Grantmaking
The New Israel Fund provides grants to organizations that help make Israel a more just, equal, and democratic society.
NIF has provided more than $350 million to more than 950 organizations since our establishment in 1979. Ranging from large grants to organizations like our flagship grantee, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), to smaller grants to community organizations working on social change at the local level, our grantmaking procedure is rigorous, transparent, and based on partnership with our grantees.
All grantees are legally recognized and registered nonprofits in Israel. Additionally, every grantee must meet NIF’s funding guidelines and undergo regular evaluation for effectiveness and consistency with NIF’s strategic priorities.
NIF provides grants from our core budget to organizations advancing priorities like protecting democratic institutions, building a shared society, or defending human rights (see NIF’s issues). (See Core Grants below.)
Funders may also choose to make “Donor Advised (DA) Grants” to support specific organizations. This allows NIF to support a wider circle of organizations that meet our criteria and fall within our areas of focus and helps to strengthen progressive civil society in Israel.
Note: The data below represents the amount authorized for the reporting year. For reasons connected to the schedule of our grant payments, this figure may differ from the amount paid to a grantee in the reporting year. Both amounts are listed in NIF’s financial reports, which you can find here.
The New Israel Fund provides grants to organizations that help make Israel a more just, equal, and democratic society.
2024 Core Grants
| Democratic Infrastructure | |
| Over the past decade NIF has invested in building up the infrastructure required for the long-term survival of Israeli democracy. This work focuses on three areas: public mobilization; creating new vision, ideas, and policies; and leadership development. | |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| Leadership & Networks | |
| The Alef-Ba Project: A Joint Project of Qadaya & Have You Seen the Horizon Lately? (through ACAP) The project’s goal is to establish areas of agreement and dispute among progressive/liberal/centrist Palestinian and Jewish Israelis on key issues (foreign policy, equality, and others) as a basis for Jewish-Arab partnership in government and beyond. |
$100,000 |
| The Alliance for Israel's Future (AIF) The Alliance Fellowship works to create a network of Jewish and Palestinian Israeli leaders who can effectively advance Jewish-Arab partnership and form a new culture in Israel. |
$80,000 |
| Leadership Development for Palestinian Youth: A partnership between Al-Tufula, Al-Amar & Lagiya Women (through Al-Tufula) The project cultivates young progressive Palestinian-Israeli leaders through three cohorts in Nazareth, Sakhnin, and the Negev. |
$100,000 |
| The Faithful Left/Hasmol Ha'emuni (through the Alliance for Israel’s Future) The Faithful Left (“Hasmol Ha’emuni”) was founded in January 2023 by religious activists (Modern Orthodox, ultra-Orthodox, and Masorti) with the goal of forming a large and effective religious movement that promotes liberal democratic values, such as equality and tolerance. |
$75,000 |
| Ha’migdalor (“Lighthouse”) Project: A Joint Project of Idea - The Center for Liberal Democracy & Hechalutz Movement Ha’migdalor works to promote a broad vision of liberal democracy by creating and providing curricula, materials, and staff training for pre-military academies and other educational frameworks for young people. |
$150,000 |
| Hechalutz Movement Hechalutz, established by Oranim College, is an educational organization whose goal is developing leadership that aspires to create a society based on social justice, mutual responsibility, democracy, peace, justice, and equality. Hechalutz runs leadership programs for young adults—before conscription, during military service, and after discharge—that combine study with community action and foster a commitment to social change. |
$100,000 |
| IDEA - The Center for Liberal Democracy IDEA works to strengthen the infrastructure of liberal democracy by developing a network of leaders currently holding senior positions in civil society, government, media and cultural institutions, and the private sector, and creating a shared language and vision for the pro-democracy camp. |
$150,000 |
| Israel Shelanu (Our Israel) – seed grant Israel Shelanu works to transform the attitudes of the Russian-speaking sector in Israel (12% of the population) to support liberal democracy and empower liberal-democratic organizations to reach this community, thereby strengthening the liberal democratic vision in Israel. |
$50,000 |
| The Jurist Forum – seed grant This group of legal experts monitors antidemocratic legislation, especially as pertains to human rights; writes position papers defending liberal-democratic principles; and conducts educational work about legislative and other initiatives that may undermine Israeli democracy and the rule of law. |
$50,000 |
