What New Israel Fund does

New Israel Fund (NIF) is a U.S.-headquartered 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization founded in 1979 to advance liberal democracy, human rights, and equality in Israel. It operates a global fundraising and grantmaking platform spanning the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia, deploying an annual budget exceeding $30 million. Since inception, NIF has provided more than $350 million to over 950 Israeli nonprofit organizations across human rights, Palestinian citizens' rights, shared society, religious pluralism, social and economic justice, and new democracy initiatives.

NIF's core service stack combines direct grantmaking, hands-on capacity-building through its wholly owned action arm Shatil (over 100 professionals across five Israeli offices serving 1,000+ organizations), rapid-response funding (a $2M annual pool), and a portfolio of donor-engagement and grantee-protection programs. Key offerings include the Progressive Jewish Fund (the only national progressive Jewish donor-advised fund, with a $5,000 minimum and 0.75% management fee), the Civil Society Protection Hub launched in 2023 providing legal, digital, and psychological support to threatened activists, and four fellowship pipelines plus study-tour delegations that cultivate next-generation donors and leaders. Notable flagship grantees include the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Adalah, B'Tselem, FakeReporter, and Standing Together.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across foundation grants (Ford Foundation via the Ford Israel Fund, Nathan Cummings, Dorot, plus the Green Environment Fund consortium), a growing donor-advised fund program, a Legacy Giving endowment campaign that has raised $65M+ against a $40M target, individual sustainer and major-gift programs across five country entities, IRA qualified charitable distributions, and event-driven fundraising such as the annual Guardian of Democracy Gala. NIF is governed by an international Board of Directors, with Daniel Sokatch as CEO and Mickey Gitzin as Acting CEO (effective 2026).

Name

New Israel Fund

Legal name

New Israel Fund

Website

https://nif.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Israel Fund is a U.S.-headquartered 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization founded in 1979 that funds and builds progressive Israeli civil society, deploying an annual budget exceeding $30 million to more than 950 grantee organizations across human rights, democracy, and shared-society causes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: NIF receives grants from foundations in the U.S., Canada, and UK, including a dedicated Ford Israel Fund (a grant-making partnership between the Ford Foundation and NIF). This constitutes a significant portion of the annual budget exceeding $30 million.
2. Major and Individual Donor Contributions: Individual donors in the U.S., Canada, UK, and a growing number of Israeli philanthropists contribute major gifts, recurring donations, and donor-advised fund grants to NIF and its grantees.
3. Donor-Advised Fund (Progressive Jewish Fund): The Progressive Jewish Fund (PJF) allows donors to open a Donor Advised Fund account with a minimum initial contribution of $5,000. Grants from PJF to NIF generate management fees (0.75% of assets or $100 minimum annually) that support NIF's mission.
4. Legacy/Planned Giving: NIF's Legacy Giving Campaign (launched for the 40th anniversary) has raised over $65 million to date in endowment commitments. This includes bequests, charitable remainder trusts, and other planned giving vehicles.
5. Events and Programs: Revenue from events such as the annual Guardian of Democracy Gala, study tours to Israel (fees cover travel, accommodations, and program costs), and fellowship programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The New Israel Fund (NIF) is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic foundation that channels donations into grants, capacity-building, and advocacy to advance democracy, human rights, and equality in Israel. Since 1979, NIF has provided more than $350 million in grants to over 950 Israeli civil society organizations and delivers hands-on training through its action arm Shatil, which serves more than 1,000 organizations from five offices across Israel. NIF also operates the Progressive Jewish Fund donor-advised fund program and engages supporters through study tours, fellowships, and events.

Product overview

The New Israel Fund is a philanthropic organization, not a technology product company. It operates a portfolio of grantmaking programs and capacity-building initiatives to advance democracy and equality in Israel. The core offering consists of: core grantmaking to over 950 organizations; Shatil, a capacity-building center for social change organizations; the Civil Society Protection Hub providing safety and security services; the Progressive Jewish Fund, a donor-advised fund for charitable giving; study tours and delegations for donor engagement; and four fellowship programs for young leaders. These programs work together to build progressive civil society in Israel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shatil: NIF's Initiative for Social Change - capacity-building center for grassroots organizations providing training and assistance to social change organizations in Israel
• Progressive Jewish Fund (PJF)
• The Civil Society Protection Hub
• New Initiatives for Democracy (NIFD)

