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Micah Philanthropies

Annual Giving
$6.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.1M

Micah Philanthropies

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,796,550 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $171 million
  • Number of Grants: 65 grants annually
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,100,000
  • Median Grant: $50,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.) with concentration in New England/Greater Hartford, CT; also supports organizations in Israel
  • Application Method: Invitation only (does not accept unsolicited applications)

Contact Details

Address: 67 Hunt St., Suite 206, Agawam, MA 01001

Phone: (413) 439-6300

Email: info@micahphilanthropies.org

Executive Director: Deena K. Fuchs (dfuchs@micahphilanthropies.org)

Website: https://www.micahphilanthropies.org/

Overview

Micah Philanthropies was founded by Ann and Jeremy Pava to promote covenantal Jewish living by making traditional Judaism "more relevant, accessible and meaningful to contemporary Jews." With over $171 million in assets and annual grantmaking of approximately $6.8 million, the foundation has become a significant force in North American Jewish philanthropy. The foundation takes its name and inspiration from the Biblical prophet Micah (6:8), emphasizing three core values: justice, kindness, and humility in improving the world. The Pavas serve not only as funders but as lay leaders and conveners in the Jewish community. Ann Pava is a past recipient of the JFNA Kipnes-Wilson Friedland Award for outstanding women philanthropists and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's Lay Leadership Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Executive Director Deena Fuchs describes their approach as having "a thought-leadership component to the grant-making" with the goal of "piloting ideas that can be scaled up." The foundation recently increased its annual giving by 50%, reaching $3 million in dedicated grant programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs & Focus Areas

Micah Philanthropies operates across six philanthropic focus areas:

1. Modern Orthodoxy - Supporting organizations that embrace "the synthesis of tradition with the best of modernity"

  • Typical grants: $25,000 - $100,000+ for general operating support
  • Multi-year commitments common for key partners

2. Orthodox Women's Leadership - Expanding women's roles and leadership within Orthodox communities

  • Yeshivat Maharat: Multi-year operating support for women's Orthodox clergy ordination
  • Nishmat: Stipends and training for Yoatzot Halacha (women Torah scholars)
  • JOFA (Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance): General operating support; founding funder of Devorah Scholar Program
  • Drisha: Summer Talmud programs for middle and high school girls
  • Women's Torah Leadership Placement: Matching grants for synagogues hiring women leaders (subsidizes one-third of salaries, congregations pay two-thirds)
  • Major gift: $10 million to Yeshiva University to establish the Ann and Jeremy Pava Center for Women's Torah Scholarship

3. Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) - Environmental sustainability and social justice

  • Ceres: Climate Action 100+ program support
  • Environmental Defense Fund: Sustainable aquaculture initiatives
  • Jewish Agency for Israel: Supporting Ukrainian immigrant integration in Israel

4. Jewish Day Schools - Supporting educational transmission

  • New England Jewish Academy: Tuition subsidies up to $10,000 per family (has attracted 13 families to the community)
  • Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools: National networking and innovation funding
  • Solomon Schechter Day School: Local community education support

5. Israel Advocacy - Strengthening U.S.-Israel relations

  • Washington Institute for Near East Policy: General operating support
  • JINSA: U.S.-Israel security relationship promotion
  • American Israel Education Foundation: Congressional educational seminars
  • Ohr Torah Stone: $1.5 million for Pava Hadas Army Program for female religious soldiers in Israel; support for Yad La'Isha's halakhic prenuptial agreement expansion

6. Jewish Community Partnerships - Supporting broader communal infrastructure

  • ADL: Antisemitism combat initiatives
  • Hadar: Multi-year operating support for egalitarian Jewish communities
  • PJ Library: Children's book distribution program partnership
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford: Local community emergency campaigns

Priority Areas

  • LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Orthodox Communities:

    • Eshel: Capacity building and NY Hub development for Orthodox LGBTQ+ support programming
    • Kesher Families: Operating grants for parents of LGBTQ+ members in Orthodox families
    • JQY: Mental health support for Jewish queer teens and young adults

  • Rabbinic Training & Leadership:

    • Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT): $1 million gift for strategic planning support, multi-year operating grant, and senior scholar position funding
    • Beit Midrash Har'el: Operating funds for co-ed rabbinic training programs