| The Mizrahi Collective – seed grant This initiative aims to provide a home based on democratic values for the Mizrahi movement in Israel. It strives to create policy changes in the socioeconomic and political realms and advance democracy and equality for everyone between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea. |
$50,000 |
| The New Haredim (Tzibur Haredi Mamlachti) The New Haredim provides a home for members of the ultra-Orthodox community who identify with the principles of liberal democracy, and connects them with the progressive vision. The group works to advance liberal policies, such as promoting women to positions of influence, teaching core curriculum at ultra-Orthodox schools, and promoting higher education. |
$40,000 |
| Public Mobilization | |
| Have You Seen the Horizon Lately? Have You Seen the Horizon Lately promotes public legitimacy for the participation of Palestinian Israelis in political life and leadership through advocacy, media work, and events. It is among the organizations that have focused on de-escalating tensions and strengthening Jewish-Arab partnership in the aftermath of October 7. |
$100,000 |
| Omdim Beyachad-Naqef Ma'an (Standing Together) Standing Together organizes Jews and Arabs, locally and nationally throughout Israel, around campaigns for peace, equality, and social justice. Their principal goal is the emergence of a new majority in Israeli society that is based on Jewish-Arab partnership and makes it possible to achieve peace, equality, and social and environmental justice. |
$200,000 |
| Tzedek Centers Tzedek Centers establishes local communities of social-change activists, run by Hashomer Hatzair alumni, that promote policy change at the municipal level and integrates these centers into a nationwide grassroots movement that promotes progressive values. |
$150,000 |
| Zazim - Community Action Zazim advances participatory democracy by mobilizing a base of Israelis—Jewish and Palestinian—to take action and influence public policy and discourse through online campaigns on the most pressing issues facing Israeli society. |
$100,000 |
| Vision, Ideas, & Policies | |
| Adva Center Adva Center produces critical analyses of public policy with the goal of designing and promoting socioeconomic policies that guarantee equality and incorporate the needs of disempowered sectors. |
$120,000 |
| The Berl Katznelson Foundation Berl Katznelson Foundation strengthens democracy in Israel through the development of vision and policy, leadership development, creation of a comprehensive progressive curriculum, and the operation of diverse educational and training programs. |
$120,000 |
| State Education Watch - The Berl Katznelson Foundation State Education Watch works to maintain the independence of state education from illiberal influences, and protect its progressive values in collaboration with parents’ organizations, teachers, and principals. The organization plans to publish a comprehensive study on the erosion of the liberal humanistic foundation of state education in Israel and what is required to remedy this. |
$20,000 |
| The Forum for Regional Thinking (FORTH) The Forum for Regional Thinking works to contribute to Israel’s more successful integration in the Middle East and influence public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. FORTH’s activities include publishing and disseminating articles that enrich public discourse, educational programs (including courses at pre-military academies) on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Middle East, and training educators. |
$125,000 |
| Mitvim: The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies Mitvim works to promote new Israeli foreign policy paradigms, increase public support for a progressive foreign policy, enhance Israel’s regional belonging, and advance Israeli-Arab peace. |
$150,000 |
| The Movement for Freedom of Information (MFOI) MFOI promotes transparency in public institutions and encourages the public to utilize its right to government-held information, including through freedom of information requests. |
$50,000 |
| Zulat - Equality and Human Rights Zulat advances civil and human rights in Israel through research, development and promotion of policies related to the defense of human rights in Israel and advancing equality. Zulat’s overarching goals are the passage of legislation (including Basic Laws) advancing human rights and equality, and shifting the public discourse vis-à-vis these principles. |
$100,000 |
| Peace and Security – Building and Blocking | |
| This program combines two strategies: promoting a vision of security for Israel based on a negotiated agreement with the Palestinians, and concrete actions to block moves toward annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), mainly in Area C and East Jerusalem. | |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| Blocking | |
| Breaking the Silence Breaking the Silence collects and publicizes soldiers' testimonies in order to raise public awareness of the consequences of the occupation. The organization also works in the South Hebron Hills to help prevent the ongoing expulsion of Palestinian communities and thwart annexation. |
$100,000 |
