Our Approach
We support organizations that work through a gender lens, that are creating social change and that strengthen the leadership capacity and role of self-identifying women and girls. Recognizing that initiatives at different stages of maturity are all important to a healthy and growing field advancing gender equity, we make different types of grants tailored to differing needs. And we embrace trust-based philanthropy: awarding multi-year grants; providing general-operating, as well as project-based, support; and minimizing reporting
requirements whenever possible so that our grantee organizations have more time and resources to devote to achieving their goals.
Creating Social Change
The Hadassah Foundation seeks to promote lasting change by addressing the underlying obstacles that impede the full participation of women and girls in society. This approach is unlike traditional charity, which often seeks to ameliorate the symptoms of societal problems—for example, by providing medicine and treatment for the sick, funds for the poor, or shelters for the homeless and battered.
We are interested in how a program influences and brings about change in: how an issue is defined, individuals’ behaviors, increasing community engagement, policies and systems, and/or maintaining past gains in these areas. As part of this mission, we strongly encourage the active participation of women and girls in the governance of the organizations we support. Learn more about social change indicators.
Utilizing A Gender Lens
We support organizations and programs that build on the unique strengths, perspectives, and experiences of people who identify as women and girls. We recognize that gender influences people’s needs, causes differing outcomes, and underlies various assumptions and norms. Deliberate attention to gender is an important component of a gender-sensitive program, and may occur in both a gender-specific (girls/women only) and/or multigendered environment. Learn more about gender lens funding.
Advancing Women’s Leadership
We support initiatives that create widespread systemic change and/or advance cohorts of women and girls who will then impact greater numbers of people. We define leadership as process of social influence, guiding a group of people or an organization (in other words, maximizing the efforts of others) toward achieving a goal. Leadership is also about taking risks and challenging the status quo.
Leadership stems for social influence, not only from authority or power; requires being in relationship with others, including those who are not on the staff of the leader; is independent of personality traits, attributes, or even a title; there are many styles and paths to effective leadership.
A leader can have:
- Formal or delegated authority — e.g. in the role of elected official, executive director, board chair, or department head.
- Informal authority — e.g. someone who influences others from within a group or who models behaviors.
Grant Categories
The Hadassah Foundation awards grants in four categories to gender-equity organizations in Israel and the United States.
Nonprofits can apply for either general-operating or project-based support. Each grant is $80,000 awarded over three years. We will award six Core grants in 2024. Each year two Core grants are underwritten by the Andrea Silagi Fund for Education, Advocacy and Outreach. Meet our current Core grantee organizations.
These allow for increased risk-taking and appropriately sized support for newer organizations that are meeting pressing and emergent needs. Each grant is $20,000 awarded over 18 months. Each year, one Spark grant is underwritten by the Julie Morris Ner Tamid Fund. We expect to award three Spark grants in 2024. Meet our current Spark grant recipients.
These exemplify the Foundation’s values of building partnerships and embodying trust-based philanthropy by offering longer-term funding to organizations that have a strong track record as Hadassah Foundation grant recipients. Each grant is $130,000 awarded over five years, and we expect to award one Visionary Partner grant in 2024. Meet our Visionary Partner grant recipients.
These enable us to quickly provide funds to address time-sensitive activities and needs that arise. Each grant is up to $5,000 awarded in one payment. We expect to award four Discretionary grants in 2024. Meet our recent Discretionary grant recipients.
Designated Funds
The Andrea Silagi Fund for Education, Advocacy and Outreach helps women and girls access the information they need to live healthy, informed, and productive lives. Established in 2022 with a $1 million gift from Andrea’s husband Moshe Silagi and their daughter Karen Silagi Freedman, the fund honors Andrea’s passion for education and love of teaching. Learn more.
The Julie Morris Ner Tamid Fund underwrites an annual Spark grant to an organization that embraces new ideas and alternative ways of solving problems, unlocks the hidden potential that lies within people, and fosters environments of peace and community where change can blossom. Learn more.
The Bernice S. Tannenbaum Fund for Education underwrites all Hadassah Foundation educational programming. Learn more.
Featured Grant Recipients
Jewish Women International (JWI)
One of the Hadassah Foundation’s inaugural Visionary Partners, JWI works to empower women and girls by ensuring and protecting their safety, building access to long-term economic security, and lifting and mentoring women leaders.
Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI)
The national umbrella organization for Israel’s rape crisis centers, ARCCI advocates for laws, amendments, rights, services, and policies to benefit survivors of sexual violence.
Women’s Spirit
Women’s Spirit works to promote the economic independence of women survivors of abuse in Israel and strives for social change from a feminist perspective and commitment to social and gender justice.
Friendship League of Culture and Sports
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.
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
Meet Our Grantees
Our grant recipients in Israel and the United States address a variety of issues affecting those who identify as women and girls. Learn about our current and past grant recipients. Read More