August 30, 2023 Amid Rising Antisemitic Attacks, Jewish Federations Are Upping Their Security Funding August 30, 2023/ Simone Ellin Physical security is a rising priority for local Jewish funders concerned about hate crimes and violence. Here’s a look at how Jewish federations are backing efforts to strengthen their communities’ defenses.Read More
July 26, 2023 Moved by a Schizophrenia Diagnosis, This Family Is Channeling Millions Toward Mental Health July 26, 2023/ Simone Ellin Shari and Garen Staglin’s son Brandon began showing symptoms of schizophrenia as a teen. Today, he’s president of One Mind, which backs mental health, and the family is raising serious funds for research and more.Read More
June 15, 2023 A New Effort to Diversify Jewish Organizations Starts With Philanthropy June 15, 2023/ Simone Ellin There’s more racial diversity in the American Jewish community than you might expect, but Jews of color are underrepresented in organizational leadership. This fellowship is cultivating diverse Jewish leaders in philanthropy.Read More
May 24, 2023 Hillel Celebrates 100 Years — and Rallies Some Major Jewish Donors May 24, 2023/ Simone Ellin The popular Jewish student organization Hillel is marking a century in operation with an ambitious fundraising campaign. The effort has raised more than $100 million to bolster its work at a critical time.Read More
May 08, 2023 Why Jewish Funders Are Looking Toward Jewish Community Centers to Meet Today’s Challenges May 08, 2023/ Simone Ellin Often undervalued in the past, Jewish Community Centers operate across the country. For some funders and leaders, they represent an underutilized opportunity to tackle antisemitism, declining synagogue affiliation and more.Read More
February 28, 2023 Seeing Progress and Potential, Jewish LGBTQ Donors Form a Network to Support Their Community February 28, 2023/ Simone Ellin More Jewish donors are supporting LGBTQ communities, but there’s still much room for growth. Three philanthropists formed the Jewish LGBTQ Donor Network to increase giving, educate and build connections.Read More
November 28, 2022 Cultivation: How the Grinspoon Foundation Is Helping Build a Jewish Future November 28, 2022/ Simone Ellin For the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, cultivating giving from others is a big part of its efforts to move money out the door for the Jewish community. Here are some key approaches the foundation’s taking.Read More
October 17, 2022 How Philanthropy Can Combat a “Ferocious” Wave of Book Bans October 17, 2022/ Simone Ellin As book bans in schools become a key front in the culture wars, organizations like PEN America are betting that Americans’ faith in free speech will prove stronger. Do funders have their backs?Read More
September 08, 2022 Meet the Funder Collaborative Behind a Push for Psychedelic Mental Health Treatments September 08, 2022/ Simone Ellin The Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative has been working to secure federal approval of PTSD treatments using psychedelic substances. With plenty of well-heeled donors aboard, the group’s outlook is bright.Read More
June 30, 2022 How the Weinberg Foundation Is Working to Move the Needle on Poverty in Baltimore June 30, 2022/ Simone Ellin While Baltimore has made some economic strides, gains have been unequal, and the city still struggles with high poverty rates. This long-running local funder is working to make difference, and sees reasons for optimism. Read More
May 13, 2022 “It Can’t Just be Ford.” How Rebecca Cokley Is Centering Disability Rights at Ford and Beyond May 13, 2022/ Simone Ellin When Ford set out to incorporate disability rights into its work, the foundation hired Rebecca Cokley to lead grantmaking on the topic. Cokley is now channeling millions to the cause — and urging others to step up.Read More
April 06, 2022 How Jewish Funders Are Mobilizing to Fight Climate Change April 06, 2022/ Simone Ellin Jewish voters rank climate change as a top priority, and many Jewish philanthropists have demonstrated similar concern. Donors and philanthropic leaders explain what motivates them and how they’re taking action.Read More
March 11, 2022 How This Fellowship Lets Social Justice Leaders Explore Bold Ideas March 11, 2022/ Simone Ellin Since its 2016 launch, the Rosenberg Foundation’s Leading Edge fellowship program has backed some of California’s most promising social justice leaders. Here’s what some fellows in the 2022-2024 cohort are working on.Read More
January 26, 2022 Hilton’s Equity Funding Expands—for a Disability Rights Group, It’s a “Game-Changer” January 26, 2022/ Simone Ellin Philanthropy historically underfunds disability rights and equity. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation recently made a $1 million grant to disability-led organization RespectAbility as part of a growing fund dedicated to equity issues.Read More
January 24, 2022 A Look at This Jewish University’s New $613 Million Fundraising Campaign January 24, 2022/ Simone Ellin New York-based Yeshiva University is looking to expand via an ambitious new fundraising campaign with a goal inspired by the Torah. We look at what the university has planned, and some headwinds it faces.Read More
December 06, 2021 How a Foundation Mobilized to Keep Jewish Summer Camps Afloat During COVID December 06, 2021/ Simone Ellin When the pandemic shut down Jewish summer camps nationwide, the Foundation for Jewish Camp went into action to keep programs running. It’s a good example of how intermediaries can coordinate in specific funding niches.Read More
November 17, 2021 What’s Next for Miriam Adelson’s Philanthropy? Nobody Seems to Know November 17, 2021/ Simone Ellin Following Sheldon Adelson’s death in January, Miriam Adelson controls the couple’s fortune and presumably their sizable philanthropy. We tried to get a read on where giving might be headed—nobody wanted to talk about it. Read More
November 05, 2021 How a Unique Biotech Company Partners With Charities to Find Cures for Rare Diseases November 05, 2021/ Simone Ellin Rarebase is a public benefit corporation that uses genomics to identify treatments for rare diseases. The firm’s unique model relies on small foundations and patient advocacy groups to acquire funds and patient data.Read More
July 15, 2021 "Honored and Elated." 3 Jewish Organizations React After a Windfall from MacKenzie Scott July 15, 2021/ Simone Ellin In MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett’s latest round, several groups rooted in religion made the list, including three Jewish organizations. We checked in with them to get their reactions and find out what they have planned.Read More
April 22, 2021 How a Youth Program Is Engaging the Next Generation of Jewish Philanthropy April 22, 2021/ Simone Ellin Honeycomb, a program of the Jewish Funders Network, engages teens in charitable giving while strengthening their connection to Jewish values. With a new executive director, the program is expanding its offerings.Read More