What JNF UK does

JNF UK (legal name: JNF Charitable Trust; UK Charity No. 225910; Company No. 355248) is a private charitable company limited by guarantee, headquartered at 95 Church Road, Hendon, London, with a registered office at Mountcliff House, 154 Brent Street, London NW4 2BF. Incorporated in July 1939 and tracing institutional roots to the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael) founded at the Fifth Zionist Congress in Basel in 1901, JNF UK positions itself as 'Britain's oldest Israel charity' and has been operationally independent of KKL-JNF since terminating that relationship in March/April 2005 following a multi-year legal dispute. The organisation does not develop proprietary technology; its 'technology stack' is limited to a standard donation platform (Blackbaud-hosted forms), a WordPress CMS for the main and crisis-response sites, and conventional social media channels.

JNF UK raises charitable donations in the United Kingdom and disburses them to projects in Israel's Negev region and, more recently, to broader conflict-response initiatives across Israel. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving across six streams: general donations, the Green Sunday annual telethon (UK's first and largest charity telethon for Israel), the century-old Blue Box collection programme distributed to Jewish homes, the tree-planting certificate programme (£25–£25,000 tiers), legacy/bequest giving administered via the wholly-owned KKL Executor & Trustee Company, and personalised project dedications for lifecycle events. Subsidiary entities comprise KKL Charity Accounts Limited (trading as SmartGiving — payroll-giving and charity-account infrastructure) and the dormant JNF Educational Trust (absorbed in 2005).

The organisation serves two principal customer constituencies: (i) UK Jewish donors seeking to support Israeli humanitarian, environmental and community-development causes through philanthropy, and (ii) vulnerable Israeli populations — including Negev communities, conflict-affected families, children, sexual-violence survivors, and at-risk youth — who are the end beneficiaries of project funding. Beneficiary-side delivery is executed through a network of at least 13 named Israeli partner organisations spanning healthcare (Soroka Medical Centre), mental health (Maslan), youth and education (House of Excellence, Derech Eretz, Ruach Arava), community renewal (Osim Shchuna, Lev Echad), and food security (Sderot Chesed Centre, SAHI, Beit Refael Eilat, Galila Foundation, Ashkelon Foundation). Post-October 7 2023, JNF UK has materially expanded its scope to include emergency response, survivor support, and northern-border community programmes alongside its historic Negev afforestation and development mission.

Name

JNF UK

Legal name

JNF Charitable Trust

Website

https://jnf.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JNF UK is Britain's oldest Israel charity (founded 1939, roots to 1901), raising UK donations to fund humanitarian, environmental, and community-development projects in Israel's Negev region and conflict-affected areas via 13+ Israeli partner organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Fundraising and Grant-Making

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Charitable fundraising
• Negev development projects
• Tree planting donations
• Jewish community philanthropy
• Humanitarian aid Israel

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. General Donations: Direct donations from UK supporters for charitable projects in Israel, particularly the Negev region. All funds raised are directed to projects in Israel.
2. Tree Planting Programme: Sale of tree planting certificates - £50 per mature tree, £25 for contributions towards trees, with certificates sent to recipients for celebrations or memorials.
3. Blue Box Collections: Traditional Blue Box charity boxes placed in Jewish homes for ongoing small donations, a century-old tradition supporting Zionist projects.
4. Legacy/Bequest Giving: Legacies and bequests left in wills to support Israel's development in perpetuity.
5. Celebration Dedications: Project dedications for lifecycle events (births, weddings, memorials) with personalized plaques placed alongside projects in Israel.
6. Green Sunday Telethon: Annual telethon event mobilizing community volunteers to telephone supporters and raise funds for specific annual appeals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

JNF UK is a registered UK charity that raises funds from British Jewish supporters and directs them to humanitarian, environmental, and community development projects in Israel, primarily in the Negev region. The organisation runs multiple fundraising programmes including tree planting and dedications, the historic Blue Box collection scheme, the annual Green Sunday telethon, project dedications, and legacy giving, distributing funds to vetted Israeli partner organisations.

Product overview

JNF UK is Britain's oldest Israel charity, operating as a charitable organisation focused on supporting the Negev region of Israel. The organisation does not offer a unified software product or platform; instead, it provides a portfolio of charitable giving programmes and fundraising initiatives. Core offerings include tree planting and dedications, the historic Blue Box collection programme, project dedications for naming commemorative spaces, the annual Green Sunday telethon, a Year 12 Fellowship Programme for leadership development, and legacy giving options. The Israel Under Attack Response portfolio addresses post-October 7th recovery through projects including bomb shelter renovations, SafeHeart, Sunflowers orphan support, and Soroka Medical Centre restoration. Youth and leadership development is supported through multiple programmes including Osim Shchuna, Derech Eretz, Ruach Arava, and the House of Excellence. Environmental initiatives include Urban Forests planting mature trees across Negev communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartGiving: Online charity accounts and fundraising platform operated by KKL Charity Accounts Limited

