The Sheba Foundation concentrates its giving on Jewish communal life, Israel-related humanitarian and security needs, and health/medical research and facilities — often in the Chicago area and in Israel. It funds synagogues and Jewish federations for operations and emergency/security projects, makes major gifts to hospitals and medical centers (both local and Israeli), and supports applied food-safety/food-technology research and public safety education. Grants tend to be large and targeted to institutions rather than many small community groups.
The Sheba Foundation’s largest recent gift was a $2,000,000 grant to Rush University Medical Center for a cancer center at a new medical facility. That scale fits a pattern of targeted institutional giving: the foundation backs hospitals, Jewish communal institutions, and Israel-related humanitarian needs rather than a wide spread of small awards. Recent grants also include $1,100,000 to North Suburban Synagogue Beth El for the synagogue and its security, showing that congregational safety is part of the portfolio. Another sizable commitment, $770,195 to Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, supported social services. Across the recent record, the foundation pairs major capital and operating support with issue-specific gifts. It funds medical infrastructure and equipment, including support for Sheba Medical Center, while also directing money to emergency resources, bomb shelters, food-safety research, and public affairs work tied to antisemitism and Israel relations. The recipient list is heavily institution-centered, with Jewish federations, hospitals, universities, and advocacy organizations appearing repeatedly. Chicago-area organizations account for a substantial share of the giving, but the foundation also makes grants to groups in New York, Washington, DC, Texas, Pennsylvania, California, and Massachusetts, alongside Israel-linked efforts.
In medical giving, the foundation supported a cancer center at Rush University Medical Center with $2,000,000 in 2023 and also backed Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago - Shirley Ryan Abilitylab with $50,000 for medical services. Research is another thread: it gave $50,000 to the University of Chicago for cancer research and $40,000 to Nat'l Multiple Sclerosis Society for medical work related to multiple sclerosis. Israel-focused aid appears in both humanitarian and security forms. The foundation gave $235,000 to Jewish United Fund - Kibbutz Nir Oz for kibbutz family expenses and milking stations, and $85,550 to Jewish United Fund - United Hatzalah for oxygen and related medical equipment for the north of Israel and Hatzalah. It also supported a bomb shelter through Jewish United Fund - Na' Amat USA with $180,000. Public affairs and education are part of the portfolio as well. Grants went to The Clarion Project for public safety education and to The Israel Advocacy Group for public affairs, public awareness, and combating anti-Semitism.
$4.4M
$44.8M
$10.3M
$4.9M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$25K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Sheba Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 100 | $8.5M | 99.0% |
| 2 | Bahamas | 1 |
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to institutional grantees with repeated support for Jewish federations and major medical centers; mix of multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar awards rather than many small grants, and a clear geographic split between Chicago-area beneficiaries and Israel-focused recipients.
Notable grantees: Rush University Medical Center, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Jewish United Fund / Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, American Friends of Sheba Medical Center (via Jewish United Fund), American Friends of the Hebrew University (food safety research)
The Sheba Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $4,948 at the 25th percentile, $14,751 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile, even though the recent file includes several much larger institutional grants. The pattern is not a one-off style: Jewish United Fund appears in multiple years and through multiple related recipients, including separate grants for social services, emergency resources, and Israel-linked purposes. The foundation is a grantmaker rather than a program-related-investment funder, and it also funds individuals. Recent awards are mostly targeted operating, program, equipment, or capital gifts, with no application process described in the data.
Most grants land in the US, with a small share in one non-US country, Burkina Faso. By recipient location, Chicago is the strongest hub, with additional Illinois grants in Highland Park and Skokie. The file also shows grants to Washington, DC; New York, NY; Cedarhurst, NY; Richardson, TX; Radnor, PA; Arlington, VA; Wellesley, MA; and Woodland Hills, CA. Although the foundation is headquartered in Aurora, its giving is concentrated elsewhere in Illinois and in national Jewish, medical, and advocacy organizations.
Its recent grants center on Jewish communal organizations, hospitals and medical centers, Israel-related aid, and public affairs or education groups. Examples in the file include synagogue security, medical equipment, food-safety research, bomb-shelter support, and public-awareness work related to antisemitism and Israel relations.
