Announcing a New National Giving Circle:
The Together Ending Need (TEN) Fund

About the Giving Circle

An initiative of the Jewish Funders Network in partnership with UJA Federation of New York,  the inaugural cohort of this initiative brings together funders committed to addressing Jewish poverty and economic vulnerability.

The TEN Fund is a community of individuals and foundations who are looking to support strategic grantmaking in the Jewish human services space. New data shows that 29% of Jewish households in the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet. The Fund will support projects that help Jews meet their basic needs and live thriving Jewish lives. Over several months, participants will gather to learn, connect, and support impactful initiatives, especially in light of the significant uncertainty the sector faces due to federal policy and funding changes. Many Jewish human service agencies are facing multiple, overlapping crises and new, creative funding will be essential to their ability to meeting this moment. Fund members will engage in collective decision-making, informed by input from experts across the field.

Structure and Expectations

• Each member/family contributes $25,000 to the Fund
• The cohort will include 10-12 funders total
• There will be five sessions held via Zoom. These meetings will include time to learn from experts, share projects amongst funders, and consider investment opportunities brought forth by the Giving Circle leadership.
  • There may be an additional gathering at the JFN Conference in 2026 and an optional site visit to agencies in New York City. 
  • The first meeting will be on October 23rd from 3:30-5pm ET | Register here
  • The second meeting will be on December 4th from 3:30 - 5:00 PM ET
    
     
    
    

Funding Focus Areas

• Examples of the types of programs that may be funded:
  • Project EM: A national collaboration among funders and the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, founded in 2020, that supported thousands of jobseekers with training and placement resources across the U.S., regardless of geography.

Why Join

• Deep learning on a critical and growing challenge
• Connections with national peers
• Influence over impactful grantmaking
• Exclusive gatherings and guest speakers
• Tangibly impact fellow Jews struggling to make ends meet and the organizations that have their backs.
• New 2025 data from JFNA shows that 29% of Jewish households are struggling to make ends meet, up from 19% of Jewish households in 2023.
• 21% of Jewish households earn less than $50,000 annually (Pew Research Center, 2020). New data from 2025 shows that the percentage of those struggling has grown higher. 
• Despite their interest in connecting Jewishly, financially struggling Jews are more likely to feel distant from the Jewish community (JFNA, 2024 Post-Oct 7 Study).

Learn more about Jewish economic vulnerability in your city at TENDatabase.com.

Indicate your interest in the giving circle in the form below. Email Rachel with questions rsumekh@jfunders.org