About Colen Family Foundation
The Colen Family Foundation concentrates its giving on Jewish communal life, Israel-related organizations, and campus Jewish engagement, with sizable support for both local Bay Area institutions and national Jewish causes. It also makes targeted gifts to medical and cancer research and occasional local healthcare and social service programs. Many grants are annual campaign or board-restricted gifts and honors/recommendations from family members, reflecting donor-directed priorities tied to Jewish identity, Israel, and philanthropy in health.
Focus Areas
Central Jewish community support in the Bay Area (Jewish Community Federation funding and annual campaign gifts)Campus Jewish life and student engagement (Berkeley Hillel / Bnai Brith Hillel, Hillel Foundation, Moishe House)Israel advocacy, media, and education (AIPAC, Israel21c, Friends of the IDF, Birthright Israel)Jewish philanthropy for scientific and cancer research (Weizmann Institute endowed cancer funds, Stanford cancer support)Jewish social welfare and remembrance (MAZON anti-hunger work, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jewish senior living support)
Who They Fund
cancer patients and researchers
About Colen Family Foundation
The Colen Family Foundation’s largest recent gift was $1,350,000 to the Jewish Community Federation for the SCP Investment Charitable Fund, a signal of how central Jewish communal institutions are to its giving. Across the recent grant list, the foundation backs Jewish community infrastructure, campus Jewish life, Israel-related organizations, and selected health causes, especially cancer research and patient support. It also uses grants to support donor-directed federation funds, annual campaigns, and named endowments, which points to a mix of institutional commitments and family-specific priorities. Recent awards show that its Jewish giving reaches both local Bay Area organizations and national groups. Berkeley Hillel received $100,000 for the Ed Endowment, while Hillel the Foundation for Jewish Life in Washington, DC received $40,000 for its Board of Governors annual gift. The foundation also supported Moishe House, Birthright Israel Foundation, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. On the health side, Stanford University and the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science received grants tied to cancer research and patient services. A smaller set of grants also touched humanitarian relief, anti-hunger work, and commemorative events.
What Colen Family Foundation Funds
Jewish communal support is the clearest thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. The Jewish Community Federation received $200,000 for East Bay ECE and another $25,000 for the Ukraine Emergency Fund, showing that federation-linked gifts can support both local early childhood work and crisis response. The federation also received $25,000 for the annual campaign and women’s philanthropy, plus $10,000 for the annual campaign. Campus Jewish life is another recurring area. The foundation gave $100,000 to Bnai Brith Hillel Foundation at Ucb Dba Berkeley Hillel for the Ed Endowment, and also supported Berkeley Hillel with an $18,000 annual board commitment. Moishe House in Encinitas received $18,000 for general support and $15,000 again the following year. Health-related grants are more selective but specific. Stanford University received $50,000 for the Women’s Cancer Center, Under One Umbrella and another $15,000 for Special Patient Services and the Cancer Discovery Fund. The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science received $20,000 for the J. & S. Colen Endowed Cancer Research Fund of the Weizmann Institute.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.7M
Total Assets
$0
Total Revenue
$0
Total Expenses
$5K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $14K and $25K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$25K
Geographic Reach
Regional5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
SANDY COLEN
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