The Zeff Kesher Foundation concentrates its funding almost exclusively on Jewish communal life, splitting support between local Colorado Jewish infrastructure and national/international Jewish educational and Israel-focused organizations. Grants are large and targeted, often made repeatedly to the same institutions to bolster leadership, Jewish learning, community services, and Israel engagement. The foundation appears to prioritize capacity-building and strategic initiatives over many small awards.
Highly concentrated giving: a small number of very large grants, repeated gifts to core national and local Jewish organizations rather than many small or one-off awards. Funding appears targeted to organizational capacity, program scaling, and sustained partnerships.
Zeff Kesher Foundation’s largest recent grant in the data is a $1,405,000 award to Jewish Colorado in 2024, and that pattern points to a funder that backs Jewish communal infrastructure at meaningful scale. Across the recent grants list, the foundation repeatedly supports a small set of institutions rather than spreading funds widely, with recurring awards to Jewish Colorado, Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America, and Jewish Family Service. The grants are generally designated for charitable purpose, and the names of the recipients show a clear emphasis on Jewish education, community services, advocacy, and Israel-related engagement. The foundation’s support is not limited to national organizations. It also funds Denver-based institutions such as Temple Emanuel, Jewish Denver Day School, Denver Jewish Day School, and the Denver Art Museum, showing a local giving pattern alongside larger institutional grants. Several recipients appear in more than one year, which suggests sustained relationships rather than one-time awards. The overall profile is that of a targeted Jewish philanthropy with a mix of major operating support and smaller strategic grants to reinforce established organizations.
Jewish communal infrastructure in Colorado is a central theme. The foundation gave $1,405,000 to Jewish Colorado in 2024 and another $515,334 in 2023, then followed with $480,000 in 2025, indicating repeated support for the same local platform. Jewish adult education and leadership development also appears prominently. Zeff Kesher Foundation awarded $750,000 in 2025 to Shalom Hartman Institute of America after a $500,000 grant in 2024, with an additional $9,999 in 2023, all recorded for charitable purpose. Israel engagement is another consistent thread. The foundation gave $500,000 in 2025 to Jewish Agency for Israel North America and $380,000 in 2024, while also supporting American Israel Education Foundation with multiple $25,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Smaller grants extend to Jewish family support and education, including Jewish Family Service, Temple Emanuel, and the two Denver Jewish day schools.
Grant sizes are uneven and relationship-based. The typical grant distribution runs from a p25 of $4,936 to a median of $25,000 and a p75 of $35,625, but the recent list also includes several six- and seven-figure awards. Recipients appear across multiple years, especially Jewish Colorado, Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America, American Technion Society, ADL, American Friends of Leket, and American Israel Education Foundation. The foundation is a grantmaker, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. The recent record shows repeated charitable-purpose grants rather than a published application process.
$1.9M
$35.2M
$11.5M
$2.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $36K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$36K
About 38% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: Jewish Colorado, Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America
Most grants in the recent list go to U.S. recipients, with 100% of grants landing in the United States. Colorado is the top state by grant count, and Denver appears often through Jewish Colorado, Temple Emanuel, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Denver Day School, Denver Jewish Day School, and the Denver Art Museum. New York is another major recipient location, including Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America, American Technion Society, and ADL. Other recipient cities include Teaneck, New Jersey; Washington, DC; Lakewood, New Jersey; and Needham, Massachusetts.
The recent grants point to Jewish communal life, Jewish education, Israel engagement, advocacy, and Jewish family services. Recipients include Jewish Colorado, Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America, Jewish Family Service, Temple Emanuel, and ADL.
Its grant sizes cluster around a median of $25,000, with a p25 of $4,936 and a p75 of $35,625. The recent list also includes larger awards such as $1,405,000 to Jewish Colorado and $750,000 to Shalom Hartman Institute of America.
Yes. The list shows repeated grants over multiple years to Jewish Colorado, Shalom Hartman Institute of America, Jewish Agency for Israel North America, American Technion Society, ADL, American Friends of Leket, and American Israel Education Foundation.
Colorado is the top state by grant count, and 42% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Colorado. Denver-based recipients appear frequently, including Jewish Colorado, Temple Emanuel, Jewish Family Service, and the two Jewish day schools.
The recent grants are entirely U.S.-based, with 34 grants to U.S. recipients and no non-U.S. countries in the distribution. Recipient cities include Denver, New York, Teaneck, Washington, DC, Lakewood, and Needham.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $480,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $66,667 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| TEMPLE EMANUEL | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET | TEANECK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| ADL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| IMPACTISRAEL INC | NEEDHAM, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $1,405,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $380,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | DENVER, CO | $37,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET | TEANECK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| ADL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| DENVER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL | DENVER, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| J GIVE - FRIENDS OF ASOR FUND USA INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $2,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| PARKINSONS FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $515,334 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $66,666 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| TEMPLE EMANUEL | DENVER, CO | $35,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE | DENVER, CO | $34,970 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET | TEANECK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| ADL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL NORTH AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $10,207 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $9,999 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| JEWISH DENVER DAY SCHOOL | DENVER, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| DENVER ART MUSEUM | DENVER, CO | $4,745 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| BETH ISRAEL FOUNDATION - SHALOM PARK | AURORA, CO | $1,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| SHALOM PARK | AURORA, CO | $1,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
| UJA FEDERATION | NEW YORK, NY | $180 | 2023 | CHARITABLE PURPOSE |
SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$750,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
TEMPLE EMANUEL
$50,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET
CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
IMPACTISRAEL INC
$2,500CHARITABLE PURPOSE
SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$500,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$37,500CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
ADL
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
J GIVE - FRIENDS OF ASOR FUND USA INC
$2,500CHARITABLE PURPOSE
PARKINSONS FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
TEMPLE EMANUEL
$35,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE
$34,970CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
ADL
$25,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
SHALOM HARTMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
$9,999CHARITABLE PURPOSE
JEWISH DENVER DAY SCHOOL
$5,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
BETH ISRAEL FOUNDATION - SHALOM PARK
$1,000CHARITABLE PURPOSE
UJA FEDERATION
$180CHARITABLE PURPOSE