Jewish Community Foundation of the West
The Jewish Community Foundation of the West is a public charity based in Sacramento, California, founded in 2000. It works with individuals, families, and organizations to establish donor-advised and endowment funds that support charitable organizations and causes locally and worldwide.
Jewish Community Foundation of the West at a glance
In short: Jewish Community Foundation of the West gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), mostly in California. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,147,173
- +32.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +12.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $40,970
- +18.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,554
- Total assets
- $21,145,297
- +16.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (9 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jewish Community Foundation of the West
- How to Apply
-
The website directs people seeking to apply for a grant or scholarship to contact the Executive Director to begin the process. It does not specify an application deadline or list application materials.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2130 21St Street, Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: (916) 441-1613
Website: https://jcfwest.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jewish Community Foundation of the West funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jewish National Fund ($200K). Together the top 10 received $931K.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 118 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says its work serves Jewish communities in Northern California and neighboring states and facilitates philanthropy locally and worldwide. In 2024, 54% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 36% to recipients in New York; the listed shares also included Nevada, Minnesota, and Louisiana, at 2% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Jewish Community Foundation of the West open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $613K (2021) to $1.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish National Fund New York, NY | Charitable Purposes | $200,000 |
| Jewish Federation of the Sac Sacramento, CA | Charitable Purposes | $154,639 |
| Mosaic Law Congregation Sacramento, CA | Charitable Purposes | $100,477 |
| The Jewish Federations of NA New York, NY | Chartiable Purposes | $100,000 |
| Hillel at Davis & Sacramento Davis, CA | Charitable Purposes | $78,101 |
| Leukemia and Lymphoma Society New York, NY | Charitable Purposes | $75,000 |
| Temple or Rishon Orangeval, CA | Charitable Purposes | $63,906 |
| Congregation Bnai Israel SAC Sacramento, CA | Charitable Purposes | $58,021 |
| Shalom School Sacramento, CA | Charitable Purposes | $56,866 |
| North Tahoe Hebrew Congre Tahoe Vista, CA | Charitable Purposes | $44,266 |
Ready to take the next step with Jewish Community Foundation of the West?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $21,145,297 | $3,633,917 | $1,701,529 | $1,147,173 | 28 | $788,795 |
| 2023 | $18,115,960 | $5,499,745 | $1,178,981 | $864,487 | 25 | $855,304 |
| 2022 | $13,011,250 | $2,918,422 | $1,181,778 | $1,194,659 | 24 | $864,141 |
| 2021 | $14,178,832 | $2,548,086 | $1,233,043 | $612,926 | 18 | $1,022,067 |
| 2020 | $11,857,385 | $1,364,432 | $833,934 | $626,960 | 23 | $435,008 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to enhance charitable giving, facilitate philanthropy locally and worldwide, and build permanent financial resources to strengthen organizations and programs serving Jewish families of Northern California.
Its website describes scholarship and grant programs related to Jewish education, transportation for Jewish seniors, summer camps, and community service. In its 2024 filing, the Foundation described developing and implementing a Life and Legacy program in the Sacramento area.
Its 2024 grants included Jewish organizations, educational institutions, and other charitable organizations. For example, Jewish National Fund describes its mission as helping build a prosperous future for Israel and its people; Shalom School says it provides an academically excellent education inspired by Jewish values and traditions; and Positive Coaching Alliance says it works to make positive youth sports experiences accessible to children regardless of social or economic circumstance. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 28 grants totaling $1,147,173. Grant amounts ranged from $5,273 to $200,000, with a median grant of $15,554. The largest listed grants included $200,000 to Jewish National Fund, $154,639 to Jewish Federation of the Sacramento, $100,477 to Mosaic Law Congregation, $100,000 to The Jewish Federations of North America, and $78,101 to Hillel at Davis & Sacramento.
The Foundation’s website says most of its grantmaking comes from grants initiated by fundholders through donor-advised funds or endowments. It also describes specific scholarship and grant programs, including the Carry Cohn Jewish Education Fund, transportation support for the Jewish elderly, and campership funds. The Foundation’s 2024 filing states that it disburses grants only to U.S. tax-exempt public charities or qualifying local governmental organizations. Its website says donor-advised fund grants may be made only to IRS-qualified public charities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation’s 2024 filing listed Michael Ellison as Executive Director; Dan Gumpert as Treasurer; Steve Goldberg as President; and Jeff Clair as Vice President. The filing also listed Theo Goodwin, Michael Polis, Julian Robinson, Michael Rochman, Seth Rosenthal, and Jen Stoecklein as directors. The Foundation’s FAQ identifies Sara Allen as Executive Director for inquiries about starting a philanthropic relationship or applying for grants and scholarships.
Jewish Community Foundation of the West is led by Michael Ellison, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 15 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Ellison
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
25 hrs/week
$19K (2021) → $101K (2024)
Steve Goldberg
President
Director → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Weisberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Spector
Director
Treasurer → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Seth Rosenthal
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hannah Shakin
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jen Stoecklein
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julian Robinson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Polis
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Rochman
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theo Goodwin
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hope Ravinovitz
Past President
1st Vice President → President, 2022
President → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Loeb Williams
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Gumpert
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Clair
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Andrew Newman (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Michael Singer (2020–2023) — Past President
- Former: Skip Rosenbloom (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Julian Robertson (2023) — Director
- Former: Jeanette Salkin (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Alcalay (2020–2022) — 2nd Vice President
- Former: Stanley Leff MD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Pam Herman (2020–2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Jack Mador (2020) — Director
- Former: Joel Hass (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $101K, to Michael Ellison (Executive Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about Jewish Community Foundation of the West
How much does Jewish Community Foundation of the West give each year?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $864K across 25 grants.
What is Jewish Community Foundation of the West's typical grant size?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West's median grant in 2024 was $15,554, and its average grant was $40,970, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jewish Community Foundation of the West that year got $37K on average.
Where does Jewish Community Foundation of the West give grants?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West gives mostly in California: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (36%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Sacramento, CA (5 grants), Davis, CA (2 grants) and Winona, MN (2 grants).
Who are Jewish Community Foundation of the West's largest grantees?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West's largest 2024 grantees include Jewish National Fund ($200,000), Jewish Federation of the Sac ($154,639) and Mosaic Law Congregation ($100,477), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jewish Community Foundation of the West?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West reported $21.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.6M.
What does Jewish Community Foundation of the West fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to enhance charitable giving, facilitate philanthropy locally and worldwide, and build permanent financial resources to strengthen organizations and programs serving Jewish families of Northern California. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Community Foundation of the West?
The website directs people seeking to apply for a grant or scholarship to contact the Executive Director to begin the process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jewish Community Foundation of the West's EIN?
Jewish Community Foundation of the West's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0445835. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 31, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jewish Community Foundation of the West's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jewish Community Foundation of the West funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jewish-community-foundation-of-the-west-morg_5cecfbefb04c4158b6838792b4a43fd0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_680445835_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jewish Community Foundation of the West funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jewish-community-foundation-of-the-west-morg_5cecfbefb04c4158b6838792b4a43fd0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Jewish Community Foundation of the West's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Jewish Community Foundation of the West down — hundreds of funders to go?