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Jewish Federation Bay Area (Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties)

Annual Giving
$216.1M
Grant Range
$5K - $10.0M
Decision Time
7mo

Jewish Federation Bay Area (Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $216.1 million (FY 2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program (Jewish Pride Fund: May decision)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - Multi-million dollar grants
  • Geographic Focus: Bay Area, Israel, National, and International
  • Total Assets: Over $2 billion under management

Contact Details

Main Office: 121 Steuart Street San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: (415) 777-0411 Email: philanthropy@jewishfed.org Website: www.jewishfed.org

Israel Office: 34 Geula Street, Kfar Saba, Israel 44257 Phone: 972.9.8800930

Overview

Founded in 1910, the Jewish Federation Bay Area (formerly Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund) is California's largest funder of Jewish causes with over $2 billion in assets under management. The organization underwent significant strategic transformation in 2023-2025 under CEO Joy Sisisky and Board Chair Eileen Ruby, transitioning from a traditional collective giving model to a philanthropic advisory model. In FY 2023, the Federation provided $216.1 million in grants and loans across all fund types, with $67.7 million directed to Jewish organizations and programs. The Federation operates over 1,100 donor-advised funds and 32 supporting foundations, facilitating philanthropic impact across local Bay Area communities, Israel, and globally. In 2025, the organization rebranded as Jewish Federation Bay Area and appointed Laura Lauder as Board Chair to lead a newly restructured, diverse 15-member board focused on meeting contemporary community needs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Federation-Directed Grantmaking ($17.6M in FY 2023)

  • Supports Jewish organizations and programs in the Bay Area, Israel, and globally
  • Federation-directed grants are funded by annual campaign revenue, designated/emergency fundraising, and restricted and unrestricted endowment funds

Jewish Pride Fund ($43,235-$50,000 annually)

  • Grants between $5,000-$10,000 supporting LGBTQIA+ and Jewish communities
  • Open to 501(c)(3) organizations and LGBTQIA+ focused programs within larger Jewish organizations
  • Two-stage application process with interviews for finalists
  • Decisions made in May by member vote

Impact Grants Initiative (IGI)

  • Multi-year funding for both new and traditional nonprofits
  • Collaborative philanthropy model where donors identify needs, evaluate proposals, conduct site visits, and collectively select organizations
  • Grant rounds launched for young adults/families, Russian-Jewish community, Israel, and Eastern Europe

Giving Circles (10+ active circles, $200,000+ annually)

  • Young Jewish Fund: Suggested $250 contribution, grants address antisemitism and community engagement
  • Tzedek Fund: Supporting organizations serving or led by Jews of Color
  • Jewish Teen Foundation: High school student-led philanthropy program

Community Security Program

  • Federal grant support for 24+ Bay Area organizations
  • Site security funding and Jewish college student support

Impact Investing Program ($51M invested 2019-2023)

  • Loans rather than grants to nonprofits focused on affordable housing, economic development, education
  • Philanthropic capital loaned and repaid for reuse in donor-directed funds

Priority Areas

Strengthening Jewish Life and Identity

  • Early childhood, summer camp, teen programs (Diller Teen Fellows)
  • Campus Hillel support
  • PJ Library (2,000+ children subscriptions)
  • Family engagement programs and senior care
  • Jewish day school, camp, and preschool scholarships

Combating Antisemitism

  • Site security throughout the Bay Area ($670K to 26 organizations in 2024)
  • Support for Jewish college students
  • Grassroots K-12 school groups addressing antisemitism

Responding to Crises

  • Emergency relief domestically and internationally
  • Israel emergency funding ($16.4M in FY 2023)
  • Ukraine, Turkey/Syria earthquake relief
  • War relief and natural disaster response

Caring for People in Need

  • Jewish Family and Children's Services and other social service agencies
  • Human services (7,000+ people served)
  • Holocaust education and survivor support

