Jewish Community Foundation of
The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City is one of the oldest independent Jewish community foundations in North America, founded in 1959. Based in Overland Park, Kansas, the Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity and donor-advised fund administrator. It serves as the central resource for charitable giving in the Kansas City Jewish community, providing customized creative strategies to help individuals and families give strategically while building charitable resources for the future.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$318.3M
+13.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$15.4M
Grant Count
559
Avg Grant Size
$28K
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To promote the practice of tzedakah (charity) and the pursuit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) by serving as the advocate for planned giving and the central resource for personalized charitable funds for individuals, families, and organizations in the community.
Vision: To foster, sustain and ensure a strong and vibrant Jewish community for today and for generations to come.
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services. It provides support to IRS-approved charities and manages multiple specialized grant programs addressing diverse community needs from Jewish education and culture to broader social services.
Grantmaking
The Foundation distributes over $19 million annually in grants. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $2,500,000, with specific programs offering varying award levels (up to $5,000 for J-LEAD grants and $13,000+ for other programs).
Ready to take the next step with Jewish Community Foundation of?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation serves the Greater Kansas City area, including Kansas City and neighboring Jewish communities extending west to Manhattan, Kansas; north to St. Joseph, Missouri; east to Columbia, Missouri; and south to Joplin, Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $318.3 million (2024)
Annual Giving/Revenue:
- $34.3 million in revenue (2024)
- $22.7 million in expenses (2024)
- $19.3 million in annual grant distributions (2023)
Liabilities: $196 million (2024)
Staffing: 7-13 employees
Over the past twenty years, Foundation funds have provided support to local, national and international charities in excess of $398 million. Charitable contributions to the Foundation over the same period have exceeded $394 million.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $318,349,058 | $280,909,584 | $255,316,241 |
| Revenue | $34,327,486 | $19,961,664 | $16,068,129 |
| Expenses | $22,679,190 | $21,115,371 | $21,255,193 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,162,369 | $-2,279,855 | $1,653,463 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Jewish Community Foundation of
JCFKC: Community Legacy Fund Grant- Core Support
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
JCFKC: Earl J. and Leona K. Tranin Special Fund Grant
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
JCFKC: J-LEAD Grants
JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF
Amount
Up to US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Inc ($125,000), Chabad at Ku Inc ($100,000), American Israel Education Foundation Inc ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADVENTHEALTH FOUNDATION SHAWNEE MISSION OVERLAND PARK, KS | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| AISH HATORAH INC CLIFTON, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $18,000 |
| ALZHEIMERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,500 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL INC TEANECK, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,400 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TIFERET DAVID-OSTROVA INC LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $8,200 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF YAHAD IN UNUM NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $49,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Beatrice Fine – Director of Grantmaking & Impact
- Elizabeth Peden – Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRANK LIPSMAN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH HIERSTEINER | FIRST VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARTHA GERSHUN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DAVID GOODMAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LINDA LYON | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BRIAN SCHARF | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ROBERT PALAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ALICE JACKS ACHTENBERG | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| JAY LEWIS | ASST. SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ACE ALLEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| FAY BALK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CAROL BARNETT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRIAN BLOCK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SANDI FRIED | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| TALY FRIEDMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHELLE GOLDSMITH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| EDWARD GOLDSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAUL GREENWOOD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SUSAN HIMMELSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA HOFFMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAMELA KANTER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAMES KLEIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BETH LISS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL LISS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY MALLIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALANA MULLER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LARA KRIGEL PABST | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SCOTT B PICKER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ROSANNE ROSEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE SINGER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARCIA SOLTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DAVID SOSLAND | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GARY WEINBERG | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANNIE WISHNA | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RYAN ZELDIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| IRV BELZER | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MERILYN BERENBOM | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STANLEY BUSHMAN | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WARD KATZ | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KAREN PACK | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL SCHULTZ | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| L JOSH SOSLAND | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STANFORD ZELDIN | LIFE TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LAUREN MATTLEMAN HOOPES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $20,669 |
| JOSHUA STEIN | PRESIDENT & CEO/SECRETARY | 40 | $186,393 |
| KEVIN TAYLOR | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $119,921 |
| RITA CORTES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-MENORAH HERITAGE FOUNDATION | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 5801 West 115th Street, Suite 104, Overland Park, KS 66211
Phone: (913) 327-8245
Fax: (913) 327-8273
Email: info@jcfkc.org
Website: jcfkc.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Jewish Community Foundation of fund?
**Mission:** To promote the practice of tzedakah (charity) and the pursuit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) by serving as the advocate for planned giving and the central resource for personalized charitable funds for individuals, families, and organizations in the community. **Vision:** To foster, sustain and ensure a strong and vibrant Jewish community for today and for generations to come. The Foundation's grantmaking focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Huma…
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Community Foundation of?
The Foundation distributes over $19 million annually in grants. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $2,500,000, with specific programs offering varying award levels (up to $5,000 for J-LEAD grants and $13,000+ for other programs). **Active Grant Programs:** • Community Legacy Fund Grant - Core Support • Earl J. and Leona K. Tranin Special Fund • Jewish Art Fund • J-LEAD Grants • Menorah Women's Foundation • White Theatre Grantor Fund Most programs review applications 2-3 times annually. T…
Where does Jewish Community Foundation of make grants?
The Foundation serves the Greater Kansas City area, including Kansas City and neighboring Jewish communities extending west to Manhattan, Kansas; north to St. Joseph, Missouri; east to Columbia, Missouri; and south to Joplin, Missouri.
What size grants does Jewish Community Foundation of award?
In 2024, Jewish Community Foundation of awarded 559 grants totaling $15.4M — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Jewish Community Foundation of's EIN?
Jewish Community Foundation of's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-6049281. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jewish Community Foundation of's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$12.7B
Grants
7,424
Total Given
$3.0B
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
The Ayco Charitable Foundation
COHOES, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
4,719
Total Given
$287.7M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
KANSAS CITY, MO
Assets
—
Grants
364
Total Given
$95.0M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Jewish Communal Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
4,673
Total Given
$953.3M
The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$518.0M
Grants
2,485
Total Given
$212.1M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Jewish Community Foundation of on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Jewish Community Foundation of to a real strategy.