Jewish Community Foundation of the West
ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
About Jewish Community Foundation of the West
The Jewish Community Foundation of the West exists to enhance charitable giving, facilitate philanthropy both locally and worldwide, and build permanent financial resources to safeguard and strengthen organizations and community initiatives that serve the Jewish families of Northern California and neighboring States.
Focus Areas
Jewish community support and continuityScholarships and educationYouth programs and teen trips to IsraelWomen's philanthropy (Lions of Judah)Nonprofit endowment building and capacityPlanned giving and legacy gifts
About Jewish Community Foundation of the West
The Jewish Community Foundation of the West uses an unrestricted endowment to support community programs that address needs locally, regionally, nationally, or globally, while also building permanent charitable resources for Jewish families in Northern California and neighboring states. That combination of flexible grantmaking and long-term endowment building shapes the foundation’s profile. Recent grants show a strong core around Jewish communal institutions in Sacramento and beyond. Jewish Federation of the Sac received $194,937 in 2023 and $154,639 in 2025, while Mosaic Law Congregation received $100,477 in 2025 and $73,190 in 2023. The foundation also funded Hillel at Davis & Sacramento with $78,101 in 2025 and $69,196 in 2023, and Shalom School with $85,209 in 2023 and $56,866 in 2025. Beyond those anchors, the foundation’s grantmaking also reaches scholarships, youth programs, elder support, and legacy-oriented philanthropy through named funds and affiliated programs. Its portfolio includes support for Jewish education, summer camps, transportation for Jewish elders, and planned giving efforts tied to the broader community infrastructure it helps maintain.
What Jewish Community Foundation of the West Funds
Jewish education is a visible part of the foundation’s work. It gave $85,209 to Shalom School in 2023 and $60,000 to the Regents of the Univ Davis in 2024, alongside support for Hillel at Davis & Sacramento in multiple years. Youth programming is another recurring theme. The foundation awarded $78,101 in 2025 to Hillel at Davis & Sacramento and $44,266 in 2025 to North Tahoe Hebrew Congre, both tied to Jewish community engagement for younger people and students. The foundation also supports senior and community services. It granted $45,211 in 2024 to Trust Fund for Jewish Seniors and $52,000 in 2023 to Albert Einstein Residence Cen, reflecting attention to older adults and care-related needs. Legacy and capacity-building run alongside direct service. Active programs include Life & Legacy Program, Permanent Endowment, and Quasi Endowment, each tied to planned giving or organizational sustainability.
How Jewish Community Foundation of the West Gives
Typical grants cluster in the middle range: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $24,025, and the 75th percentile is $52,000. Recent grants show repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Jewish Federation of the Sac, Mosaic Law Congregation, Hillel at Davis & Sacramento, Shalom School, Temple or Rishon, and Trust Fund for Jewish Seniors. The foundation is structured around endowed funds and donor-advised or programmatic vehicles rather than individual giving, and several active programs are set up for established nonprofit partners rather than open solicitation. Programs such as Programs for Teens and Quasi Endowment accept unsolicited requests, while many of the named funds do not.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.1M
Total Assets
$21.1M
Total Revenue
$3.6M
Total Expenses
$1.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $52K, with a median of $24K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$24K
75th Percentile
$52K
Geographic Reach
Regional9 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHAEL ELLISON
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