To preserve and enrich Jewish communal life by funding and cultivating programs that strengthen the Jewish community locally, in Israel, and around the world, and to ensure Jewish continuity through education, advocacy, security and philanthropic leadership.
Emergency support for Jewish communities in Israel and for national Jewish federated partners stands out in the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s recent giving. In 2025, the largest grant in the list went to The Jewish Federations of North America for $3,531,800, followed by $1,881,800 to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and $1,484,904 to the Jewish Agency for Israel-North American Council, all described as emergency support. That pattern shows a federation that moves substantial dollars through national Jewish infrastructure when crises arise, while also maintaining a strong local role in Greater Houston. The funder’s stated purpose is to preserve and enrich Jewish communal life by supporting programs that strengthen the Jewish community locally, in Israel, and around the world. Recent local grantmaking includes repeated support for the Houston Jewish Community Foundation, Evelyn Rubenstein JCC, Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, and The Emery/Weiner School. The mix of emergency aid, community institutions, scholarships, and endowment support suggests a multi-channel approach: allocate for immediate needs, strengthen core organizations, and build long-term Jewish continuity.
Community security is one clear theme. The Joan and Stanford Alexander Family Community Security Program focuses on safety infrastructure and training for Jewish institutions in Greater Houston, showing that security is treated as a dedicated program area rather than an ad hoc expense. Education and youth engagement are another major thread: the Camp & Israel Scholarships program helps families with financial need send children to Jewish overnight camp in North America or to short-term and gap-year programs in Israel. The recent grants also point to early childhood and educational investment, including $1,000,000 to the Houston Jewish Community Foundation for Marvin Barish Early Childhood support and $772,500 for the Leo Baeck Education Center Endowment. Social services and basic needs appear in support for Jewish Family Service in Houston, which received $877,266 for general support and Covid-19 relief.
The typical grant size is moderate but wide-ranging: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $59,888, and the 75th percentile is $175,000. The recent list also includes several seven-figure awards, indicating that the federation moves large allocations alongside smaller operating and program grants. Recipients recur across years and often within the same institution, especially Houston-based community organizations and national Jewish agencies. The structure includes annual allocations, a local impact fund, a local core fund, scholarships, and a foundation arm that likely manages donor-advised and endowment giving. Unsolicited applications are accepted for several active programs, including the Local Impact Fund and Camp & Israel Scholarships.
$26M
$17.1M
$29.1M
$24.3M
Most grants fall between $20K and $175K, with a median of $60K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$60K
75th Percentile
$175K
Renee Wizig-Barrios
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Grantmaking is national, but the center of gravity is Texas: 47% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and Houston appears repeatedly across the recent grants list. Many local awards go to Houston organizations such as the Houston Jewish Community Foundation, Evelyn Rubenstein JCC, Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services, Jewish Family Service, The Emery/Weiner School, and Houston Jewish Community Fndn. Outside Texas, the largest recent grants go to New York-based Jewish infrastructure organizations, including The Jewish Federations of North America and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. All listed recipient grants are in the US.
Its stated focus includes Jewish education, community security, social services and basic needs, Israel and global Jewish support, youth engagement and scholarships, inclusion and services for at-risk populations, and capacity-building for local organizations. Recent grants also show emergency support, early childhood investment, and endowment support.
The grant-size distribution is broad. The 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $59,888, and the 75th percentile is $175,000. The recent grants list also includes several awards at $1,000,000 and above.
Yes. Several active programs explicitly accept unsolicited applications, including the Local Impact Fund, Camp & Israel Scholarships, the Local Core Fund, the Foundation arm, and the Annual Campaign.
Texas is the top state by grant count, with 47% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Houston organizations appear frequently, and the grantmaking scope is national.
