The Memphis Jewish Federation concentrates its giving on sustaining and strengthening the local Jewish community in Memphis while also supporting national and Israel-focused Jewish institutions. Major investments go to community infrastructure (community foundation, JCC, senior home), Jewish day schools and youth programming, and organizations that serve global Jewish needs. Grants are a mix of large institutional commitments and targeted program support across religious, educational, and social-service providers.
Concentrated funding pattern: a small number of large grants account for the bulk of dollars (notably a very large gift to a Jewish community foundation and sizable grants to the JCC and day schools), combined with recurring support for core local institutions and select national/Israel partners; mix of institutional/endowment-style gifts and program-level support.
Memphis Jewish Federation’s largest recent commitment went to the Jewish Foundation of North America, a $844,529 general-support grant in 2023. That single award sits alongside a broader pattern of funding that reaches across Memphis Jewish life and into national Jewish institutions. The federation’s recent grants show support for community gathering spaces, schools, elder care, youth organizations, and Jewish advocacy and relief organizations, all through general support. In Memphis, the federation backed the Jewish Community Center, Margolin Hebrew Academy, Bornblum Jewish Community School, Memphis Jewish Home, Plough Towers, Temple Israel, and Memphis Friends of Israel. Beyond the city, it funded the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, Kollel Torah Mitzion, the WUPJ Jewish People Education Center, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, and NCSY Nation Office. The pattern points to a funder that supports institutional operations and core services rather than tightly restricted project grants. Its grants also include organizations serving education, religious leadership, social services, and Israel-related communal work.
Jewish education is a recurring priority. Memphis Jewish Federation gave $166,526 to Margolin Hebrew Academy and $103,216 to Bornblum Jewish Community School, both listed as general support. It also supported Kollel Torah Mitzion with a $50,000 grant, which extends the education focus into religious study and leadership. Community infrastructure and social services are another clear theme. The federation awarded $297,440 to Memphis Jewish Community Center, $108,500 to Memphis Jewish Home, $87,953 to Jewish Family Services, and $41,589 to Plough Towers. Youth and teen programming also appears in the grant list through $40,000 to B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and $15,000 to NCSY Nation Office.
Typical grants cluster at a median of $45,794, with the lower quartile at $17,000 and the upper quartile at $104,554. The 2023 list shows both large anchor grants and many mid-sized operating awards. Several recipients appear to be core institutions rather than short-term projects, and the foundation’s philosophy tags point to general support, operational support, and flexible funding for organizational needs. The grant list provided is entirely from 2023, so the recent pattern is visible within a single year of filing rather than across multiple years.
$2.5M
$29.9M
$6.2M
$4.8M
Most grants fall between $17K and $105K, with a median of $46K.
25th Percentile
$17K
Median
$46K
75th Percentile
$105K
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Notable grantees: Jewish Foundation of North America, Memphis Jewish Community Center, Margolin Hebrew Academy, Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish Family Services
Most grants land in Tennessee, which accounts for 50% of the foundation’s grants by count. Memphis is the clearest center of giving, with recipient locations including Memphis, Germantown, and Cordova. Outside Tennessee, grants went to New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, Metairie, and Warwick. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the provided data, with 18 grants to U.S. recipients.
The grant list points to Jewish communal institutions, schools, elder care, youth programs, and Israel-related organizations. Examples in 2023 include community-center funding, general support for Jewish day schools, social services, and national Jewish agencies, all suggesting a focus on sustaining core communal infrastructure.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers at a median of $45,794, with a lower quartile of $17,000 and an upper quartile of $104,554. That spread shows a mix of smaller program-level awards and larger operating commitments.
Tennessee receives the largest share by grant count, at 50% of grants. Recipient cities in the state include Memphis, Germantown, and Cordova, showing a strong local concentration alongside awards to organizations in other U.S. cities.
