Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $15,152,745 (in grants to campus affiliates, 2024)
Total Revenue: $73.2 million (FY 2024)
Grant Range: Varies by program
Geographic Focus: United States, Canada, and 14 other countries
Campus Network: 850+ colleges and universities
Students Served: Nearly 200,000 annually

Contact Details

Address:
Hillel International
Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building
800 Eighth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3724

Phone: (202) 449-6500
Email: info@hillel.org
Website: https://www.hillel.org/

Specific Contacts:

General inquiries: info@hillel.org
Donor relations: donorrelations@hillel.org
Media inquiries: media@hillel.org

Overview

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, commonly known as Hillel International, was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Washington, DC. With total assets of $69.4 million and annual revenue of $73.2 million (FY 2024), it is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world. The organization's mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. Hillel serves nearly 200,000 students annually across 850+ colleges and universities worldwide through a network of campus-based affiliates.

Under CEO Adam Lehman's leadership since 2020, Hillel has focused on strengthening collaboration across its movement and advancing strategic initiatives including the "Drive to Excellence" plan. The organization received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator with a score of 93%. From 2011 to 2020, Hillel doubled its fundraising from approximately $90 million to $185 million across its network.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Hillel International makes grants primarily to its network of campus-based Hillel affiliates. In 2024, the organization distributed $15,152,745 across 169 grants. Key funding programs include:

Hillel Talent Grants - $38 million multi-year program
Funded by The Marcus Foundation, these grants support local campus Hillels in four categories:

Recruitment and Onboarding: Resources to recruit excellent professionals
Retention and Promotion: Salary supplements and support to retain top talent
Professional Development: Training and expertise development
Technology Upgrades: IT infrastructure improvements

More than 500 grants are awarded annually through this program, tailored to each campus's specific needs to advance their path toward excellence.

Expansion Grants
Provides resources for campus Hillels to attract exceptional talent and further the goals of the "Drive to Excellence" strategic plan.

Comprehensive Excellence Pilot (CEP) Grants
Experimental grants to fully-funded Hillels to set new benchmarks for high-performing campus organizations.

Student Wellness Grants
In recent years, Hillel awarded 29 grants totaling more than $25,000 to support student wellness, connection, relaxation, and belonging.

Interfaith Outreach Micro Grants
Enable Hillel students and campus organizations to develop lasting relationships with students and organizations across diverse faith traditions.

Priority Areas

Hillel's "Drive to Excellence" strategic plan establishes excellence criteria for campus affiliates:

Talented Executive Director: Professional leadership recruitment and retention
Jewish Education Vision: Comprehensive programming and educational experiences
Student Engagement and Leadership: Ambitious engagement goals (know 90% of Jewish students, interact with 70%, ongoing relationships with 40%, high-impact experiences for 20%)
Israel Engagement: Connection to Israel and Israeli culture
Organizational Capacity: Resource development, infrastructure, and measurement systems

The organization supports campus Hillels in areas including:

Human resources and talent development
Fundraising and resource development
Strategic planning and organizational excellence
Leadership development (professional and student)
Communications and marketing
Fiscal administration
Student engagement programs

What They Don't Fund

Hillel International operates as a support organization for its affiliate network. It does not make grants to:

Organizations outside the Hillel network
Individual campus organizations unaffiliated with Hillel
General Jewish community organizations without campus focus
Non-Jewish organizations or initiatives

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Officers:

Lee Dranikoff – Chair (Short Hills, New Jersey)
Estee Portnoy – Vice Chair (Telluride, Colorado)
Abby Doft – Vice Chair (New York, New York)
Doug Berman – Treasurer (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Skip Vichness – Immediate Past Chair (New York, New York)

Board Members: Hilda Applbaum, Jack Azagury, Laurie Blitzer, Marina Jacobson, Rena Kopelman, Jon Newman, Tina Price, Tamar Remz, David Rittberg, Kevin Wilkins

Directors Cabinet Representatives: Merav Fine Braun (Maplewood, New Jersey), Dave Cohn (Los Angeles, California)

Student Cabinet Co-Chairs: Ariela Moel (San Diego, California), Einav Tsach (Rockville, Maryland)

Board of Governors

Chair: Matthew Bronfman (New York)

The Board of Governors includes prominent philanthropists and community leaders including Alexander Blavatnik, Seth Greenberg, Joe Kanfer, and Lynn Schusterman. This body offers counsel to the Board of Directors and provides substantial financial support to Hillels nationally and internationally.

