The Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation concentrates its giving in the Washington, DC area, providing large, discretionary gifts to support Jewish community infrastructure and major cultural institutions. The foundation’s grants are sizable and targeted, with repeated support to the regional Jewish Federation alongside significant funding for a leading contemporary art museum.
Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants focused locally; repeat funding to the Jewish Federation and one-off substantial support for a flagship cultural institution.
The Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation Inc. shows a clear pattern of large, discretionary support for Jewish community infrastructure in Greater Washington, DC, alongside sustained backing for major arts institutions. Its recent grants include seven-figure support for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in both 2024 and 2025, as well as substantial gifts to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. That mix points to a funder that works at the level of institutional capacity: federation operations, community-serving organizations, and cultural institutions with regional significance. The foundation’s giving also reaches beyond a single lane within the Jewish and civic landscape. Recent grants went to organizations such as the DC Jewish Community Center, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and the New Israel Fund, while other awards supported museums, performing arts, and nonprofit service providers across Washington, DC. The overall picture is of a private foundation making high-dollar grants with a strong local focus and a recurring interest in institutions that shape communal life, public culture, and service delivery in the region.
Jewish community infrastructure is a central theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $1,000,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for charitable purposes, following a $1,050,000 grant in 2024 to the same organization. The foundation also supports contemporary art and museum work. It awarded $375,000 in 2025 to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, after a $650,000 grant in 2024. Beyond those anchor areas, the foundation funds Jewish learning and service-oriented organizations. Examples include $250,000 to the DC Jewish Community Center, $100,000 to AVODAH The Jewish Service Corps Inc, and $100,000 to Lehrhaus Center for Jewish Life & Learning Inc, all in Washington, DC.
Typical grants cluster in the $20,000 to $50,000 range, with a median grant size of $25,000 and a 75th percentile of $50,000. At the same time, the foundation makes occasional very large institutional grants, including seven-figure awards. The grant record shows repeat support to the same recipients across multiple years, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Arena Stage, and DC Central Kitchen. It is a regular funder rather than a DAF and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$8.9M
$111.4M
$8.2M
$10.7M
Most grants fall between $20K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 340 | $22M | 99.1% |
| 2 | Israel |
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Notable grantees: Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Giving is highly concentrated in the Washington, DC region, with 59% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state of DC. North Bethesda, Maryland appears as the location of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, while Washington, DC itself accounts for many recipients, including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Bread for the City Inc, and Arena Stage. Virginia is the top state by grant count, indicating a broader regional footprint across the metro area. Outside the US, the recipient distribution includes 2 grants to Israel.
Its recent grants show a strong emphasis on Jewish community infrastructure, Jewish Federation capacity, and major cultural institutions. It also supports Jewish community centers, service organizations, and selected civic and nonprofit service providers in the Washington, DC region.
The typical grant size is $25,000 at the median, with the 25th percentile at $20,000 and the 75th percentile at $50,000. The foundation also makes much larger institutional grants, including awards in the hundreds of thousands and above.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat grants to several organizations across 2024 and 2025, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Arena Stage, and DC Central Kitchen.
Its giving is regional and concentrated in Greater Washington, DC. Fifty-nine percent of grants go to recipients in DC, and Virginia is the top state by grant count, showing that the foundation’s footprint extends across the metro area.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 |
| $120K |
0.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Greater Washington | North Bethesda, MD | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | Washington, DC | $375,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Bread for the City Inc | Washington, DC | $350,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Peace for DC | Washington, DC | $333,333 | 2025 | Charitable |
| DC Jewish Community Center | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| New Israel Fund | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Dreaming Out Loud Inc | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Arena Stage | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Miriam's Kitchen | Washington, DC | $166,667 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Social Good Fund | Richmond, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Develop | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Martha's Table | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Community of Hope | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Alliance for Middle East Peace Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Capital Area Food Bank | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Women for Women International | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Mary's Center | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Friendship Place | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| AVODAH The Jewish Service Corps Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Marine Biological Lab Annual Fund | Woods Hole, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Local Initiatives Support Corp - LISC | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Project Rozana USA | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| J Street Education Fund | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| N Street Village | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Washington Housing Conservancy | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| DC Central Kitchen Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Beit Berl College | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Lehrhaus Center for Jewish Life & Learning Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Habitat for Humanity of DC & Northern VA Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| DC Policy Center | Washington, DC | $90,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Children's Law Center | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| The Platform of Hope | Washington, DC | $60,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Jewish Funders Network | New York, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Jubilee Housing | Washington, DC | $60,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Free Minds Book Club | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Urban Alliance | Washington, DC | $54,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Bright Beginnings Inc | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Sixth & I Historic Synagogue | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Urban Teachers | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| DC Fiscal Policy Institute | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Educare | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Mi Casa Inc | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Mamatoto Village | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Reach Inc | Roanoke, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Medstar Georgetown University Hospital | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Council for Court Excellence | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
| Sitar Arts Center | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable |
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
$1,000,000Charitable
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
$375,000Charitable
Peace for DC
$333,333Charitable
New Israel Fund
$250,000Charitable
Dreaming Out Loud Inc
$250,000Charitable
Arena Stage
$200,000Charitable
Social Good Fund
$150,000Charitable
Community of Hope
$100,000Charitable
AVODAH The Jewish Service Corps Inc
$100,000Charitable
Marine Biological Lab Annual Fund
$100,000Charitable
Project Rozana USA
$100,000Charitable
J Street Education Fund
$100,000Charitable
Beit Berl College
$100,000Charitable
Lehrhaus Center for Jewish Life & Learning Inc
$100,000Charitable
Habitat for Humanity of DC & Northern VA Inc
$100,000Charitable
Children's Law Center
$75,000Charitable
The Platform of Hope
$60,000Charitable
Jubilee Housing
$60,000Charitable
Free Minds Book Club
$55,000Charitable
Urban Alliance
$54,000Charitable
Urban Teachers
$50,000Charitable
DC Fiscal Policy Institute
$50,000Charitable
Educare
$50,000Charitable
The Nature Conservancy
$50,000Charitable
Mi Casa Inc
$50,000Charitable
Mamatoto Village
$50,000Charitable
Reach Inc
$50,000Charitable
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
$50,000Charitable