Jews of Color Initiative
The Jews of Color Initiative is a public charity based in Berkeley, California. It advances racial equity in the U.S. Jewish community by centering Jews of Color and supports grantmaking, research, leadership development, capacity building, and community education.
Jews of Color Initiative at a glance
In short: Jews of Color Initiative gave $457K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), top state California. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $457,444
- +2.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -44.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $30,496
- +83.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $3,604,834
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (6 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jews of Color Initiative
- Contact
Mailing address: 1569 Solano Avenue 474, Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone: (510) 290-0300
Website: https://jewsofcolorinitiative.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Jews of Color Initiative
Who Jews of Color Initiative funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Social Good Fund ($115K). Together the top 10 received $403K.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 68 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s stated professional networks are in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and New York. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. California received 42% of grant dollars, New York 22%, Pennsylvania 19%, Wisconsin 7%, and Massachusetts 6%.
The 2024 RFP with the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles was specifically for initiatives serving Jews of Color in Greater Los Angeles. The organization’s 2025–2026 grant program lists California and the United States as its primary geographic scope.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Jews of Color Initiative open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 15 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $448K (2024) to $848K (2023). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $457K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Social Good Fund Richmond, CA | Fiscal Sponsorship | $115,000 |
| Ammud The JOC Torah Academy I New York, NY | General Operating | $40,000 |
| Tzedek America Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $40,000 |
| The Braid Santa Monica, CA | Program Support | $35,000 |
| Bd of Regents of Univ Wisc Madison, WI | Shalom Curriculum Project | $32,643 |
| Jewish Learning Venture Jenkintown, PA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Moving Traditions Elkins Park, PA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Union for Reform Judaism New York, NY | Leadership Program | $30,000 |
| Beloved Builders Northampton, MA | Fiscal Sponsorship | $25,230 |
| ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Ren Philadelphia, PA | Fiscal Sponsorship | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,604,834 | $2,372,665 | $2,385,750 | $457,444 | 15 | $15,543 |
| 2024 | $3,621,128 | $3,780,975 | $3,235,633 | $447,900 | 27 | $32,260 |
| 2023 | $3,209,779 | $4,786,049 | $3,476,961 | $848,460 | 26 | $11,522 |
| 2022 | $949,056 | $949,056 | — | — | — | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to advance racial equity in the U.S. Jewish community by centering the leadership of Jews of Color and ensuring that Jewish communities and institutions reflect the multiracial reality of the Jewish people.
Its stated program areas include grants for research, leadership development, capacity building, and infrastructure for JoC-led and JoC-focused projects; JoC Professional Networks in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and New York; and research and community learning. The organization has described its research projects as examining Jews of Color and informing learning across the community.
Its 2025–2026 grant program identifies four themes: addressing antisemitism through a JoC lens, shared identity, advancing knowledge, and leadership development. Examples of grantees’ work include Moving Traditions, whose mission is to help Jewish youth thrive through personal wellbeing, caring relationships, and a Jewish and feminist vision of equity and justice; Jewish Learning Venture, which describes its work as providing professional development, institutional support, and educational and engagement programming; and Beloved Builders, whose mission is to support spiritual leaders creating spaces of sacred belonging.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 15 grants totaling $457,444. Grant amounts ranged from $6,146 to $115,000, with a median of $30,000. Its largest reported grants included $115,000 to Social Good Fund for fiscal sponsorship; $40,000 to Ammud The JOC Torah Academy I for general operating support; $40,000 to Tzedek America for program support; and $35,000 to The Braid for program support. Other grants included $32,643 to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin for the Shalom Curriculum Project and $30,000 each to Jewish Learning Venture and Moving Traditions for program support.
The organization also describes a 2025–2026 grantmaking cycle supporting early-stage initiatives, diverse leaders, and organizational capacity and sustainability. Its 2024 Los Angeles RFP, announced in partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, offered grants of up to $15,000 for organizations and emerging leaders developing programs, projects, and opportunities for Jews of Color in Greater Los Angeles. The available information does not state application materials or restrictions for the 2025–2026 cycle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ilana Kaufman as CEO; Gabi Kuhn as managing director; Arya Marvazy as senior director of programs; and Rishona Thrasher as assistant director of operations. Directors listed include Christina Jefferson, chair; Dr. Valerie Feldman, vice chair; Dena Robinson, secretary; Dr. Buffie Longmire-Avital; Thor Kaslofsky; and Rabbi Evan Traylor.
Jews of Color Initiative is led by Ilana Kaufman, CEO on every filing since 2022; 4 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ilana Kaufman
CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$138K (2023) → $304K (2025)
Christina Jefferson
Chair
Member → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gabi Kuhn
Managing Director
Man Dr → Managing Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$118K (2024) → $174K (2025)
Arya Marvazy
Senior Director of Program
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$175K (2024) → $182K (2025)
Rishona Thrasher
Assistant Director of Oper
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$106K (2025)
Thor Kaslofsky
Member
Director → Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dena Robinson Esq.
Secretary
Member → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deitra Reiser
Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mendel Davis
Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Valerie Feldman
Vice Chair
Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Buffie Longmire-Avital
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rabbi Evan Traylor
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Ginna Green (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Janu Mendel (2022–2024) — Chair
- Former: Tonda Case (2023–2024) — Senior Director Finance & Oper
- Former: Theresa Precia (2024) — Senior Executive Assistant
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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 $304K, to Ilana Kaufman (CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Jews of Color Initiative
How much does Jews of Color Initiative give each year?
Jews of Color Initiative gave $457K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $448K across 27 grants.
What is Jews of Color Initiative's typical grant size?
Jews of Color Initiative's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $30,496, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jews of Color Initiative that year got $14K on average.
Where does Jews of Color Initiative give grants?
Jews of Color Initiative's top state is California, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (22%) and Pennsylvania (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Jews of Color Initiative give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of Jews of Color Initiative's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Fiscal Sponsorship" (5 grants) and "Program Support" (4 grants).
Who are Jews of Color Initiative's largest grantees?
Jews of Color Initiative's largest 2025 grantees include Social Good Fund ($115,000), Ammud The JOC Torah Academy I ($40,000) and Tzedek America ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jews of Color Initiative?
Jews of Color Initiative reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.4M.
What does Jews of Color Initiative fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to advance racial equity in the U.S. Jewish community by centering the leadership of Jews of Color and ensuring that Jewish communities and institutions reflect the multiracial reality of the Jewish people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jews of Color Initiative?
Jews of Color Initiative has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check jewsofcolorinitiative.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Jews of Color Initiative's EIN?
Jews of Color Initiative's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-2742246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 3, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 30, 2026)
Live grants for the work Jews of Color Initiative funds
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jews of Color Initiative funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jews-of-color-initiative-morg_6dd448d0ade04896abc6a3b3d8130d28
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_862742246_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jews of Color Initiative funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jews-of-color-initiative-morg_6dd448d0ade04896abc6a3b3d8130d28},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Jews of Color Initiative'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.
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