The Will and Jan Sukenik Family Foundation makes a small number of very large, unrestricted gifts to core local institutions in the Cleveland/Greater Akron region, with a clear emphasis on Jewish communal life, social services, and healthcare. Grants are primarily general operating support, signaling trust in established organizations to use funds flexibly for mission-critical needs. The foundation appears focused on regional impact — supporting synagogues and Jewish social-service infrastructure as well as prominent medical and disability-service providers in northeastern Ohio.
Highly concentrated giving: very few, large unrestricted grants to established regional institutions. Funds are directed toward core operating/general purpose rather than project-specific awards, indicating preference for trusted, mission-critical support over many small or experimental grants.
A $1,000,000 general-purpose grant to Fairmount Temple is the clearest recent signal of The Will and Jan Sukenik Family Foundation’s priorities: support for Jewish communal institutions, local social services, and major health-related organizations in northeastern Ohio. The foundation’s recent giving shows large unrestricted awards to established regional groups rather than narrowly scoped project grants. Jewish Family Services of Cleveland received $765,000 in 2024 for general purpose support, and Cleveland Clinic Foundation received $500,000 the same year. Those gifts sit alongside significant support for synagogue life, Jewish education, and community infrastructure, including Menorah Park, Hebrew Shelter Home, and Hillel at Kent State University. The pattern suggests a funder that backs core operating needs for institutions serving the Cleveland and Greater Akron area, with some grants also extending to Jewish and Holocaust-related organizations outside Ohio. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor organizations with broad community roles and long-standing service capacity, using unrestricted funding to strengthen day-to-day operations.
Jewish communal life is a central theme. In 2024, the foundation gave $1,000,000 to Fairmount Temple for general purpose support and $100,000 to American Ort, also for general purpose support. It also awarded $50,000 to Hillel at Kent State University and $15,000 to Siegel Life Long Learning, both in Beachwood-area Jewish educational and community settings. Social services are another recurring area. Jewish Family Services of Cleveland received $765,000 in 2024, while Hebrew Shelter Home received $100,000 and Jfsa Youth Ability received $25,000, all as unrestricted gifts. Healthcare and related care infrastructure are also present, including $500,000 to Cleveland Clinic Foundation and $20,000 to Hospice of the Western Reserve. The foundation’s grant list also includes disability services through the Geauga County Board of Mrdd and residential support through Maple Leaf Community Residences.
Typical grants cluster around larger unrestricted awards: the 25th percentile is $2,500, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent list also includes several much larger gifts, indicating a distribution with a small number of sizable anchor grants and many smaller awards. The foundation appears to support some recipients repeatedly across years, including Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Jewish Family Services of Cleveland, US Holocaust Museum, and Geauga County Board of Mrdd. Its grants are given as general purpose support, which points to flexible operating support rather than project-restricted funding. The foundation is a family foundation and does not fund individuals or program-related investments.
$3.7M
$0
-$101K
$3.7M
Most grants fall between $3K and $50K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Notable grantees: Fairmount Temple, Jewish Family Services of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Geauga County Board of MRDD
Giving is highly concentrated in Ohio: 86% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state, and Ohio is also the top state by grant count. Beachwood, Pepper Pike, Cleveland, and Chesterland appear repeatedly among recipient cities. Beyond Ohio, the foundation has also supported organizations in Illinois, New York, and Washington, DC, including recipients in Highland Park and Chicago, New York City, and Washington. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent grants point to Jewish congregational life, Jewish communal social services, healthcare, disability services, and related community institutions. Examples in the list include synagogue support, family services, medical care, Holocaust-related institutions, and county disability services.
Yes. Every recent grant listed is marked general purpose, including major gifts such as $1,000,000 to Fairmount Temple and $765,000 to Jewish Family Services of Cleveland. That pattern suggests a strong preference for unrestricted support.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards with a few large exceptions: the 25th percentile is $2,500, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent list also includes seven-figure and six-figure gifts.
Yes. Ohio is the top state by grant count, and 86% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Ohio recipients are spread across Beachwood, Pepper Pike, Cleveland, Chesterland, Warrensville Heights, Mayfield, Chardon, and Kent.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Jewish Family Services of Cleveland, US Holocaust Museum, and Geauga County Board of Mrdd. That indicates some recurring support alongside one-time grants.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAIRMOUNT TEMPLE | BEACHWOOD, OH | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF CLEVELAND | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $765,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GEAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF MRDD | CHESTERLAND, OH | $350,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN ORT | BEACHWOOD, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MALTZ MUSEUM | BEACHWOOD, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MENORAH PARK | BEACHWOOD, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HEBREW SHELTER HOME | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM | HIGHLAND PARK, IL | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID | ORANGE, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NEGEV FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MINT THEATER COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MILESTONES AUTISM RESOURCES | WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HILLEL AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY | KENT, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE DIVERSITY CENTER OF NE OHIO | BEACHWOOD, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE GATHERING PLACE | BEACHWOOD, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HEBREW UNIV | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE FOREVER CHILDREN'S HOME | CLEVELAND, OH | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JFSA YOUTH ABILITY | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MAPLE LEAF COMMUNITY RESIDENCES | CHARDON, OH | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MANDEL JEWISH COMMUNITY CTR | BEACHWOOD, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PROJECT LOVE | MAYFIELD, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| KOL ISRAEL FOUNDATION | BEACHWOOD, OH | $18,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NORTH COAST COMMUNITY HOMES | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SIEGEL LIFE LONG LEARNING | BEACHWOOD, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL | LYNDHURST, OH | $12,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NA'AMAT USA | LYNDHURST, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SENIOR TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION | CLEVELAND, OH | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $24,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GEAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF MRDD | CHESTERLAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF CLEVELAND | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MINT THEATER COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PANCREATIC ACTION NETWORK | MANHATTAN BEACH, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NEGEV FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN ORT | BEACHWOOD, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MILESTONES AUTISM RESOURCES | WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MALTZ MUSEUM | BEACHWOOD, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MENORAH PARK | BEACHWOOD, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HEBREW SHELTER HOME | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| HILLEL AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY | KENT, OH | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| JFSA YOUTH ABILITY | PEPPER PIKE, OH | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MAPLE LEAF COMMUNITY RESIDENCES | CHARDON, OH | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HEBREW UNIV | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE GATHERING PLACE | BEACHWOOD, OH | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE DIVERSITY CENTER OF NE OHIO | BEACHWOOD, OH | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
FAIRMOUNT TEMPLE
$1,000,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GEAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF MRDD
$350,000GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN ORT
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MALTZ MUSEUM
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSE
HEBREW SHELTER HOME
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSE
US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
$75,000GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE NEGEV FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HEBREW UNIV
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE FOREVER CHILDREN'S HOME
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSE
JFSA YOUTH ABILITY
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MAPLE LEAF COMMUNITY RESIDENCES
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSE
PROJECT LOVE
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
KOL ISRAEL FOUNDATION
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSE
SIEGEL LIFE LONG LEARNING
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSE
JULIE BILLIART SCHOOL
$12,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NA'AMAT USA
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
SENIOR TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION
$2,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GEAUGA COUNTY BOARD OF MRDD
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE NEGEV FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN ORT
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MALTZ MUSEUM
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
HEBREW SHELTER HOME
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
JFSA YOUTH ABILITY
$2,500GENERAL PURPOSE
MAPLE LEAF COMMUNITY RESIDENCES
$2,500GENERAL PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HEBREW UNIV
$2,500GENERAL PURPOSE