Americans for Ben-Gurion University
Americans for Ben-Gurion University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1972 and headquartered in New York City with nine US regional offices, that serves as the primary American fundraising arm for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. It connects American donors, civic leaders, and corporate partners to BGU's research, scholarship, and Negev development mission through donations, the Zin Fellows program, events, and a $1 billion Way Forward campaign running through 2030.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Americans for Ben-Gurion University does
Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 (originally as American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, rebranded in 2024) that serves as the primary American fundraising and awareness arm for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel. Headquartered in New York City with nine regional offices across the United States, A4BGU connects American supporters — including individual donors, foundations, civic leaders, and corporate partners — to BGU's research, scholarship, and Negev-region development mission. Its customer base consists of American philanthropists and institutions aligned with Israeli higher education, sustainability, healthcare, cyber security, and desert research.
A4BGU's core "product" is its fundraising and engagement platform, anchored by the $1 billion Way Forward campaign (October 2020–September 2030) and a portfolio of giving programs including one-time and recurring donations, Planned Giving instruments (Charitable Gift Annuities, Qualified Charitable Distributions, legacy gifts), the Zin Fellows leadership program (six-month curriculum, minimum $5,000 contribution), and specialized initiatives such as the Ginsburg-Ingerman Overseas Student Program and the Plant an Olive Tree desert agriculture initiative. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying infrastructure is a multi-channel engagement system spanning a donation website, regional field offices, events, email/newsletter outreach, social media, video/multimedia content, and the Zin Fellows community.
The organization operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model: supporters serve as ambassadors for BGU and Israel, attending educational briefings, Beyond Start-up Nation events, Shabbat programs, and Israel travel seminars. Revenue is generated entirely through donations and philanthropic contributions rather than commercial sales. No financial figures are publicly disclosed, but the scale of the $1B capital campaign, a $20M single major gift, the multi-decade operating history, and the presence of named leadership (Interim CEO Ian Benjamin, VP Advancement Kim Isaac, VP Marketing & Events Pamela Weinstein, Interim CFO Bruce Skyer) indicate a mature, professionally staffed nonprofit enterprise with national reach.
Americans for Ben-Gurion University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Americans for Ben-Gurion University
- Legal name
- Americans for Ben-Gurion University
- Website
- https://americansforbgu.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Americans for Ben-Gurion University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1972 and headquartered in New York City with nine US regional offices, that serves as the primary American fundraising arm for Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. It connects American donors, civic leaders, and corporate partners to BGU's research, scholarship, and Negev development mission through donations, the Zin Fellows program, events, and a $1 billion Way Forward campaign running through 2030.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Americans for Ben-Gurion University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Fundraising
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA)
Keywords
Where Americans for Ben-Gurion University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices18 records
Markets served
Americans for Ben-Gurion University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Americans for Ben-Gurion University raises funds through individual donations, planned giving, major gifts, and corporate partnerships. The organization runs the Way Forward campaign to raise $1 billion from October 2020 through September 2030.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Zin Fellows Leadership Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Americans for Ben-Gurion University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that raises funds and awareness in the United States to support Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel. It operates the $1 billion Way Forward campaign (October 2020 – September 2030), runs leadership programs such as Zin Fellows, manages planned-giving vehicles (Charitable Gift Annuities, legacy gifts, QCDs), hosts regional events across nine U.S. offices, and offers study-abroad and scholarship programs for students.
Product overview
Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) is a nonprofit fundraising and support organization (501(c)(3)) founded in 1972, headquartered in New York City with nine offices throughout the United States. The organization does not offer a technology product but rather provides programs and services to connect supporters to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Its main offerings include a fundraising platform supporting BGU's $1 billion Way Forward campaign (2020-2030), the Zin Fellows Leadership Program for civic leaders, the Ginsburg-Ingerman Overseas Student Program for study abroad, Planned Giving options (CGAs, QCDs, legacy gifts), and the Plant an Olive Tree initiative supporting desert agricultural research. A4BGU's role is to elevate awareness, strengthen donor bonds, and raise funds for the university across the United States through educational programs, events, and communications featuring BGU's world-renowned faculty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Americans for Ben-Gurion University
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Americans for Ben-Gurion University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Americans for Ben-Gurion University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BoeingcoreBGU and Boeing announced establishment of a pioneering research collaboration focused on advancing cybersecurity capabilities for next-generation aviation and aerospace systems.
- Jewish IdeaLabminorCollaboration on the David Ben-Gurion Speaks video series that uses AI-powered technology to bring Israel's founding prime minister to life using archival images and authentic recordings.
- NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology)corePartnership through the Institute for Future Technologies, a BGU and NJIT collaboration advancing technology research and education.
- Deutsche TelekomcoreKey partnership through DT laboratories and Cyber Security Research Center at BGU, collaborating with high-tech companies and Israeli and American government agencies on cybersecurity research.
- LenovocoreLenovo opened a cybersecurity center at BGU's Cyber Security Research Center, positioning the company at the global nexus of security innovation.
- Soroka University Medical CentercoreBoth of BGU's world-class medical schools are associated with Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva.
- Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)coreHistoric academic partnership between BGU and Morocco's Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, announced August 2021, focusing on research collaboration.
- Israeli Government (National Cyber Security Hub - CyberSpark)coreJoint venture between BGU, private industry and the government establishing a national cyber security hub in Beer-Sheva.
- Brown UniversitycoreGraduate student partnerships and joint programs between Brown University and BGU, including collaborative entrepreneurship initiatives.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Americans for Ben-Gurion University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Technion Society: National nonprofit supporting the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; directly comparable mission of mobilizing American donors for an Israeli university through regional chapters, planned giving, and leadership programs.
- American Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Israel: Closest US-based peer model with overlapping donor base of American Jews passionate about Israeli higher education, operating comparable capital campaigns, regional events, and donor recognition programs.
- American Friends of Tel Aviv University: American fundraising organization for Tel Aviv University; directly analogous structure of events, regional offices, scholarship and research funding aimed at American supporters of an Israeli institution of higher education.
- American Friends of Hebrew University: US-based 501(c)(3) that raises funds for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; directly comparable as a country-specific American philanthropic arm for an Israeli research university, running similar capital campaigns and donor cultivation programs.
Broad incumbents
- The Jewish Agency for Israel – North American Council: Global Jewish Zionist organization with significant North American fundraising operations; competes for institutional donors and federation allocations alongside A4BGU's mission-based campaigns.
- Development Corporation for Israel (Israel Bonds): Sells Israel bonds to American investors and donors; an alternative channel for American capital supporting Israeli institutions, competing for the same patriotic-Israel-aligned philanthropic and investment dollars.
- Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF): Large US-based fundraising organization supporting Israel's soldiers; competes for philanthropic share from American donors passionate about Israel but serves a different beneficiary population than A4BGU.
- Combined Jewish Philanthropies: Major Boston-area Jewish federation that allocates funds to Israeli institutions and causes; competes for high-net-worth Jewish donors in New England where A4BGU also operates a regional office.
- Jewish National Fund (JNF) USA: Much larger, broader American-Israel nonprofit focused on land, water, and community development in Israel; competes for the same American-Israeli philanthropic dollar and overlaps thematically with A4BGU's Negev development mission.
Regional players
- Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life: US-based Jewish campus organization engaging college-age donors and future philanthropists; thematically adjacent and overlaps in building the next-generation pipeline of Jewish leaders A4BGU seeks via the Zin Fellows program.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Americans for Ben-Gurion University social profiles
Digital presenceAmericans for Ben-Gurion University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Americans for Ben-Gurion University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Americans for Ben-Gurion University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Americans for Ben-Gurion University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Americans for Ben-Gurion University
What does Americans for Ben-Gurion University do?
Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that raises funds and awareness in the United States to support Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel. It operates the $1 billion Way Forward campaign (October 2020 – September 2030), runs leadership programs such as Zin Fellows, manages planned-giving vehicles (Charitable Gift Annuities, legacy gifts, QCDs), hosts regional events across nine U.S. offices, and offers study-abroad and scholarship programs for students.
Is Americans for Ben-Gurion University a public or private company?
Americans for Ben-Gurion University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Americans for Ben-Gurion University founded?
Americans for Ben-Gurion University was founded in 1972.
Where is Americans for Ben-Gurion University based?
Americans for Ben-Gurion University is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Americans for Ben-Gurion University make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are Americans for Ben-Gurion University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Technion Society, American Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Israel, American Friends of Tel Aviv University and American Friends of Hebrew University. Broad incumbents are The Jewish Agency for Israel – North American Council, Development Corporation for Israel (Israel Bonds), Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), Combined Jewish Philanthropies and Jewish National Fund (JNF) USA. Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is listed as a regional player.
Does Americans for Ben-Gurion University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Americans for Ben-Gurion University.
What industry is Americans for Ben-Gurion University in?
Americans for Ben-Gurion University's product category is Higher Education Fundraising. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAO, Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support, with a secondary code of EDAIAIAA, University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit). Its NAICS code is 81321.