| East Jerusalem Joint Strategic Initiative - Ir Amim & Emek Shaveh (through Emek Shaveh) This initiative works to protect East Jerusalem Palestinians from dispossession, and prevent steps that would prevent the division of Jerusalem in any future diplomatic agreement. Both Ir Amim and Emek Shaveh work to thwart annexation and help secure a negotiated resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ir Amim’s work focuses specifically on Jerusalem as a shared city, while Emek Shaveh works to prevent the use of archaeological sites to dispossess Palestinian communities. |
$50,000 |
| Economic Cooperation Foundation (ECF) Established 30 years ago by Yossi Beilin, the late Ron Pundak, and other longtime proponents of peace, ECF promotes cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors, especially the Palestinians. NIF’s grant supports a project that brings together experts from the security, legal, policy, and human rights fields; their discussions will serve as the basis for policy papers and recommendations that will include practical recommendations for actions that various bodies can take to counter annexation and address the escalating violence on the ground. |
$50,000 |
| Emek Shaveh Emek Shaveh works to defend cultural heritage rights and to protect ancient sites as public assets that belong to members of all communities, faiths and peoples, and oppose the use of archaeological sites to dispossess disenfranchised communities. The organization monitors, exposes, and reports on developments in cultural heritage sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza), and challenges efforts to use cultural heritage sites as a means of justification for annexation of land owned and used by Palestinians. |
$50,000 |
| Haqel: In Defense of Human Rights The only legal aid organization working on land rights violations in the South Hebron Hills and Bethlehem area, Haqel conducts strategic litigation on behalf of Palestinian landowners facing constant and extreme settler violence and constant attempts by settlers and the Israeli government to annex land in Area C. It does this work by holding duty-bearers accountable for settler and army violence and demanding implementation of the rule of law; reducing the frequency and severity of violence by addressing emergencies in real-time (including through the hotline it runs), challenging land encroachment and the use of violence as a tool for expulsion and the takeover of land. |
$50,000 |
| Ir Amim Ir Amim works to render Jerusalem a more equitable and sustainable city for Israeli and Palestinian residents, working to prevent annexation and to increase support for a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the idea of Jerusalem as a shared capital for two states. As part of these efforts, it works to reorient public discourse on Jerusalem by exposing thousands of people each year – from Israel and abroad – to the political complexities of the city via field-based study tours, public events, briefings, and educational programs. |
$100,000 |
| MachsomWatch MachsomWatch works to expose human rights violations at the checkpoints and in military courts, protect Palestinians from abuse by the settlers and the army; and increase public awareness of the injustices caused by the occupation. |
$35,000 |
| OFEK - The Israeli Center for Public Affairs Established in 2020, this Israeli think tank advocates for effective Israeli and international policies to bring about a just and equitable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With the sharp increase in settler violence in the last few years, Ofek has been especially focused on raising awareness about the phenomenon and those responsible for it. |
$145,000 |
| Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) PHRI provides medical services and works to effect policy change with regard to human rights and the right to health care for Palestinians in the occupied territories, incarcerated people, asylum seekers, and other residents of Israel. |
$50,000 |
| Rabbis for Human Rights (Kol Rabani) & Jordan Valley Activists (through RHR) RHR works to address a range of human rights issues. This project works to protect Palestinian communities in the northern Jordan Valley and South Hebron Hills against settler violence and harassment. The project provides protective presence through on-the-ground activists equipped with first-aid skills, knowledge of their rights, and guidance in documenting settler violence, who also help Palestinian shepherding communities contend with confiscation of equipment by Israeli authorities. |
$75,000 |
| Shatil’s OPT Activists Program The program provides activists in the West Bank with comprehensive support, including trainings, psychological assistance, and logistical help. Activism has become increasingly precarious under the current government, which bolsters settlers to the detriment of Palestinian communities. The activists’ presence on the ground creates a significant barrier to expulsion and annexation efforts. Shatil also manages a forum for the CEOs of human rights organizations to help them strategize and coordinate efforts to hinder annexation, settlement expansion, and settler violence. |
$105,000 |
