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Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County Inc

Annual Giving
$26.5M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M
Decision Time
5mo

Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $26,489,210 (2024)
  • Number of Grants: 195 awards (2024)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $50,000 (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Palm Beach County, Florida (preference for organizations with physical presence in the county)
  • Founded: 1962

Contact Details

Address: 1 Harvard Circle, Suite 100, West Palm Beach, FL 33409

Phone: (561) 478-0700

Email: info@jewishpalmbeach.org

Website: https://jewishpb.org/

Overview

The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County was founded in 1962 (evolved from the Federated Jewish Charities of Palm Beach County established in 1938). The organization serves as a central philanthropic hub for one of the fastest-growing Jewish communities in North America. In 2024, the Federation received $18 million in Annual Campaign giving, plus $5.3 million in Targeted Giving to Community Priorities and $2.1 million in Funds Designated by the Board of Directors. Under the leadership of President & CEO Michael Hoffman since 2015, the organization has evolved "from being transactional to more relational and inspirational," serving as a "philanthropic concierge that aligns the hopes, dreams and aspirations of donors with the needs and priorities of the Jewish community." The Federation distributed $26.5 million in grants to 195 organizations in 2024, supporting initiatives across five impact areas: Care for People in Need, combating antisemitism, Israel support, community engagement, and leadership development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred Grant

  • Application opens: Late October
  • Application deadline: Early December
  • Grant period: July 1 - June 30 (one-year grants)
  • Award notification: Mid-April
  • Application method: Online portal (SurveyMonkey Apply)
  • No specific grant amount range published; over $3 million awarded in the program's first year

J Impact Fund

  • Up to $8,000 per grant
  • Focus: Jewish teen engagement and community building
  • Application method: Open to community partners including synagogues, youth movements, and approved providers
  • Funding provided based on content, trends, and need

Signature Grants (part of broader programs)

  • $35,000 - $50,000 annually
  • Multi-year grants (typically 2-3 years)
  • Focus areas include advocacy initiatives, research, and cutting-edge projects addressing social issues

Issue Awareness Grants

  • $500 - $3,500
  • One-time grants for educational meetings and information dissemination

Scholarships

  • Up to $5,000 per student
  • For outstanding students in the Federation's service area attending Florida universities or community colleges

Priority Areas

The Federation's 2025-2027 Strategic Plan identifies five key impact areas:

1. Community Safety & Security

  • Combating antisemitism and hatred with united strategy and strong allies
  • Enhanced security for Jewish community institutions and synagogues
  • Fostering tolerance and creating allies in the non-Jewish community
  • Identifying and executing strategies that directly confront local antisemitism

2. Care for People in Need

  • Financial assistance for people facing hardships
  • Personalized career counseling
  • Mental health and trauma support (responding to emerging mental health crisis)
  • Meals and food pantry services
  • Support for people of all life stages, needs, and abilities

3. Israel Support

  • Safeguarding the people of Israel

4. Community Engagement

  • Programs for key demographic groups: 55+ adults, families, business professionals, young adults, and teens
  • Creating new points of entry for Jewish teens, parents, and professionals
  • High-level Jewish learning and community-building opportunities
  • Pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive spaces

5. Leadership Development

  • Through the Mandel Center for Leadership Development

What They Don't Fund

  • General operational support (funding is designed for specific projects and initiatives with measurable outcomes)
  • Projects that do not benefit Palm Beach County and its residents
  • Projects that cannot demonstrate measurable impact

Governance and Leadership

Board Leadership (2024-2025):

  • Barry S. Berg, Board Chair
  • Mark F. Levy, Vice Chair
  • Arthur S. Loring, Vice Chair
  • Beryl D. Simonson, Treasurer
  • Ronnie P. Pertnoy, Secretary

Executive Leadership:

  • Michael Hoffman, President & CEO (since 2015)
  • Matthew Kernkraut, Executive Vice President
  • Leah Holczer, Chief Financial and Operations Officer
  • Jeff Trynz, Chief Marketing Officer
  • Lindsay Hirsch, Vice President, Mandel Center for Leadership Development
  • Melissa Hudson, Vice President, Women's Philanthropy
  • Elizabeth Klitzner, Vice President, Development
  • Jorge Mendieta, Vice President, IT Strategy & Data Operations
  • James Griffel, Vice President, Strategic Marketing

