Spark 2026

ABOUT THE GRANTS

The Hadassah Foundation (the Foundation) is requesting proposals for its Spark Grants process, which awards unrestricted grants to organizations based in Israel or the United States with modest budgets or in early stages of development. Spark Grants allow the Foundation to invest in new and timely ventures that address pressing issues impacting women and girls. 

Grant proposals will be accepted until Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 12:00 pm ET. Proposals must be completed and submitted on this site (Submittable). Download a PDF of the RFP and application questions here.

The Foundation welcomes proposals from organizations that:

• Work within the United States Jewish community or are based in Israel. 
• Utilize a gender lens throughout their work by recognizing the ways gender influences people’s needs, causes differing outcomes, and underlies various assumptions and norms. 
• Have key initiatives that improve the status and lives of women and girls by building on their unique strengths, perspectives, and experiences.
• Create social change by addressing the underlying obstacles that impede people’s full participation in society.
• Display innovation, address a gap in the field, and/or focus on an emergent issue disproportionately impacting women and girls.

We anticipate awarding three (3) Spark Grants of $20,000 each. The grant cycle is 18-months, beginning in February 2027 and ending in July 2028. Grant recipients will receive two payments of $10,000, one at the start of the grant and the other at 1-year into the 18-month grant; they will be required to submit two short progress reports: one nine months after the first payment and the other one month after the grant ends.

ELIGIBILITY

This opportunity is open to nonprofit organizations in the United States and Israel with a tax-exempt status or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. Organizations must meet the following criteria:

• Have an organization budget of $500,000 or less (in U.S. dollars) AND
• Been in existence for 10 or fewer years

The Foundation also accepts proposals from initiatives that are independent projects of larger organizations or institutions if the initiative does not receive financial support (not including in-kind support) from the larger organization. 

PROCESS AND IMPORTANT DATES

• Grant proposals will be accepted until Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 12:00 pm ET. 
• Hadassah Foundation will hold two optional Q&A sessions for prospective applicants on: July 29 at 12 p.m. ET and Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. ET.
• Conversations will be held by Zoom with finalist organizations on November 16.
• All applicants will be notified of funding decisions by December 15, 2026.

Questions? Email us at hadassahfoundation@hadassah.org.