JCF builds flourishing Jewish communities and advances sustainable, just, and vibrant societies in San Diego, Israel, nationally, and around the globe.
The Endowment for Federation’s largest recent grants went to the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, with awards of $751,791 in 2024 and $693,336 in 2023. That pattern points to a funder that supports core Jewish communal infrastructure at substantial levels, not just small project grants. Its stated work also includes Jewish community support, endowment funds, donor advised funds, scholarships, leadership and governance training, grantmaking for San Diego nonprofits, and support for Israel. The foundation’s grantmaking sits alongside philanthropic education and donor stewardship, which shows up in programs that help organizations build endowments and in teen philanthropy offerings. It also connects Jewish community investment with broader local needs through homelessness-related giving and community-service grant programs in San Diego County. The current record shows a local giving scope and all recent grants going to recipients in California. Two other named programs illustrate the range of its role: the Competitive Application Platform for San Diego nonprofits and the Peter Chortek Leadership Award for Jewish high school students leading Tikkun Olam projects. Together, these pieces suggest a funder that combines institutional support, youth leadership, and community grantmaking within a Jewish communal framework.
In Jewish communal grantmaking, The Endowment for Federation supports both institutional and individual development. The Peter Chortek Leadership Award gives $5,400 to Jewish high school students in San Diego who lead Tikkun Olam projects, pairing a stipend with a donor-advised fund seed and a professional video about the project. It also funds capacity-building and long-term sustainability. The Endowment Leadership Institute helps organizations build endowments for long-term vitality, tying grantmaking to organizational resilience rather than one-time project support. For local nonprofits, the Competitive Application Platform offers grant opportunities for San Diego organizations through a competitive process. In homelessness-related work, the giv4 initiative pools donor contributions for vetted local nonprofits working in prevention, immediate action, and systems change. The making-a-difference grant program on behalf of the Cushman Foundation adds support for San Diego County organizations serving veterans, seniors, and children.
$695K
$15.7M
$1M
$799K
Most grants fall between $708K and $737K, with a median of $723K.
25th Percentile
$708K
Median
$723K
75th Percentile
$737K
ANDREW RATNER
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Typical grant size is tightly clustered around the low-$700,000s, with p25 at $707,950, median at $722,564, and p75 at $737,177. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same recipient across two years, which suggests a recurring relationship rather than isolated awards. The foundation is a grantmaker rather than a fund for individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its active programs include both unsolicited opportunities and curated initiatives, with application access varying by program.
The Endowment for Federation gives locally, and the grant record is concentrated in California. Every recent grant listed goes to a recipient in San Diego, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Program geography is centered on San Diego and San Diego County, with some initiatives also extending to Israel and national grantmaking through the Jewish Women’s Foundation. Named locations in the program set include San Diego, San Diego County, and Israel.
Its stated focus areas include Jewish community support, endowment funds, donor advised funds, scholarships, leadership and governance training, grantmaking for San Diego nonprofits, and support for Israel. The program list also adds homelessness prevention, community services, women and girls programs, and youth philanthropy education.
The recent grant record is entirely California-based, and all listed recent grants went to recipients in San Diego, CA. Program geography is mostly centered on San Diego and San Diego County, with some offerings that also reach Israel and national grantmaking through the Jewish Women’s Foundation.
Typical grant size is around $722,564 at the median, with the middle half ranging from $707,950 to $737,177. The two largest recent grants listed were $751,791 in 2024 and $693,336 in 2023.
Yes. The Scholarship Opportunities program, the Competitive Application Platform, the Endowment Leadership Institute, the Making a Difference for San Diego Grant Program, the Peter Chortek Leadership Award, and the Jewish Teen Foundation programs all accept unsolicited applications or participation. The giv4 initiative and one Jewish Women’s Foundation grant initiative do not.
The recent grant record names the Jewish Federation of San Diego County twice, with awards of $751,791 in 2024 and $693,336 in 2023. That indicates repeated support for the same Jewish communal recipient across multiple years.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $694,914 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $778,731 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $751,791 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $693,336 | 2023 | GENERAL |
Current and upcoming funding from Endowment for Federation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Current 501(c)(3) organizations located in and/or serving residents of San Marcos may apply.
Deadline: Board reviews and awards grants quarterly in February, May, August, and November; detailed 2026 due dates are provided in the published meeting calendar.
Who can apply: Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in and serving San Diego County may apply. Priority is given to San Diego-based organizations developing creative and impactful approaches to building Jewish connection and community, addressing unmet needs, expanding access to meaningful Jewish experiences, or testing promising new models.
Deadline: Opens July 21, 2026; applications reviewed on a rolling basis with responses within 30 days.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
