Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc
The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer is a public charity based in Princeton, New Jersey. It helps individuals and families direct charitable giving and guides Jewish institutions on legacy giving and endowment growth.
Key facts about Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc
In short: Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc gave $1.7M across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), mostly in New Jersey. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 23-7174039
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,660,218
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- Average grant
- $29,647
- Median grant
- $10,457
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (21 of 56, 2025)
- Total assets
- $21,416,187
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$21.4M
+17.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+16.7% YoY
Grant Count
56
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
-12.5% YoY
Is Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 21 of 56 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote philanthropy and further the charitable needs of the Jewish community, other charitable institutions, and community organizations. Its 2023 filing describes support for educational, religious, and charitable needs, particularly in Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren counties in New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania; it also says the Foundation may establish funds for educational, religious, charitable, and scientific needs beyond the Jewish community.
The Foundation’s community-grant programs include awards for Jewish college students’ books and supplies, Israel travel scholarships for eligible high school students, and annual incentive grants to partner organizations participating in its LIFE & LEGACY program. Its filing says donations are approved by the board and made to 501(c)(3) organizations.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate some of the organizations supported. The American Jewish Committee says its mission includes enhancing the wellbeing of Jewish people and Israel and advancing human rights and democratic values. HomeFront describes its mission as ending homelessness in central New Jersey and helping families become self-sufficient. Isles says it works to foster self-reliant families and healthy, sustainable communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 56 grants totaling $1,660,218. Grants ranged from $5,150 to $211,000, with a median of $10,457.
Among the largest reported grants were $211,000 to the American Jewish Committee, $169,023 to Jewish Family & Children’s Services, $143,236 to Jewish Federation Princeton Mercer, $106,299 to Greenwood House Foundation, and $100,000 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The Foundation also reported $96,700 to Friends of Israeli Defense Forces and $45,530 to HomeFront.
For its community programs, the Foundation describes selection processes that include identifying book-award candidates through local agencies and synagogue representatives, with awards based on financial need, merit, and community involvement. Israel travel grants are disbursed directly to the nonprofit sponsoring the student’s program. The Foundation’s website also provides ways for holders of its funds to recommend grants: through their fund account, a grant recommendation form, or by contacting Foundation staff.
Ready to take the next step with Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2023 filing identifies Jewish communities in Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren counties in New Jersey, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Its website describes community grants for the Greater Mercer and West-Central region, and book awards for students from the Greater Mercer, Bucks, and West-Central regions.
In 2025, 52% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey and 33% to recipients in New York. Other reported recipient states were Arizona (4%), Washington, DC (4%), and Massachusetts (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $986K (2023) to $1.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Jewish Committee Global Jewish Advocacy ($211K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
199 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 164 grants of 199 (82%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish Committee Global Jewish Advocacy New York, NY | Charitable Purposes | $211,000 |
| Jewish Family & Children's Services Princeton Junction, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $169,023 |
| Jewish Federation Princeton Mercer Princeton, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $143,236 |
| Greendwood House Foundation Inc Ewing, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $106,299 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY | — | $100,000 |
| Friends of Israeli Defense Forces New York, NY | Charitable Purposes | $96,700 |
| Jewish Community Foundation Greater Mercer Princeton, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $80,699 |
| Jewish Center Princeton, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $71,645 |
| International Fellowship for Christians and Jews Washington, DC | Charitable Purposes | $55,000 |
| Homefront Inc Lawrenceville, NJ | Charitable Purposes | $45,530 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $21,416,187 | $3,501,871 | $2,405,856 | $1,660,218 | 56 |
| 2024 | $18,275,593 | $2,899,108 | $1,981,913 | $1,423,017 | 42 |
| 2023 | $14,968,369 | $1,707,225 | $1,579,693 | $985,954 | 31 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,416,187 | $18,275,593 | $14,968,369 |
| Revenue | $3,501,871 | $2,899,108 | $1,707,225 |
| Expenses | $2,405,856 | $1,981,913 | $1,579,693 |
| Net Investment Income | $336,511 | $301,959 | $254,050 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 31, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Beth Englezos as executive director; Joyce Kalstein as president; Michael Feldstein and Harvey Fram as vice presidents; Mark Janofsky as treasurer; and Howard Cohen, Susan Falcon, Debra Harrison, Marcia Krakauer, and Michael Manning as trustees.
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc is led by Joyce Kalstein, President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 22 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joyce Kalstein
President
Treasurer → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beth Englezos
Excutive Director
New on the 2025 filing
25 hrs/week
$6K (2025)
Alex Simanovsky
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Howard Cohen
Trustee
Executive Co → Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Waldorf
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Wisotsky
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcia Krakauer
Trustee
Vice President → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Manning
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Falcon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Miller
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Willner
Trustee
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Schwartz-Chevlin
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debra Harrison
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Schwartz
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Norma Saks
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Teller
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Moore
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harvey Fram
Vice President
Executive Co → Vice President Investment, 2021
Vice President Investment → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanne Snow
Vice President
Vice President → Vice President Development, 2021
Vice President Development → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Schragger
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Feldstein
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President at Large, 2021
Vice President at Large → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Janofsky
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Brenda Zlatin (2019–2024) — Member at La
- Former: Curtis Loeb (2019–2024) — President
- Former: Linda Meisel (2019–2024) — Executive Di
- Former: Scott Schaefer (2019–2024) — Past President
- Former: Walter Yosafat (2021–2024) — Member at La
- Former: Oliver Jensen Pimley (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Stephanie Koren (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Ron Berg (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Steve Lieberman (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Daniel F. Brent (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Donald Leibowitz (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Jerry Neumann (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Martin Schwartz (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Ameeta Hariharan (2020) — Finance Director
- Former: Amy Zacks (2020) — Director of
- Former: Florence Kahn Immediate Past Pres (2020) — Excutive Com
- Former: Jeff Miller (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Mrcia Miki Krakauer Vp At Large (2020) — Executive Co
- Former: Scott Schaefer Immediate Past Pres (2020) — Executive Co
- Former: Allen Porter (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Florence Kahn (2019) — Executive Co
- Former: Frances Zeitler-Edelman (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Julie Meyers (2019) — Executive Di
- Former: Lisa Smukler (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Morton Cohen (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $6K, to Beth Englezos (Excutive DIR).
Contact
Mailing address: 457 Nassau Street Suite 101, Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 240-9511
Website: https://foundationjewish.org
Frequently asked questions about Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc
How much does Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc give each year?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc gave $1.7M across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 42 grants.
What is Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's typical grant size?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,457, and its average grant was $29,647, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc that year got $34K on average.
Where does Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc give grants?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc gives mostly in New Jersey: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants), Princeton, NJ (8 grants), Trenton, NJ (4 grants) and Lawrenceville, NJ (3 grants).
Who are Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's largest grantees?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's largest 2025 grantees include American Jewish Committee Global Jewish Advocacy ($211,000), Jewish Family & Children's Services ($169,023) and Jewish Federation Princeton Mercer ($143,236), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc reported $21.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What does Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote philanthropy and further the charitable needs of the Jewish community, other charitable institutions, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check foundationjewish.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's EIN?
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Mercer Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7174039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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