From time to time, the Federation reviews all our policies to ensure they continue to meet the needs of Bay Area Jewish communities. The original guidelines, developed and implemented in 2010, have served the Federation and community well. 15 years later, it was time to revisit them to be sure they reflected the changing conditions of the Jewish community. The Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, accelerated our timeline — as antisemitism and anti-Israel activity were rising dramatically, along with serious threats to U.S. democratic institutions and the fabric of our society. The modernized guidelines reaffirm the Federation’s commitment to fostering diverse expressions and sustaining an inclusive climate, while establishing boundaries consistent with Federation core values.

The modernized guidelines retain the key areas articulated in 2010 and have new language that addresses changing conditions in the world. In some areas, we felt the need for more precise language, and every effort has been made to incorporate clear language while keeping in mind that members of our community hold a wide breadth of diverse viewpoints.  

In addition, the previous guidelines included a specific section on the kinds of panels, presentations, events, and programs that aligned with the guidelines. That section is now a separate document applicable only to Federation-directed grantees, not for grants recommended by our donor-advised funds (DAFs) or supporting foundations.

The guidelines show our commitment to due diligence and adhering to the core values that make recommending grants through the Federation reliable and trustworthy.

99% of all grants recommended by our donor-advised funds (DAFs) and supporting foundations are approved.    

We do everything possible to assist donors in their grantmaking — and in the very rare case where an organization is deemed to violate the guidelines — we work with donors to determine how they want to proceed, e.g., finding other similar organizations, or finding an alternative way of supporting their proposed organization, and more.

The guidelines are as much about preserving a very broad tent filled with a wide range of grantees as they are about identifying the extreme edges. The guidelines convey both the breadth of Federation grantmaking and the boundaries that exist.

The Federation makes about 12,000 grants a year to thousands of charitable organizations recommended by our donor-advised funds (DAFs) and supporting foundations and through our own Federation-directed grantmaking process. These guidelines apply to all grants.

After a grant is recommended, it is reviewed and vetted to ensure the organization meets certain legal requirements, including, for example, that it is a tax-exempt charity in good standing with the IRS. We also review each grant to ensure that the organization and its activities are compatible with our guidelines. Organizations new to the Federation are reviewed when a grant is first recommended and then reviewed annually or when they are recommended again.

Thousands of nonprofit organizations have already been vetted, reviewed, and subsequently approved by the Federation. 99% of all grant recommendations are approved.

If it is determined that an organization may potentially violate the guidelines, they are further reviewed and discussed by a committee comprised of Federation lay leadership to determine whether they meet the necessary criteria to receive a grant. We work in partnership with donors throughout the process. Also, at its discretion, the Federation may choose to approach a prospective grantee for discussion regarding any guidelines concerns before making a final assessment.

If there is a clear guideline violation, an organization may be placed on a “do not fund list.” This list is reviewed periodically to determine if there have been any changes that would enable an organization to be removed from it. A very small number of organizations may be placed on a watch list indicating that there is no clear guideline violation but some concerns. These organizations are reviewed annually or when they are recommended again.

All grant letters include a provision for the grantee to acknowledge receipt of the guidelines and to agree to adhere to them.

No. There are three main reasons for this decision.

1. The funding process is a dynamic one. If an organization that has run afoul of the guidelines changes course, they can move off the “do not fund list.”
2. While we do our best to use objective criteria, we understand that everyone has different perspectives and interpretations.
3. We may choose to engage directly with an organization that has been determined to be beyond the line to assess whether the issue reflects a one-time situation or an ongoing pattern. The possibility of meaningful dialogue with a prospective grantee would be significantly reduced if the names of organizations were made public.

The program guidelines are  a companion piece to the grant guidelines, which are applicable only for Federation-directed grantees. The document is intended to help Jewish institutions as they navigate sensitive program areas. As with the guidelines themselves, this document makes clear that the Federation supports wide-ranging and diverse expressions while recognizing boundaries.

The guidelines were approved by the Federation Board of Directors on December 12, 2024, based on a recommendation by the Federation Executive Committee. They were developed by a Working Group which represented a range of views. The Committee was chaired by Federation leaders Michael Jacobs and Jim Koshland, along with professional partners Joy Sisisky, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Rebecca Randall, Chief Philanthropy Officer. Rabbi Doug Kahn, Executive Director Emeritus of the JCRC, who also helped draft the 2010 guidelines, consulted with us. The Working Group developed the guidelines over the course of several months. The process included some 40 stakeholder interviews conducted by Doug Kahn, including DAF holders at the Federation, CEOs of local Jewish institutions, congregational rabbis, executives of Jewish family foundations, thought leaders in the field, and executives of other foundations and Federations with significant experience with DAFs and supporting foundations.

Yes, many other philanthropic institutions, both public and private, have guidelines. Often guided by institutional or communal values, organizations have the right and responsibility to safeguard donor funds to ensure they are expended in ways that are consistent with those values and mission. There are no legal obligations to publish or publicize guidelines. As part of our commitment to raising visibility and transparency, we publish our guidelines because we believe it’s important for donors and grantees to know what the Federation stands for, and to assure that the mission and activities of grantees are compatible with the guidelines.