Our Approach
The Hadassah Foundation supports 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.
Utilizing A Gender Lens
The Hadassah Foundation applies a gender lens approach to grantmaking, recognizing that gender shapes people’s experiences, opportunities, and outcomes, and that initiatives grounded in the leadership and lived experiences of women and girls are essential to achieving lasting social change. Our funding supports education, advocacy, and field building. 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.
Shulamit Photo and Video for Yeshivat Maharat
Promoting Social Change
Our grantmaking aims to promote long-term social change by identifying the root causes or underlying drivers of inequality – such as discriminatory policies, social norms, economic structures, and power imbalances. We seek to transform the systems that shape women’s and girls’ lives – legal, cultural, economic, and philanthropic – while expanding the role, influence, and impact of all who identify as women and girls.
Grant Categories
Nonprofits can apply for either general-operating or project-based support. Each grant is $120,000 awarded over three years. Seven Core grants (four in Israel, three in the U.S.) will be awarded in 2026. 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. Three Spark grants will be awarded in 2026, including one to be underwritten by the Julie Morris Ner Tamid Fund. Meet our current and past Spark grant recipients.
These exemplify the Hadassah 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. Meet our Visionary Partner grant recipients.
These enable the Hadassah Foundation to quickly provide funds to address time-sensitive activities and needs that arise. Each grant is up to $10,000 awarded in one payment. Meet our recent Discretionary grant recipients.
Featured Grant Recipients
Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA)
ORA seeks to eliminate abuse from the Jewish divorce process by advocating for the timely and unconditional issuance of a get, or a Jewish divorce. It pursues its mission through three main strategies: advocacy on behalf of agunot (women denied a divorce), early intervention, and prevention.
Ma’at
Ma’at is the only Israeli organization that helps victims of web-based sex crimes by assisting them in identifying their offenders and pursuing appropriate legal action. It also raises public awareness about this type of abuse and presses the criminal justice system to respond appropriately.
Forum Dvorah
Promotes the advancement of women into Israel’s top leadership roles in national security and foreign policy through mentorship, peer support, training, and advocacy. Its network includes 450+ women professionals in national security and foreign policy, alongside more than 500 women serving in combat roles across active duty, career service, and the reserves
Empowering Ethiopian Women
One of the few Ethiopian-led feminist organizations in Israel, Empowering Ethiopian Women offers specialized programs to foster self-confidence and provide mentorship and peer support, as well as improve participants’ career readiness, financial literacy, and communication and negotiation skills.
News & Events
Grantmaking
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
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