The foundation prioritizes strengthening the local Jewish ecosystem in Louisville—funding synagogues, Jewish agencies, preschool scholarships, community security and Jewish education—while also investing in broader community development, youth services, and higher-education initiatives (including Holocaust/Jewish studies). Grants combine institutional operating support, capital and program funding, and targeted partnerships with regional universities and nonprofits to expand education, workforce and health-related programming. Distinctive features include large, concentrated awards to core local institutions and cross-sector investments that benefit both Jewish life and wider Louisville civic needs.
Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Inc made its largest recent award to the Jewish Community of Louisville, a $3,859,544 grant in 2023 that bundled annual federation support, camp and Israel trips, preschool scholarships, and capacity building. That same organization received another $2,317,136 in 2024 and $1,298,778 in 2025, showing a sustained emphasis on core Jewish communal infrastructure in Louisville. The foundation also backs Jewish life at the synagogue level, with multi-year support for The Temple and other local institutions, and it extends that work into education, safety, and community programming. Beyond the Jewish ecosystem, the funder supports Louisville-area civic and human-service partners through grants for neighborhood revitalization, youth pathways, food literacy, public health, and crisis services. Its recent awards show a pattern of large, concentrated grants to a relatively small set of local recipients, especially those that anchor Jewish education, family support, and community security. University partnerships form another visible strand, linking Holocaust and Jewish studies, student success, and youth development research to regional campuses.
Jewish life is a central focus. The foundation gave $1,298,778 in 2025 to the Jewish Community of Louisville for Safe Louisville, annual federation campaign support, security for Louisville Jewish schools and institutions, community planning, preschool scholarships, and Jewish Journeys. It also awarded $202,025 in 2025 to The Temple for synagogue annual flexible funding, religious school, and preschool scholarships. Education and academic programming are another thread. In 2025, the University of Louisville Foundation received $1,765,142 for Core Labs, research enhancement projects, the Jewish Life Initiative, behavior health science gap work, and board appreciation. Holocaust studies appear in Kentucky higher education through a $667,519 grant in 2025 to the University of Kentucky for the Holocaust Education Initiative and visiting assistant professor. Local workforce and community development show up as well, including $330,000 in 2023 to Kentuckianaworks (SummerWorks) for Louisville Science Pathways and $300,000 in 2025 to Blueprint 502 for operations.
$8.4M
$305.5M
$20.9M
$10.8M
Most grants fall between $39K and $200K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$39K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$200K
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Concentrated, high-value local giving with repeated multi-year support to a small set of core grantees (notably Jewish Community of Louisville and major universities), supplemented by strategic one-off gifts to regional nonprofits and capital campaigns; mix of unrestricted/operating support and targeted program or capital grants.
Notable grantees: Jewish Community of Louisville, University of Louisville Foundation, The Temple (Louisville), Jewish Family and Career Services, Community Ventures Corporation
Typical grants cluster at a moderate-to-large scale: p25 is $38,750, median is $100,000, and p75 is $200,000. The recent record includes both smaller operating awards and multi-million-dollar institutional grants, with repeated support to some recipients across 2023, 2024, and 2025. That repeat pattern is visible in several Louisville institutions and university partners. Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Inc is a public charity, and the giving profile is local rather than national. The foundation does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly in Kentucky, which accounts for 93% of grants, with Louisville and Lexington appearing most often. Louisville recipients include the Jewish Community of Louisville, University of Louisville Foundation, Jewish Family and Career Services, The Temple, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, and Food Literacy Project. Lexington recipients include Community Ventures Corporation, University of Kentucky, and Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. Outside Kentucky, the recent record includes only a small number of out-of-state recipients, such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc in New York, New York, and 300 for 300 in Grandville, Michigan.
Recent grants show support for Jewish communal institutions, universities, youth and workforce programs, food and human services, and community safety work. Recipients include synagogues, Jewish agencies, public university foundations, neighborhood development groups, and service nonprofits in Louisville and Lexington.
The distribution centers around six figures. The 25th percentile is $38,750, the median grant is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $200,000. The recent record also includes multi-million-dollar awards to major local institutions.
Most grants go to Kentucky recipients, and 93% of grants are made in the HQ state. The recent record does include a few out-of-state recipients, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc in New York, New York, and 300 for 300 in Grandville, Michigan.
Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the Jewish Community of Louisville, University of Louisville Foundation, Jewish Family and Career Services, The Temple, University of Kentucky, and Community Foundation of Louisville. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-off awards.
The Jewish Community of Louisville received support for preschool scholarships, security for Louisville Jewish schools, Safe Louisville, and Jewish Journeys. The Temple received synagogue flexible funding, religious school support, and preschool scholarships, while the University of Kentucky received Holocaust Education Initiative grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,765,142 | 2025 | CORE LABS, RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, JEWISH LIFE INITIATIVE, BEHAVIOR HEALTH SCIENCE GAP, BOARD APPRECIATION |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,298,778 | 2025 | SAFE LOUISVILLE, ANNUAL FEDERATION CAMPAIGN, SECURITY FOR LOUISVILLE JEWISH SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS, COMMUNITY PLANNING INITIATIVE, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, JEWISH JOURNEYS |
| HOME OF THE INNOCENTS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $667,519 | 2025 | HOLOCAUST EDUCATION INITIATIVE AND VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR |
| JEWISH FAMILY AND CAREER SERVICES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $444,565 | 2025 | RETIREE PLANNING AND YOUTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT |
| BLUEPRINT 502 | LOUISVILLE, KY | $300,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS |
| 300 FOR 300 | GRANDVILLE, MI | $250,000 | 2025 | PROJECT HAPPIER |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE BLUEGRASS | LEXINGTON, KY | $225,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY EXPANSION INITIATIVE |
| THE TEMPLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $202,025 | 2025 | SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS |
| KENTUCKY DANCE COUNCIL | LOUISVILLE, KY | $200,000 | 2025 | A TIME TO REMEMBER |
| FOOD LITERACY PROJECT | LOUISVILLE, KY | $200,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ADATH JESHURUN | LOUISVILLE, KY | $168,175 | 2025 | MELTON, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING |
| SHABBAT PROJECT DBA ONETABLE | NEW YORK, NY | $160,000 | 2025 | ONETABLE LOUISVILLE |
| KENTUCKY VOICES FOR HEALTH | LOUISVILLE, KY | $150,000 | 2025 | ENHANCING ADOLESCENT HEALTH THROUGH MEDICAID |
| CENTRE COLLEGE | DANVILLE, KY | $145,940 | 2025 | ENRICHING JEWISH STUDENT LIFE AND JEWISH STUDIES INITIATIVE |
| KENESETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $138,175 | 2025 | PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS AND SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING |
| COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $133,000 | 2025 | YOUTH ACTION PLAN |
| THE BOOK WORKS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $125,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION ENGAGEMENT HUB |
| SWEET EVENING BREEZE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $125,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | YMCA SHELTER HOUSE |
| BOYS AND GIRLS HAVEN | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2025 | INDEPENDENT READINESS |
| 2NOT1 | LOUISVILLE, KY | $85,000 | 2025 | RITES OF PASSAGE 2.0 |
| LOUISVILLE BEIT SEFER YACHAD | LEXINGTON, KY | $57,500 | 2025 | RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND BOARD APPRECIATION |
| KENTUCKY YOUTH ADVOCATES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR FOSTER CARE |
| MUHAMMAD ALI MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | PORTRAITS IN FAITH |
| BACKSIDE LEARNING CENTER | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2025 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT |
| TEMPLE SHALOM | LOUISVILLE, KY | $45,000 | 2025 | SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING |
| JEWISH HERITAGE MITZVAH FUND | LOUISVILLE, KY | $33,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| KENTUCKY NONPROFIT NETWORK | LEXINGTON, KY | $30,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ANSHEI SFARD | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING |
| JEWISH LEARNING CENTER | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING PROGRAM |
| LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $22,000 | 2025 | BLUEGRASS SCHMOOZE SEASON 2 |
| SHPIEL- PERFORMING ARTS IDENTITY | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | THEATER PROJECTS |
