The Jewish Communal Fund in New York City has announced that its account holders awarded $520.7 million in grants in fiscal year 2021, down from $536 million the previous year.

In the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, JCF’s 4,250 funds awarded a total of 72,375 grants to 10,325 nonprofits, averaging seventeen grants per fund, with a median grant amount of $501. According to the 2021 JCF Giving Report (32 pages, PDF), more than 70 percent of all grants — 50,775 grants totaling $256 million — were directed to Jewish organizations, a 15 percent year-over-year increase in the number of grants. As in previous years, the issue areas receiving the most grant dollars were education – general ($135 million), community organizations and human services ($93 million), and international – Israel ($87 million), followed by religion ($57 million), education – Jewish ($44 million), and health ($36 million).

According to JCF, account holders collectively disbursed 22 percent of total charitable assets in FY21, with 1,142 funds, or nearly a third, awarding at least half the balance in their funds to charities.

“The 2021 JCF Giving Report highlights the extraordinary generosity of our fundholders, who recommended a record-breaking 72,000 grants to charities in all sectors,” said Jewish Communal Fund executive vice president and CEO Sue Dickman. “In addition to fundholders’ robust grantmaking, JCF offers an increasing number of Jewish values impact investments that align with our mission as the largest Jewishly affiliated donor advised fund in the country.”

(Photo credit: GettyImages/Donald Gruener)