The typical grant size is $4,948 at the 25th percentile, $14,751 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger awards, including seven-figure and six-figure gifts to institutions.
It shows repeated support for some organizations and related entities. Jewish United Fund appears across multiple years and in several different grant lines tied to social services, emergency resources, and Israel-related needs, which points to recurring relationships rather than isolated one-off gifts.
The grant file is national, with 99.0% of recipients in the US and 1.0% in Burkina Faso. Chicago is the main recipient city, and Illinois recipients also include Highland Park and Skokie. The record also includes grants in Washington, DC; New York; Texas; Pennsylvania; Virginia; Massachusetts; and California.
Recent grants include cancer care and research, synagogue and community security, Israel-focused humanitarian aid, food-safety research, public safety education, and support for people needing major medical care. Named recipients in the file include Rush University Medical Center, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, and American Friends of the Hebrew University for food-safety research.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $3K |
1.0% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH SUBURBAN SYNAGOGUE BETH EL | HIGHLAND PARK, IL | $1,100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE SYNAGOGUE AND ITS SECURITY |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $770,195 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - KIBBUTZ NIR OZ | CHICAGO, IL | $235,000 | 2025 | KIBBUTZ FAMILY EXPENSES AND MILKING STATIONS |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $232,600 | 2025 | MEDICAL EQUIPMENT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $222,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH ON FOOD SAFETY |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - NA' AMAT USA | CHICAGO, IL | $180,000 | 2025 | BOMB SHELTER |
| FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES | NEW YORK, NY | $140,040 | 2025 | SUPPORT ISRAELI SERVICES AND SCHOLARSHIPS |
| THE CLARION PROJECT | RICHARDSON, TX | $110,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION ON PUBLIC SAFETY |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $109,152 | 2025 | EMERGENCY RESOURCES |
| HELP HOPE LIVE | RADNOR, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTING VICTIM FUND |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY EDUCATION RESOURCES |
| CENTRAL FUND OF ISRAEL | CEDARHURST, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PUBLIC AWARENESS, COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM |
| STAND TOGETHER | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AFFAIRS |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - UNITED HATZALAH | CHICAGO, IL | $85,550 | 2025 | OXYGEN AND RELATED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE NORTH OF ISRAEL AND HATZALAH |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | NEW HOSPITAL IN BRAZIL AND GENERAL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPORT OF CHILDREN NEEDING MAJOR MEDICAL CARE |
| THE ISRAEL ADVOCACY GROUP | SPRING HOUSE, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PUBLIC AWARENESS, COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM |
| CAMP FOR ALL KIDS | CHICAGO, IL | $70,200 | 2025 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| FRIENDS OF ELNET | SKOKIE, IL | $63,835 | 2025 | EDUCATION OF CITIZENS AND LEADERS TO PROMOTE ISRAEL-EUROPE RELATIONS |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - MOBILE AEDER MEDIA | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| REHABILITATION INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO - SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL SERVICES |
| ISRAELI-AMERICAN COUNCIL | WOODLAND HILLS, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE ISRAELI-AMERICAN COMMUNITY |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND - BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY | CHICAGO, IL | $37,400 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| THE BINYAMIN FUND | SPRING VALLEY, NY | $36,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL SERVICES |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | FAMILY ROOM PROGRAM AND GENERAL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPORT OF CHILDREN NEEDING MAJOR MEDICAL CARE |
| KESHET | NORTHBROOK, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION, RECREATION, ADULT AND RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,879 | 2025 | EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE ISRAEL-AMERICAN RELATIONS |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $19,363 | 2025 | SUPPORT MEDICAL RESEARCH RELATING TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS |
| UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $18,164 | 2025 | SUPPORT MUSEUM OPERATIONS |
| COUNCIL FOR JEWISH ELDERLY | CHICAGO, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | ELDER CARE |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SUPPORT |
| GLENWOOD ACADEMY | GLENWOOD, MD | $10,229 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | SURVIVOR FAMILY SERVICES |
| JEWISH NATIONAL FUND - ADI NEGEV-NAHALAT ERAN | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL IN NEGEV |
| JEWISH INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $9,733 | 2025 | EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL SECURITY |
| BUILD INC | CHICAGO, IL | $8,685 | 2025 | CHICAGOLAND YOUTH SERVICES |
| STANDWITHUS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $7,463 | 2025 | FIGHTING ANTI-SEMITISM |
| JEWISH NATIONAL FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $7,250 | 2025 | SUPPORT CHARITABLE CAUSES CONSISTENT WITH JEWISH ETHICS |
| GOODMAN THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL | $6,168 | 2025 | SUPPORT PERFORMING ARTS |
| THE ARK | CHICAGO, IL | $5,362 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,319 | 2025 | RESEARCH IN THE NATURAL AND EXACT SCIENCES AND ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC STUDIES IN SCHOOLS |
| LES TURNER AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION LTD | SKOKIE, IL | $5,250 | 2025 | SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH ALS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $5,250 | 2025 | YOUTH ACTIVITIES |
| ISRAEL BASEBALL AMERICAS INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| SHRINER'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN | TAMPA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN |
| CHICAGO COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS | CHICAGO, IL | $4,500 | 2025 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| RETT SYNDROME RESEARCH TRUST | TRUMBULL, CT | $3,265 | 2025 | MEDICAL RESEARCH |
| HILLEL AT ILLINOIS | CHAMPAIGN, IL | $3,198 | 2025 | COLLEGE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES |
| OLD ST PATRICK'S CHURCH-CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $2,128 | 2025 | SUPPORT CHURCH FUNDING |
| YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $1,078 | 2025 | YOUTH SWIMMING PROGRAM FEES |
NORTH SUBURBAN SYNAGOGUE BETH EL
$1,100,000SUPPORT THE SYNAGOGUE AND ITS SECURITY
KIBBUTZ FAMILY EXPENSES AND MILKING STATIONS
JEWISH UNITED FUND - AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER
$232,600MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY INC
$222,000RESEARCH ON FOOD SAFETY
JEWISH UNITED FUND - NA' AMAT USA
BOMB SHELTER
SUPPORT ISRAELI SERVICES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PUBLIC AWARENESS, COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM
STAND TOGETHER
$100,000PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OXYGEN AND RELATED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE NORTH OF ISRAEL AND HATZALAH
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
$75,000NEW HOSPITAL IN BRAZIL AND GENERAL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPORT OF CHILDREN NEEDING MAJOR MEDICAL CARE
THE ISRAEL ADVOCACY GROUP
$75,000PUBLIC AFFAIRS, PUBLIC AWARENESS, COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM
EDUCATION OF CITIZENS AND LEADERS TO PROMOTE ISRAEL-EUROPE RELATIONS
JEWISH UNITED FUND - MOBILE AEDER MEDIA
$50,000SOCIAL SERVICES
JEWISH UNITED FUND - BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
$37,400SOCIAL SERVICES
FAMILY ROOM PROGRAM AND GENERAL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPORT OF CHILDREN NEEDING MAJOR MEDICAL CARE
EDUCATION, RECREATION, ADULT AND RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$20,879EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE ISRAEL-AMERICAN RELATIONS
SUPPORT MEDICAL RESEARCH RELATING TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION
$15,000VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS SUPPORT
GLENWOOD ACADEMY
$10,229EDUCATION
CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$10,000SURVIVOR FAMILY SERVICES
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND - ADI NEGEV-NAHALAT ERAN
$10,000SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL IN NEGEV
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL SECURITY
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND
$7,250SUPPORT CHARITABLE CAUSES CONSISTENT WITH JEWISH ETHICS
RESEARCH IN THE NATURAL AND EXACT SCIENCES AND ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC STUDIES IN SCHOOLS
SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH ALS
ISRAEL BASEBALL AMERICAS INC
$5,000YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
THE SALVATION ARMY
$5,000SOCIAL SERVICES
HILLEL AT ILLINOIS
$3,198COLLEGE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
OLD ST PATRICK'S CHURCH-CHICAGO
$2,128SUPPORT CHURCH FUNDING