Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund

Thriving Jewish Communities Need Thriving Organizations

The COVID-19 crisis is disrupting every aspect of the Jewish communal landscape. Thousands of Jewish nonprofit organizations are experiencing unprecedented challenges: closing their doors, laying off or furloughing staff, programs, pivoting to online programming, anticipating an increase in financial need coupled with a decrease in fundraising, and much more.


In response to this crisis, the Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund (JCRIF) will provide more than $91 million in interest-free loans and grants to maintain the infrastructure of Jewish life across the United States.

JCRIF believes that fulfilling the responsibility to meet this moment of need requires new forms of philanthropic collaboration. Formed by seven anchor foundations* and working in tandem with the Federation system, the JCRIF will provide both emergency and strategic support for U.S.-based Jewish nonprofit organizations that advance Jewish education, engagement and leadership.

JCRIF includes two components:

Interest-Free Loan Program

In partnership with the Nonprofit Finance Fund and the Jewish Federations of North America, these loans will help preserve critical communal sectors and organizations, providing immediate, short-term assistance to select affected organizations and networks affected by the global pandemic to continue operations.

Aligned Grant Program

A combination of emergency funding for immediate needs and strategic funding to address organizational and sector-wide shifts catalyzed by the crisis. It will help sectors, networks and organizations evolve in response to the crisis, exploring strategic shifts to enable them to continue to serve their communities and audiences even in different forms.

JCRIF will work with national networks, including members of the National Emergency Coalition, other organizational networks, Jewish Federations and independent Jewish nonprofits to proactively source applicants for the two programs. To create an efficient process that respects the time of applicants and ensures quick turnaround and deployment of resources, the fund will not accept unsolicited proposals.

To learn more about the loan or grant program, please read the Frequently Asked Questions. You can also read this press release for more information.

Formed by seven foundations,* JCRIF will provide support for U.S.-based Jewish umbrella and organizations that advance Jewish education, engagement and leadership. The Fund will work with key national Jewish networks, including members of the National Emergency Coalition as well as independent Jewish nonprofits, source loan applicants rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.

How You Can Help

The JCRIF loan program and aligned grant program welcome contributions to increase the impact we can make together.

If you'd like to make a donation to the grant program by credit card, you can do so here.

If you'd like to make a donation to the grant program by check or wire, please make a pledge here and we will be in touch with further details.

If you'd like to make a donation to the loan program, please be in touch with us here.

General Questions

If you have questions about the program and you are part of a national network of organizations, please reach out to your umbrella organization for guidance. If you have further questions, please contact infojcrif@jewishtogether.org.

Please note that we may not be able to respond to every inquiry.

Media

For media inquiries, please contact media@jcrif.org.

* Aviv Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, Jim Joseph Foundation, Maimonides Fund, The Paul E. Singer Foundation, Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation and Wilf Family Foundation, in partnership with Jewish Federations of North America.