Promoting Justice and Inclusion

  • Organizations advancing equity and social justice
  • Racial justice through Tzedek Fund (6 Bay Area nonprofits funded)
  • Organizations building inclusive, equitable society rooted in Jewish social justice traditions

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. General requirements include:

  • Organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt under IRS rules
  • Organizations must comply with Federation's grant guidelines (available upon request)
  • All grantees undergo due diligence including financial health review for new grantees
  • Donor-advised fund recommendations subject to Federation's sole discretion and compliance with grant guidelines

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

Joy Sisisky - President and CEO

  • Second woman leader in organization's 115-year history
  • Stewarded over $1 billion in philanthropic capital in last five years
  • Led strategic transformation: "This is a fundamental shift in the model of the Federation, which for most of its history relied on collective giving... That's a really significant shift. It allows every dollar that we raise from the annual campaign to go out the door in grants, or to be invested in programs."
  • On priorities: "We are looking at what the Jewish community's needs are now, and how we can best support them going forward."

Laura Lauder - Board Chair (as of January 2025)

  • Chair of the Endowment Fund (over $2 billion in assets)
  • Co-founder of Lauder Partners and Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund
  • On governance innovation: "Just as the Federation has been a leader in creating new models for philanthropic giving, it is now creating a new model of governance to meet the needs and challenges of our time."
  • On mission: "Now more than ever, the Federation is leading the way in building strong, vibrant Jewish life in San Francisco."

Eileen Ruby - Former Board Chair (2023-2025)

  • Led organizational "reboot" following years of strategic planning
  • Initiated governance changes resulting in new 15-member diverse board
  • Stewarded organization through COVID-19 crisis and strategic plan overhaul
  • On strategic focus: "Many of the organizations that Federation stopped supporting were no longer in line with its strategic vision."

Board of Directors:

  • New 15-member board began term January 15, 2025
  • Structured to represent extraordinary diversity including different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, gender, race, ethnicity, Bay Area geography, and age
  • Smaller, more focused governance structure designed to meet contemporary needs

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Federation operates multiple grant pathways with varying application processes:

Federation-Directed Grants:

  • No current open grant opportunities listed on website (check regularly for updates)
  • Organizations should contact philanthropy@jewishfed.org to inquire about upcoming grant cycles
  • General inquiry phone: (415) 777-0411

Jewish Pride Fund (Active cycle for 2025):

  • Two-stage process: Application followed by Zoom interview for finalists
  • Submit applications through Jewish Community Federation's online portal
  • Contact Danielle Meshorer, Senior Director of Collaborative Philanthropy, to verify eligibility before applying
  • Technical questions: grantsupport@sfjcf.org
  • Applicants or fiscal sponsors must be 501(c)(3) based in United States
  • Eligible: LGBTQIA+ serving 501(c)(3) organizations OR dedicated LGBTQIA+ focused initiatives within larger Jewish organizations

Impact Grants Initiative:

  • Collaborative philanthropy model
  • Donors identify pressing needs, define outcomes, evaluate proposals, conduct site visits
  • Multi-year funding available
  • Contact Federation directly to learn about current IGI opportunities

Donor-Advised Funds:

  • For organizations seeking funding from individual DAF holders
  • Online portal available for donors to recommend grants
  • Federation performs due diligence on all grantees including compliance and financial health review

Decision Timeline

Jewish Pride Fund:

  • Fund members meet 8-9 times between October and June in San Francisco
  • Grant allocation decisions made by group vote in May
  • Stage 1 applications reviewed
  • Stage 2 interviews for selected finalists
  • Total process: Approximately 7 months (October-May)

Federation-Directed Grants:

  • Timelines vary by program
  • No standardized decision timeline publicly available
  • Contact Federation for program-specific timelines

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly disclosed. The Federation:

  • Awarded 1,053 grants in 2023
  • Provided $216.1 million in grants and loans
  • Supported 3,000+ organizations globally in FY 2024
  • Jewish Pride Fund awarded 6 organizations in 2024 (specific number of applications not disclosed)

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations should contact the Federation directly to inquire about reapplication guidelines for specific programs.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Alignment is Critical: Joy Sisisky and Board Chair Eileen Ruby emphasized that the Federation has become more strategic in its grantmaking, noting that "Many of the organizations that Federation stopped supporting were no longer in line with its strategic vision." Organizations must demonstrate clear alignment with the Federation's five impact areas.