Michael Hoffman's Leadership Philosophy: Hoffman has noted the organization's evolution toward serving as a "philanthropic concierge that aligns the hopes, dreams and aspirations of our donors with the needs and priorities of the Jewish community," emphasizing relationship-building and inspiration over purely transactional giving.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through SurveyMonkey Apply for the Antisemitism Combat grants program. The Federation recommends:

  • Print a copy of the blank application to familiarize yourself with questions
  • Initially type responses into a Word document before entering into the online portal
  • Ensure you receive confirmation that your application has been received
  • Upload all appropriate requested documents

Required Documentation:

  • Organizational tax-exempt status proof (IRS determination letters, fiscal sponsor letters, house of worship confirmation, or government entity attestation)
  • Board member list
  • Partner support letters (if applicable)
  • Two authorized signatures

Important Application Requirements:

  • Applicants must not use generative AI for content creation
  • Projects must have measurable outcomes
  • Preference given to organizations with physical presence in Palm Beach County

Decision Timeline

For Antisemitism Combat Grants:

  • Application opens: Late October (e.g., October 27, 2025)
  • Application deadline: Early December (e.g., December 8, 2025)
  • Follow-up requests: Early March (approximately 13 weeks after deadline)
  • Award notification: Mid-April (approximately 18-19 weeks after deadline)
  • Grant period begins: July 1
  • Final fund distribution: June 30 (following year)

Review Process: Eligible proposals are reviewed and evaluated by Federation staff and members of the Grant Selection Committee. There is no formal interview or site visit during the review process, though they may contact applicants for additional information or clarification.

J Impact Fund: Applications accepted on rolling basis; funding provided based on content, trends, and need.

Success Rates

While specific success rates are not published, the Federation awarded 195 grants totaling $26.5 million in 2024, demonstrating substantial grant-making capacity. For the J Impact Fund's inaugural year (2022), six organizations received funding.

Reapplication Policy

The Federation provides ongoing support to grantees and requests impact reports focusing on engagement, diversity, and attendance. Specific reapplication policies vary by program and are not explicitly documented in public materials.

Application Success Factors

Measurable Impact is Critical: The Federation explicitly states that "funding is designed to support specific projects and initiatives with outcomes that can be measured." Successful applications must clearly demonstrate how they will measure and report on impact.

Geographic Connection: There is a strong preference for organizations with a physical presence in Palm Beach County. All programming must benefit Palm Beach County and its residents.

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: The Grant Selection Committee assesses proposals based on:

  • Alignment with the Federation's purpose and strategic plan
  • Impact potential
  • Innovation
  • Feasibility
  • Organizational strength
  • Staffing capacity
  • Partnerships and collaboration
  • Budget appropriateness

Collaboration is Valued: For youth programs specifically, the Federation seeks projects that "foster collaboration with multiple partners with one clear project," indicating they value partnerships over siloed efforts.

Pluralism and Inclusion: The Federation explicitly seeks to "create spaces that are pluralistic, welcoming and inclusive," particularly for teen and community engagement programs.

Specific Project Focus: General operating support is explicitly excluded. Applications must focus on specific initiatives with clear goals and outcomes.

Recent Funded Projects as Models:

J Impact Grant Recipients (2022):

  • Alpert Jewish Family Service: Expanded its Relationship & Decisions teen training program to incorporate mental health content adapted from the international Mental Health First Aid curriculum
  • Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Boynton: Empowered Jewish youth to become leaders, mentors, and teachers by staffing Shabbat and holiday programs
  • Mandel Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches: Built a task force of teens to develop opportunities for teens to connect to Jewish life through events such as Shabbat dinners, Hanukkah celebrations, and mitzvah projects

These examples demonstrate the Federation's interest in programs that build leadership capacity, address mental health, and create community engagement opportunities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Project-specific over operating support: Do not apply for general operating funds; focus on discrete projects with measurable outcomes and clear timelines
  • Local presence matters: Organizations with physical presence in Palm Beach County have a significant advantage; all programming must directly benefit county residents
  • Demonstrate measurable impact: Build robust evaluation plans into your proposal showing how you will track engagement, diversity, attendance, and other relevant metrics
  • Align with strategic priorities: Review the Federation's 2025-2027 Strategic Plan and explicitly connect your project to one or more of the five impact areas
  • No AI-generated content: Applications must be written by humans; using generative AI for content creation violates application requirements
  • Collaborate where possible: Projects that involve multiple partners working toward a unified goal are particularly valued, especially for youth and community engagement initiatives
  • Timeline awareness: For Antisemitism Combat grants, plan for approximately 5-6 months from application deadline to award notification, with funding beginning in July

References

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