Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston (JFGH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Houston, Texas, serving as a community convener, connector, funder, and innovator for Jewish life in the region. Founded in 1936, the organization works collaboratively with partner agencies and community members to strengthen Jewish communal life locally, nationally, in Israel, and around the world. The Federation operates from its headquarters at 5603 South Braeswood Boulevard in Houston.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.1M
+33.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$15.5M
+48.0% YoY
Grant Count
73
-16.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$212K
+76.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston works with partner organizations and members of the community to create a thriving and vibrant Jewish community in Houston, in Israel, and around the world. The organization's mission emphasizes preserving and enriching Jewish communal life through innovative and visionary leadership that is responsive to Jewish communities locally, nationally, in Israel, and globally.
Primary funding and program areas include:
- Providing food, shelter, and medical care
- Youth education and leadership development
- Senior care, services, and programming
- Youth engagement programming and reconnecting Jews with the Jewish community
- Jewish programming for young families and children
- Israel advocacy skills development and Israel travel for youth
- Support for people with special needs
- Strategy, Education and Engagement (SE&E) initiatives that foster lifelong engagement and learning in the Jewish community
The Federation funds key institutions in Houston's Jewish community, including the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service, and Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Services.
Grantmaking
The Federation operates a **Local Impact Fund** that awards grants to programs and organizations within the community.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Federation's funding reaches:
- Greater Houston area (primary focus)
- United States
- Israel
- International Jewish communities
The organization maintains long-standing partnerships with organizations including JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and The Jewish Agency for Israel to support Jews globally.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most recent financial data (2024):
- Total revenues: $29,093,954
- Total expenses: $24,276,916
- Total assets: $17,073,112
Previous year (2023):
- Revenue: $17,586,500
- Expenses: $17,000,000
- Total assets: $12,800,000
- Total liabilities: $4,520,000
Organization details:
- IRS ruling year: 1941
- ERS 501(c)(3) status: Tax-exempt donations
- Employees: 35 (as of 2024)
Rating: The organization holds a Four-Star rating with a perfect 100% score based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,073,112 | $12,835,481 | $13,426,779 |
| Revenue | $29,093,954 | $17,586,596 | $16,577,671 |
| Expenses | $24,276,916 | $16,985,096 | $15,821,266 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $438,467 | $203,896 | $12,665 |
| 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
241 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Global Jewish Peoplehood Fund
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Greater Houston Fund
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Local Impact Fund
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Amount
Up to $30,000
Deadline
July 31, 2026
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($1,881,800), Jewish Agency for Israel-North American Council ($1,484,904), Houston Jewish Community Fndn ($1,430,856).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Jewish Family Service Houston, TX | General support | $253,500 |
| American Friends of Kolot New York, NY | Emergency support | $85,500 |
| American Friends of Latet Humanitarian Aid Haverhill, MA | Emergency support | $105,000 |
| American Friends of Leket Israel Teaneck, NJ | Emergency support | $123,000 |
| American Friends of Magen David Adom New York, NY | Emergency support | $235,000 |
| American Friends of Sheba Medical Center Los Angeles, CA | Emergency support | $17,000 |
| American Friends of Shlavim Woodmere, NY | Emergency support | $70,000 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee New York, NY | Emergency support | $1,881,800 |
| BBYO Inc Washington, DC | General support | $22,300 |
| Becker School Houston, TX | General support | $33,075 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel identified:
- Renee Wizig-Barrios (Principal Officer)
- Karyn S Ullman (Chief Philanthropy Officer)
- Erica Winsor (Public Affairs Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Stein | Board Chair | 5 | — |
| Jared Dubin | Vice Chair - Planning | 2 | — |
| Sandra Finkelman | Vice Chair - Development | 2 | — |
| Joe Kaplan | Vice Chair - Special Projects | 2 | — |
| Melanie Lowther | Secretary, Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Sasha Alexander | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lauren Blachman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Susan Bono | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Debra Cohen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Hilary Cohen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Eric Danziger | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Barry Diner | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jen Fink | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Sarah Fort | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Nicole Gibson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Raquel Goldberg | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dori Goldman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Luis Gomar | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Oren Hayon | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Elyse Spector Kalmans | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lewis Kalmans | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Debbie Karakowsky | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rose Kreditor | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bobby Lapin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Norri Leder | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bruce Levy | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rachael Levy | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rebecca Luks | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Oren Mushin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Hy Penn | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Max Reichenthal | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Russ Robinson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lindsay Schmulen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rob Shoss | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Randi Sonenshein | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rima Soroka | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rick Stein | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Sam Stein | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rachel Strauss | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jill Talisman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Gavriel Toso | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Mark Trachtenberg | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Haya Varon | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Benjamin Warren | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dolores Wilkenfeld | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Marni Zarin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Renee Wizig-Barrios | President/CEO | 60 | $368,900 |
| Boris Siperstein | CFOO | 60 | $215,600 |
| Taryn Baranowski | Chief Marketing Officer | 40 | $152,410 |
| Suzanne Jacobson | Sr. VP - Major Gifts | 50 | $213,256 |
| Jessica Segal | Chief Impact Officer | 40 | $152,432 |
| Karyn Ullman | Chief Philanthropy Officer | 40 | $238,500 |
| Ari Rosen | Dir. of Philanthropy - Campaign | 40 | $116,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Federation continues to administer its Local Impact Fund, accepting applications and awarding grants to local organizations. Recent grant cycles have distributed nearly $200,000 annually to support community programs and services aligned with the Federation's mission of strengthening Jewish life in Greater Houston.
Federation awards $198,000 in 2025 Local Impact Fund GrantsFrequently Asked Questions
What does Jewish Federation of Greater Houston fund?
The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston works with partner organizations and members of the community to create a thriving and vibrant Jewish community in Houston, in Israel, and around the world. The organization's mission emphasizes preserving and enriching Jewish communal life through innovative and visionary leadership that is responsive to Jewish communities locally, nationally, in Israel, and globally. **Primary funding and program areas include:** • Providing food, shelter, and medical …
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Federation of Greater Houston?
The Federation operates a **Local Impact Fund** that awards grants to programs and organizations within the community. **Recent grant activity:** • 2025: Awarded $198,000 in Local Impact Fund grants • 2024: Awarded $188,360 in Local Impact Fund grants The Federation raises funds annually through its annual appeal, with proceeds benefiting millions of Jews in need in Houston, across the United States, in Israel, and around the world.
Where does Jewish Federation of Greater Houston make grants?
The Federation's funding reaches: • Greater Houston area (primary focus) • United States • Israel • International Jewish communities The organization maintains long-standing partnerships with organizations including JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and The Jewish Agency for Israel to support Jews globally.
What size grants does Jewish Federation of Greater Houston award?
In 2024, Jewish Federation of Greater Houston awarded 73 grants totaling $15.5M — an average of about $212K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's EIN?
Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-1109654. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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