| Yesh Din - Volunteers for Human Rights A leading Israeli organization documenting settler violence and opposing annexation of the West Bank, Yesh Din strives to protect human rights in the occupied territories by gathering data, conducting legal advocacy, and public outreach. Its new project works to block pro-annexation policies through petitions to the High Court of Justice; produce a guide of talking points about settler violence and moves toward annexation; and expand a database that Yesh Din maintains about annexation-related policies and their repercussions on the ground. |
$100,000 |
| Building | |
| "It's Time" Coalition (through Zazim) The coalition—which consists of over 50 organizations, led by Shatil—is working to reinvigorate the peace camp and create a unified voice in support of ending the conflict and reaching a two-state solution through a series of events and public activities. The first such event, held of July 1 in Tel Aviv, drew over 6,000 Jewish and Palestinian Israelis. |
$250,000 |
| A Land for All A Land for All is a shared movement of Israelis and Palestinians who believe that the way toward peace, security, and stability for all is through two independent states, Israel and Palestine, within a joint framework allowing both peoples to live together and apart. This grant supports their work to advance an alternative vision for the future that is rooted in diplomacy. |
$100,000 |
| aChord (through Hebrew University of Jerusalem) aChord produces research to educate the public and, thereby, build support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. |
$150,000 |
| Darkenu, The Day After & Commanders for Israel's Security Joint Campaign This joint campaign promotes a regional agreement between Israel, moderate Arab countries, and the West that will ultimately lead to a two-state solution. The three organizations—a non-partisan civil society movement geared toward centrist Israelis; a group of former senior army veterans; and a group of academics from various fields that formed after October 7—each possess different expertise but will work together to persuade centrist Israelis of the benefits of a regional peace deal including the Palestinians. The organizations will train politicians and public figures as spokespeople who can present the regional agreement concept, holding parlor meetings, conferences, and public events, and the campaign will feature billboards, social media, video clips. |
$400,000 |
| Have You Seen the Horizon Lately? Peace Campaign Have You Seen the Horizon Lately? runs public campaigns to promote democratic and pluralistic values. (One successful campaign, in November 2023, was designed to de-escalate tensions between Jews and Arabs in the wake of October 7.) aChord reports that around 60%-plus of Israelis now consider themselves part of the “democratic camp.” This campaign will be rolled out mainly through billboards, social media, and ads in traditional media. |
$400,000 |
| Education Project: IDEA - The Center for Liberal Democracy & the Institute for National Security Studies IDEA promotes a liberal democratic agenda through a network of leaders who hold senior public positions. IDEA’s new project, with the Institute for National Security Studies, educates diverse participants about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and different possible resolutions, as well as Israel’s major security challenges. The goal is to encourage decision-makers from diverse fields to support efforts to end the conflict. |
$75,000 |
| Joint Policy Unit - Mitvim & Berl Katznelson Foundation The grant is part of our investment in public outreach to advance support for a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Joint Policy Unit has developed “The Israeli Initiative – A Roadmap for Advancing a Diplomatic-Security Settlement,” which presents a paradigm for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an alternative to the concept of” managing the conflict” that collapsed after October 7. |
$400,000 |
| Joint Lobby Project - Peace Now & Geneva Initiative These veteran organizations are collaborating on a lobbying project to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli public. Using data from Tamrur, aChord, and Peace Now’s settlement-monitoring project, a newly hired policy expert will educate officials about the importance of resolving the conflict for Israel’s long-term security and democracy. |
$125,000 |
| Project Tamrur Tamrur provides data related to the conflict and facts on the ground to inform policy proposals. Tamrur has tracked data across seven fields (economic, security, spatial, social, diplomatic, political, and legal) for the past 15 years, which allows for analysis of long-term trends and development of data-driven solutions for a two-state solution. |
$120,000 |
| Safeguarding Human Rights and Democracy | |
| NIF has worked to uphold the pillars of Israeli democracy, protect civil liberties, and advance human rights since its inception—and continues to do so during this especially difficult period. The judicial overhaul and the aftermath of October 7 have created unprecedented challenges in these areas. The program works to protect basic civil and human rights, freedom of speech and protest, and Israel’s democratic institutions. | |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| Civil and Human Rights Grantees | |
