Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
/OVERVIEW: The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity supports Jewish causes, K-12 and higher education, writing and journalism, and human rights causes across the globe.
IP TAKE: This is an accessible funder that is singularly focused on issues important to its founder. Grantseekers focused on two or more of the foundation’s funding areas will likely see more success than those focused on just one. While some of its grantmaking is worldwide, a significant portion of its funding stays in the United States and in Israel. The staff is approachable and responsive, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
PROFILE: Established in 1986, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity was created by Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate Elie Wiesel and his wife Marion. He is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and was a founding member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D. C. and the New York Human Rights Foundation. Wiesel was also an educator and held prestigious teaching positions at Boston University, City University of New York, and Yale University. The foundation seeks “to combat indifference, intolerance and injustice through international dialogue and youth-focused programs that promote acceptance, understanding and equality.” Its grantmaking supports organizations whose missions overlap with “the values embodied by Elie Wiesel.” Grant programs change frequently, but all of them will honor two of the many aspects of Wiesel’s life work as student, educator, activist, writer, journalist, and man of faith. Additionally, the foundation will not support “organizations that demonize Israel in any way including campaigning against investment in Israel.” Its current grantmaking focuses on intersections between education and activism.
Grants for Jewish Causes, Higher Education, and K-12 Education
The foundation’s current education grantmaking is broadly focused on “programs connected to moral values grounded in Jewish education.” It does not restrict these grants to either K-12 or higher education and prioritizes funding for “programs and projects that foster dialogue, especially in innovative ways.”
The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest is goes to undergraduate students enrolled at an accredited college or university in the United States. Writing prompts change every year, so interested students will want to verify that they are writing on the most current prompt before submitting. Award amounts are $10,000 for the winning essay, $5,000 for second place, and $3,000 for third place. Examples of past winning essays are available on the foundation’s contest page.
The foundation also supports education in Israel’s Ethiopian-Jewish community via its two Beit Tzipora Centers, and it gave $2.5 million to support WIZO (Women's International Zionist Organization) in 2017.
Grants for Security and Human Rights
The foundation’s human rights grantmaking is currently focused on advocacy for the Uyghur Muslim community in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) of northwest China. Specifically, activist grants fund programs and groups working “to restore the rights and dignity of the Uyghur population.”
The Wiesel Foundation offers several other awards that generally go to high profile individuals, specifically politicians and celebrities. The Humanitarian Award has been given out annually since 1989 and recognizes individuals who fight injustice and intolerance and whose human rights work overlaps with the vision and beliefs of the foundation’s. Past recipients include former President George H.W. Bush, former first ladies Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Oprah Winfrey. The Arts for Humanity Award recognizes artists who demonstrate concern for others as well as their “intrinsic talent.” It has previously gone to actors Tom Hanks and George Clooney. Grantseekers can look over the foundation’s other previous awards and initiatives on its Past Work page.
Grants for Writing and Journalism
The foundation is not currently making grants in the areas of writing or journalism; however, the focus of its support changes frequently, so grantseekers should check the website’s Grants page regularly.
Important Grant Details:
Grant amounts range in size from $50,000 to $200,000. The foundation only makes groups to organizations that support Israel unequivocally. It will not make grants to organizations. Apply via the online system linked at the bottom of the Grants page.
PEOPLE:
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