United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York
OVERVIEW: The United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York mainly gives for Jewish causes but also supports community development, health, mental health and human services. The federation prioritizes New York City, Israel and areas of the former Soviet Republic.
IP TAKE: The United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York (UJA) is a leading supporter of Jewish causes in New York, Israel and around the world, making over $100 million in grants a year. Given its size and scope, this is a surprisingly transparent and accessible funder. And while the lion’s share of funding goes to Jewish-serving organizations, the federation also supports many Jewish organizations that work broadly to help all people, as well as non-Jewish organizations working in the federation’s areas of interest, which include the health, mental health, human services and disaster relief.
UJA posts requests for applications on its application portal and accepts letters of inquiry in response. Programs and opportunities change often, so check back periodically for updates. Grants provide funding for operational support, capacity building and initiatives. More than half of this funder’s grantmaking stays in New York. Israel and the former Soviet Union are other significant destinations for funding, but national nonprofits in the U.S. and organizations operating in other countries also receive a share of UJA’s support.
PROFILE: PROFILE: Based in New York City, the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York (UJA) was established in 1986, when the United Jewish Appeal merged with the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. Its mission is to “care for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, respond to crises close to home and far away, and shape our Jewish future.”
The federation’s stated areas of grantmaking and engagement are Caring for People in Need, Building Bridges & Promoting Inclusion, Responding to Antisemitism and Global Crises and Strengthening Jewish Life. The federation also awards scholarships and fellowships for Jewish and religious education and runs professional development and mentoring programs for Jews in New York.
Grants for Jewish Causes and Community Development
Jewish causes are the main focus of UJA’s grantmaking, but it is important to note that this funder gives in many overlapping areas of concern that are of interest to other communities and groups. While it is safe to say that this funder prioritizes Jewish causes — as some programs and subprograms are more stringently focused on support and services for Jewish organizations and communities — while a fraction portion of Jewish grantmaking also invests in community development that is inclusive of both Jews and non-Jews.
UJA’s Caring for People in Need focus area names Holocaust Survivors as one of its main priorities. With most Holocaust survivors currently in their 80s and 90s, grantmaking focuses on aging in place, health, mental health and other human services in the areas of the world where most holocaust survivors live: the U.S., Israel and the former Soviet Union.
One grantee working in this area is Aviv for Holocaust Survivors, which works in Israel and elsewhere to help survivors who hail from Bulgaria and Romania receive the services, support and benefits to which they are entitled.
Additional recipients of this subprogram include the Center Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, Brooklyn’s Edith and Carl Marks Community House of Bensonhurst, Polish Pension Help, Inc. and the Samuel Field Y located in the Forest Hills area of Queens, New York.
The Building Bridges & Promoting Inclusion giving area focuses on Advocacy and Creating Inclusive Jewish Communities.
The Advocacy subprogram centers on “strengthening relationships between the Jewish community and our neighbors to impact causes that affect us all.”
UJA engages in and supports advocacy efforts across a broad spectrum of social and environmental justice issues, but names advocacy for Holocaust Survivors and Security for Jewish organizations as two of its main concerns.
UJA’s advocacy efforts helped U.S.-based Jewish organizations secure “$275 million in funding for day care centers, JCCs, nonpublic schools, and houses of worship through the Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program.”
The Creating Inclusive Jewish Communities subprogram aims to “nurture welcoming and accessible Jewish communities” and to “foster connections between Jewish New Yorkers of all backgrounds and identities.”
Among its many areas of engagement, the program specifies an interest in providing services and support for members of the Jewish community who are disabled, who are racially or ethnically diverse, and who are members of the LGBTQ community.
Most of this grantmaking focuses on the greater New York City area.
Grantees include several Hillel organizations at New York City area colleges and universities, multiple Jewish Community Centers, the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Black/Jewish Leadership Institute, and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, for its Aging Together program for the LGBTQ community.
Responding to Antisemitism and Global Crises supports response efforts to the War in Israel and Antisemitism anywhere in the world.
Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, UJA has responded to the “immediate needs” of Israel with tens of millions in grants to causes including medical care, mental health, recovery efforts, chartered flights, educational and recreational activities for evacuated children and more. Notably, UJA also earmarked funds to support “Arab citizens” and “cities where Jews and Arabs are living side-by-side.”
Related grants and donations have gone to hundreds Israel-based organizations including the City of Sderot, the City of Ashkelon, the Regional Council of Hevel Eliot, the Jordan River Village, the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages of Negev, the Social Venture Fund for Jewish Arab Equality and Atidna Volunteer Situation Room.
Standing Up to Antisemitism is the UJA’s subprogram for “[m]obilizing our community and other allies to unequivocally denounce anti-Jewish hate.” Grantmaking for antisemitism is global in scope, but a significant portion of this work stays in the U.S. Giving and engagement focus on “[f]orging alliances and building bridges of greater understanding with our neighbors” and “educating the Jewish community, particularly college students, about when criticism of Israel crosses the dangerous line into anti-Zionism and antisemitism.”
