To advance the health, economic, social, and cultural well-being of all communities regionally and nationwide.
A defining feature of Arab Community Center for Economic and S is its use of donor-directed fund distribution to move substantial grants to Arab American and related community organizations, scholarship funds, and humanitarian groups. In the recent grants list, the largest payment went to the Center for Arab American Philanthropy in Dearborn, Michigan, at $614,252, followed by six-figure support to UNRWA WSA National Committee in Washington, DC, and the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation in Washington, DC. Those awards sit alongside funding for universities, scholarship funds, and community organizations that serve Arab American communities, New Americans, and vulnerable families. The foundation’s public description centers on advancing the health, economic, social, and cultural well-being of communities regionally and nationwide. Its grantmaking reflects that broad remit: health-related organizations appear next to education, workforce, immigration and citizenship services, family stability, and arts and cultural programming. Some grants flow to institutions such as The University of Toledo Foundation, University of Detroit Mercy, and Wayne State University, while others support community-serving organizations like Arab American Family Services and the Arab American Association of NY. The mix suggests a funder that combines direct community support with scholarship and institutional philanthropy through CAAP-managed funds.
Education is a clear thread in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $92,000 to The University of Toledo Foundation in 2025 and $64,000 to University of Detroit Mercy in the same year, with additional support to Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, at $50,500 in 2024 and $43,000 in 2025. Scholarship activity also appears in the CAAP Scholarship Funds and the Issam and Rima Abbas Endowed Scholarship. Community and newcomer support is another visible area. The Building Blocks for New Americans Fund is aimed at families fleeing war, hunger, and other hardships, and the recent grants include $62,500 to Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey, and $41,000 to Lebanese Empowered Against Poverty Inc in Windermere, Florida. Arts and culture also show up through CAAP impact-area and community grantmaking tied to Arab American community development.
$2.8M
$108.6M
$56.4M
$48M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$30K
MAHA FREIJ
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Typical grant size is relatively modest: p25 is $10,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $30,000. The recent grants list also shows a layered pattern of funding, with a handful of very large donor-directed distributions and many smaller awards in the scholarship and community categories. Several recipients appear more than once across the recent-grants table, including The University of Toledo Foundation, University of Detroit Mercy, Kettering University, Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund Inc, and Arab American Community-related organizations, which points to repeated support rather than one-off awards. The foundation operates through CAAP-managed funds and donor-directed fund distribution, and the active programs indicate no unsolicited applications for most grantmaking channels. One scholarship fund, the Issam and Rima Abbas Endowed Scholarship, is listed as accepting unsolicited applications.
Grantmaking is national, with all recent recipients located in the United States. Michigan is the top state by grant count, and 24% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Michigan. Recent awards reach Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Brooklyn, Bridgeview, Clifton, and Chicago, showing a spread from the Midwest to the Northeast and beyond. The Washington, DC area also appears frequently in the recent grants list, including UNRWA WSA National Committee, United Palestinian Appeal, and Syrian American Medical Society Foundation.
Its recent giving includes Arab American community organizations, scholarship funds, universities, newcomer support, humanitarian relief groups, and arts and cultural organizations. The foundation’s own description also points to public health, medical services, behavioral health, education, employment services, immigration and citizenship services, financial stability, and cultural programming.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. That sits alongside some much larger donor-directed distributions in the recent grants list.
Michigan is the top state by grant count, and 24% of grants go to recipients in Michigan. Recent Michigan recipients include organizations in Dearborn, Detroit, and Flint.
Yes. Active programs include CAAP Scholarship Funds and the Issam and Rima Abbas Endowed Scholarship. Recent grants also include The University of Toledo Foundation, University of Detroit Mercy, Kettering University, and Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund Inc.
Repeated support appears in the recent grants list. The University of Toledo Foundation, University of Detroit Mercy, Kettering University, Palestinian Students Scholarship Fund Inc, and Arab American community organizations each show up more than once across the listed years.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELNAJJAR JOUDAH FOUNDATION | ALPHARETTA, GA | $647,951 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| MYRIAD USA | NEW YORK, NY | $255,316 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO FOUNDATION | TOLEDO, OH | $188,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| HOLY LAND CHRISTIANS SOCIETY | FALLS CHURCH, VA | $150,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| AMEL ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL | SUGAR LAND, TX | $104,775 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| RAMALLAH FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - FLINT | FLINT, MI | $100,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| JUSOOR | MENLO PARK, CA | $54,212 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| FRIENDS OF TAAWON INC | IRVINE, CA | $52,853 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE COUNCIL | FLINT, MI | $51,750 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| PALESTINIAN STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC | BRIDGEVIEW, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| LOURDES UNIVERSITY | SYLVANIA, OH | $48,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA | DETROIT, MI | $40,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| OHIO UNIVERSITY | ATHEN, OH | $40,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY | DETROIT, MI | $36,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN RAMALLAH FEDERATION EDUCATION FUND | WESTLAND, MI | $35,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| UNITED PALESTINIAN APPEAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $35,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - DEARBORN | DEARBORN, MI | $32,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| MIZNA | ST PAUL, MN | $30,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARAB AMERICAN FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ADC RESEARCH INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARAB AMERICAN FUND OF GEORGIA INC DBA ALIF INSTITUTE | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ELMAHABA CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $27,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| MISSION EDGE SAN DIEGO | EL CAJON, CA | $27,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ST JOHN'S UNIVERSITY | QUEENS, NY | $26,200 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| PALESTINIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION | FAIRFAX, VA | $25,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| YAA SAMAR DANCE THEATER | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| MUSEUM OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARTEEAST | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| PILLARS FUND | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| KETTERING UNIVERSITY | FLINT, MI | $23,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY | DETROIT, MI | $22,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| WASHINGTON STREET HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| PALESTINE MUSEUM US CORPORATION | WOODBRIDGE, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| UPRISING THEATER | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARAB FILM AND MEDIA INSTITUTE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| REMIX CULTURE INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| NEW ARAB AMERICAN THEATER WORKS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| NOOR THEATRE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| THE NEW SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $16,527 | 2026 | DONODR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| FRACTURED ATLAS - NY LUBDUB THEATRE CO LLC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| DANCE ELIXIR | OAKLAND, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ZAWAYA | SAN MATEO, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $15,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| A HOST OF PEOPLE | DETROIT, MI | $15,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA | DEARBORN, MI | $13,400 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| MICHIGAN TECH FUND | HOUGHTON, MI | $12,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $10,800 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
| SOMALI FAMILY SERVICE OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION |
ELNAJJAR JOUDAH FOUNDATION
$647,951DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
HOLY LAND CHRISTIANS SOCIETY
$150,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
AMEL ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
$104,775DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
RAMALLAH FOUNDATION INC
DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - FLINT
$100,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
FRIENDS OF TAAWON INC
$52,853DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE COUNCIL
$51,750DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
PALESTINIAN STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC
$50,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
LOURDES UNIVERSITY
$48,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
NATIONAL ARAB ORCHESTRA
$40,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
AMERICAN RAMALLAH FEDERATION EDUCATION FUND
$35,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - DEARBORN
$32,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
MIZNA
$30,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ADC RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$30,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ARAB AMERICAN FUND OF GEORGIA INC DBA ALIF INSTITUTE
$30,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ELMAHABA CENTER
$27,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ST JOHN'S UNIVERSITY
$26,200DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
YAA SAMAR DANCE THEATER
$25,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
MUSEUM OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
$25,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ARTEEAST
$25,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
KETTERING UNIVERSITY
$23,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
$22,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
WASHINGTON STREET HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
PALESTINE MUSEUM US CORPORATION
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
UPRISING THEATER
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ARAB FILM AND MEDIA INSTITUTE
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
REMIX CULTURE INC
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
NEW ARAB AMERICAN THEATER WORKS
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
NOOR THEATRE INC
$20,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
DANCE ELIXIR
$15,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ZAWAYA
$15,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY CENTER
$15,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
A HOST OF PEOPLE
$15,000DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION
THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA
$13,400DONOR DIRECT FUND DISTRIBUTION