Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County
The Jewish Community Foundation Orange County is an Irvine, California-based public charity that manages charitable funds and makes grants. Founded in 1981, it works with individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations to support ongoing philanthropy through endowments and current giving.
Key facts about Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County
In short: Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County gave $12.2M across 193 grants in 2025 (avg $63K), mostly in California. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 95-3645825
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $12,206,621
- Grants made (2025)
- 193
- Average grant
- $63,247
- Median grant
- $25,010
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (48 of 193, 2025)
- Total assets
- $134,763,492
- Primary geography
- California (71% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The website says the Grants Committee reviews applications for the General Grants Program. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$134.8M
+8.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.2M
+17.5% YoY
Grant Count
193
+1.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$63K
+16.3% YoY
Is Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 48 of 193 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $75K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $35K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2018–2025). 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 “guarantee a Jewish tomorrow” by fostering a culture of legacy in the Orange County Jewish community and empowering people to give effectively and meaningfully. It says permanent endowments combined with current giving are intended to help sustain institutions that promote Jewish identity, support Jewish life, and benefit people in Orange County and Jewish communities worldwide.
The Foundation’s website says its General Grants Program has awarded grants to Jewish nonprofit organizations serving Orange County since 1991. It reports funding programs for children and teens, young adults, people with special needs, women, and seniors. The 2025 grants also went to organizations with varied missions: for example, Jewish Federation of Orange County says it works to sustain Jewish life and assist Jews in need; Families Forward says it works to prevent and end family homelessness; and Pacific Symphony describes its work in performances, education, and community engagement.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 193 grants totaling $12,206,621. Grants ranged from $5,181 to $1,525,658, with a median of $25,010. The Foundation’s website says its Grants Committee of lay leaders reviews applications and awards grants to match donors’ visions.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $1,525,658 to UCI Foundation, $1,048,861 to Jewish Federation of Orange County, $500,000 to CURELBSL, and $498,496 to Jewish Community Center of Orange County. Other notable grants included $296,787 to Temple Beth Sholom, $177,325 to Pacific Symphony, and $176,050 to Friendship Circle.
How to Apply
The website says the Grants Committee reviews applications for the General Grants Program. It does not provide application materials, restrictions, or a deadline in the information available here. A separate donor-request process is for fund holders recommending distributions from their own funds, not for outside grant applicants.
Ready to take the next step with Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says its General Grants Program supports Jewish nonprofit organizations serving Orange County. In filing year 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; other reported recipient-state shares were New York 11%, Virginia 4%, and the District of Columbia and Washington 2% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 193 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.7M (2018) to $12.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 193 grants totaling $12.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was UCI Foundation ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $5.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
885 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 596 grants of 885 (67%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCI Foundation Irvine, CA | Donation | $1,525,658 |
| Jewish Federation of Orange County Los Angeles, CA | Donation | $1,048,861 |
| Curelbsl Arlington, VA | Donation | $500,000 |
| Jewish Community Center of Orange County Irvine, CA | Donation | $498,496 |
| Temple Beth Sholom Santa Ana, CA | Donation | $296,787 |
| Congregation B'nai Israel Tustin, CA | Donation | $273,202 |
| Heritage Pointe Mission Viejo, CA | Donation | $257,781 |
| Temple Bat Yahm Newport Beach, CA | Donation | $198,901 |
| Pacific Symphony Irvine, CA | Donation | $177,325 |
| Friendship Circle Newport Beach, CA | Donation | $176,050 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $134,763,492 | $23,784,203 | $15,863,754 | $12,206,621 |
| 2024 | $124,354,795 | $40,428,757 | $17,420,950 | $10,386,190 |
| 2023 | $101,055,541 | $13,318,039 | $12,574,759 | $9,584,584 |
The 2025 filing says the Foundation also holds assets in an agent capacity for unrelated organizations and records a liability for the estimated fair value of those assets.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $134,763,492 | $124,354,795 | $101,055,541 |
| Revenue | $23,784,203 | $40,428,757 | $13,318,039 |
| Expenses | $15,863,754 | $17,420,950 | $12,574,759 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,432,749 | $8,252,480 | $3,739,901 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS April 23, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 26, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists these directors: Gideon Bernstain, Ron Brand, Jonathan Brenner, Nancy Chase, Richard M. Gollis, Hal Hurwitz, Michael Marzouk, Adrienne Matros, Ron Morrison, and Talya Nevo-Hacohen.
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County is led by Wendy Chase Arenson, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2018; 5 of 22 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wendy Chase Arenson
President & Executive Director
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$123K (2018) → $240K (2025)
Ed Levin
Chairman of the Board
Board Member → Director, 2020
Director → Chairman of the Board, 2024
On filings since 2018
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dalia Taft
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gideon Bernstain
Director
Chairman of the Board → Director, 2024
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hal Hurwitz
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerome M. Schneider
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Wolfson
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Stoll
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pat Szekel
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ralph Stern
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard M. Gollis
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron Morrison
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron S. Brand
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Talya Nevo-Hacohen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2020
On filings since 2018
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adrienne Matros
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Brenner
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Marzouk
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Chase
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne M. Walker
Finance Manager
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$71K (2018) → $96K (2025)
Diana Velazquez
Donor Engagement & Administrator
Donor Engagement & Administrative Coordinator → Donor Engagement & Administrator, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$70K (2024) → $80K (2025)
Megan Lin
Marketing & Communications Manager
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$104K (2025)
Rachael Ripps
Donor Engagement Manager
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Former officers (12)
- Former: David B. Fishman (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: David Weinberg (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Jon C. Feder (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Myrna Shields (2018–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Peggy Feder (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Steven Fainbarg (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Katerina Hencova (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Tayla Nevo-Hacohen (2023) — Director
- Former: Carl Katz (2018–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward Miller (2018–2021) — Director
- Former: Shawn Miller (2018–2021) — Director
- Former: Sam Wyman (2018–2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "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 $240K, to Wendy Chase Arenson (President/Executive Direct). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1 Federation Way, Irvine, CA 92603
Phone: (949) 435-3490
Website: https://jcfoc.org
Frequently asked questions about Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County
How much does Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County give each year?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County gave $12.2M across 193 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $10.4M across 191 grants.
What is Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's typical grant size?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's median grant in 2025 was $25,010, and its average grant was $63,247, across 193 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County that year got $28K on average.
Where does Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County give grants?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County gives mostly in California: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (27 grants), Irvine, CA (26 grants), New York, NY (23 grants) and Santa Ana, CA (8 grants).
Does Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 193 grants with a stated purpose on Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (193 grants).
Who are Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's largest grantees?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's largest 2025 grantees include UCI Foundation ($1,525,658), Jewish Federation of Orange County ($1,048,861) and Curelbsl ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County reported $134.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $23.8M.
What does Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to “guarantee a Jewish tomorrow” by fostering a culture of legacy in the Orange County Jewish community and empowering people to give effectively and meaningfully. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County?
The website says the Grants Committee reviews applications for the General Grants Program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's EIN?
Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3645825. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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