| Adalah – Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel Adalah works to achieve equal individual and collective rights for the Palestinian citizens of Israel with regard to land and planning rights; economic, social and cultural rights; and civil and political rights, through litigation and advocacy efforts by and for Arab citizens of Israel. |
$100,000 |
| The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) NIF's flagship grantee, ACRI promotes the universality of human rights through precedent-setting litigation, human rights education, public outreach, and advocacy. The organization’s overarching goal is to guarantee the exercise of basic human rights and to promote equality of all groups that make up Israeli society, with an emphasis on the most powerless. |
$400,000 |
| The Emergency Coalition of Palestinian-Israeli NGOs (through ACAP & Mossawa) The Emergency Coalition of Palestinian-Israeli NGOs was created to respond to the suppression of freedom of speech (which has included arrests, firings, and silencing) of Palestinian citizens of Israel during the anti-government protests and the war. |
$100,000 |
| Civil and Human Rights Grantees | |
| NIF’s Civil Society Protection Hub helps activists and organizations to operate safely and effectively that is hostile to their efforts. The Hub connects individuals and NGOs that have been attacked with an array of NIF-funded services, and has helped more than 100 individuals and organizations to date. The Hub has thwarted online attacks against activists; supported activists that protect Palestinians in the OPT from settler violence; and pushed back against efforts to hobble the work of NGOs. | |
| ACRI’s Docu-Rights Project - Association for Civil Rights in Israel The grant supports ACRI’s Docu-Rights Project, which assists and supports activists in defending their right to protest. |
$30,000 |
| Citizens’ HQ Citizens’ HQ is a coalition of organizations working to counter attacks on civil society, promote Jewish-Arab partnership, and conduct media campaigns for progressive values. |
$60,000 |
| Protest Coordination Project A forum with top legal professionals and grantees working to protect freedom of protest (including ACRI, PCATI, and HRDF) that works in coordination with the pro-democracy protest movement on legal steps vis-à-vis detention of protestors and activists and freedom of speech threats and violations. |
$10,000 |
| FakeReporter FakeReporter monitors social media and messaging applications for hate speech, incitement, and disinformation, and helps ban extremists from such platforms. As part of the Hub, FakeReporter uses advanced digital monitoring methods to uncover threats of violence, disinformation, and cyberattacks against civil society, including foreign interference operations by Iran and incitement against demonstrators by extremists. |
$150,000 |
| Legal Aid for Activists Through the Hub, individuals whose freedom of expression has been harmed are provided with legal representation. The legal team also does proactive litigation, such as filing claims in cases of doxxing or defamation, complaints to regulatory bodies (the Registrar of Nonprofit Organizations, the tax authority, ethics committees, etc.), and public and media exposure of extreme statements. |
$33,850 |
| Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF) HRDF provides legal aid to human rights defenders, to ensure that they are free to engage in their work and activism without fear of attacks or harassment by the authorities. HRDF has built a defensive infrastructure for civil society, providing immediate and professional legal assistance and backing to human rights defenders and to organizations whose freedom of expression and protest is under attack. |
$87,500 |
| The Israeli Democratic Bloc The grant funds the Bloc’s management, administration, and staffing of the Civil Society Protection Hub. |
$173,150 |
| Kalmar PR & Media Campaigns The grant supports a spokesperson (hired through the Kalmar Group) to support the Hub in both defensive and offensive communications. |
$40,000 |
| Lighthouse Project (through the Democratic Voice) Lighthouse provides security support, consultation and emergency response for NGOs and activists under threat of physical, digital or other attacks, and works to enhance organizational resilience for the human rights nonprofit community. |
$120,000 |
| Psychological Support (through Shatil) The project, coordinated by Shatil, provides resilience trainings for organizations whose employees are in roles that entail a risk to their personal security and/or are exposed to disturbing content in the course of their work. |
$40,000 |
| Project to Reduce Police Violence at Demonstrations - The Public Committee Against Torture (PCATI) PCATI works to protect all citizens and residents of Israel and the OPT from torture and ill-treatment at the hands of Israeli law enforcement and investigatory authorities. This project works to enhance and safeguard freedom of protest by reducing police violence against demonstrators through legal action, advocacy, dissemination of information, and training. |
$30,000 |
| SLAPP Pool (through the Democratic Bloc) This is a dedicated grants pool to support individuals and organizations facing a wave of SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) suits. These lawsuits chill free speech and debate about issues of public interest by silencing journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and others, draining their resources and deterring others from speaking out. |
$78,000 |
| Jewish-Arab Partnership | |
| NIF has always believed the only path forward for Israel is one in which Jews and Arabs work together for peaceful coexistence and full civic equality. However, this work takes on greater urgency in times of conflict, such as the intercommunal violence of May 2021 and after October 7, when mutual mistrust grows between Jews and Arabs. NIF continues working with civil society organizations to cultivate Jewish-Arab partnership and to help thwart the recurrence of such violence in times of conflict. | |
| The Abraham Initiatives (TAI) A joint Jewish-Palestinian organization, the Abraham Initiatives works to close the gaps between Jewish and Arab Israelis via advocacy, practice-based research, and policy development. TAI advances local and national government policy and practices to promote partnership, and raises public awareness of critical issues concerning Palestinian citizens of Israel as a basis for a sustainable shared society. |
$100,000 |
| AJEEC-NISPED (Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment, and Cooperation – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Economic Development) AJEEC is an Arab-Jewish organization for social change that was established in the Negev in 2000 to advance an equal, shared society. The program also works to increase the influence of Palestinian-Israelis in decision-making centers and advance Jewish-Arab partnership. |
$100,000 |
| Givat Haviva Givat Haviva works to build an inclusive, socially cohesive society in Israel by engaging divided communities in collective action toward a shared society based on mutual responsibility, civic equality, and a joint vision of the future. |
$15,000 |
| Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony - Combatants for Peace / Parents Circle - Families Forum The grant supports the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day ceremony, which features bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families committed to dialogue, reconciliation, and nonviolence, and is led by CfP and PCFF. A joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of families who have lost loved ones in the conflict, PCFF promotes reconciliation and an end to the conflict. CfP brings together Palestinians and Israelis who have taken an active part in the cycle of violence to work to end the occupation and advance peace. |
$50,000 |
| Sikkuy-Aufoq: For a Shared and Equal Society Sikkuy-Aufoq is a shared organization of Jewish and Arab citizens, working to implement full equality on all levels between the Palestinian and Jewish citizens of Israel. |
$100,000 |
| Additional NIF Grants | |
| We support organizations working to combat racism and support the unique needs of Israelis of Ethiopian descent as well as work not included in other programs | |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| AMRAM: Ru’ach Ha’Mizrach Association AMRAM promotes Mizrahi culture and heritage, fights racism and discrimination against Mizrahim, and advocates for the state to recognize and take responsibility for its role in the Yemenite Children affair, including by undertaking restorative justice procedures for the families. |
$30,000 |
| Association of Ethiopian Jews (AEJ) AEJ works to achieve equality for Ethiopian Israelis and eliminate racist practices and policies directed at them by ministries and other official agencies (such as the police). Its goals include abolition of racist policies and practices by official agencies, and increased representation of Ethiopian Israelis in positions of influence in the public sector. |
$75,000 |
| Joint Lobbyist for Refugee Aid Organization The grant supports a joint lobbyist working in coordination with the major refugee rights organizations to promote a fair and humane policy for asylum seekers in Israel. |
$60,000 |
| The Public Housing Forum The Public Housing Forum promotes public housing in Israel by working to increase public housing stock, expand the eligibility criteria for public housing, and advocate for the fair treatment of public housing tenants. |
$80,000 |
| Tag Meir - Light Tag A coalition comprising over 50 organizations from across the religious-secular spectrum, Tag Meir works to combat “price-tag” attacks and hate crimes and weaken the extremist religious forces that incite and encourage violence against religious minorities in Israel. |
$65,000 |
| Tebeka - Equality & Justice for Ethiopian Israelis Tebeka advances the rights of Ethiopian-Israelis and combats racism against this community. Tebeka runs a legal hotline for Ethiopian Israeli victims of racism, files lawsuits against individuals and entities that treat members of the Ethiopian community in a racist way, and promotes policy changes aimed at preventing racism |