| LOUISVILLE HIGH SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $18,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $7,500 | 2025 | BOARD APPRECIATION |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $2,317,136 | 2024 | OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, LOUISVILLE STANDS WITH ISRAEL CAMPAIGN, PROGRAM SUPPORT, SAFE LOUISVILLE, ANNUAL FEDERATION CAMPAIGN, SECURITY FOR LOUISVILLE JEWISH SCHOOLS, EDUCATION CONSULTANT, COMMUNITY PLANNING INITIATIVE, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $2,282,965 | 2024 | CORE LABS, EATING ANXIETY LAB, CENTER FOR FAMILY & COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, INCREASING RESILIENCE IN LGBTQ+ ADOLESCENTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE, JEWISH HOSPITAL HISTORY WALL |
| JEWISH FAMILY AND CAREER SERVICES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,100,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $563,600 | 2024 | HOLOCAUST EDUCATION INITIATIVE AND JHF SCHOLARS |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $450,000 | 2024 | YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $410,000 | 2024 | COMMUNITY SAFETY AND HEALING, PUBLIC HEALTH, GIVE FOR GOOD |
| THE TEMPLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $201,500 | 2024 | SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS |
| LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $200,000 | 2024 | JEWISH & BLACK MUSICAL COLLABORATION SERIES |
| LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $200,000 | 2024 | FIRST RESPONDERS WELLNESS CENTER |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $180,000 | 2024 | STAFF CAPACITY |
| MARYHURST | LOUISVILLE, KY | $175,000 | 2024 | IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH WITH TRAUMA |
| ADATH JESHURUN | LOUISVILLE, KY | $148,700 | 2024 | MELTON, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING |
| YOUTHBUILD LOUISVILLE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2024 | OPERATIONS |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2024 | MENTORING PROGRAM |
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION
$1,765,142CORE LABS, RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, JEWISH LIFE INITIATIVE, BEHAVIOR HEALTH SCIENCE GAP, BOARD APPRECIATION
JEWISH COMMUNITY OF LOUISVILLE
$1,298,778SAFE LOUISVILLE, ANNUAL FEDERATION CAMPAIGN, SECURITY FOR LOUISVILLE JEWISH SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS, COMMUNITY PLANNING INITIATIVE, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, JEWISH JOURNEYS
HOME OF THE INNOCENTS
$1,000,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
HOLOCAUST EDUCATION INITIATIVE AND VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
RETIREE PLANNING AND YOUTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT
300 FOR 300
$250,000PROJECT HAPPIER
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE BLUEGRASS
$225,000COMMUNITY EXPANSION INITIATIVE
THE TEMPLE
$202,025SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
ADATH JESHURUN
$168,175MELTON, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING
CENTRE COLLEGE
$145,940ENRICHING JEWISH STUDENT LIFE AND JEWISH STUDIES INITIATIVE
KENESETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION
$138,175PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS AND SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING
THE BOOK WORKS
$125,000EDUCATION ENGAGEMENT HUB
YMCA LOUISVILLE
$100,000YMCA SHELTER HOUSE
BOYS AND GIRLS HAVEN
$100,000INDEPENDENT READINESS
2NOT1
$85,000RITES OF PASSAGE 2.0
LOUISVILLE BEIT SEFER YACHAD
$57,500RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND BOARD APPRECIATION
TEMPLE SHALOM
$45,000SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING
JEWISH HERITAGE MITZVAH FUND
$33,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
KENTUCKY NONPROFIT NETWORK
$30,000OPERATING SUPPORT
ANSHEI SFARD
$25,000SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING
JEWISH LEARNING CENTER
$25,000JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING PROGRAM
SHPIEL- PERFORMING ARTS IDENTITY
$20,000THEATER PROJECTS
LOUISVILLE HIGH SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES
$18,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
JEWISH COMMUNITY OF LOUISVILLE
$2,317,136OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, LOUISVILLE STANDS WITH ISRAEL CAMPAIGN, PROGRAM SUPPORT, SAFE LOUISVILLE, ANNUAL FEDERATION CAMPAIGN, SECURITY FOR LOUISVILLE JEWISH SCHOOLS, EDUCATION CONSULTANT, COMMUNITY PLANNING INITIATIVE, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION
$2,282,965CORE LABS, EATING ANXIETY LAB, CENTER FOR FAMILY & COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, INCREASING RESILIENCE IN LGBTQ+ ADOLESCENTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE, JEWISH HOSPITAL HISTORY WALL
COMMUNITY SAFETY AND HEALING, PUBLIC HEALTH, GIVE FOR GOOD
THE TEMPLE
$201,500SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING, RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
ADATH JESHURUN
$148,700MELTON, PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, SYNAGOGUE ANNUAL FLEXIBLE FUNDING