Grant Guidelines

We are pleased that you are interested in applying for a grant from the Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. Before you proceed with a Letter of Intent, please familiarize yourself with the following guidelines, which may impact your eligibility and potential funding and assist you with the application process.

Mission Statement

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago seeks to expand and improve opportunities and choices in all aspects of Jewish women and girls’ lives through strategic and effective grant-making.  The Jewish Women’s Foundation endeavors to empower women as funders and decision makers.

General Considerations

• JWF funds with a "gender lens" and a "Jewish lens." We are interested in projects that recognize that Jewish women and girls have unique needs both because of their gender and their religious and cultural heritage.
• JWF funds projects which improve the status of Jewish women and girls overall by addressing the root causes of the challenges faced by Jewish women and girls.  This differs from traditional philanthropy because we seek to create systemic change (i.e. developing women leaders, changing laws, practices and cultural traditions to provide greater equality for Jewish women and girls) instead of aiding in the alleviation of symptoms (i.e. food for the hungry, medicine for the sick, shelter for the homeless) of society’s ills.
• JWF considers your organization's overall support of women and girls, as well as the specific project or program for which you are seeking a grant. This includes the extent to which Jewish women and girls are included among your leadership and in key staff positions.

Eligibility and Restrictions

• We fund only organizations with their own status as a 501(c) 3 public charity or with a fiscal agent that is a 501(c) 3 public charity.
• We prioritize initiatives in the Chicago metropolitan area. However, we will consider proposals concerning Jewish women and girls in Israel and around the world.
• We do not fund political campaigns or organizations such as PACS.
• We do not make loans, award scholarships/tuition reimbursements, nor do we provide sponsorships or buy tickets/tables for special events.

Special Eligibility Requirements for Israeli Grantees

JWF evaluates unique Israeli programs and projects specifically designed to foster social change for Jewish women and girls on a national or regional level and/or unique programs and projects that can serve as a model to be replicated in other parts of the country.

Potential Grant Awards 

•  The minimum grant award for domestic organizations (within the United States) is $7,500 and for international organizations is $5,000. There is no maximum grant award but at present our grants generally range from the minimums to $20,000. 
• There is no predetermined number of grants.
• We consider organizations for funding on a year-to-year basis. Previous funding does not guarantee continued funding.
• Domestic organizations (within the United States) have no restriction on the number of letters of intent for distinctly different programs submitted each year.  International organizations (outside of the United States) are eligible to submit one letter of intent per year.
• No more than five years of funding (consecutive and non-consecutive) will be awarded for a single project.