$35,000 |
| Religious Freedom & Gender Equality | |
| This program is protecting and advancing gender equality, religious freedom, and LGBTQ rights at a time when extremists continue to limit and suppress these values. | |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| Gender Equality | |
| Achoti (Sister) - For Women in Israel Achoti strengthens the voices of women from marginalized communities, including women of Mizrahi, Ethiopian, and Palestinian origin. The goals of the organization include: empowerment of women from disenfranchised communities (mainly in south Tel Aviv), supporting Mizrahi art and culture and in particular empowering Mizrahi women artists, protecting the rights of residents in south Tel Aviv, creating collaborations between residents in south Tel Aviv and asylum seekers and protecting the rights of asylum seekers. |
$60,000 |
| The Aguda - The Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel The Aguda strives to improve the LGBTQ community’s standing in Israel and to achieve equal rights and security. The grant supports public advocacy work to advance equal rights, deter discrimination, and stop the retrogression in the treatment of the LGBTQ community in Israel, through strategies including public awareness and enhancing the community’s ability to advocate for itself. |
$50,000 |
| Israel Women’s Network (IWN) IWN advances gender equality and women’s rights, and raises public awareness of these issues while advancing reform in policy and legislation. The organization’s overarching goal is to achieve full equality for women in every sphere of life and to enhance protection of women’s rights (with the emphasis on preventing domestic violence). |
$50,000 |
| Nivcharot “Nivcharot” ("selected" or "elected" in the feminine) was established in 2012 by Haredi women to combat the discrimination of women by Haredi parties, which do not allow women to run for positions on their party lists and has led to the systematic exclusion of Haredi women from decision-making forums. The organization raises public awareness of the issue, and is creating a Haredi feminist identity with a distinct voice to promote issues of equality, democracy, religious tolerance, and public responsibility within the Haredi community. |
$50,000 |
| Women Against Violence (WAV) WAV works to advance the rights of Palestinian-Israeli women, expand their influence on centers of power, and combat gender-based violence. The organization’s work has added significance given the epidemic of violence in the Arab community, and the anti-feminist policies currently in place. |
$75,000 |
| Religious Freedom | |
| Be Free Israel (Israel Hofsheet) Be Free Israel advocates for an Israel that practices cultural and religious pluralism, protects civil rights, and upholds the principles of democracy. |
$65,000 |
| IRAC: Israel Religious Action Center IRAC advances religious diversity and defends freedom of religion in Israeli society, and works to create a broadly inclusive Israeli democracy based on the principles of social justice and equality. |
$50,000 |
Special Projects
In this time of upheaval, uncertainty and heartbreak, NIF remains focused on the core objective of building a just, democratic, and equitable Israel that exists in security and peace with its neighbors. As a leader and pioneer of Israel’s progressive civil society, NIF is able to see the emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges before others do, and to identify where we can most effect change. NIF has created new programs and revamped existing ones to address key priorities. Each is supported by NIF’s unique structure of grantmaking that is complemented by capacity-building, convening, training, and other support for the progressive NGO sector provided by Shatil, and by our rapid response grants pool that addresses emerging opportunities or crises quickly, and funds experimental social change projects. These are:
| Seizing the Moment: A Vision of Security and Peace (see detailed grants information under Peace and Security – Building and Blocking) | |
| NIF's centerpiece program, Seizing the Moment: A Vision of Security and Peace responds to Israel's most pressing existential threat: the absence of long-term peace and security. Though this program had been planned before October 7, the Hamas attacks and ensuing war sharpened its urgency. Peace and Security offers a new and innovative paradigm for solving an old problem. It does so by combining two strategies: promoting a vision of security for Israel based on a negotiated agreement with the Palestinians, and concrete actions to block annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), mainly in Area C and East Jerusalem. The first strategy, "building," includes the development of concrete policy plans to end the conflict, organizations mobilizing public support for these plans, and advocacy efforts. The “blocking” strategy aims to halt negative developments in the OPT which result from de facto annexation, such as forced evacuations of West Bank villages and unbridled settler violence. In this way, NIF is creating new partnerships between policy experts and field activists, who for the first time will collaborate within the same strategic framework to influence decision-makers and the public. | Budget: $3.1-5 million |
