Since its founding, the Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego (JWF) has awarded over $1 million to organizations and programs that benefit and enhance the lives of primarily Jewish women and girls locally and globally. JWF awards grants in 3-year cycles, with the current cycle occurring from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027. Applications for the 2027-2030 granting cycle will open in Fall 2026.

Grant Guidelines
  • JWF will approve grants that are consistent with its mission and core values.
  • JWF funds with both a “gender lens” and a “Jewish lens.” We are interested in programs that recognize Jewish women and girls have unique needs both because of their gender and their religious and cultural heritage. Gender lens funding does not exclude men and boys – sometimes projects that benefit women and girls may include men and boys.
  • JWF supports organizations through general operating and project-specific funding.
  • JWF prioritizes initiatives in the San Diego area. However, we will consider statewide, national and international proposals, particularly in Israel.
  • Proposals for grants in Israel will be accepted by invitation only.
  • JWF encourages collaborations between non-profit organizations to leverage greater impact than would be accomplished individually.

Download JWF Membership Form

Grant Impact Areas

Building Relationships

Projects that promote relationships among women from different cultures, denominations and economic status.

Economic Security

Projects that address building financial literacy and self-sufficiency, improving the economic status for women and their families.

Education, Leadership & Advocacy

Projects that provide educational opportunities for women and girls to increase their voices by developing skills such as negotiation and advocating.

Equity, Social Justice & Legal Reform

Projects that address the elimination of injustices and changing attitudes that systematically exclude or disadvantage women.

Health, Well Being & Safety

Projects that protect, promote and educate about health and healthy lifestyles.

Current Grantees

The 2024-2027 Grantees approved in May 2024 range across a variety of JWF Impact Areas, serving Jewish women and girls across the socioeconomic spectrum. We considered the strength of each program, their written proposals, the thoroughness of their interviews, and their direct alignment with JWF’s mission and core values.

Kindness Initiative

Kindness Initiative

Esha Chazakah: Supporting Single Jewish Mothers

With support from the Jewish Women’s Foundation, Kindness Initiative (KI) launched the three-year Esha Chazakah pilot program to alleviate poverty and strengthen financial stability, emotional wellbeing, and community connection among single Jewish mothers in San Diego. Six mothers are participating in the 2025 cohort with a 72% average attendance through monthly workshops and individualized case management. Mothers received monthly stipends to offset childcare and transportation costs, alongside several services. These services include financial literacy training, employment preparation, emergency assistance, pro bono legal and therapeutic support, and health and wellness programming. Due to growing demand and a waitlist, KI plans to double capacity to 12 mothers in 2026.

Grantee Awarded – $75,000
Contact Sarah Schatz for Hands-on Volunteer Opportunities with this Grantee.
www.kindnesssd.org

Jewish Family Service

Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Center for Jewish Care’s Housing Navigation Project

The Center for Jewish Care (CJC) was established at Jewish Family Service to provide critical services to San Diego’s Jewish community. Clients identifying housing stability as a primary need will meet with CJC’s Housing Resource Navigator who will employ multiple tools to build financial literacy. JWF’s funding is specifically used to support single women and female heads of households and provide them with housing assistance so that they may achieve stability in San Diego. In 2025, the program delivered direct housing support to 14 households, reaching 19 households by January 2026. While outcomes have been meaningful, the program continues to face challenges due to San Diego’s severe housing affordability crisis and rising homelessness.

Grantee Awarded – $30,000
Contact Sarah Schatz for Hands-on Volunteer Opportunities with this Grantee.
www.jfssd.org/

El HaLev

El HaLev

Rising Strong: Empowering Resilience and Personal Safety in At-Risk Girls Affected by War

El HaLev, with support from the Jewish Women’s Foundation, continued its second year of IMPACT Empowerment Self Defense courses to provide trauma-informed violence prevention and empowerment skills for at-risk girls and young women in southern Israel affected by war and gender-based violence. Each course lasts 4+ hours over four weeks and is conducted 3-4 times per year. This year, 24 girls participated in the program, which focused on personal safety, boundary-setting, and embodied self-advocacy, designed to strengthen awareness, communication, and a sense of agency. Qualitative evaluation indicated meaningful improvements in confidence, voice, and engagement.

Grantee Awarded – $50,000
www.eng.elhalev.org/

Impact Israel

Impact Israel – Friends of Yemin Orde

IsraElite Young Women’s Leadership Graduate Program

JWF’s funding provides support for a Graduate Program Coordinator who provides individualized support to alumnae of the IsraElite Mechina (a post-high school gap-year program for at-risk and immigrant communities) as they complete their mandatory military service and transition into higher education, employment, and leadership roles. The graduate coordinator plays a vital role in maintaining ongoing contact with the approximately 225–250 alumnae across 11 cohorts, offering tailored support and fostering a strong sense of community among graduates. Despite challenges related to wartime instability, housing and financial needs, and military role transitions, no graduates have left their military or national service positions, engagement remains strong, and academic progress continues. From 2021-2024, JWF funded the creation of the Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills program as part of the Mechina. JWF is pleased to continue this strong partnership with ImpactIsrael.

Grantee Awarded – $45,000
www.impact-israel.org

Previous Grantees

Previous Grantees from 2021-2024:

jwi

Jewish Women International

Grantee Awarded – $70,000
Financial Fitness
www.jwi.org

Moving Traditions

San Diego Community Kollel

Grantee Awarded – $30,000
Rosh Hodesh
www.movingtraditions.org

Shavot

Shavot – Friends of Asor

Grantee Awarded – $25,000
Alumni Program
www.shavot.org

Impact Israel

Impact Israel – Friends of Yemin Orde

Grantee Awarded – $25,000
IsraElite Young Women’s Leadership & Advocacy Program
www.impact-israel.org

Previous Grantees from 2018-2021:

  • Fresh Produce for Women Holocaust Survivors and their Families – Awarded: $45,000
    Coastal Roots Farm
  • Emergency Fund and Sustaining Fund – Awarded: $50,000
    G’mach: The San Diego Jewish Gift Closet
  • Marpeh (healing) – Awarded: $11,000
    Ohr Shalom Synagogue

Previous Grantee from 2014-2017:

  • Serving Isolated, Older Jewish Women in our Community – Awarded: $117,000 each
    Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS and Jewish Family Service

Previous Grantees from 2010-2013:

  • B’Not: Lead On! – Awarded: $27,585
    Friendship Circle
  • Girl’s Life – Awarded: $105,000
    Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS
  • Girls Give Back – Awarded: $149,031
    Jewish Family Service
  • Rosh Hodesh: It’s A Girl Thing – Awarded: $21,393
    Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS, Temple Solel, Congregation Beth Israel, and Temple Adat Shalom
  • JWF Scholars Society – Awarded: $22,146
    Temple Adat Shalom, Ner Tamid, and Chabad of Poway

Previous Grantees from 2004-2009:

  • Project Sarah – Awarded: $36,096
    Jewish Family Service (2008-2009)
  • Supporting Jewish Single Parents – Awarded: $260,000
    Jewish Family Service (2004-2009)