The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville is the central voluntary communal organization of the Jewish community. Through fund-raising, planning, and community relations efforts, independently and in partnership with other Jewish organizations, the Federation works to promote the general welfare, viability, and cohesiveness of the Greater Nashville Jewish community and ensures the continuity of the Jewish people locally, in Israel and around the world.
Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee centers its grantmaking on Jewish communal infrastructure in Nashville, with repeated support for the Gordon Jewish Community Center, Vanderbilt Hillel, Akiva School, and Jewish Family Service. The pattern is broad but not diffuse: grants consistently back Jewish education, campus life, synagogue and community-center programming, safety-net services, and Israel-related partnerships. In recent years, the federation has made some of its largest awards to local institutions that anchor Jewish life in Middle Tennessee, including $666,960 to Gordon Jewish Community Center in 2024 and $399,610 to Vanderbilt Hillel in 2024. It also funds organizations beyond Nashville when they connect to Jewish community priorities, such as JFNA in New York City and Friends of United Hatzalah in New York. The organization’s grantmaking mixes core support with program support, and several awards are labeled general program support, indicating flexible backing rather than narrowly restricted project funding. Its active programs include local grants and scholarships, campus support, and Israel exchange incentives, showing a federation model that combines community allocation with targeted assistance for education, engagement, and overseas Jewish support.
A defining part of the federation’s portfolio is Jewish education and identity-building. Recent awards include $340,921 to Akiva School in 2025 for general program support and $120,400 to Jewish Upper School of Nashville in 2025 for general program support. The federation also supports Jewish campus engagement: Vanderbilt Hillel received $381,327 in 2025 for general program support, following earlier support in prior years. Community life programming is another clear line of work. The Temple Ohabai Sholom received $174,153 in 2025, while Congregation Sherith Israel received $54,339 in 2025, both for general program support. On the social-services side, Jewish Family Service received $196,957 in 2025, reflecting the federation’s safety-net priority alongside its education and community-building work.
Typical awards are relatively modest compared with the largest allocations: the grant-size distribution sits at $7,738 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $33,136 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants list also shows a visible tier of much larger operating and general support awards to core institutions, indicating a mix of small community grants and sizable institutional allocations. Recipients recur across years, especially local agencies and campus or educational institutions, which points to ongoing relationship-based funding rather than one-off awards. The federation functions as a Jewish communal grantmaker and participant in partner programs, and its active programs include both unsolicited local grant categories and non-unsolicited priority areas.
$2.7M
$43.4M
$5.5M
$5.9M
Most grants fall between $8K and $33K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$33K
LESLIE KIRBY
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Tennessee, with 52% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Nashville is the clear center of activity, and the recent-grants list also reaches outside Tennessee to New York City, New York, Denver, Colorado, and Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 157 grants in the United States. That combination suggests a primarily local and regional funder with a smaller set of national Jewish communal and partnership grants.
Its priorities include Jewish education and identity, social services and the safety net, community engagement and leadership, Israel and global Jewish support, scholarships and youth programs, and security and emergency response. Recent grants show recurring support for schools, campus Jewish life, synagogues, Jewish family services, and community centers.
The grant-size distribution is $7,738 at the 25th percentile, $12,500 at the median, and $33,136 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes much larger institutional awards, showing that the federation combines smaller grants with significant operating support for core community organizations.
No. Most grants go to Tennessee recipients, but the recent-grants list also includes organizations in New York City, New York; Denver, Colorado; and Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
It funds scholarships, schools, and youth-access programs. Active programs include One Happy Camper, Zimmerman grants for Israel programs, preschool scholarships, and community grants for school scholarships, daycare scholarships, and Jewish identity-building. Recent awards also show support for Jewish schools and campus programs in Nashville.
The pattern is recurring support. Several organizations appear in multiple years in the recent-grants list, including Gordon Jewish Community Center, Vanderbilt Hillel, Akiva School, Jewish Family Service, and The Temple Ohabai Sholom. Many awards are labeled general program support, which points to ongoing institutional funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Programs must be open to the entire Jewish community and may be funded for programmatic purposes only. The stated priorities include young families, single adults, mental health, and promoting a civil and just society.
