The Bernard and Sandra Otterman Foundation concentrates its giving on education and civil-society projects with a pronounced focus on Jewish/Israel-related civic and antisemitism programming, as well as conflict-affected communities and capacity-building in the Middle East and South Asia. Grants tend to support programmatic work, emergency response for Israeli civil society, and education initiatives (including social–emotional learning and higher education). The foundation gives relatively few, sizable gifts and often repeats support to the same organizations.
A repeated $75,000 commitment to Facing History and Ourselves Inc anchors the Bernard and Sandra Otterman Foundation’s recent grantmaking and points to one of its clearest priorities: education tied to combating contemporary antisemitism. The foundation has also backed New Israel Fund for civil society capacity building and urgent response work, showing a parallel interest in Jewish civic infrastructure and Israel-related emergency support. Across its recent grants, the foundation also appears in conflict-response and education-focused work, including civilian-harm policy projects, higher education support in the Middle East, and social and emotional learning initiatives. The pattern is not limited to one issue area. Grants in the recent list support women’s entrepreneurship in India, Palestinian-focused policy and relief-related work, and school-based programs for youth. The amounts suggest a funder that makes relatively selective gifts, often at meaningful sizes rather than broad, small-scale awards. Several grantees appear more than once, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off transactions. Overall, the Bernard and Sandra Otterman Foundation gives to organizations working in education, civil society, and conflict-affected settings, with a strong emphasis on Jewish and Israel-related civic concerns alongside international program work.
In antisemitism education, the foundation gave $75,000 to Facing History and Ourselves Inc for “Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century,” including a repeat gift at the same amount in 2024. That places education about contemporary antisemitism near the center of its grantmaking. In Israeli civil society support, it awarded $60,000 to New Israel Fund for the Nasij civil society capacity building program and the Seizing the Moment Program to build a vision for peace and security, and another $50,000 for the Emergency Action Plan fund 2023-2024: Phase 1. It also gave $50,000 to Center for Civilians in Conflict for a US EWIPA Policy and Community-Based Amends Guiding Principles Project, plus $25,000 for a Civilian Harm Mitigation Playbook for Lesson Planners 2.0. Education extends into higher ed and K-12: the foundation supported Center for Higher Education in the Middle East Inc for the Oleander Project for Lebanese Students, and Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning for general support and access to the Social and Emotional Learning Exchange.
$342K
$5.1M
$628K
$393K
Most grants fall between $2K and $35K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$35K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated giving with relatively large grants, multiple repeat awards to key grantees, and a mix of program-restricted and general/unrestricted support across a small portfolio of organizations.
Notable grantees: Facing History and Ourselves, New Israel Fund, Pollinate Group, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Center for Higher Education in the Middle East
Typical gifts cluster around a median of $10,000, with a lower quartile of $2,244 and an upper quartile of $35,000. Recent awards range from small five-figure grants to repeated six-figure-scale totals across multiple entries, with several organizations receiving more than one grant in different years. That repeat pattern shows ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation is a regular funder and does not make program-related investments. It also funds individuals, but the recent grant list here reflects organizational grants rather than an open application process.
The foundation’s giving is national in scope, and every grant in the recent list goes to a US recipient. California appears most often as the top state by grant count, with recipients in Los Altos and Sebastopol. Other repeated recipient locations include Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Boston. New York shows up through grantees in Brooklyn, New York, and Hempstead. The recipient-country distribution is entirely US-based, with 50 grants listed in the sample.
Its recent grants center on combating contemporary antisemitism, Israeli civil society support, civilian-harm mitigation policy, higher education in the Middle East, women’s entrepreneurship in India, and school-based social and emotional learning. The named grants show both education-oriented work and conflict-response or capacity-building work.
Yes. The recent list includes multiple repeats across years, such as Facing History and Ourselves Inc, New Israel Fund, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Pollinate Group, Center for Higher Education in the Middle East Inc, Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning, and Hofstra University.
The reported distribution places the 25th percentile at $2,244, the median at $10,000, and the 75th percentile at $35,000. Recent grants also show larger individual awards, including multiple $50,000 and $75,000 grants.
California is the top state by grant count, with recipients in Los Altos and Sebastopol appearing in the recent grants list. Other frequent recipient locations include Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago, and New York.
