Micah Philanthropies
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Micah Philanthropies funds nationally, with a clear focus on Modern Orthodoxy, Orthodox Women’s Leadership, Tikkun Olam, Jewish Day Schools, Israel Advocacy and Jewish Community Partnerships, so fit matters: organisations working outside these areas are unlikely to be a match.
- It does not accept unsolicited requests and operates by invitation only, so cold applications should not be sent; approach is only realistic through an existing relationship or introduction.
- Most grants are modest in scale: about 8 in 10 of its 189 grants fall between $5,000 and $250,000, and half of the 189 grants were $50,000 or less, so a request in that bracket is realistic, even though the largest grant was about $1,150,000.
- Giving is strongly relationship-led rather than open to new applicants: 92% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in its two previous filings, pointing to a foundation that sustains established partnerships.
- Given the invitation-only approach, energy is best spent building a relationship or seeking an introduction rather than preparing a formal unsolicited application.
Overview
Micah Philanthropies is a US private foundation based in Agawam, MA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Micah Philanthropies supports innovative, high-performing organisations, programmes and partnerships that make traditional Judaism relevant, accessible and meaningful to contemporary Jews. Its stated focus areas are Modern Orthodoxy, Orthodox Women’s Leadership, Tikkun Olam, Jewish Day Schools, Israel Advocacy and Jewish Community Partnerships. It seeks to promote covenantal Jewish living and a vibrant, growing Jewish community. Its partnerships aim to bring people together, draw on the best and brightest minds, and focus on similarities rather than differences. It describes investing in organisations that share a modern Orthodox philosophy and seeks to foster ideas, amplify voices and inspire future generations.
Themes
- Modern Orthodoxy
- Orthodox Women’s Leadership
- Tikkun Olam
- Jewish Day Schools
- Israel Advocacy
- Jewish Community Partnerships
Geographic Focus
Priority: Nationally.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 92% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 189 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours innovative, high-performing organisations, programmes and partnerships that make traditional Judaism relevant, accessible and meaningful to contemporary Jews.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations Micah Philanthropies had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 20% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 72 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New England Jewish Academy · Support for academic years 2024-2026$1,160,8002024 tax year
- Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford · Community grant, jdc for ukraine & jfna rebuild israel compaign$575,0002024 tax year
- YCT Rabbinical School · General funding$392,0002024 tax year
- Yeshivat Maharat · General funding$334,0002024 tax year
- Hadar Institute · General funding$325,0002024 tax year
- Jewish Federations of North America · Community building with jcrc and bds in the esg sector$287,5002024 tax year
- American Friends of Nishmat · General funding$270,0002024 tax year
- Yeshiva University · Gpats program support$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Deena Fuchs — Executive Director
- Ann Pava — Trustee
- Jeremy Pava — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,080,743 | $4,395,583 | $174,196,549 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,826,739 | $6,796,550 | $203,879,811 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $8,330,246 | $6,938,248 | $223,505,272 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
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Applying to Micah Philanthropies?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required