National Center to Encourage
Kensington, MD · EIN 52-1194529. Reported 141 grants totalling $1,307,672 to 83 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. National Center to Encourage did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $3,600. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,000 and $7,100; the smallest was $200 and the largest $150,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Reform Judaism | New York, NY | $234,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Vanguard Charitable | Warwick, RI | $210,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Joint Distribution Comm | New York, NY | $130,175 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Various Synagogues Various Synagogues | All in Uscanada, MD | $79,110 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Institute for Southern Jewish Life | Jackson, MS | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Jewish Federation North America | New York, NY | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Sha'ar Zahav | San Francisco, CA | $33,600 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Center for Jewish Life Beth David | Miami, FL | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Sutton Place Synagogue Nyc | New York, NY | $27,900 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal | Philadelphia, PA | $23,600 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Keneseth Israel Congregation | Allentown, PA | $21,800 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Project Kesher | New York, NY | $20,868 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Hillel Minsk Schusterman Intl Center | Washington, DC | $20,300 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Jcc Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hillel Intl | Washington, DC | $15,454 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Nj Rabbinical Assembly | Ontville, NJ | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| American Jewish U La | Bel Air, CA | $13,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Buffalo Jewish Federation | Williamsville, NY | $12,400 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Rabbinical Assn Kansas City | Overland Park, KS | $11,750 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Silicon Valley Jcc | Los Gatos, CA | $11,400 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Mishkan Chicago | Chicago, IL | $10,200 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Jewish Learning Venture | Jenkintown, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Myzuzah | Chevy Chase, MD | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sandra Kaplan Bet Din Los Angeles 441 | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Schechter Instituteukraine | Philadelphia, PA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Congregation Bnai Amoona-Mo | Saint Louis, MO | $8,600 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Temple Bnai Israel Monroe | Monroe, LA | $7,075 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Congregation Beth Israel Austin | Austin, TX | $7,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Jewish Fed Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Temple Bnai Torah Wa | Bellevue, WA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shabbat With Friends | Santa Fe, NM | $6,200 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Haver-the Boulder Rabbinical Counci | Boulder, CO | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Judiasm Your Way | Denver, CO | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Schechter Institute-Ukraine | Philadelphia, PA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Society for Humanistic Judaism | Farmington Hills, MI | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Temple Beth El Aptos-Jcc Santa Cruz | Aptos, CA | $5,900 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Charleston Jewish Federation | Charleston, SC | $5,600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jewish Federation Nashville | Nashville, TN | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Memphis Jcc | Memphis, TN | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Natl Women Reform Judaism | New York, NY | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jewish Community Alliance Southern Maine | Portland, ME | $5,200 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jewish Enrichment Center | Chicago, IL | $5,200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Intro Phoenix | Scottsdale, AZ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park and Eagle Rock | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Temple Israel Boston | Boston, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ohavi Zedek Synagogue Vt | Burlington, VT | $4,450 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Jewish Fed Central Ny | Dewitt, NY | $4,200 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Jewish Folkshul | Lafayette Hill, PA | $4,100 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Gr Hartford Bd Rabbiscong Beth Isr | West Hartford, CT | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Bethesda Jewish Congregation | Bethesda, MD | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Congregation Beth Hatikvah | Summit, NJ | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Hillel Intpoland Foundation | Washington, DC | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kol Ami Tuscon | Tuscon, AZ | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Temple Emanu-El Tuscon | Tuscon, AZ | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Temple Beth Shalom | Hudson, OH | $3,350 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Westside Jcc Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $3,300 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Congregation Ner Tamid Nv | Henderson, NV | $3,100 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| 18DOORS | Natick, MA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Emanuel Synagogue Ok | Oklahoma City, OK | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jewish Fed San Antonio | San Antonio, TX | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Kitchen | San Francisco, CA | $2,700 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Raleigh-Cary Jcc | Raleigh, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Route 613KEDMA | Great Neck, NY | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jhubjewish Federation Cleveland | Cleveland Heights, OH | $2,485 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Congregation Bnai Israel-Nm | Albuquerque, NM | $2,400 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim | Alexandria, LA | $2,300 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Paul Jcc Ecc | St Paul, MN | $2,300 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Women Reform Jud Wrj Natl | New York, NY | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Your Jewish | Hopkins, MN | $1,900 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Punk Torahdarshan Yeshivah | Midlothian, VA | $1,800 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Congregation Kol Emeth-Il | Skokie, IL | $1,600 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ma'yan Tikvah Ma | Wayland, MA | $1,555 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Jewish Renewal Poland | Beverly Hills, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ruach Hamaqom | Burlington, VT | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kehillah Richmond Rva | Midlothian, VA | $900 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Temple Beth El Muncie | Muncie, IN | $900 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Congregation Children of Israel Athens Ga/Pj Library | Athens, GA | $750 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Congregation of Moses Mi | Kalamazoo, MI | $750 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kol Rinah-Ca | Sacramento, CA | $700 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rocky Mountain Rabbin Cncl | Denver, CO | $600 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Virginia Tech Hillel | Blacksburg, VA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kehillah Richmond | Midlothian, VA | $400 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Shir Tikvah | Troy, MI | $300 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
33 of 83 (40%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 53%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 31 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30 | $348,250 | $2,750 |
| 2022 | 36 | $269,525 | $3,500 |
| 2023 | 35 | $310,117 | $4,000 |
| 2024 | 40 | $379,780 | $4,250 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 37% of this one's giving went to organizations in New York. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $3,600. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in New York.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from National Center to Encourage's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 9821 La Duke Drive, Kensington, MD, 20895. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 52-1194529 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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