Executive Leadership

Adam Lehman – President and CEO (since January 2020)
Compensation: $590,981 (FY 2024)

Lehman previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO starting in July 2019. Before joining Hillel, he spent two decades as an entrepreneur and executive in technology and media, including roles as Senior Vice President at AOL and President/COO of Lotame Solutions.

Leadership Perspective:
Under Lehman's tenure, "Hillel International has focused on supporting the Hillel field through the significant impacts of the pandemic, strengthening collaboration and connection across the Hillel movement, and advancing Hillel's leadership as the innovation lab for the Jewish future."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Hillel International does not have a public application process for grant funding. Grants are made exclusively to campus-based Hillel affiliate organizations that are already part of the Hillel network.

Campus Hillel organizations operate as independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits affiliated with Hillel International. The relationship operates through an affiliate model where Hillel International provides:

Strategic support and guidance
Professional development opportunities
Access to grant programs and funding initiatives
Resources in fundraising, HR, communications, and administration

For Campus Hillels Seeking Support:
Campus Hillel affiliates work directly with Hillel International headquarters through established relationships. Specific grant programs like Talent Grants are awarded to local Hillels "tailored to each campus' specific needs to advance their path toward excellence."

For New Campus Initiatives:
Organizations interested in establishing a new campus Hillel or affiliating with the network should contact Hillel International directly at info@hillel.org or (202) 449-6500.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by program and are determined through the affiliate relationship rather than formal application cycles. The organization holds an annual Hillel International Global Assembly where grants and awards are announced. The 2024 Global Assembly in Orlando brought together more than 1,200 professionals, supporters, and students.

Success Rates

In 2024, Hillel International made 169 grants to affiliates (compared to 149 in 2023, 168 in 2022, and 165 in 2021). This represents a relatively stable grant-making program serving a network of 850+ campus locations, though not all affiliates receive grants in any given year.

Application Success Factors

Since Hillel International operates through an affiliate network model rather than competitive grant applications, success in receiving support depends on:

Drive to Excellence Alignment

Campus Hillels are measured against specific excellence criteria. According to the strategic plan: "Excellent Hillels will know the names of 90% of Jewish students on campus; interact at least once a year with 70%; form an ongoing relationship with 40% and provide high impact experiences (think Birthright Israel, leadership roles, fellowships, service learning, Jewish study) with at least 20% of Jewish students each year."

Eric Fingerhut, former president and CEO, stated: "At the core of our Drive to Excellence plan is developing quantitative and qualitative strategies for measuring excellence on every campus, with the goal of fifty Hillels reaching excellence by 2020 and the other 85 percent improving annually."

Strategic Priorities

Campus Hillels demonstrating commitment to the five key areas of excellence are prioritized:

Talented executive director
Jewish education vision and plan
Student engagement and leadership
Israel engagement
Organizational capacity

Professional Development Participation

Campus staff who actively participate in professional development opportunities, including the annual Global Assembly and regional training programs, demonstrate commitment to the network's standards.

Measurement and Accountability

The organization emphasizes quantitative and qualitative measurement. Campus Hillels that track engagement metrics and demonstrate impact through data are better positioned to receive support.

Local Fundraising Capacity

Since campus Hillels operate as independent nonprofits, those demonstrating strong local fundraising and resource development capacity may be prioritized for matching or enhancement grants like the Talent Grants program.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Network-Only Funding: Hillel International exclusively supports its campus affiliate network—grants are not available to external organizations or new entities without established affiliate status
Excellence Framework: All support aligns with the "Drive to Excellence" plan, emphasizing measurable student engagement goals (90% awareness, 70% interaction, 40% ongoing relationships, 20% high-impact experiences)
Major Funding Initiative: The $38 million Talent Grants program represents significant multi-year investment in professional recruitment, retention, and development across campus affiliates
Independent Affiliate Model: Campus Hillels operate as separate 501(c)(3) organizations with their own boards and fundraising, receiving strategic support and targeted grants from headquarters
Relationship-Based: Success depends on active participation in the Hillel network, professional development programs, and the annual Global Assembly rather than competitive grant applications
Measurement Matters: Data-driven approaches to tracking student engagement and organizational performance are central to the excellence criteria
For New Campus Presence: Organizations seeking to establish Hillel presence on a campus should contact headquarters directly rather than applying through any formal process

References

Research completed December 23, 2025