Steve and Janice Hefter
STEVE AND JANICE HEFTER is a private foundation based in Highland Park, Illinois. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations whose stated missions concern Israel, Jewish community services, and defending Jewish civil and human rights.
Key facts about Steve and Janice Hefter
In short: Steve and Janice Hefter gave $551K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $37K), top state District of Columbia. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 36-4337226
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $550,800
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- Average grant
- $36,720
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (2 of 14, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (39% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$551K
-20.8% YoY
Grant Count
15
-25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+5.5% YoY
Is Steve and Janice Hefter open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 14 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with a range of stated missions. The Central Fund of Israel says it was established to direct donations to charities in Israel. The American Israel Education Foundation describes itself as the charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC and says it supports educational programs, including research, materials, and conferences. The Lawfare Project says it works to defend the civil and human rights of Jewish people and fight discrimination.
Other recipients describe missions that include providing food, health care, education, and emergency assistance to Chicagoans and Jewish communities worldwide (Jewish United Fund); expanding giving (The Giving Back Fund); and educating U.S. and European leaders and citizens about Israel and promoting diplomatic and cultural relations (Friends of ELNET).
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 15 grants totaling $550,800 in 2024. The grants ranged from $2,600 to $150,000, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest were $150,000 to Central Fund of Israel, $75,000 to American Israel Education Foundation, $66,700 to Jewish Institute for National Security of America, $50,000 each to Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and Stand With Us, and $30,000 to The Lawfare Project.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as 39% to DC, 35% to NY, 13% to IL, 9% to CA, and 2% to MA.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 15 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
89 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL FUND OF ISRAEL Cedarhurst, NY | CHARITY | $150,000 |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION Washington, DC | CHARITY | $75,000 |
| JEWISH INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF AMERICA Washington, DC | CHARITY | $66,700 |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES Washington, DC | CHARITY | $50,000 |
| STAND WITH US Los Angeles, CA | CHARITY | $50,000 |
| THE LAWFARE PROJECT New York, NY | CHARITY | $30,000 |
| AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN LEADERSHIP PROJECT (AMEL) Washington, DC | CHARITY | $25,000 |
| JEWISH UNITED FUND Chicago, IL | CHARITY | $25,000 |
| NORTH SUBURBAN SYNAGOGUE BETH EL Highland Park, IL | CHARITY | $24,500 |
| FRIENDS OF OF THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE New York, NY | CHARITY | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants reported | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $550,800 | 15 |
| 2023 | $695,800 | 20 |
| 2022 | $640,338 | 17 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steve Hefter as president and treasurer, Janice Hefter as vice president, and Justin Hefter as secretary.
Steve and Janice Hefter is led by Steve Hefter, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Steve Hefter
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janice Hefter
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Justin Hefter
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 2386 Tennyson, Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (847) 831-2386
Frequently asked questions about Steve and Janice Hefter
How much does Steve and Janice Hefter give each year?
Steve and Janice Hefter gave $551K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $696K across 20 grants.
What is Steve and Janice Hefter's typical grant size?
Steve and Janice Hefter's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $36,720, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Steve and Janice Hefter that year got $14K on average.
Where does Steve and Janice Hefter give grants?
Steve and Janice Hefter's top state is District of Columbia, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. The next largest states were New York (35%) and Illinois (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants) and Highland Park, IL (2 grants).
Does Steve and Janice Hefter give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Steve and Janice Hefter's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charity" (15 grants).
Who are Steve and Janice Hefter's largest grantees?
Steve and Janice Hefter's largest 2024 grantees include Central Fund of Israel ($150,000), American Israel Education Foundation ($75,000) and Jewish Institute for National Security of America ($66,700), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Steve and Janice Hefter fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with a range of stated missions. The Central Fund of Israel says it was established to direct donations to charities in Israel. The American Israel Education Foundation describes itself as the charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC and says it supports educational programs, including research, materials, and conferences. The Lawfare Project says it works to defend the civil and human r…
How do I apply for a grant from Steve and Janice Hefter?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Steve and Janice Hefter's EIN?
Steve and Janice Hefter's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4337226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Steve and Janice Hefter accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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