The Charlotte Jewish News- November 2026- Page 46
Harold Grinspoon Foundation Commits $ 50 Million to Jewish Summer Camps
By Elizabeth Johnson
For generations of children, Jewish camp has provided an immersive Jewish environment, one where friendships, traditions and community are woven into daily life. And a new $ 50 million challenge grant from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation aims to help generate a total of $ 200 million for Jewish summer camps across North America over the next five years.
The foundation announced the initiative in a Sept. 28 news release.
“ From the first time I visited a Jewish summer camp, I realized that camp was an incredible way for kids to experience what’ s great about being Jewish,” said Harold Grinspoon, whose foundation has invested in Jewish camping for years.“ I knew it was a great place to put my dollars.”
The money will be distributed through JCamp 180 ®, a Harold Grinspoon Foundation program that works with Jewish nonprofit camps. The foundation will make as much as $ 10 million available annually, with participating overnight camps responsible for raising an additional three dollars for every dollar they receive. The commitment comes at a challenging time.
“ The Jewish camp field is experiencing financial fragility,” said Sarah Eisinger, director of JCamp 180.“ Two-thirds of our camps operate within a 3 % margin of breakeven, and the camps have faced economic shocks from COVID-19, Oct. 7, and disruptions due to climate change. The data shows that operating expenses such as food, security, and insurance are outpacing inflation, and tuition no longer covers expenses. Philanthropy plays an increasingly important role if we want camps to flourish.”
Camps will determine where the additional resources are most needed. The money can support facilities, help establish financial resources for the future, or cover immediate pressures, including aid for families and security.
The foundation has tested the matching-grant model before. Its earlier Forward Together initiative drew approximately 10,000 contributors in 2025, according to JCamp 180. Another effort, the Endowment Accelerator, is working with 88 camps to establish funds intended to support them over the long term.
“ The existence of the Forward Together match gave donors
Photo courtesy of JCamp 180
confidence that their gifts would have amplified impact and provided a compelling reason to give now,” said Rabbi Eliav Bock, executive director of Ramah in the Rockies.
The size of the new commitment also reflects the place summer camp has long occupied in Jewish life.
“ This grant and its matching component have the potential to truly transform what camps will be able to do,” Grinspoon continued.“ We’ ve seen the amazing success of matching-challenge grants and I hope this match will encourage other funders to support the awesome impact of camp.”
JCamp 180 ®, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, equips nonprofit Jewish camps with the knowledge, skills, and resources for long-term organizational excellence so they can operate thriving camps that create lifelong Jewish connections. The program offers matching grants to more than 100 overnight and nearly 40 day camps across North America. JCamp 180 helps camps leverage these grants to build their organizational effectiveness by pairing the funds with management consulting services, training, and professional development for both camp lay leaders and professional teams. Learn more about how JCamp 180 invests in the long-term sustainability of Jewish camps at jcamp180. org.