Active programs include the Joan and Stanford Alexander Family Community Security Program, the Local Impact Fund, Camp & Israel Scholarships, the Local Core Fund, the Global Jewish Peoplehood Fund, and the Annual Campaign. These cover security, local community needs, scholarships, core operating support, and global Jewish support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Jewish Federation of Greater Houston that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Jewish schools, synagogues, and organizations across Greater Houston needing additional target hardening and quick resources; priority given to institutions needing main entrance security enhancements and those lacking basic security elements.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Jewish Federations of North America | New York, NY | $3,531,800 | 2025 | Emergency support, various Israel causes |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee | New York, NY | $1,881,800 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Jewish Agency for Israel-North American Council | New York, NY | $1,484,904 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Houston Jewish Community Fndn | Houston, TX | $1,430,856 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Marvin Barish Early Childhood support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Marvin Barish Early Childhood support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $600,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Evelyn Rubenstein JCC | Houston, TX | $586,581 | 2025 | General support |
| Evelyn Rubenstein JCC | Houston, TX | $573,612 | 2025 | General support |
| Hadassah | New York, NY | $494,500 | 2025 | General support |
| The Jewish Federations of North America Inc | New York, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The Jewish Federations of North America Inc | New York, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services | Houston, TX | $388,421 | 2025 | General support |
| Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services | Houston, TX | $383,965 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $350,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The EmeryWeiner School | Houston, TX | $318,235 | 2025 | General support |
| The Emery Weiner School | Houston, TX | $299,250 | 2025 | General support |
| Friends of the Israel Defense Forces | New York, NY | $255,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Alexander Jewish Family Service | Houston, TX | $253,500 | 2025 | General support |
| American Friends of Magen David Adom | New York, NY | $235,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Houston Jewish Community Foundation | Houston, TX | $234,875 | 2025 | General support |
| Bikur Verzat Cholim Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $225,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Save A Child's Heart Foundation | Potomac, MD | $225,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Nefesh B'Nefesh | Paramus, NJ | $225,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Friends of United Hatzalah | New York, NY | $210,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Jewish Family Service | Houston, TX | $207,523 | 2025 | General support |
| Save A Child's Heart Foundation | Potomac, MD | $200,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Bikur Verzat Cholim Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Sefaradic Gan dba Yeshiva Torat Emet | Houston, TX | $179,850 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Women's International Zionist Organization | Bay Harbor Islands, FL | $175,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Just One Life Inc | New York, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Women's International Zionist Org | New York, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Just One Life Inc | New York, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Coordinating Council for Jewish Homeland | Far Rockaway, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Zecher Avrohom Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Coordinating Council for the Jewish Homeland Inc | Far Rockaway, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Zecher Avrohom Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Yeshiva Torat Emet | Houston, TX | $152,525 | 2025 | General support |
| Jewish National Fund | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General support |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Inc | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The Koby Mandell Foundation Inc | Cedarhurst, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Emunah of America Inc | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General support |
| The Koby Mandell Foundation | Cedarhurst, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Ben Gurion University | New York, NY | $135,000 | 2025 | General support |
| Houston Jewish Community Fndn | Houston, TX | $135,000 | 2025 | Emergency support - Rashi Foundation/YEDA Endowment |
| Beth Yeshurun Day School | Houston, TX | $132,450 | 2025 | General support |
| The Shlenker School | Houston, TX | $131,025 | 2025 | General support |
| American Friends of Leket Israel | Teaneck, NJ | $123,000 | 2025 | Emergency support |
| Houston Jewish Community Fndn | Houston, TX | $120,000 | 2025 | General support - Leo Baeck Education Center |
The Jewish Federations of North America
$3,531,800Emergency support, various Israel causes
Houston Jewish Community Foundation
$1,000,000Marvin Barish Early Childhood support
Sefaradic Gan dba Yeshiva Torat Emet
$179,850Emergency support
Just One Life Inc
$175,000General support
Just One Life Inc
$175,000Emergency support
Yeshiva Torat Emet
$152,525General support
Ben Gurion University
$135,000General support
Emergency support - Rashi Foundation/YEDA Endowment
Beth Yeshurun Day School
$132,450General support
The Shlenker School
$131,025General support
