The Zachs Family Foundation concentrates its giving on Greater Hartford-area Jewish communal life and local civic institutions, favoring core operating support over project-restricted funding. Grants are sizeable and often unrestricted, supporting Jewish day school education, youth camping, federations, and local community foundations — indicating a preference for strengthening institutional capacity and long-term sustainability.
A $638,200 general-use grant to Camp Laurelwood in Madison, CT stands out in The Zachs Family Foundation Inc.'s recent giving and points to a pattern of large support for Jewish communal life, youth camping, and local institutions. Across its latest grants, the foundation backs organizations that shape Jewish education, campus life, community coordination, and cultural access in Greater Hartford and beyond. The grant list includes repeated support for Jewish Federation in West Hartford, Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford, and Camp Laurelwood in Madison, showing a steady relationship with core community organizations. It also funds institutions that connect Jewish life to broader civic and educational settings, including Trinity College, the University of Hartford, the University of Connecticut, and the Wadsworth Atheneum. Several awards are general use, while others direct money to endowments, annual funds, libraries, Hillel programs, and named institutional units. That mix suggests a funder that supports both day-to-day operations and longer-term institutional strength, especially where Jewish life, student engagement, and regional cultural infrastructure overlap.
Jewish education is a central theme. The foundation gave $175,500 in 2023 and $151,000 in 2025 to Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford for general use, showing repeated support for a Jewish day school in the Hartford region. Youth camping is another clear area: Camp Laurelwood in Madison received $638,200 for general use in 2025 and $82,800 in 2025, linking the foundation to Jewish informal education. Campus Jewish life also appears consistently. The University of Hartford received $91,000 in 2025, including $85,000 for Hillel, and the University of Connecticut-Hillel received $41,200 in 2023 and $27,500 in 2025. Cultural and arts support shows up through the Wadsworth Atheneum, which received $141,840 in 2025 and $30,500 in 2025, including funding for Jewish art and cultural research.
Typical grants are small to mid-sized, with a p25 of $500, a median of $1,500, and a p75 of $5,000. The recent record also includes much larger awards, which indicates a wide spread between routine support and major institutional gifts. Many recipients reappear across multiple years, including Camp Laurelwood, Jewish Federation, Solomon Schechter Day School, Wadsworth Atheneum, and University of Connecticut-Hillel. The foundation is a private family foundation, and the data show no funding to individuals and no program-related investments. The recent grants also include a mix of general-use awards and designated support for endowments, annual funds, Hillel programs, libraries, and named campus units.
$2M
$29.3M
$1.3M
$2.6M
Most grants fall between $500 and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Zachs Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 417 | $4.9M | 99.5% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small set of local institutional grantees; favors repeat and multi-year core/general support rather than many small or one-off project grants.
Notable grantees: Camp Laurelwood, Jewish Federation, Solomon Schechter Day School, Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven, The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Connecticut, which accounts for 72% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities cluster in Hartford, West Hartford, Madison, and New London, with additional awards reaching Storrs and Woodbridge. Outside Connecticut, the foundation also gave to recipients in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The grant list shows only a small amount of activity outside the U.S., with 2 grants in the UK.
Its recent grants center on Jewish communal life, especially Jewish education, youth camping, federations, and campus Jewish life. Examples in the data include Solomon Schechter Day School, Camp Laurelwood, Jewish Federation, and multiple Hillel-related awards at Connecticut colleges and universities.
No. General-use grants are common, but the foundation also gives to endowments, annual funds, libraries, Hillel programs, and specific institutional units. Recent examples include endowment support, annual fund support, and designated gifts for campus and cultural programs.
The distribution is wide. The p25 is $500, the median is $1,500, and the p75 is $5,000. At the same time, the recent grants list includes much larger awards, such as a $638,200 general-use grant and several six-figure gifts.
Connecticut is the main geography. It accounts for 72% of grants, and recent recipient cities include Hartford, West Hartford, Madison, New London, Storrs, and Woodbridge.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Camp Laurelwood, Jewish Federation, Solomon Schechter Day School, Wadsworth Atheneum, and University of Connecticut-Hillel. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $50K |
0.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Laurelwood | MADISON, CT | $638,200 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Jewish Federation | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $362,384 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| The Hartford Foundation For Publc G | Hartford, CT | $155,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Solomon Schecher Day School | West Hartford, CT | $151,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| CT Childrens Medical Center Foundat | Hartford, CT | $146,000 | 2025 | Endowment |
| Wadsworth Atheneum | HARTFORD, CT | $141,840 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE-Hillel | NEW LONDON, CT | $135,000 | 2025 | GENERL USE 6000LIBRARY 10000 ALUMI 7000HILLEL 1500 |
| Jewish Federation | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $135,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| The Williston Northampon School | East Hampton, MA | $127,000 | 2025 | General Use 27000ENDOWNMENT 100000 |
| Solomon Schecher Day School | West Hartford, CT | $110,400 | 2025 | General Use |
