The Harvey L Miller Supporting Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on Jewish education, religious life, rabbinic and cantor training, and community infrastructure, while also supporting select cultural and civic institutions in the Chicago area. Grants frequently cover general operating support and debt relief for long-standing Jewish day schools, seminaries, congregations, federations, and communal organizations, with occasional gifts to regional cultural institutions and disaster relief. The foundation favors organizations that sustain Jewish learning, leadership development, and community continuity, often funding both local Chicago institutions and national Jewish organizations focused on Israel and Jewish identity.
A $1,465,000 grant to the Jewish Theological Seminary of America for general operating support and a director’s fund stands out in the Harvey L Miller Supporting Foundation’s recent giving. That award reflects the foundation’s emphasis on Jewish theological education and leadership formation, which runs alongside support for Jewish day schools, congregations, federations, and community institutions. The foundation also backs organizations that help sustain Jewish identity and communal continuity, including Holocaust education and Israeli-related programming. Recent grants show a pattern of substantial operating support rather than narrow project funding. The foundation gave $750,000 to the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago for general operating support, and it awarded $650,000 to Rochelle Zell Jewish High School for general operating support and debt relief. These gifts sit within a broader portfolio that includes long-running Jewish institutions in Chicago and beyond, with repeated support to schools, seminaries, and communal organizations. Select grants also extend to cultural and civic institutions, indicating a regional giving style that connects Jewish communal priorities with a few broader public-facing organizations.
Jewish education and leadership development are central themes. The Harvey L Miller Supporting Foundation gave $100,000 to the National Ramah Commission for the Israel Intensive Program, linking youth and Israel education within a Jewish educational network. It also supported The Schechter Institutes Inc with $100,000 for general operating support, reinforcing the foundation’s interest in Jewish learning institutions. Community infrastructure is another clear area of support. The foundation gave $250,000 to Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago for general operating support, and $350,000 to The Ark for general operating support. Religious life appears in grants such as $150,000 to Congregation Beth Shalom for general operating support, showing attention to congregational capacity as well as broader communal institutions. Cultural and civic giving appears as a smaller but consistent thread. Shedd Aquarium Society received $100,000 for general operating support, and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center received major support for general operating support and debt relief.
$2.3M
$252K
$2.6M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $50K and $250K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$250K
LORI S KHANUK
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Concentrated giving: a relatively small number of mid-to-large grants focused on repeat grantees. Multiple multi-year or multiple grants to the same organizations indicate core/support funding (operating and debt relief), with occasional smaller gifts to national Jewish bodies and regional cultural/disaster causes.
Notable grantees: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago / Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, The Schechter Institutes
Typical grants are sizable: the p25 is $50,000, the median is $100,000, and the p75 is $250,000. The distribution leans toward operating support, with some debt relief and director’s fund grants mixed in. The same organizations appear across multiple years, including repeated awards to Jewish federations, seminaries, schools, and museum institutions, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-time project-only giving. The foundation is a supporting foundation, and its grantmaking is entirely to nonprofit organizations rather than individuals.
Giving is concentrated in Illinois, which accounts for 58% of grants and is the foundation’s top state by grant count. Chicago-area recipients include Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, The Ark, and Shedd Aquarium Society, with additional support going to Deerfield, Skokie, and Naperville. Outside Illinois, the foundation funds institutions in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but the bulk of its recent grant activity remains tied to metropolitan Chicago.
It gives most often to Jewish communal institutions: seminaries, federations, day schools, congregations, and Holocaust education organizations. Recent grants also include a few cultural institutions and disaster-response gifts, but the main pattern is support for Jewish education, religious life, and community infrastructure.
The grant-size distribution centers on mid-to-large awards: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $100,000, and p75 is $250,000. The recent list also includes several larger operating-support grants above that range.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, The Ark, Shedd Aquarium Society, and Congregation Beth Shalom.
Illinois receives the most grants, with 58% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Chicago-area organizations make up much of that activity, including recipients in Chicago, Deerfield, Skokie, and Naperville.
No. Most of its recent giving goes to Jewish institutions, but the list also includes Shedd Aquarium Society in Chicago and disaster-relief support in Hawaii, showing some selective support outside the Jewish communal sector.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER | SKOKIE, IL | $350,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION COUNCIL OF GREATER LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPERTUS INST FOR JEWISH LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CANTORS ASSEMBLY INC | FAIRLAWN, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE SCHECHTER INSTITUTES | WILLOW GROVE, PA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE ARK | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SHEDD AQUARIUM SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SOLOMON SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL OF METRO CHICAGO | NORTHBROOK, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM | NAPERVILLE, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ROCHELLE ZELL JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL | DEERFIELD, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $52,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMER NATL RED CROSS & CONSTITUENT CHAP & BRANCHES | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CANCER WELLNESS CENTER | NORTHBROOK, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ROCHELLE ZELL JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL | DEERFIELD, IL | $550,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER | SKOKIE, IL | $350,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM | NAPERVILLE, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL RAMAH COMMISSION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | ISRAEL INTENSIVE PROGRAM |
| THE ARK | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SHEDD AQUARIUM SOCIETY | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE SCHECHTER INSTITUTES | WILLOW GROVE, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPERTUS INST FOR JEWISH LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CANTORS ASSEMBLY INC | FAIRLAWN, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMER NATL RED CROSS & CONSTITUENT CHAP & BRANCHES | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | HAWAII WILDFIRES |
| JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CANCER WELLNESS CENTER | NORTHBROOK, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST |
| UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Jewish Theological Seminary of America | New York, NY | $1,465,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support and Director's Fund |
| Rochelle Zell Jewish High School | Deerfield, IL | $650,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support and Debt Relief |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center | Skokie, IL | $350,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support and Debt Relief |
| Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| The ARK | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Shedd Aquarium Society | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| The Schechter Institutes Inc | Willow Grove, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Congregation Beth Shalom - Naperville | Naperville, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Cantors Assembly Inc | Fairlawn, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| The Jewish Federations of North America | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | Israel Action Network |
| Jack Miller Center for Teaching America's Founding Principles and History | Bala Cynwyd, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support |
| Cancer Wellness Center | Northbrook, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | Child Psychologist |
| Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center | Skokie, IL | $550,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support and Debt Relief |
| Rochelle Zell Jewish High School | Deerfield, IL | $550,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support and Debt Relief |
| The Ark | Chicago, IL | $350,000 | 2023 | General Operating Support |
ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER
$350,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CANTORS ASSEMBLY INC
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SOLOMON SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL OF METRO CHICAGO
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA
$52,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF AMERICA
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER
$350,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
$150,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CANTORS ASSEMBLY INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF AMERICA
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
$1,465,000General Operating Support and Director's Fund
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
$350,000General Operating Support and Debt Relief
Congregation Beth Shalom - Naperville
$100,000General Operating Support
Cantors Assembly Inc
$50,000General Operating Support
General Operating Support
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
$550,000General Operating Support and Debt Relief