Jewish Pride Fund Giving Circle

Geographic Scope: Bay Area, with focus on Israeli and local organizations

Mission:
Provides a space for members of the LGBTQ+ Jewish community to honor their whole selves—a rare opportunity for LGBTQ+ Jews who often struggle to bring their full identities into conventional Jewish or LGBTQ+ spaces.

Key Features:

• Inclusive governance: Every member, regardless of donation amount, gets one vote
• Lower barrier to entry: Minimum donation is $1,800 (as of 2021)
• Pool resources: Individual donations create larger collective impact
• Direct funding: Members have a say in where money is granted
• Niche funding: Directed funds towards smaller or niche organizations

History:

• Founded January 2018 (inception noted as 2017 in some materials)
• Longest-running Federation giving circle as of 2024
• Grew from 10 members in 2018 to 17+ members by 2021
• As of May 2024, has granted $267,115+ in total to over 18 unique organizations
• Several organizations have received funding 3-4 times since inception

Grant Focus:

• Organizations serving the intersection of Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities
• Israeli LGBTQ+ organizations
• Local Bay Area LGBTQ+ Jewish organizations
• Under-the-radar organizations serving vulnerable populations

Past Grantees Include:

• Beit Dror (Israeli LGBTQ+ youth shelter)
• Jewish Baby Network (LGBTQ+ Jewish families)
• Israeli shared society organizations

Community Impact:

• Created space for members to fully inhabit multiple identities
• Demonstrated model for accessible philanthropy
• Attracted diverse membership including Jews of Color and trans individuals
• Influenced other Pride Funds across the country

Contact:

• Danielle Meshorer (as of 2021 materials)

Giving Circle Structure

• Membership model: Individuals contribute minimum donation ($1,800 as of 2021)
• Meeting frequency: Regular meetings to discuss shared values and organizations
• Decision process: Members learn about organizations and collectively decide where to allocate funds
• Voting: Every member receives one vote regardless of donation amount
• Grantmaking: Annual or periodic grantmaking cycles

How to Participate

1. Contact the Federation's Giving Circles program
2. Learn about the fund's mission and values
3. Make minimum donation commitment ($1,800 or current amount)
4. Participate in meetings and grantmaking discussions
5. Vote on grant allocations

For More Information

• Contact the Federation's Giving Circles program
• Email: (contact information to be obtained from main Federation website)