The Ruttenberg Family Foundation primarily supports local Jewish communal infrastructure in Birmingham—especially the Jewish day school, social services, and the federation—while also funding health causes, notably cancer research and pediatric hospitals. Grants are community-focused, often unrestricted or for general program support, and the foundation balances Jewish continuity with broader medical and child-health philanthropy.
The Ruttenberg Family Foundation c/o Birmingham Jewish Federation shows a consistent pattern of backing Birmingham’s Jewish communal core, with repeated support for N E Miles Jewish Day School, Collat Jewish Family Services, and the Birmingham Jewish Federation itself. Across the recent grants listed, the foundation also extends that local commitment into health philanthropy, including cancer research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center and support for pediatric care at Children’s of Alabama. The giving pattern is not broad or national: nearly all of the recorded grants land in Alabama, and the recipient base is concentrated in Birmingham. Within that local circle, the foundation appears to favor institutions that serve children, families, and the wider Jewish community. N E Miles Jewish Day School received multiple grants over 2023 to 2025, including awards tied to continued quality and service to 45 or 73 children, while Collat Jewish Family Services was funded in multiple years for continued growth and direct help for people in need. The Birmingham Jewish Federation also appears repeatedly as a recipient, reflecting the foundation’s interest in sustaining Jewish infrastructure and agency support.
Jewish education is a clear priority. In 2025, the foundation gave $13,449 to N E Miles Jewish Day School in Birmingham for continued quality, and the school appears several more times in the recent grants list, including awards of $18,598 in 2024 and $13,537 in 2023. Community social services are another core area. Collat Jewish Family Services received $15,068 in 2024, $15,000 in 2023, and $14,903 in 2025, each described as support for continued growth and for helping people through financial assistance, counseling, and community access. Health funding is present as well. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center received multiple grants for cancer research, including $14,935 in 2025 and $10,046 in 2024. Pediatric care also appears through grants to Children’s of Alabama for its mission.
Typical awards are in the low five figures, with a p25 of $5,910, a median of $8,857, and a p75 of $12,969. The recent list shows repeated support to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing rather than one-time relationships. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Grant language often emphasizes continued growth, continued quality, general mission support, or research support, suggesting a mix of operating and programmatic giving rather than tightly earmarked project funding.
$55K
$1.1M
$32K
$67K
Most grants fall between $6K and $13K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$13K
Pamela Ruttenberg
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Concentrated, local giving with repeated multi-year or multi-grant support to a small set of core grantees; mid-sized gifts rather than many small one-offs; mix of institutional operating support and mission-specific funding (research, events).
Notable grantees: N E Miles Jewish Day School, Collat Jewish Family Services, University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham Jewish Federation, Children’s of Alabama
Giving is highly concentrated in Alabama: 94% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Birmingham is the main recipient city, with nearly every listed grant going there. The only non-Alabama recipient in the recent list is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 21 grants recorded in the United States.
The recent grants show repeated support for Jewish day school education, Jewish family services, and Jewish communal infrastructure in Birmingham. Health funding also appears through cancer research and pediatric care grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including N E Miles Jewish Day School, Collat Jewish Family Services, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children’s of Alabama, and the Birmingham Jewish Federation.
The typical grant profile is modest and consistent: p25 is $5,910, median grant size is $8,857, and p75 is $12,969.
Most grants go to Alabama recipients, and 94% of the recorded grants are in the foundation’s HQ state. Birmingham is the dominant recipient city in the recent list.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center | Birmingham, AL | $14,935 | 2025 | Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research. |
| Collat Jewish Family Services | Birmingham, AL | $14,903 | 2025 | Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources. |
| N E Miles Jewish Day School | Birmingham, AL | $13,449 | 2025 | Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 73 children. |
| Children's of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $5,874 | 2025 | Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission. |
| Birmingham Jewish Federation | Birmingham, AL | $5,839 | 2025 | Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world. |
| N E Miles Jewish Day School | Birmingham, AL | $18,598 | 2024 | Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children. |
| Collat Jewish Family Services | Birmingham, AL | $15,068 | 2024 | Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources. |
| N E Miles Jewish Day School | Birmingham, AL | $12,780 | 2024 | Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children. |
| Collat Jewish Family Services | Birmingham, AL | $12,780 | 2024 | Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources. |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center | Birmingham, AL | $10,046 | 2024 | Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research. |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center | Birmingham, AL | $7,714 | 2024 | Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research. |
| American Cancer Society Hope Gala | Birmingham, AL | $7,500 | 2024 | Grant provided to American Cancer Society in order to support its mission. |
| Children's of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $5,939 | 2024 | Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission. |
| Birmingham Jewish Federation | Birmingham, AL | $5,904 | 2024 | Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world. |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital | Memphis, TN | $5,582 | 2024 | Grant provided to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in order to support its mission. |
| Birmingham Jewish Federation | Birmingham, AL | $5,548 | 2024 | Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world. |
| Collat Jewish Family Services | Birmingham, AL | $15,000 | 2023 | Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources. |
| N E Miles Jewish Day School | Birmingham, AL | $13,537 | 2023 | Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children. |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center | Birmingham, AL | $10,000 | 2023 | Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research. |
| Children's of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $5,912 | 2023 | Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission. |
| Birmingham Jewish Federation | Birmingham, AL | $5,877 | 2023 | Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world. |
Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research.
Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources.
Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 73 children.
Children's of Alabama
$5,874Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission.
Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world.
N E Miles Jewish Day School
$18,598Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children.
Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources.
N E Miles Jewish Day School
$12,780Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children.
Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources.
Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research.
Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research.
American Cancer Society Hope Gala
$7,500Grant provided to American Cancer Society in order to support its mission.
Children's of Alabama
$5,939Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission.
Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world.
Grant provided to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in order to support its mission.
Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world.
Grant provided to Collat Jewish Family Services (CJFS) in order to support its continued growth. CJFS serves anyone in need through direct financial help, counseling and assistance accessing community resources.
N E Miles Jewish Day School
$13,537Grant provided to N. E. Miles Jewish Day School in order to support its continued quality. This community day school currently services 45 children.
Grant provided to UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center in order to support cancer research.
Children's of Alabama
$5,912Grant provided to Children's of Alabama in order to support its mission.
Grant provided to Birmingham Jewish Federation (BJF) in order to support its continued growth. BJF serves 27 agencies and programs in Birmingham, nationally, in Israel and throughout the world.