Grantee Organizations
The Hadassah Foundation is an investor in social change to bring about gender equity in the United States and Israel. We work to improve the status, health and well-being of all who identify as women and girls; bring their contributions, issues and needs from the margins to the center of Jewish concern; and encourage and facilitate their active participation in decision-making and leadership in all spheres of life. In late 2022, we began awarding grants in four categories, and we usually review Israeli and U.S. organizations at the same time.
Current Grantees
Past Grantees
Grant Categories
Visionary Partner
Exemplifying our values of building partnerships and embodying trust-based philanthropy, these unrestricted grants of $130,000 paid over five years are for mission-aligned organizations with strong track records as previous grantees.
Jewish Women International (JWI)
Grant Cycle: 2022-2027
Based in the U.S., JWI works to empower women and girls – of every race, culture, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation – by ensuring and protecting their safety, building access to long-term economic security, and lifting and mentoring women leaders.
Moving Traditions
Grant Cycle: 2023-2028
Moving Traditions emboldens Jewish youth to thrive through the pursuit of personal wellbeing (shleimut), caring relationships (hesed), and a Jewish and feminist vision of equity and justice (tzedek). It combines positive psychology with Jewish values and partners with Jewish institutions across North America to engage Jewish teens, families, and communities.
WePower
Grant Cycle: 2022-2027
A nonpartisan Israeli NGO, WePower helps women to advance to top level decision-making and elected positions, thus propelling social change and leading to a more equal and just civil society.
Core Grants
For leading organizations and programs that promote gender equity in Israel or the U.S., these $80,000 grants are awarded over three years.
Forum Dvorah
Grant Cycle: 2023-2026
Forum Dvorah is the only organization in Israel focusing on gender equality in key decision-making positions in the fields of national security and foreign policy. It manages a network of over 200 leading women in Israel in these fields and supports the next generation of leadership among young women.
Israel Women’s Network
Grant Cycle: 2023-2026
Israel Women’s Network (IWN) has been advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Israel for more than 38 years. Alongside its efforts to eradicate gender-based violence and to promote gender equality awareness and education in Israeli society, the IWN promotes gender equality in the workplace, in public spaces, and in government allocations of resources.
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice
Grant Cycle: 2023-2026
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice is an Israeli advocacy organization working to advance the status of women in Israeli public and private life. From workplaces to local municipalities to governmental bodies and the home, it is committed to furthering women’s legal rights, socio-economic advancement and representation.
QueenB
Grant Cycle: 2023-2026
QueenB was founded in 2016 with the aim of increasing the representation of Israeli women in the high-tech industry, in order to promote gender equality and equal employment opportunities. QueenB operates on two main tracks: offering after-school programming classes for teenage girls and creating a community of female students in the fields of computer science and engineering.
The Gender Equity in Hiring Project
Grant Cycle: 2023-2026
The Gender Equity in Hiring Project challenges gender bias in hiring and employment processes in North American Jewish organizational life, to help women rise into positions of leadership. It equips Jewish organizations with knowledge and support as they develop the mindset, skills, and strategies necessary to support the Jewish community as they advocate for and experiment with organizational change and culture shifts.
Spark Grants
Awarded to innovative organizations in early stages of development that are addressing a gap in the field of gender equity, these grants are for $20,000 paid over an 18-month period.
ASLI: Israel White Ribbon Organization
Grant Cycle: 2023-2025
ASLI: Israel White Ribbon Organization works to engage men and boys in the effort to eliminate violence towards women in both public and private spheres. ASLI is the only men-led and men-oriented organization in Israel working to prevent violence against women.
Kamochah
Grant Cycle: 2023-2025
Based in the United States, Kamochah aims to normalize the presence and experiences of Black Orthodox Jews in all sectors of Jewish communal life, including camps, schools, and synagogues. In addition, it celebrates the richness of Black Jews’ racial heritage while holding fast to Torah observance.
The Friendship League of Culture and Sports
Grant Cycle: 2023-2025
The Friendship League of Culture and Sports empowers women and girls from diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities in Israel by engaging them in the highly participatory game of catchball. (This grant is underwritten by the Julie Morris Ner Tamid Fund, which was established in 2023 in memory of past board chair Julie Morris.)
Discretionary Grants
Distributed throughout the year in response to time-sensitive activities and urgent needs these are onetime payments of $5,000. In 2023, these grants went to Israel-based organizations that immediately expanded their services in response to the many needs caused by the Israel-Hamas war.
Association for Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI)
Granted in 2023
ARCCI is the national umbrella organization for Israel’s rape crisis centers. It advocates for laws, amendments, rights, services, and policies to benefit survivors of sexual violence. Funds supported ARCCI’s efforts to expand the capacity of its hotline and the resources of the crisis centers throughout Israel, initiate a campaign to encourage rape survivors to call the hotline for help, and raise international awareness on the gender-based war crimes committed by Hamas.
Beit Ruth for Young Women and Girls at Risk
Granted in 2023
Beit Ruth is a therapeutic long-term care facility and school for girls that is located on the outskirts of Afula, in northern Israel. Funds helped Beit Ruth heighten security measures and its emergency preparedness protocols and infrastructure.
Israel Women’s Network
Granted in 2023
Alongside its efforts to eradicate gender-based violence and to promote gender equality awareness and education in Israeli society, Israel Women’s Network promotes gender equality in the workplace, in public spaces, and in government allocations of resources. This discretionary grant helped expand IWN’s hotline that provides women who have lost their jobs or are unable to work due to the war with guidance on accessing government resources and information on their legal rights.
