Jewish Federation of Cleveland

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OVERVIEW: The Jewish Federation of Cleveland is a strong supporter of Jewish life and culture in the Greater Cleveland area. It also supports national and international Jewish organizations and makes grants for secular organizations working in health, arts and culture and higher education.

IP TAKE: The Jewish Federation of Cleveland does not provide information about how to apply for its federation or donor-advised grants. Grantseekers can find contact information for the federation’s staff on its webpage and reach out with ideas and introductions.

PROFILE: Established in 1903, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland supports the Jewish communities of Cleveland, Ohio and its environs, as well as Jewish people in Israel and around the world. The Federation is on a mission to “promote the well-being of our community, its members, and Jews throughout the world; enhance the continuity, security, and unity of the Jewish community; increase understanding of Jewish values and their application to improve people’s lives; encourage our members to fulfill the responsibility of tikkun olam, to make the world a better place; support Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; and promote collective action by individuals and organizations to advance these purposes.”

Grants for Jewish Causes, Cleveland and Israel

The Federation gives to an array of causes, but does not have discernable grantmaking programs. Instead, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has several priority areas that shift with the needs of its community. Priority areas include:

  • human services for people in need, preparing community resources for future generations

  • sharing and promoting Jewish culture and helping people throughout the world in times of crisis

  • share the Jewish community’s perspectives by ensuring diverse points of view throughout the community are heard and respected.

  • working to repair the “world by responding in times of emergency and helping people rebuild in the wake of natural or man-made disasters”

  • investing in programs and services that provide a strong safety net during times of personal crises

More than half of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s grantmaking supports Jewish causes in the Cleveland area. Grantmaking stems from the Federation and the many donor-advised funds that it oversees. In addition to supporting Jewish causes in Cleveland and around the world, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland makes grants for arts and culture, health and higher education. The Federation also runs many social, educational, cultural and enrichment programs for the communities it serves.

Past grantees include ongoing support to local organizations including the Hebrew Shelter Home, the Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Mandel Jewish Community Center. Cleveland Jewish schools that receive regular support include the Fuchs Mizrachi School, the Gross Schecter Day School, the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland and the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School. The Federation also supports the Hillel at Kent State University and several local synagogues.

The Federation’s national grantees for Jewish causes include the Jewish Federations of North America, the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, Birthright Israel, the Anti-Defamation League and Operation Open Curtain, which provides support for Jewish immigrants from Russia and former Soviet republics.

International grantmakingm appears to prioritize Israel with grants supporting the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Israel Education Foundation. Another international grantee, World Ort, supports Jews around the world with education and vocational training.

Grants for Jewish Arts and Culture

Finally, a signature program, the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection, brings “Israeli arts and culture to Cleveland by working with the finest local arts organizations and institutions” in the visual and performing arts. Recent programs have included performances by the Vertigo Dance Company, a production of Dobama Theatre’s play “On the Grill” and an exhibition of photographs of Israel’s native vegetation.

  • Recent grants have gone to the Cleveland Orchestra, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, the Center for Arts Inspired Learning, CityMusic Cleveland, the Cleveland Public Theatre and the Cleveland Modern Dance Association.

  • A few smaller grants stemming from donor-advised funds have gone to arts organizations elsewhere in the U.S., including the Aspen Art Museum and the Frick Collection in New York and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Grants for Public Health and Access

The federation has steadily supported several health organizations and hospitals in the Cleveland area. Recent grants have gone to the Mount Sinai Health Care Foundation of Cleveland, Hospice of the Western Reserve, the Cleveland Clinic, the Metrohealth Foundation and Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. Only a few grants go to national organizations or organizations operating in other parts of the country. In a recent year, these included the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, the Icahn School of Medicine in New York and the Leukemia and Lymphoa

Grants for Higher Education

In addition to its support of the Hillel at Cleveland’s Kent State University, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland has given to colleges and universities including Case Western Reserve University, Ohio Wesleyan University, New York University, Northwestern University, Harvard University and the University of Michigan.

Important Grant Details:

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland generally makes between $60 million and $100 million a year in grants.

  • The Federation’s core recipients, which are mainly Jewish organizations in Cleveland, receive millions of dollars in support annually.

  • Other grants range from $2,500 to $1 million, with an average grant size of about $30,000. This funder supports a broad range of organizations and places a strong emphasis on Jewish communities in the greater Cleveland area.

  • For additional information about past grantmaking, see the federation’s beneficiaries page, its annual reports or its recent tax filings.

This funder does not appear to run any open application programs for its grantmaking. Grantseekers may send a message to the foundation via its contact page or reach out to an appropriate staff member via telephone or email.

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