Deadline: Ongoing basis; monthly application deadlines were to be listed.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GORDON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $565,975 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VANDERBILT HILLEL BEN SCHULMAN CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE | NASHVILLE, TN | $381,327 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AKIVA SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $340,921 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF UNITED HATZALAH | NEW YORK, NY | $261,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | NASHVILLE, TN | $196,957 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE TEMPLE OHABAI SHOLOM | NASHVILLE, TN | $174,153 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH UPPER SCHOOL OF NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $120,400 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTERS OF DENVER | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CONGREGATION SHERITH ISRAEL | NASHVILLE, TN | $54,339 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WEST END SYNAGOGUE | NASHVILLE, TN | $43,921 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NEW ISRAEL FUND PA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $36,200 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ABE'S GARDEN | NASHVILLE, TN | $32,900 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MOISHE HOUSE | CHARLOTTE, NC | $32,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CONGREGATION MICAH | BRENTWOOD, TN | $19,765 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $18,850 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SHILOH ISRAEL CHILDREN'S FUND | SUFFERN, NY | $18,400 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK | NASHVILLE, TN | $15,600 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES FL | BOYNTON BEACH, FL | $15,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $12,600 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CHABAD OF NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $11,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN TN | NASHVILLE, TN | $11,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF BROWARD COUNTY | DAVIE, FL | $10,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY | BOCA RATON, FL | $10,100 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| STREET OF DREAMS MUSICIANS FOR EDUCATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KOVNO COMMUNICATIONS INC | BERKELEY, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS - NASHVILLE AREA CHAPTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $9,513 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE HOPEWELL FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $9,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL RAMAH COMMISSION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| OUR PLACE NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $7,700 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PROJECT SHEMA | LYNDHURST, NJ | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $6,044 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ALEPH ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH RENEWAL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DAVID POSNACK JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | DAVIE, FL | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE JEWISH STUDENT CENTER | KNOXVILLE, TN | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FREE ASSOCIATION INC GNOSIS RETREAT CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ALEXANDER MUSS HIGH SCHOOL IN ISRAEL | ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FIFTY FORWARD | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,900 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MERRIMACK VALLEY UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITIES | ANDOVER, MA | $5,800 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GILDA'S CLUB | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,750 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| STAND WITH US FL | BOCA RATON, FL | $5,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CASA NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,100 | 2025 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GORDON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $666,960 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JFNA | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $597,094 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VANDERBILT HILLEL | NASHVILLE, TN | $399,610 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GORDON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $270,638 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AKIVA SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $208,262 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VANDERBILT HILLEL | NASHVILLE, TN | $186,468 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES | NASHVILLE, TN | $165,997 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
VANDERBILT HILLEL BEN SCHULMAN CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE
$381,327GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$196,957GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE TEMPLE OHABAI SHOLOM
GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
JEWISH UPPER SCHOOL OF NASHVILLE
$120,400GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
CONGREGATION SHERITH ISRAEL
$54,339GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
WEST END SYNAGOGUE
$43,921GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
ABE'S GARDEN
$32,900GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
CONGREGATION MICAH
$19,765GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
SHILOH ISRAEL CHILDREN'S FUND
$18,400GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES FL
$15,500GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
CHABAD OF NASHVILLE
$11,500GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN TN
$11,000GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY
$10,100GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
STREET OF DREAMS MUSICIANS FOR EDUCATION
$10,000GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
OUR PLACE NASHVILLE
$7,700GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROJECT SHEMA
$7,500GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
FREE ASSOCIATION INC GNOSIS RETREAT CENTER
$6,000GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
MERRIMACK VALLEY UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITIES
$5,800GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
GILDA'S CLUB
$5,750GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
STAND WITH US FL
$5,500GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
CASA NASHVILLE
$5,100GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
VANDERBILT HILLEL
$399,610GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
VANDERBILT HILLEL
$186,468GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES
$165,997GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT