Project Kesher

What Project Kesher does

Project Kesher is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 1993 by Sallie E. Gratch and headquartered in New York City, that operates an international network of feminist Jewish leaders across Ukraine, Israel, and the former Soviet Union. Its mission centers on supporting Jewish women and girls through humanitarian relief, economic empowerment, and Jewish cultural and leadership programming, delivered through three principal operating arms: Project Kesher Ukraine (PKU), Project Kesher Israel (PKI), and the Women's Opportunity Fund of Ukraine (WOF-UA). Core programs include emergency humanitarian aid (food kits, newborn kits, medical supplies, water, generators), microgrants of $500-$1,500 to women-owned businesses, a fleet of 350 Ukrainian-made e-bicycles supporting 125,000+ home healthcare visits per month, Mother-Daughter Shabbat retreats, Russian-language ulpan classes and emotional support for immigrant women in Israel, and an LGBTQ+ support program with over 2,000 members. The organization also publishes cultural products, most notably the first Ukrainian-language Haggadah (2023), and operates an e-commerce Shop featuring artwork by Ukrainian women artists, with 100% of profits directed to the Ukraine Emergency Fund.

The business model is donor-funded: revenue streams comprise individual and institutional charitable contributions, pass-through funding from a concentrated set of Jewish federation partners (JFNA, UJA-Federation of New York, JUF, JWF Metropolitan Chicago), and a smaller consumer-products e-commerce revenue line. Fundraising is executed via annual benefit events with sponsorship tiers ranging from $360 to $50,000, virtual briefings, the annual Global Women's Seder, earned media coverage, and newsletter-driven engagement. The US staff footprint is intentionally lean at approximately 12 employees, with in-country delivery executed through local partner organizations. The organization holds a 4-star/100% Charity Navigator rating and has helped raise over $40 million cumulatively for Jewish women and girls in the region since inception.

Name

Project Kesher

Legal name

Project Kesher

Website

https://projectkesher.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Project Kesher operates as a registered 501(c)(3) organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and federations. The organization has raised over $40 million for Jewish women and girls in Ukraine, Israel, and FSU regions.
2. E-commerce Product Sales: The organization sells merchandise featuring original artwork by Ukrainian women artists, with 100% of profits going to the emergency fund for Ukraine. Products include apparel, accessories, home goods, and prints priced between $20-$39.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Project Kesher is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Jewish women and girls in Ukraine, Israel, and the former Soviet Union (FSU) through humanitarian aid, women's economic empowerment microgrants, Jewish community leadership programs, and integration services for Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel. It also runs an online shop selling merchandise featuring original artwork by Ukrainian women artists, with all profits directed to the Emergency Fund for Ukraine.

Product overview

Project Kesher is a non-profit charitable organization, not a technology company. Its offerings consist of humanitarian aid programs, grant-making initiatives, community leadership programs, and an e-commerce marketplace. The core programs include: the Women's Opportunity Fund providing microgrants to women-owned businesses in Ukraine; Mother-Daughter Retreats for Jewish leadership development; an Emergency Humanitarian Aid Program for Ukraine; e-bike distribution to healthcare workers; and Project Kesher Israel programs supporting immigrant women. The Shop is an e-commerce marketplace selling merchandise with artwork by Ukrainian women artists, with 100% of profits supporting Ukraine relief. Additional offerings include the Ukrainian-language Haggadah publication, Annual Benefit fundraising events, and the Global Women's Seder virtual gathering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Kesher Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• 350 e-bicycles enabling 125,000+ home visits per month to homebound patients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Footage FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootage Foundation is a feminist organization raising voices to elevate lives through creative research, wellbeing interventions, and advocacy using narrative and expressive approaches.
• Ukraine TrustChaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkraine TrustChain funds volunteer teams in Ukraine who deliver medicine, food, generators and stoves, winterize homes, run shelters, repair homes and schools, and evacuate people.
• AfyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfya creates access to critical medical supplies where there is none - supplies like sutures, bandages, surgical instruments, and more for underserved health systems.
• CouldYou?minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouldYou? is a non-profit dedicated to proving and scaling solutions to poverty, with primary focus on ending period poverty and eradicating malaria.
• RazomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRazom is a non-profit Ukrainian-American human rights organization established in 2014 to support the people of Ukraine, increasing civic engagement and engaging voices of Ukrainians worldwide.
• Survivors' TruthsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurvivors' Truths builds relationships with groups working on social justice issues, sharing their culturally-grounded and strength-centered approach collaboratively.
• Hadassah-Brandeis Institute (HBI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBI develops fresh ways of thinking about Jews and gender worldwide by producing and promoting scholarly research, artistic projects, and public engagement.
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHUC-JIR educates leaders for service to the Reform Movement and the Jewish people worldwide as rabbis, cantors, educational leaders, and nonprofit professionals.
• Hillel In The Former Soviet UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough dynamic programs, Hillel In The Former Soviet Union propels college students and young adults to explore their Jewish involvement in the modern world.
• Jewish Women International (JWI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJWI is the leading Jewish organization championing women and girls by protecting their rights and safety, strengthening economic security, and mentoring women leaders.
• Masorti FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough education, exchange of ideas, advocacy, and financial support, the Masorti Foundation enables Conservative Jews in the US to participate in historic and vital enterprise.
• Not In Our TownminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot In Our Town is a movement to stop hate, racism and bullying, and build safe, inclusive communities for all.
• Paideia - The European Institute for Jewish Studies in SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaideia is dedicated to the revival of Jewish culture in Europe, educating leaders in Jewish textual sources which serve as the wellsprings of Jewish and modern civilization.
• ORTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerORT is a global education network driven by Jewish values, passionate about unleashing the potential of young people. Their network reaches more than 200,000 people a year in more than 30 countries.
• Women's Funding Network (WFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWFN is the largest philanthropic alliance in the world dedicated to advancing the essential role of funders in the fight for gender equality and justice.
• La StradaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Strada is a European NGO Platform against human trafficking, working from a human rights perspective in support of trafficked persons.
• World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWUPJ is the international umbrella organization for branches of Reform, Liberal, Progressive Judaism, and Reconstructionist Judaism.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• World Jewish Relief: UK-based Jewish international humanitarian organization with active Ukraine and FSU programming. Comparable as a Jewish communal organization delivering humanitarian aid and economic empowerment in the same regions.
• Hadassah: The Women's Zionist Organization of America — one of the largest Jewish women's nonprofits in the US, supporting health/medical and education programs in Israel. Highly comparable as a Jewish women's organization running programs in Israel with federation support.
• HIAS: Jewish-founded refugee resettlement and humanitarian aid organization with operations in Ukraine and the former Soviet Union. Directly comparable in serving displaced and at-risk populations in Project Kesher's geographies.
• American Jewish World Service (AJWS): Jewish international development and humanitarian organization supporting grassroots partners globally, including in Ukraine. Comparable to Project Kesher as a Jewish values-based humanitarian/grantmaking entity.
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): Global Jewish humanitarian aid organization operating in the FSU, Israel, and around the world. Highly comparable to Project Kesher as a Jewish communal organization delivering aid and welfare programs in Ukraine/Israel/FSU regions.
• National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW): US-based Jewish women's advocacy and social justice organization. Comparable to Project Kesher as a Jewish women's organization pursuing gender equality and community-based programs.
• Jewish Women International (JWI): US-based Jewish organization championing women and girls through safety, economic security, and leadership programs. Listed as a strategic partner of Project Kesher and a directly comparable peer in Jewish women's empowerment.

Emerging players

• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger: US-based Jewish anti-hunger advocacy and grantmaking organization. Comparable in mission overlap with Project Kesher's food distribution work (food kits for pregnant/new mothers) and Jewish communal funding model.
• Hillel International: Global Jewish campus organization. 'Hillel in the Former Soviet Union' is an active strategic partner of Project Kesher, making Hillel a comparable ecosystem player focused on Jewish identity-building in the same FSU geographies.

Others

• Hadassah-Brandeis Institute: Academic and research institute focused on Jews and gender. Listed as a strategic partner of Project Kesher and adjacent in producing scholarly/arts work on Jewish feminist issues; comparable ecosystem player rather than direct programmatic competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/projectkesher
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectKesher
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectkesherusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-kesher

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Project Kesher