Jewish Federation of Nashville and
The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the central voluntary communal organization of the Jewish community in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Founded in 1936, the organization is headquartered at 801 Percy Warner Boulevard, Suite 102, Nashville, Tennessee 37205. The Federation operates as both a grantmaking foundation and a community service organization, working to build a resilient, strong, and vibrant Jewish community locally, in Israel, and around the world.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$43.4M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+0.2% YoY
Grant Count
43
-6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$62K
+7.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Federation's mission is to promote the general welfare, viability, and cohesiveness of the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee while ensuring the continuity of the Jewish people locally, in Israel, and around the world. The organization accomplishes this through fundraising, planning, and community relations efforts, either independently or in partnership with other Jewish and non-Jewish organizations.
Primary Program Areas:
Philanthropy: The organization provides charitable support to secular and nonsecular 501(c)(3) charitable organizations and serves as an agency for donors to direct their charitable support to both secular and nonsecular charitable organizations.
Jewish Education: The organization provides education for the Jewish community on the Jewish faith and Israel.
Community Publications: The organization publishes a monthly newspaper, The Jewish Observer, which discusses local and global issues as they relate to the Jewish community.
Grantmaking
The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville maintains a Foundation that offers multiple fund types to support philanthropic goals:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization primarily serves Nashville and Middle Tennessee, though it also supports Israel-related programming and organizations. Grant-making extends to organizations in Tennessee, New York, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $43,389,309
- Total Revenues: $5,491,417
- Total Expenses: $5,935,072
- Total Giving: $3,524,657
Staffing:
- Employees: 23 (as of 2024)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) designation
- Tax-exempt since August 1942
- EIN: 62-6077703
Rating: The organization holds a Three-Star rating (89%) from independent charity evaluators, reflecting strong accountability and financial management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $43,389,309 | $41,500,823 | $40,918,621 |
| Revenue | $5,491,417 | $4,504,800 | $7,283,638 |
| Expenses | $5,935,072 | $5,184,390 | $4,441,468 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,918,371 | $2,203,699 | $3,274,956 |
| 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
208 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Gordon Jewish Community Center ($565,975), Vanderbilt Hillel Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life ($381,327), Akiva School ($340,921).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABE'S GARDEN NASHVILLE, TN | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $32,900 |
| AKIVA SCHOOL NASHVILLE, TN | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $340,921 |
| ALEPH ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH RENEWAL PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| ALEXANDER MUSS HIGH SCHOOL IN ISRAEL ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $6,044 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS - NASHVILLE AREA CHAPTER NASHVILLE, TN | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $9,513 |
| AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $12,600 |
| CASA NASHVILLE NASHVILLE, TN | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,100 |
| CHABAD OF NASHVILLE NASHVILLE, TN | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $11,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Jason Sparks: Chief Development Officer
- Deborah Oleshansky: Community Relations Director
- Becky Gunn: Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LESLIE KIRBY | PRESIDENT (END 11/24) | 2 | — |
| ARON KARABEL | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| JACOB KLEINROCK | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| ARLENE AVERBUCH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HAROLD BENUS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DAVID BOCKIAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARY CORNELIUS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LINDSEY DANZINGER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SETH GOLDBERG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| AMY GOLDSTEIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BECCA GRONER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ORI HART | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEVE HIRSCH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MINDY HIRT | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BATIA KARABEL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JACOB KUPIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HAYLEY LEVY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ERIC MIROWITZ | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LANA PARGH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ANNA STERN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CARA SUVALL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RABBI JOSHUA KULLOCK | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEPHANIE TOWNSEND | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ADAM DRETLER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CHRISTIE WIEMERS | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| BECKY GUNN | CFO | 40 | $138,125 |
| DAN HORWITZ | CEO | 40 | $230,606 |
| DEBORAH OLESHANSKY | COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECT | 40 | $113,076 |
| JASON SPARKS | DIR (END 2/24), CDO (START 3/24) | 40 | $106,561 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Federation has demonstrated active grantmaking and community engagement:
From the CEO\u2026Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville Commits to Community\Approved Emerging Needs Grants for the first quarter of 2025
Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville Approves Emerging Needs Grants forCommitted to community safety with a LiveSecure Grant and hired a new Security Director
Funded vibrant young adult programming initiatives
Grants Highlight: Creating Vibrant Young Adult Programming - The JewishSupported individual achievement through grants enabling participation in competitive activities
The organization continues to emphasize its role in connecting donors with causes, managing charitable giving, and supporting both local Jewish institutions and registered nonprofits of donor choice.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Jewish Federation of Nashville and fund?
The Federation's mission is to promote the general welfare, viability, and cohesiveness of the Jewish community of Nashville and Middle Tennessee while ensuring the continuity of the Jewish people locally, in Israel, and around the world. The organization accomplishes this through fundraising, planning, and community relations efforts, either independently or in partnership with other Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. **Primary Program Areas:** • **Philanthropy**: The organization provides c…
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Federation of Nashville and?
The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville maintains a Foundation that offers multiple fund types to support philanthropic goals: • **Donor Advised Funds**: Allow donors to direct the distribution and investment of funds • **Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment Funds** • **Designated, Unrestricted, and Area of Interest Funds** **Grant Activity:** Based on recent filings, the organization's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services. Typical gra…
Where does Jewish Federation of Nashville and make grants?
The organization primarily serves Nashville and Middle Tennessee, though it also supports Israel-related programming and organizations. Grant-making extends to organizations in Tennessee, New York, and Florida.
What size grants does Jewish Federation of Nashville and award?
In 2024, Jewish Federation of Nashville and awarded 43 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $62K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Jewish Federation of Nashville and's EIN?
Jewish Federation of Nashville and's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6077703. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jewish Federation of Nashville and'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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