  • Social Justice & Human Rights:

    • Uri L'Tzedek: Operating support for Orthodox social justice initiatives
    • Itim: Strategic planning support plus general operating grants for expanding Jewish life access in Israel

What They Don't Fund

Based on their stated focus areas, Micah Philanthropies does not appear to fund:

  • Non-Jewish causes (their mission is specifically focused on Jewish life and community)
  • Organizations outside their six core focus areas
  • Capital campaigns or building projects (focus appears to be on programmatic and operating support)
  • Organizations that do not align with their vision of making traditional Judaism relevant to contemporary Jews

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Ann Pava | President

  • Activist, philanthropist, and thought leader in Jewish education
  • Past chair of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools and National Women's Philanthropy
  • Founding Chair of Hebrew High School of New England
  • Recipient of JFNA Kipnes-Wilson Friedland Award and Harold Grinspoon Foundation's Lay Leadership Award
  • Quote: "A good leader replaces herself with someone even better"
  • Emphasizes core Jewish values: "What does the Lord ask of us?: Only to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God"

Jeremy Pava | Chairman

  • Businessman, communal leader, and philanthropist
  • Partner at Aspen Square Management, Inc. (real estate investment firm)
  • Brandeis University graduate (B.A. Economics, 1984, Magna cum Laude)
  • Founding trustee of Harold Grinspoon Foundation (30+ years service)
  • Both Pavas are PJ Library Alliance Partners
  • Quote on women's leadership: "People will see that women can be in religious leadership positions and eventually it won't take a subsidy."
  • Quote on their approach: "We're doing this locally, trying to think about will this work [on a national scale]."

Staff

Deena K. Fuchs | Executive Director

  • Inaugural Executive Director with 20+ years in Jewish philanthropic sector
  • Previously Executive Vice President at Jewish Funders Network
  • Former Senior Director of Strategy and Partnerships at The AVI CHAI Foundation
  • Quote: "There's a thought-leadership component to the grant-making. We're piloting ideas that can be scaled up."
  • Takes an "adaptive, collaborative and solutions-oriented approach," joining "grantee-partners in crafting organizational strategy, program design, and knowledge sharing"

Ruthie Braffman Shulman | Program Officer

  • Focuses on women in Torah Leadership positions
  • M.A. in Talmud from Yeshiva University's GPATS program
  • Certified Yoetzet Halacha through Nishmat's program

Chloe Levinson | Program Officer

  • Manages grantmaking strategies
  • MPA from NYU Wagner School; MA in Hebrew & Judaic Studies from NYU
  • Previously Senior Program Officer at Claims Conference

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Micah Philanthropies does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, proactively identifying and selecting organizations to support based on their own research and strategic priorities.

Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion and alignment with the foundation's six core focus areas. The foundation emphasizes building long-term partnerships with grantee organizations, often providing multi-year general operating support rather than one-time project grants.

Getting on Their Radar

Specific Strategies for This Funder:

  • Prizmah Network: Since Ann Pava is past chair of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, visibility within the Prizmah network may provide connection opportunities for day school organizations.

  • Harold Grinspoon Foundation Connections: Jeremy Pava is a founding trustee of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Organizations connected to PJ Library or other Harold Grinspoon Foundation initiatives may have natural pathways to the Pavas' attention.

  • Jewish Funders Network: Executive Director Deena Fuchs previously served as Executive Vice President at Jewish Funders Network. Organizations active in JFN circles may benefit from increased visibility.

  • Convening Participation: The foundation serves as a convener in the Jewish philanthropic space. For example, Micah Philanthropies co-sponsored the Orthodox Women's Torah Leadership field building initiative convening in January 2023 alongside the Walder Foundation and Aviv Foundation. Participating in sector-wide convenings may create opportunities for connection.

  • Collaborative Funding Opportunities: The foundation explicitly seeks "partnerships with other funders" and is interested in co-funding initiatives that can be scaled. Organizations already supported by aligned funders may attract Micah's interest for collaborative support.

