The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation
The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation, commonly known as the Jim Joseph Foundation, is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 2006 and classified legally as a California Public Benefit Corporation, the foundation is devoted exclusively to supporting Jewish education of youth and young adults in the United States. The foundation is committed to the legacy of its founder, Jim Joseph, z"l, a dedicated Jewish philanthropist who believed that focusing on young people was the best way to preserve a strong Jewish faith and proud heritage.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.5B
+4.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$63.0M
+2.3% YoY
Grant Count
264
-4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$239K
+6.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation reported a distributable amount of $82.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's aspiration is that all Jews, their families and their friends—inspired by Jewish learning experiences—lead connected, meaningful, purpose-filled lives and make positive contributions to their communities and the world.
The foundation's strategic priorities include:
- Powerful Jewish Learning Experiences: Supporting compelling, effective Jewish learning experiences for young Jews
- Exceptional Jewish Leaders and Educators: Supporting the development of exceptional Jewish leaders and educators
- Research and Development: Research, experimentation, and incubation to explore and advance ideas that broaden what Jewish meaning and community can look like
The foundation takes a broad view of education, including day schools, camping, youth groups, and congregational education. A particular focus is on bold new approaches to Jewish life that reflect the identities, values, and needs of young Jews today—especially those not engaged by traditional institutions.
Common Era Initiative
The foundation operates Common Era, a platform for its emergent strategy work. In 2024, Common Era launched 18 research and experimentation projects, incubated 17 new initiatives, and debuted its website at www.commonera.org.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s**: Typical awards range from $1,800 to $4,000,000.
How to Apply
**: While the foundation is not accessible through an online application portal, grantseekers may send one-page letters of inquiry to the foundation via mail. The foundation is described as supportive and approachable, and prospective grantees are encouraged to reach out with questions.
Ready to take the next step with The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is national in scope, with a slight preference for the Bay Area. Primary funding areas include New York, California, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,513,966,691
- Total Revenue: $76,400,000
- Total Expenses: $74,500,000
- Total Liabilities: $68,600,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $1,445,120,697
- Total Revenue: $16,494,286
- Total Expenses: $52,003,735
Staff: 22 employees (as of 2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,513,966,691 | $1,445,120,697 | $1,335,087,353 |
| Revenue | $76,428,949 | $16,494,286 | $14,791,553 |
| Expenses | $74,486,530 | $52,003,735 | $91,332,491 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $82,019,133 | $79,184,839 | $67,943,461 |
| Net Investment Income | $120,134,785 | $72,906,404 | $20,291,929 |
| Distributable Amount | $82,949,636 | $80,087,970 | $79,713,054 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Birthright Israel Foundation ($4,000,000), Bnai Brith Youth Organization Inc ($3,000,000), Board of Jewish Education Inc ($2,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADAMAH INC REISTERSTOWN, MD | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $900,000 |
| ADAMAH INC REISTERSTOWN, MD | ISRAEL EMERGENCY SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| ADAMAH INC REISTERSTOWN, MD | RETREAT JEWISH PHASE 2 | $50,000 |
| ADAMAH INC REISTERSTOWN, MD | RETREATS FOR JEWISH COMMUNAL PROFESSIONAL | $100,000 |
| ADAMAH INC REISTERSTOWN, MD | SENIOR LEADERSHIP TRIP TO ISRAEL | $80,000 |
| ALEPH-ALLIANCE FOR JEWISH RENEWAL ANN ARBOR, MI | OPENLEV'S SACRED CO-WORKING | $206,400 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | SUPERNOVA FESTIVAL DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC NEW YORK, NY | GLOBAL JUSTICE FELLOWS | $10,000 |
| AMMUD THE JOC TORAH ACADEMY INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founder: Jim Joseph (Hebrew name: Shimon ben Yosef Yitzhak), born in Austria on September 5, 1935. Jim Joseph was a dedicated Jewish philanthropist and founder and president of a real estate development company. He passed away (z"l indicates "of blessed memory").
Family: Joshua Joseph (son of Jim Joseph) has provided reflections on his father's life and legacy.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID AGGER | CHAIR/DIRECTOR | 8 | $27,300 |
| DVORA JOSEPH DAVEY | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| ARIELA RUTH DUBLER | DIRECTOR (AS OF 09/2024) | 3 | $13,650 |
| JOSHUA FOER | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| MATTHEW GOLDBERG | DIRECTOR (AS OF 09/2024) | 3 | $13,650 |
| SHIRA GOODMAN | VICE CHAIR/SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 5 | $27,300 |
| JOSHUA JOSEPH | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| LAURA LAUDER | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| RACHEL LEVIN | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| JEFFREY SCHOENFELD | TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 5 | $27,300 |
| MICHAEL SHIMANSKY | DIRECTOR | 3 | $27,300 |
| JEFFREY SOLOMON | VICE CHAIR/DIRECTOR(THROUGH JUNE 2024) | 5 | $13,650 |
| BARRY FINESTONE | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $814,869 |
| DAVID CARROLL | CFO | 40 | $422,541 |
| DAWNE BEAR NOVICOFF | COO/ACTING PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $389,226 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the foundation's Common Era initiative launched 18 research and experimentation projects and incubated 17 new initiatives, demonstrating active expansion of its work in exploring innovative approaches to Jewish education and community engagement.
The foundation also funded a new Stanford doctoral program focused on Jewish education.
Jim Joseph Funds New Stanford Doctoral Program - eJewishPhilanthropySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation fund?
The foundation's aspiration is that all Jews, their families and their friends—inspired by Jewish learning experiences—lead connected, meaningful, purpose-filled lives and make positive contributions to their communities and the world. The foundation's strategic priorities include: • **Powerful Jewish Learning Experiences**: Supporting compelling, effective Jewish learning experiences for young Jews • **Exceptional Jewish Leaders and Educators**: Supporting the development of exceptional Jewish…
How do I apply for a grant from The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation?
**Grant Sizes**: Typical awards range from $1,800 to $4,000,000. **Recent Grants** (2023): • Hillel International: $3,800,000 (General Operating Support) • Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC): $3,000,000 (General Operating Support) **Total Giving**: $63,019,624 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing) **Application Process**: While the foundation is not accessible through an online application portal, grantseekers may send one-page letters of inquiry to the foundation via mail. The foundation is desc…
Where does The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation make grants?
The foundation's giving is national in scope, with a slight preference for the Bay Area. Primary funding areas include New York, California, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation award?
In 2024, The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation awarded 264 grants totaling $63.0M — an average of about $239K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation reported a distributable amount of $82.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation's EIN?
The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-1114104. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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