Understanding the New Model: The Federation has fundamentally shifted from collective giving to philanthropic advisory services. CEO Joy Sisisky explains: "This is a fundamental shift in the model of the Federation, which for most of its history relied on collective giving." Organizations should understand that the Federation now functions more as a center for Jewish philanthropy, empowering individual donors through DAFs while maintaining strategic Federation-directed grantmaking.

Demonstrated Community Impact: Recent grantees demonstrate measurable community impact:

  • Grassroots K-12 antisemitism initiatives (Bay Area Jewish Coalition, Marin Jewish Parents and Allies Union, SF Jews in Schools) received funding for addressing specific school-based challenges
  • Community infrastructure projects like Berkeley Bayit received $765K Federation loan for seismic upgrades serving Jewish students
  • Service agencies like Jewish Family and Children's Services consistently funded for serving 7,000+ people

Sustainability and Evaluation: Impact Grants Initiative emphasizes:

  • Defined strategies for transitioning from grant funding to permanent stability
  • Clear evaluation methods to assess program impact
  • Using results to refine program design
  • Multi-year funding requires demonstration of long-term sustainability plans

Collaborative Engagement: The Federation values collaborative philanthropy models where grant seekers engage with donor groups:

  • Giving circles conduct site visits and direct engagement with applicants
  • Jewish Pride Fund includes interviews with fund members
  • IGI participants collectively evaluate proposals and set measurable goals with grantees

Focus on Equity and Diversity: Under new board leadership, the Federation emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion:

  • Tzedek Fund specifically supports organizations led by or serving Jews of Color
  • New board selected to represent diverse backgrounds, experiences, gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and age
  • Social justice initiatives rooted in Jewish tradition receive priority

Geographic Specificity for Local Grants: Bay Area-focused grants require demonstration of local impact:

  • Jewish Pride Fund requires organizations to serve Bay Area Jewish LGBTQIA+ community
  • National organizations must demonstrate existing or planned Bay Area operations
  • Community security grants target specific Bay Area Jewish institutions

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact before applying: The Federation strongly encourages pre-application consultations (Danielle Meshorer for Jewish Pride Fund, philanthropy@jewishfed.org for general inquiries) to verify eligibility and alignment before investing time in applications

  • Strategic alignment is non-negotiable: The Federation has become more strategic under CEO Joy Sisisky's leadership, cutting funding to organizations not aligned with current strategic vision; demonstrate clear connection to one or more of the five impact areas

  • Consider the donor-advised fund pathway: With over 1,100 DAFs, individual philanthropists may be a more accessible funding source than Federation-directed grants; build relationships with Federation's philanthropic community through events and engagement opportunities

  • Multi-year thinking wins: Impact Grants Initiative and other major programs favor organizations with sustainability plans beyond grant funding; show how grant investment creates lasting change, not temporary programs

  • Collaborative engagement is valued: Be prepared for site visits, interviews, and ongoing dialogue; the Federation's giving circle model means donors want direct engagement with grantees, not just paper applications

  • Track the strategic evolution: The organization underwent major transformation 2023-2025 and rebranded in 2025; stay current with their evolving priorities by monitoring reports.jewishfed.org and signing up for updates

  • Leverage specific programs for specialized needs: Don't just apply to general Federation funding; target specific initiatives like Jewish Pride Fund ($5K-$10K for LGBTQIA+ programs), Tzedek Fund (Jews of Color focus), or Community Security (site security) that match your organization's unique profile

References

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