Grantmaking from this program overlaps with the federation’s security advocacy work. UJA collaborates with the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York to run its Community Security Initiative, which “helps secure 2,400 Jewish organizations in the New York area.”
Other grantee partners include the K-12 education program Facing History and Ourselves, the European Union of Jewish Students, the New York Jewish Agenda and a series of social justice programs at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center on Long Island.
UJA’s Strengthening Jewish Life grantmaking occurs in New York and around the world. Grantmaking focuses on diversity in Jewish identity and supporting “many opportunities for people to find the path that matches their interests and needs.” This focus area names four subprograms:
Jewish Education grantmaking focuses on private day schools and yeshivas, teacher education, inclusion of special and underrepresented populations and opportunities for adults to continue and deepen their religious education and readings.
Jewish Summer Camps are another area of focus. The federation is committed to supporting a broad range of summer recreation and learning experiences for Jewish children and teens that embed Jewish values in formative experiences.
The UJA lists its affiliated summer camps on the summer camp program page.
In addition to traditional day and overnight camps, the federation funds camp experiences for disabled and LGBTQ campers, as well as children who are chronically ill.
Building Jewish Community is dedicated to “building a vibrant and welcoming New York Jewish community — while also strengthening the bonds between Jews locally and globally.”
UJA’s grants for Deepening Jewish Identity support Jewish religious and cultural experiences that enrich the individual experiences and identities of Jews around the world. Grantmaking overlaps with the federation’s education and community grantmaking.
In addition to the above programs, UJA runs runs several scholarship and fellowship programs related to Jewish and religious education, as well as in-house professional development programs for Jewish young adults, professionals and others. Programs change from year to year, however, so check back periodically for updates and new programs.
Grants for Food Systems, Housing, Work and Opportunity
In addition to its grants for Holocaust survivors, UJA’s Caring for People in Need focus area names Combating Poverty and Supporting People with Disabilities as priority giving areas. Grants from both subprograms go to organizations that serve Jews and others.
The Combating Poverty grantmaking area names hunger, advocacy, counseling and housing as priorities and mainly supports organizations in New York City. Grantees working in these areas include the West Side Center for Community Life, St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters and SelfHelp Community Services, all of New York City.
UJA is also committed to Supporting People with Disabilities. Grants stemming from this subprogram prioritize “programs that encourage and empower people with disabilities to secure jobs and plan for the future.” A significant number of recent grants have focused on career skills training for young adults with autism spectrum disorders. Some of the federation’s grantees in this area are Jewish organizations that work broadly with the disabled population in New York City.
Grants for Public Health and Mental Health
UJA’s Caring for People in Need focus area also names Caring for Older Adults and Mental Health and Well-Being as areas of priority.
Grants for Older Adults focus on helping “older adults lead vital lives and stay independent and active as long as possible.”
Working mainly in New York and Israel, funding prioritizes housing, mental health, food delivery and skilled nursing.
A number of grantees in this area are Jewish organizations that serve older adults of all backgrounds.
Recipients include the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the Montefiore Medical Center, the Metropolitan Jewish Health System, the New York Legal Assistance Group and Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders, Inc.
Mental Health and Well-Being grants support mental health services, caregiver support, addiction services, grief counseling and more. The federation also works to “battle the stigma around mental illness” and bring “dignity and compassion to our work with children, adults, and families so that everyone can reach their potential, no matter their circumstances.” Grantees include Jewish organizations that work beyond the Jewish community.
UJA also funded COVID-19 response during the pandemic through its Responding to Antisemitism and Global Crises.
The federation made “$70 million in grants and interest-free loans” to Jewish and other health organizations during the first two years of the crisis and continues to vaccine education and access in priority communities.
COVID-19 grantees include the African Life Project, the Flatbush Development Corporation, Asian Americans for Equality, Friends of Marcy Houses and Shot Sisters.
Grants for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief
UJA’s grantmaking for Disaster Relief works broadly and globally to help communities recover from natural and climate-related disasters. Recent funding has supported response to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, tornadoes and hurricanes in the U.S. South and Caribbean, and the 2021 earthquake in Haiti.
Grantees include the Afya Foundation of America, Capracare, the Jewish Federations of North America, Natan Worldwide Disaster Relief and Repair the World.
Important Grant Details:
UJA’s grants generally range from $5,000 to about $7 million. In instances of dire need, such as the wars in Ukraine and Israel, larger sums have been given.
The UJA mainly supports Jewish causes, but some of its grants also support non-Jewish organizations and Jewish organizations that serve broader communities.
New York City, Israel and areas that comprised the former Soviet Republic are geographic priorities, but the federation does not place geographic limits on its giving.
This funder supports organizations of all sizes, and many organizations receive ongoing support.
UJA’s grants support general operations, capacity building and special initiatives.
UJA accepts letters of intent in response to requests for applications posted on its UJANet application portal.
Opportunities change often, so check the portal frequently for new opportunities.
Submit general inquiries to the federation via email at contact@ujafedny.org or telephone at (212) 980-1000. Questions about the grantmaking process may be addressed to staff via email at grants@ujafedny.org.
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