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice
Granted in 2023
Itach Ma’aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice is an Israeli advocacy organization working to advance the status of women in Israeli public and private life. This discretionary grant supported Itach Ma’aki’s efforts to co-lead Israel’s only emergency center that is jointly run by Jewish and Arab organizations, and is providing provisions and needed services throughout the south of Israel.
2023 Israel Emergency Grants
These grants were approved in October 2023 in response to the crisis triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attacks.
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America
Granted in 2023
Shortly after October 7, the Hadassah Foundation made an emergency gift of $36,000 in support of Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO)’s indispensable services and expertise in healing and saving the lives of Israel’s most severely injured victims.
Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) Israel Crisis Fund
Granted in 2023
Shortly after October 7, the Hadassah Foundation donated $10,000 to this crisis fund.
News & Events
Grantmaking
Our Approach
We support organizations that work through a gender lens and that are creating social change. Learn what that means and about our grantmaking practices. Read more
For Grantseekers
The Hadassah Foundation awards grants in four categories to Israeli and U.S. organizations. Learn about our grants and how to apply. Read more
Past Discretionary Grants
Moving Traditions
Granted in 2022
Moving Traditions emboldens Jewish youth to thrive through the pursuit of personal wellbeing, caring relationships, and a Jewish and feminist vision of equity and justice. This grant supported efforts to help teens engage with reproductive rights work in response to the June 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Project Kesher Israel
Granted in 2022
Project Kesher Israel advocates on behalf of the needs of the Russian-speaking community in Israel and provides direct services to women who experience gender-based violence, need legal assistance with their personal status or obtaining a Jewish divorce, require eldercare services, or aim to improve their financial literacy. This grant supported increased services, including mental health, legal support, and education for women Ukrainian and Russian refugees and immigrants in Israel.
COVID Response Grants
2020-2021
PHASE 1:
With a dramatic increase in calls to Israel’s domestic abuse hotlines since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the Hadassah Foundation quickly launched a COVID-19 Response Fund. The selected grant recipients were:
Association of Rape Crisis Centers: The convener of Israel’s rape crisis centers that advocates on behalf of policies that promote women’s safety and support survivors of gender-based violence.
Israel Women’s Network: An organization focused on women’s equality that is lobbying the new Knesset and national government administration to implement needed domestic violence reforms.
Kayan: A feminist movement that advances the status and protects the rights of Arab women in Israel, is translating important domestic violence information into Arabic, expanding their culturally responsive helpline, and advising local Arab-women leaders on the ways to respond to COVID-19 and the domestic violence crisis.
PHASE 2:
Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund
The Jewish Women’s Collective Response Fund, convened and facilitated by The Hadassah Foundation, was comprised of five women’s funds – Greater Miami Jewish Federation Women’s Amutot Initiative, Israel Lions of Judah, Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta, and The Hadassah Foundation. The Collective Response Fund was created to provide sorely needed financial resources during this pandemic to Israeli nonprofit organizations that support survivors of domestic violence.
Tahel: The Crisis Center for Religious Women and Children: With 85 percent of its clientele coming from the Haredi population, Tahel provides emotional support, advice, and referrals for women and children in times of crisis.
Women’s Spirit: Providing tools, knowledge, and support for the economic independence and personal development of women survivors of violence.
MASLAN: The Negev’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Support Center: One of nine crisis centers in Israel, offers emergency services and counseling for people located throughout the Negev region.
Past Israel Grantees
A Step Forward
Achoti
Adva Center
AJEEC-NISPED
Al Zahraa Organization for Women
ANU
Association of Rape Crisis Centers
Beit Ruth
Center for Jewish Arab Economic Development
Center for Women’s Justice
Citizens’ Accord Forum Between Jews and Arabs
Economic Empowerment for Women
The Falk Institute
The Haifa Battered Women’s Hotline
Hebrew University NCJW Research Institute for Innovation in Education
Isha L’Isha
Israel Association for the Advancement of Women’s Health
Israel Religious Action Center
Israel Women’s Network
IT Works
Itach Ma’aki
Jasmine
Jerusalem Intercultural Center
Kav LaOved—Worker’s Hotline
Kayan
Kol Ha-Isha
Koret Israel Economic Development Funds
Latet
Machshava Tova
Mahut Center
Mavoi Satum
Merchavim
Microfy
Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development
Nivcharot
Olim Beyahad
PresenTense
Project Kesher Israel
Rabbis for Human Rights
The Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center
Shatil—New Israel Fund
SHIN
Sidreh
The Taub Center
Tel Aviv University Law School
Theatre Company Jerusalem
Tishreen
The Tmura Center
Turning the Tables
Van Leer Institute, The Center for the Advancement of Women in the Public Sphere
WePower
Women Against Violence
Women of the Wall
Women’s Spirt
Workers’ Advice Center—Ma’an
Yedid
Yozmot Atid
Past United States Grantees
AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
Challah for Hunger
District of Columbia JCC
Edith and Carl Marks JCH of Bensonhurst
F.E.G.S. Long Island Division
Hazon
Hebrew Free Loan Society, New York City
Hillel UCLA
JCC Chicago
JCC Manhattan
Jewish Community Relations Council of NY
Jewish Family & Life
Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Jewish Free Loan Association, Los Angeles
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Jewish Theological Seminary
Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale
Lilith Magazine
Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy
Mayyim Hayyim
McLean Hospital
Moving Traditions
Nishmah
Ohio State University Hillel
Reclaiming Judaism
Shalom Bayit (The Tides Center)
Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
Shalom Task Force
St. Louis JCC/Nishmah
UCLA Hillel
Union for Reform Judaism
Women’s Sports Foundation
Yeshivat Maharat