Products and services

• Shatil (NIF Initiative for Social Change) NIF's action arm and capacity-building center for social change organizations, with over 100 diverse professionals working in five offices across Israel (Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, Lod, and the Triangle region) providing tools, training, and hands-on assistance to grassroots organizations.
• Progressive Jewish Fund (PJF) Donor-Advised Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• More than $350 million provided to more than 950 organizations since 1979
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• J StreetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 January 2026NIF is a partner organization alongside J Street in coordinating grassroots outreach for the Oscar-shortlisted documentary 'Holding Liat.' This partnership leverages NIF's and J Street's respective networks to maximize audience engagement for the independent film's release.
• World Central KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIF donors contributed over $3.4 million for humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, channeled through World Central Kitchen which provided food, water, shelter, and sanitation services. This partnership represents NIF's emergency humanitarian response capabilities and commitment to assisting civilians affected by conflict.
• Clean SheltercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIF donors contributed over $3.4 million for humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, channeled through Clean Shelter which provided shelter and sanitation services. This partnership demonstrates NIF's rapid mobilization of humanitarian resources for Gaza.
• International Rescue CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIF donors contributed over $3.4 million for humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians, channeled through the International Rescue Committee. This partnership enables large-scale humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
• American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIF partners with the American Joint Distribution Committee on the Abu Basma Project, supporting efforts to ensure representation for residents of formerly unrecognized Bedouin villages in Israel's Negev region.
• Israel Venture Network (IVN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIF has developed partnerships with Israel Venture Network (IVN) of high-tech entrepreneurs, connecting NIF with the Israeli innovation ecosystem and potential supporters.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Open Society Foundations: George Soros's international grantmaking network funds progressive civil society, human rights, and democracy globally. Directly comparable to NIF as a large-scale progressive grantmaking foundation with international footprint and donor-advised giving infrastructure.
• Foundation for Middle East Peace: U.S.-based foundation specifically focused on promoting peace and securing Israel/Palestine through research, education, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a grantmaker focused on Israeli-Palestinian civil society and policy reform, though smaller in scale than NIF.
• J Street: Progressive Jewish-American advocacy organization promoting diplomatic solutions and Israeli-Palestinian peace. Direct peer to NIF in the pro-democracy, progressive-Israel ecosystem — NIF is even cited as a J Street partner organization for the 'Holding Liat' documentary.
• Tides Foundation: U.S.-based progressive philanthropy hub and donor-advised fund sponsor funding social justice, human rights, and democracy globally. Direct peer as a progressive grantmaking infrastructure provider with DAF capabilities serving advocacy and civil society organizations.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: Major U.S. philanthropic foundation with significant Israel programming via the Ford Israel Fund (a partnership with NIF). Operates as a broad incumbent with global grantmaking across democracy, human rights, and social justice — overlapping with NIF's mission at much larger scale.
• Rockefeller Brothers Fund: Progressive U.S. foundation with explicit programs supporting peace, security, and sustainable development in the Middle East, including Israeli civil society. Comparable grantmaking approach and progressive orientation, though serving broader geographic and thematic mandate.
• American Jewish Committee (AJC): Global Jewish advocacy organization with significant Israel programming and grantmaking capacity. Comparable as a Jewish-affiliated institution with Israel engagement, though politically more centrist than NIF's explicitly progressive orientation.

Regional players

• Heinrich Böll Foundation: German Green-affiliated political foundation operating internationally with democracy, human rights, and Middle East programming. Comparable as a European progressive grantmaking institution with Israel/Palestine engagement — similar in mission to NIF Deutschland.
• European Council on Foreign Relations (Israel/Middle East programs): Pan-European think tank with substantial Israel/Palestine and Middle East policy programming funded by European foundations and member states. Comparable to NIF's European office network (UK, Germany, Switzerland) as a transnational progressive institution engaging on Israeli civil society issues.

Emerging players

• Ploughshares Fund: U.S. foundation funding nuclear security and peace/conflict resolution work, including Middle East peacebuilding. Comparable as a focused progressive grantmaker, though operating at significantly smaller scale and with narrower thematic scope than NIF.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NewIsraelFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-israel-fund
• Instagraminstagram.com/newisraelfund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about New Israel Fund