate strong alignment with conservative approaches to Israel advocacy and U.S.-Israel relations. The foundation's grantmaking supports organizations that actively strengthen ties between the United States and Israel and promote Zionist education.

Established Track Record The foundation's largest grants go to well-established institutions with proven impact. Major recipients include:

  • Birthright Israel Foundation (over $500 million total, including $9 million in 2022)
  • Maccabee Task Force Foundation ($10.9 million in 2022)
  • Jewish Agency for Israel - North American Council ($5.15 million in 2022)
  • Israeli American Council ($5 million in 2022)
  • Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ($4.92 million in 2021)

Mission Focus Organizations receiving funding demonstrate clear mission focus in one or more of the foundation's six priority categories, with particular emphasis on Israel advocacy, Jewish education, and Holocaust awareness.

Geographic Presence Funded organizations operate primarily in Israel or the United States, with many maintaining presence in both countries to strengthen bilateral connections.

Scale and Impact Potential The foundation supports organizations ranging from small community-based programs (grants as low as $1,200) to major institutional initiatives (grants up to $30 million), suggesting they fund organizations at various scales when mission alignment exists.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations cannot apply for funding through traditional application processes.

  • Invitation-Only Model: Grants are awarded exclusively to preselected organizations identified by the foundation's trustees. Building awareness of your organization within relevant networks may be more valuable than application preparation.

  • Clear Mission Alignment Required: The foundation maintains a focused mission supporting Israel and the Jewish people. Organizations working outside this scope will not be considered.

  • Conservative Approach: Grantmaking aligns with conservative approaches to Israel advocacy and U.S.-Israel relations. Organizations should understand this philosophical orientation.

  • Significant Funding Capacity: With annual giving of approximately $200 million across both Adelson foundations and grants ranging from $1,200 to $30 million, the foundation can support both major institutional initiatives and smaller community projects.

  • Long-Term Partnership Model: Major recipients like Birthright Israel have received sustained funding over many years (over $500 million to Birthright since approximately 2009), suggesting the foundation values long-term partnerships with aligned organizations.

  • Contact for Information: While applications are not accepted, the foundation can be reached at questions@adelsonfoundation.org for inquiries.

References

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