  • Greater Hartford Community: The Pavas live in West Hartford, CT, and have deep ties to the Greater Hartford Jewish community. Local organizations with strong performance and alignment with Micah's mission may benefit from geographic proximity.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation operates on its own timeline for identifying, vetting, and inviting organizations into partnership. Based on the multi-year nature of many grants, the foundation appears to take a strategic, long-term approach to grantmaking relationships rather than operating on annual cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no traditional "success rate" for applicants.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. However, existing grantee partners appear to receive ongoing support, with many organizations receiving multi-year commitments and repeated grants.

Application Success Factors

Since Micah Philanthropies does not accept unsolicited applications, the concept of "application success" differs from traditional foundations. However, examining their grantee portfolio reveals clear patterns in what the foundation values:

1. Pilot-to-Scale Approach

Executive Director Deena Fuchs emphasizes: "There's a thought-leadership component to the grant-making. We're piloting ideas that can be scaled up." The foundation tests initiatives locally (often in Greater Hartford, CT) before considering national expansion. Organizations that can demonstrate:

  • Proof of concept in limited markets
  • Potential for national replication
  • Willingness to test innovative approaches

2. Women's Leadership in Orthodoxy

This is clearly a signature priority. Jeremy Pava stated: "People will see that women can be in religious leadership positions and eventually it won't take a subsidy." The foundation supports the full pipeline:

  • Training programs (Yeshivat Maharat, Nishmat, GPATS, Drisha summer programs)
  • Placement support (Devorah Scholar Program's salary subsidies)
  • Institutional infrastructure (the $10 million Pava Center for Women's Torah Scholarship)

Organizations advancing women's Torah scholarship and leadership roles within halachic frameworks are central to their strategy.

3. Making Traditional Judaism Relevant

The foundation's core mission focuses on organizations that help "make traditional Judaism more relevant, accessible and meaningful to contemporary Jews." This includes:

  • Modern Orthodox institutions that synthesize tradition with modernity
  • LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts (Eshel, Kesher Families, JQY)
  • Innovative educational approaches
  • Organizations addressing contemporary challenges facing Orthodox communities

4. Multi-Year Partnerships Over One-Time Grants

The grantee partner page emphasizes supporting "smart, devoted leaders who have a shared passion for the future of Judaism." The foundation provides:

  • General operating support (not restricted project grants)
  • Multi-year commitments
  • Strategic planning support
  • Capacity building funding

This suggests they value long-term relationships with high-performing organizations led by exceptional leaders.

5. Collaborative Funding & Thought Leadership

Jeremy Pava notes the foundation is "trying to think about will this work [on a national scale]." They seek partnerships with other funders and view their role as catalytic - seeding innovations that can attract additional support and achieve broader impact. Organizations that:

  • Attract funding from aligned foundations
  • Demonstrate thought leadership in their field
  • Can articulate scalability and sustainability plans

6. Local-to-National Model

The foundation has strong ties to Greater Hartford, CT, and often tests programs locally. The New England Jewish Academy tuition subsidy program (up to $10,000 per family) has attracted 13 families to the community. Success in their local context may lead to broader support.

7. Focus on Similarities Over Differences

The foundation's philosophical approach emphasizes "bringing people together" and focusing "on similarities more than differences" while supporting "innovative, high performing organizations." This suggests they value:

  • Bridge-building within the Jewish community
  • Organizations that reduce polarization
  • Inclusive approaches within traditional frameworks

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted - Micah Philanthropies operates invitation-only, identifying and selecting organizations proactively based on strategic priorities

  • Thought leadership and scalability are critical - The foundation pilots locally-tested ideas with national scaling potential, seeking organizations that can serve as models for broader impact

  • Women's Orthodox leadership is a signature priority - From pipeline development through placement support, advancing women's roles in Modern Orthodoxy is central to their strategy

  • Multi-year partnerships over transactions - General operating support and long-term commitments characterize their approach; they invest in organizations and leaders, not just projects

  • Modern Orthodoxy with inclusivity - Organizations advancing traditional Judaism while embracing LGBTQ+ inclusion, women's leadership, and contemporary relevance align with their vision

  • Co-funding opportunities matter - The foundation seeks partnerships with aligned funders; collaborative funding proposals may increase visibility

  • Greater Hartford presence helps - Geographic proximity to the Pavas' home community in West Hartford, CT, combined with strong performance, may create natural connection points

References

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