Frankel Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Frankel Family Foundation funds organizations working towards peace in Israel, fighting anti-Semitism and serving the needs of refugees and displaced persons.
IP TAKE: This funder does not award many grants each year. Applicants should expect a good deal of competition from other grantseekers when applying for funding with Frankel. This is an accessible funder that accepts LOIs and prefers grantseekers contact its staff to figure out whether their work aligns with that of the foundation. Frankel supports both grassroots and large national and international environmental organizations. Supportive and easy to work with, Frankel works to help its grantees thrive.
PROFILE: The Frankel Family Foundation was established in 2002 by the family of late business marketing pioneer Bud Frankel. The foundation primarily funds environmental organizations, but it also supports “work that reflects the particular interests of individual Board members,” including refugees, human rights, youth development and mental health. The Frankel Family Foundation’s stated priorities include the Environment, Israel and Anti-Semitism and Refugees and Displaced Persons.
Grants for Environmental Conservation and Climate Change
Frankel’s Environment grantmaking centers on and addresses the “changing climate conditions on our planet and the developed world’s dependence on fossil fuel as an energy source.” The foundation supports advocacy organizations aimed at changing “government funding and policy in favor of sustainable energy and decreasing carbon emissions on a large scale.” One recent grantee, Stand.earth, received funding for its campaigns fighting the expansion of fossil fuel development. Another grantee, the Union of Concerned Scientists, received a grant for its work advocating for the decarbonization of the U.S. economy and expanding clean energy efforts.
Grants for Global Security and Jewish Causes
The Frankel Family Foundation’s grantmaking for Israel and Anti-Semitism is committed to creating “a democratic and peaceful Israel as a homeland for Jews” and “fighting anti-Semitism wherever it exists.” In the past, it has provided general operating support funding to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Hand in Hand Center for Jewish-Arab Education and the Alliance for Middle East Peace. It has also supported policy advocacy, media programs, and education opportunities through organizations like Givat Haviva, Sikkuy and the Abraham Fund Initiative.
Grants for Refugees and Humanitarian Aid
Frankel’s Refugees and Displaced Persons grantmaking focuses on “expanding educational opportunities for refugees and internally displaced people living in protracted exile.” In keeping with the UNHCR, the foundation defines refugees/displaced persons as those who are forced to flee his or her home due to armed conflict and human rights abuses “including, but not limited to political, cultural or religious persecution, environmental degradation or disaster.” Frankel’s refugee-related funding is evolving to prioritize education programs that benefit displaced people. Refugee organizations that have received support from Frankel in the past include Heartland Alliance International, which received funding for its trauma informed training program for teachers, and the University of the People, which received a grant for its Refugee Scholarship Fund.
Important Grant Details:
Grant amounts typically range from $15,000 to $100,000. While it primarily funds U.S.-based organizations, it often supports projects that are international in scope. To learn more about the types of organizations Frankel supports and at what level, download its current grants list.
The Frankel Foundation accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry (LOI) by invitation only. However, it encourages grantseekers to contact staff to assess eligibility if they believe their work aligns with the foundation’s interests.
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