| Dignity Grows | Hartford, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| University of Hartford | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $91,000 | 2025 | Hartt School 1500Art School 1000 Hillel 85000 Greenberg Ctr 3000Barney School 500 |
| Camp Laurelwood | MADISON, CT | $82,800 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Unversity of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $41,000 | 2025 | Hillel 500 kelly Writers 500Wharton 15000 Annual Fund 15000Libraries 10000 |
| Unversity of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $41,000 | 2025 | Hillel 500 kelly Writers 500Wharton 15000 Annual Fund 15000Libraries 10000 |
| KESHET | Jamaica Plains, MA | $31,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Wadsworth Atheneum | HARTFORD, CT | $30,500 | 2025 | GENERAL USE 25500 JEWISH ART & CULTURAL RESEARCH 5000 |
| The Williston Northampon School | East Hampton, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| University of Connecticut-Hillel | STORRS, CT | $27,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| University of Connecticut-Hillel | STORRS, CT | $26,600 | 2025 | General Use |
| GOODWIN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | EAST HARTFORD, CT | $26,200 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Jewish Community Foundation | West Hartford, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | Beth El 2nd Generation fund 2 |
| BLACKIE HOUSE LIBRARY MUSEUM | EDINBURGH, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| BLACKIE HOUSE LIBRARY MUSEUM | EDINBURGH, SC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | $24,500 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| The Bushnell | HARTFORD, CT | $23,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| The Bushnell | HARTFORD, CT | $23,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Ct Museum of Culture and History | HARTFORD, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | ALUMI FUND 5000HILLEL FUND 5000LIBRARY FUND 10000 |
| United Way Foundation | Hartford, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| The Hartford Foundation For Publc G | Hartford, CT | $17,500 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Mandell Jewish Community Center | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $16,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| University of Hartford | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $15,500 | 2025 | Hartt School 1500 Art School 1000 Hillel 10000 Greenberg Ctr 2000Barney School 1000ALL ENDOWNMENT |
| UCONN Foundation | Storrs, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND 15000HILLEL 500KELLY WRITERS 500 WHARTON FD 15000 RARE BOOK FD 10000 |
| KESHET | Jamaica Plains, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Mandell Jewish Community Center | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $11,090 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Emanuel Synagogue | WestHartford, CT | $10,100 | 2025 | General Use |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | School of Social Work |
| Hartford Stage | HARTFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| University of Connecticut Health | Farmington, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | Cancer Research |
| Beth David Synagogue | WEST HARTFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Hartford Hospital Foundation | Hartford, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | Endownment 20000General Use 25000 |
| HILLEL OF DALLAS | DALLAS, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| FRIENDSOF THE IDF | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| JFACT | HARTFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Hartford Hospital Foundation | Hartford, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE-Hillel | NEW LONDON, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| YAYSH | HARTFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL USE |
| Dignity Grows | Hartford, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| New England Jewish Academy | West Hartford, CT | $9,400 | 2025 | Generl Use |
The Hartford Foundation For Publc G
$155,000GENERAL USE
Solomon Schecher Day School
$151,000General Use
Wadsworth Atheneum
GENERAL USE
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE-Hillel
$135,000GENERL USE 6000LIBRARY 10000 ALUMI 7000HILLEL 1500
The Williston Northampon School
$127,000General Use 27000ENDOWNMENT 100000
Solomon Schecher Day School
$110,400General Use
University of Hartford
$91,000Hartt School 1500Art School 1000 Hillel 85000 Greenberg Ctr 3000Barney School 500
Unversity of Pennsylvania
$41,000Hillel 500 kelly Writers 500Wharton 15000 Annual Fund 15000Libraries 10000
Unversity of Pennsylvania
$41,000Hillel 500 kelly Writers 500Wharton 15000 Annual Fund 15000Libraries 10000
KESHET
$31,000General Use
Wadsworth Atheneum
$30,500GENERAL USE 25500 JEWISH ART & CULTURAL RESEARCH 5000
The Williston Northampon School
$30,000GENERAL USE
University of Connecticut-Hillel
$27,500General Use
University of Connecticut-Hillel
$26,600General Use
GOODWIN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$26,200GENERAL USE
Jewish Community Foundation
$25,000Beth El 2nd Generation fund 2
BLACKIE HOUSE LIBRARY MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL USE
BLACKIE HOUSE LIBRARY MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL USE
Trinity College
$24,500GENERAL USE
The Bushnell
$23,000GENERAL USE
The Bushnell
$23,000GENERAL USE
Ct Museum of Culture and History
$20,000GENERAL USE
Trinity College
$20,000ALUMI FUND 5000HILLEL FUND 5000LIBRARY FUND 10000
United Way Foundation
$20,000GENERAL USE
The Hartford Foundation For Publc G
$17,500GENERAL USE
University of Hartford
$15,500Hartt School 1500 Art School 1000 Hillel 10000 Greenberg Ctr 2000Barney School 1000ALL ENDOWNMENT
UCONN Foundation
$15,000ANNUAL FUND 15000HILLEL 500KELLY WRITERS 500 WHARTON FD 15000 RARE BOOK FD 10000
KESHET
$15,000General Use
Mandell Jewish Community Center
$11,090GENERAL USE
Emanuel Synagogue
$10,100General Use
University of Connecticut
$10,000School of Social Work
University of Connecticut Health
$10,000Cancer Research
Beth David Synagogue
$10,000GENERAL USE
Hartford Hospital Foundation
$10,000Endownment 20000General Use 25000
HILLEL OF DALLAS
$10,000GENERAL USE
FRIENDSOF THE IDF
$10,000GENERAL USE
JFACT
$10,000GENERAL USE
Hartford Hospital Foundation
$10,000GENERAL USE
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE-Hillel
$10,000ENDOWMENT FUND
YAYSH
$10,000GENERAL USE
New England Jewish Academy
$9,400Generl Use