Products and services

• Tree Planting and Dedications A charitable programme allowing donors to plant trees in Israel's Negev region in honour of someone, with personalised certificates for births, weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and memorials. Includes Urban Forests in Negev towns and the JNF UK Memorial Forest, with tiers ranging from £25 per tree contribution to £25,000 for a Forest.
• Blue Box The world's oldest charity box, introduced at the Fifth Zionist Congress in 1901, distributed to Jewish homes in the UK for ongoing small donations supporting JNF UK projects in the Negev. Both a fundraising mechanism and a symbolic representation of Jewish unity and Zionist heritage.
• Project Dedications Commemorative naming opportunities allowing supporters to dedicate plaques, buildings, or forests in Israel to honour loved ones or mark special occasions such as births, weddings, and memorials, with personalised plaques placed at the project site.
• Green Sunday Telethon The UK's first and biggest annual charity telethon, established over 30 years ago, raising funds for Israel. Volunteers telephone supporters to raise money for JNF UK's annual Negev project appeals, with the event representing both a fundraising drive and a community mobilisation moment.
• JNF UK Fellowship Programme A Year 12 leadership programme cultivating young Jewish leaders through monthly workshops, leadership training, and a 4-day trip to Israel, developing participants into advocates for Israel and JNF UK's mission.
• Leave a Legacy A legacy giving programme allowing supporters to leave a gift in their Will to support Israel's development in perpetuity. Includes will-writing and executorship services administered through KKL Executor & Trustee Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary.
• Urban Forests An environmental programme planting mature trees in Negev towns and cities including Yerucham, Kiryat Malachi, Mitzpe Ramon, Bnei Dekalim, Be'er Sheva, and Kiryat Gat, with costs varying by location and potentially including irrigation, labour, groundwork, and project overheads.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ million trees planted worldwide
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Osim ShchunacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with grassroots nonprofit focused on neighbourhood renewal for bomb shelter renovation and reactivation across Israel. JNF UK funds operations through this partner, with 23,000+ shelters identified, 3,700 cleaned/repainted, and 2,000 structurally and electrically repaired under Operation Ir Miklat (City of Refuge).
• Lev Echad (One Heart)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency response partner providing rapid-response assistance including clearing debris, securing homes, and helping families begin to recover following attacks.
• The Galila FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for supporting vulnerable members of northern Israeli society - providing essential equipment and services to cases referred by Welfare department.
• KKL-JNF (Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael)minorOthersHistorical relationship ended in 2005 following legal dispute. KKL is now one organization among many invited to submit project proposals assessed in the same way as all other proposals. Completely separate entity from JNF UK.
• KKL Charity Accounts (SmartGiving)minorOthersFormally connected to JNF UK as subsidiary/related company. Operates under operational name SmartGiving providing charity accounts and payroll giving service. All trustees are also trustees of JNF UK.
• KKL Executor & Trustee Company LimitedminorOthersRelated company operating will writing and executorship services and JNF UK's legacy administration.
• The Sderot Chesed CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Kimcha D'Pischa food distribution - operating soup kitchen and food programme, distributing 800 large food parcels and vouchers for Pesach to disadvantaged residents of Sderot and surrounding communities.
• Beit Refael, EilatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for food distribution to Eilat's most vulnerable residents, including soup kitchen services and Pesach essentials.
• SAHIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique organization with teenage volunteers assembling and distributing food parcels anonymously to needy families across underdeveloped peripheries. Planning 2,300 food parcels and hundreds of vouchers for Pesach.
• The Ashkelon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for holistic children's mental resilience programmes across Ashkelon schools following October 7 attacks - helping children process trauma and develop emotional management tools.
• MaslancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner30+ year partnership supporting victims of sexual violence providing free, confidential, expert care. Expanded services following October 7 to support survivors and witnesses of attacks.
• House of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter-school support programmes in Akko and Kiryat Malachi providing homework clubs, tutoring, enrichment activities, and hot meals for children.
• Derech EretzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership programme for disadvantaged youth aged 17-21 providing gap-year opportunities for growth and development. Grown from 23 participants to 225 across five campuses in the Negev.
• Ruach AravacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner17+ year partnership for educational programmes in Central Arava bringing 160+ young people annually to leadership campuses, generating 70+ local jobs and retaining graduates in the region.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Tzedek: UK Jewish development charity focused on international poverty alleviation — overlapping JNF UK's vulnerable-population mission but operating internationally rather than Israel-specifically.

Direct peers

• Norwood (formerly Norwood Ravenswood): Major UK Jewish charity serving vulnerable populations including children, families, and people with learning disabilities — overlapping JNF UK's social-welfare beneficiary segments and competing for UK Jewish community donations.
• World Jewish Relief: UK-registered Jewish charity focused on humanitarian relief and poverty alleviation in Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, directly overlapping JNF UK's vulnerable-population and emergency-response programming.
• UJIA (United Jewish Israel Appeal): UJIA is the UK's other major Israel-focused Jewish charity, raising funds from the UK Jewish community for Israeli education, youth, and community projects — directly competing with JNF UK for the same donor base and Israeli partner ecosystem.
• KKL-JNF (Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael): The Israeli parent of the global JNF movement, sharing historical origins, brand heritage, and overlapping Negev afforestation/development mission — though JNF UK has been legally independent since the 2005 settlement.

Regional players

• Jewish Care: UK's largest health and social care charity for the Jewish community, primarily serving elderly and vulnerable populations — overlapping with JNF UK's vulnerable-population segment and competing for the same UK donor pool.
• Community Security Trust (CST): UK Jewish community charity focused on security, antisemitism defence, and community safety — competing with JNF UK for UK Jewish donor fundraising and political/identity-driven philanthropy.

Broad incumbents

• JNF Canada: The Canadian sister organisation of the global JNF movement with similar tree-planting, Negev development, and Israel-focused fundraising programmes — sharing brand heritage and operating model.
• Jewish Agency for Israel: The largest global Jewish organisation connecting Jewish communities to Israel via aliyah, education, and community development — a broader incumbent with overlapping UK Jewish donor base and Israeli programme portfolio.

Others

• Israel Trauma Coalition: Israeli-based trauma-response organisation partially funded by JNF UK partners; adjacent ecosystem participant representing the beneficiary-side infrastructure that JNF UK's emergency-response donations support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEvI3e6nK2Ih1peH2LNu_7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/jnfuk
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/jnf-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/jnf_uk
• Xx.com/jnfuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JNF UK