| Nasij نسيج : Strengthening Palestinian Civil Society in Israel | |
| Nasij (“tapestry” in Arabic), aims to jumpstart the capacities of NGOs and activists creating stronger Palestinian-Israeli civic leadership that can in turn better advocate for the community’s needs. Palestinian-Israeli society is in a deep state of crisis due to long-term, systemic problems (including crime and violence, unemployment and a leadership vacuum) aggravated in recent times. And since the start of the war, Palestinian Israelis have been subject to firings and even imprisonment due to accusations of disloyalty. With Nasij, NIF is committed to a long-term, deep partnership with Palestinian-Israeli society, one that recognizes that equality and citizen engagement are foundational ideas in any democracy. Nasij centralizes NIF’s funding of Palestinian-Israeli NGOs, and will award grants – along with capacity-building and consulting – to select organizations (nascent and veteran, of varying sizes) which have the potential for growth and for creating significant change. | Budget: $105,000 for grants awarded to NGOs |
| Equality & Partnership in the Negev | |
| Against the backdrop of deep-rooted inequality between Jewish and Bedouin residents of Israel's southern Negev, Hamas's invasion and atrocities on October 7 caused unprecedented upheaval for all residents. NIF believes that just as the war started in the Negev, a better future for all in Israel can emanate from the hardest-hit region. With this new program, NIF aims to provide a home for the progressive groups and activists that have organized to rehabilitate the Negev and mend long-term fissures – and counter the perpetuation of long-standing inequities. The program promotes inclusive and equitable recovery efforts for all communities affected by October 7 and bolster Jewish-Arab partnership and progressive forces in the region. Additionally, it will continue NIF's longstanding efforts to secure government recognition of and improved service provision for unrecognized Bedouin communities, many of which lack basic connections to electricity, water, and more. It will consist of grants to new and longtime partners as well as Shatil coordination of veteran forums and a new Jewish-Arab leadership network. In addition, an incubator for nascent initiatives that advances Jewish-Arab partnership and progressive values will provide Shatil capacity-building and seed funding. | In addition to the below, the program includes $100,000 for a New Initiatives Accelerator grant program, and $100,000 for existing programs. |
| GRANTEE | AMOUNT |
| Bimkom: Planners for Planning Rights Bimkom strengthens democracy and human rights in the field of planning and housing policies in Israel and in Area C of the West Bank. The grant supports Bimkom's work to promote services and recognition for the unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev. |
$200,000 |
| Hechalutz Movement & the Kibbutz Movement The goal of the project is to safely return Negev kibbutz residents to their homes, encourage kibbutz members from central and northern Israel to settle in the communities near the Gaza border, and provide an ideological value framework for residents. This project will support the residents and work to prevent extremist messianic forces from forcibly taking over the kibbutzim by establishing radical religious communities there. |
$150,000 |
| Regional Council for Unrecognized Negev Arab Villages (RCUV) - Alsirag RCUV advocates for recognition of unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev and services for residents, and empowers leaders of these villages to become their own advocates. The project will support RCUV’s media and communication project, the goal of which is to improve the image of the Bedouin population in the Negev and to serve as a counter to extremist messaging about the “lawlessness” of the Bedouin community and the Negev. |
$50,000 |
| Funding Collaborative Focusing on Crime and Violence in Arab Society in Israel | |
| This is a three-year pilot program, in which NIF is a key partner, that aims to mitigate the violence epidemic overwhelming Palestinian cities and towns. Crime and violence, along with police neglect of such crimes, affects all aspects of the daily lives of Palestinian citizens. NIF is part of a new Philanthropic Funders Forum, composed of foundations and donors that have pooled resources and expertise to contend with this crisis. The forum has thus far raised $1.1 million, including $250,000 from NIF in 2024. The forum has supported the staffing of a new Palestinian Headquarters for Addressing Crime and Violence which will coordinate much of the work on the ground and convene experts to formulate data-driven interventions that can be carried out by local authorities and civil society organizations. Select program partners will receive NIF grants and media training as well as Shatil consultation. The aim is to disrupt the mechanisms feeding crime and violence within the Palestinian-Israeli community. | Grant: $250,000 (of the $1.1 million pool) |