Yes. The 2023 grants include Memphis-based institutions such as the Jewish Community Center, Memphis Jewish Home, and Temple Israel, as well as national or nonlocal groups like the Jewish Foundation of North America, Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, and B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFNA JEWISH FEDERATION OF NORTH AMERICA FAIR SHARE (JFNA) | NEW YORK, NY | $869,555 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | MEMPHIS, TN | $285,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MARGOLINHEBREW ACADEMYFEINSTONE YESHIVA OF THE SOUTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $219,250 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | CORDOVA, TN | $160,675 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BORNBLUM JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $135,298 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MEMPHIS JEWISH HOME | CORDOVA, TN | $135,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | MEMPHIS, TN | $111,664 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JDC SUPPORT FOR WAR-TORN MUNICIPALITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $63,500 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JAFI - NATIVE JEWISH ZIONIST IDENTITY PROGRAM | NEW YORK, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JAFI - MICHINAT OR YEHUDA | NEW YORK, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PLOUGH TOWERS ACTIVITY PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $45,145 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MJCC - CENTER FOR JEWISH LIVING & LEARNING | MEMPHIS, TN | $40,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MHA - KOLLEL TORAH MITZION OF MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $40,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BBYO | WASHINGTON, DC | $36,667 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS | NEW YORK, NY | $31,950 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JAFI YOUTH FUTURES IN OKAFIM | NEW YORK, NY | $27,500 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | MEMPHIS, TN | $26,700 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| IMPJ - JEWISH PEOPLEHOOD | PASADENA, CA | $23,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - NCSY | SKOKIE, IL | $19,753 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $19,718 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH CHILDREN'S REGION SERVICE | METAIRIE, LA | $18,333 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BARON HIRSCH ISRAEL ADVOCACY | MEMPHIS, TN | $16,730 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ORT AMERICA - YOUTH VILLAGE DROPOUT PREVENTION | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PJ LIBRARY | AGAWAM, MA | $12,802 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,650 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS | ATLANTA, GA | $5,950 | 2026 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JFNA JEWISH FEDERATION OF NORTH AMERICA FAIR SHARE (JFNA) | NEW YORK, NY | $870,756 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MEMPHIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | MEMPHIS, TN | $280,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MARGOLINHEBREW ACADEMYFEINSTONE YESHIVA OF THE SOUTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $201,576 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | CORDOVA, TN | $182,308 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MEMPHIS JEWISH HOME | CORDOVA, TN | $110,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BORNBLUM JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,122 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | MEMPHIS, TN | $93,480 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PLOUGH TOWERS ACTIVITY PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $41,720 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MJCC - CENTER FOR JEWISH LIVING & LEARNING | MEMPHIS, TN | $40,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MHA - KOLLEL TORAH MITZION OF MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $40,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BBYO | WASHINGTON, DC | $33,333 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - NCSY | SKOKIE, IL | $32,615 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| TI - INSTITUTE FOR REFORM ZIONISM | MEMPHIS, TN | $32,550 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS | NEW YORK, NY | $28,050 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - TEMPLE ISRAEL MEFTY JYG | MEMPHIS, TN | $24,075 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| IMPJ - JEWISH PEOPLEHOOD | PASADENA, CA | $23,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | MEMPHIS, TN | $21,512 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES | MEMPHIS, TN | $19,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| JEWISH CHILDREN'S REGION SERVICE | METAIRIE, LA | $18,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $15,438 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| KHARKOV JDC - JFNA | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ORT AMERICA - YOUTH VILLAGE DROPOUT PREVENTION | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,650 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PJ LIBRARY | AGAWAM, MA | $11,250 | 2025 | FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE |
MARGOLINHEBREW ACADEMYFEINSTONE YESHIVA OF THE SOUTH
$219,250FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM
$160,675FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
BORNBLUM JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$135,298FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
MEMPHIS JEWISH HOME
$135,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$111,664FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JAFI - NATIVE JEWISH ZIONIST IDENTITY PROGRAM
$55,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JAFI - MICHINAT OR YEHUDA
$55,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
PLOUGH TOWERS ACTIVITY PROGRAM
$45,145FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
MHA - KOLLEL TORAH MITZION OF MEMPHIS
$40,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS
$31,950FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JAFI YOUTH FUTURES IN OKAFIM
$27,500FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
TEMPLE ISRAEL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
$26,700FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - NCSY
$19,753FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM
$19,718FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
BARON HIRSCH ISRAEL ADVOCACY
$16,730FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS
$5,950FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
MARGOLINHEBREW ACADEMYFEINSTONE YESHIVA OF THE SOUTH
$201,576FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM
$182,308FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
MEMPHIS JEWISH HOME
$110,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
BORNBLUM JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$100,122FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$93,480FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
PLOUGH TOWERS ACTIVITY PROGRAM
$41,720FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
MHA - KOLLEL TORAH MITZION OF MEMPHIS
$40,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - NCSY
$32,615FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
TI - INSTITUTE FOR REFORM ZIONISM
$32,550FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
JEWISH EDUCATION FUNDING - SUMMER CAMPS
$28,050FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SYNAGOGUE YOUTH - TEMPLE ISRAEL MEFTY JYG
$24,075FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
TEMPLE ISRAEL RELIGIOUS SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
$21,512FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES
$19,000FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE
SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM
$15,438FOR EXEMPT PURPOSE