The recent grants shown here are all to US recipients, and the foundation’s geographic scope is national. Even when projects refer to India, Lebanon, or Israel-related work, the recipient organizations listed in the sample are US-based.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $60,000 | 2026 | to support the Nasij civil society capacity building program and the Seizing the Moment Program to build a vision for peace and security |
| POLLINATE GROUP | LOS ALTOS, CA | $54,848 | 2026 | Empowering 200 Women Entrepreneurs Through Financial Literacy in India |
| CENTER FOR CIVILIANS IN CONFLICT | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | US EWIPA Policy and Community-Based Amends Guiding Principles Project |
| CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | Oleander Project for Lebanese Students |
| MJR LOVE INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $22,000 | 2026 | NYC Teach Fabulous! program expansion |
| OLIGO NATION | SEBASTOPOL, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY | HEMPSTEAD, NY | $9,891 | 2026 | 2025 Summer Journalism Institute |
| NEO PHILANTHROPY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,250 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century |
| POLLINATE GROUP | LOS ALTOS, CA | $51,000 | 2025 | Expanding the women entrepreneurship model to the eastern and north eastern part of India |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | Urgent Needs Fund |
| CENTER FOR CIVILIANS IN CONFLICT | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | US EWIPA Policy and Community-Based Amends Guiding Principles Project |
| COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LE | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | Underwrite and support equitable access to the 2023 Social and Emotional Learning Exchange |
| PLOUGHSHARES FUND INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | social justice initiatives under the Equity Rises program |
| CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $9,459 | 2025 | 2024 Operating Costs/General Support |
| HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY | HEMPSTEAD, NY | $8,891 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEO PHILANTHROPY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Peace and Security Funders Group for 2024 Membership Support |
| CITY PARKS FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,244 | 2025 | Tree Guard Grant |
| NADIAS INITIATIVE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | establishment of the Women's Centre, specifically for the provision of mental health and psychosocial support, to include hiring and training of trauma counselors in the community, in partnership with the Center for Victims of Torture |
| THE TREVOR PROJECT INC | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PALESTINE CHILDRENS RELIEF FUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | Palestine Relief and Recovery Campaign |
| BY ALL MEANS LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | Emergency Action Plan fund 2023-2024: Phase 1 |
| CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $43,850 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| POLLINATE GROUP | LOS ALTOS, CA | $40,200 | 2024 | Empowering marginalized women in India through a clean energy entrepreneurship model |
| COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LE | CHICAGO, IL | $23,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRANS FORMATIVE SCHOOLS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $21,000 | 2024 | Afterschool Program |
| CENTER FOR CIVILIANS IN CONFLICT | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2024 | Justice for Civilian Harm in Somalia: Making US Amends Policy Responsive to Civilian Communities |
| HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY | HEMPSTEAD, NY | $18,403 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| FRIENDS OF AMAL-TIKVA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| CITY HARVEST INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIVE AMERICANS | ADDISON, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEO PHILANTHROPY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LE | CHICAGO, IL | $40,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $35,000 | 2023 | Rwanda Pain Free Hospital Initiative |
| CENTER FOR CIVILIANS IN CONFLICT | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2023 | Civilian Harm Mitigation Playbook for Lesson Planners 2.0 |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| POLLINATE GROUP | LOS ALTOS, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Micro Entrepreneurship Training Program - India |
| THE TREVOR PROJECT INC | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY | BRONX, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| DIRECT RELIEF | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| SUNNYSIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES INC | SUNNYSIDE, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| KRATT BROTHERS CREATURE HERO SOCIETY | STOWE, VT | $1,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEO PHILANTHROPY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $520 | 2023 | Peace and Security Funders Group for 2022 Membership Support |
| CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND INC | MONTPELIER, VT | $500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC
$75,000Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century
to support the Nasij civil society capacity building program and the Seizing the Moment Program to build a vision for peace and security
POLLINATE GROUP
$54,848Empowering 200 Women Entrepreneurs Through Financial Literacy in India
US EWIPA Policy and Community-Based Amends Guiding Principles Project
CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC
$50,000Oleander Project for Lebanese Students
MJR LOVE INC
$22,000NYC Teach Fabulous! program expansion
OLIGO NATION
$15,000General & Unrestricted
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC
$75,000Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century
POLLINATE GROUP
$51,000Expanding the women entrepreneurship model to the eastern and north eastern part of India
US EWIPA Policy and Community-Based Amends Guiding Principles Project
Underwrite and support equitable access to the 2023 Social and Emotional Learning Exchange
social justice initiatives under the Equity Rises program
CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC
$9,4592024 Operating Costs/General Support
Peace and Security Funders Group for 2024 Membership Support
NADIAS INITIATIVE INC
$2,000establishment of the Women's Centre, specifically for the provision of mental health and psychosocial support, to include hiring and training of trauma counselors in the community, in partnership with the Center for Victims of Torture
BY ALL MEANS LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE INC
$1,000General & Unrestricted
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC
$75,000Combating Contemporary Antisemitism in the 21st Century
CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC
$43,850General & Unrestricted
POLLINATE GROUP
$40,200Empowering marginalized women in India through a clean energy entrepreneurship model
COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LE
$23,000General & Unrestricted
TRANS FORMATIVE SCHOOLS INC
$21,000Afterschool Program
Justice for Civilian Harm in Somalia: Making US Amends Policy Responsive to Civilian Communities
FRIENDS OF AMAL-TIKVA
$10,000General & Unrestricted
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted
Civilian Harm Mitigation Playbook for Lesson Planners 2.0
CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
POLLINATE GROUP
$10,000Micro Entrepreneurship Training Program - India
KRATT BROTHERS CREATURE HERO SOCIETY
$1,000General & Unrestricted
Peace and Security Funders Group for 2022 Membership Support