OVERVIEW: The Koum Family Foundation’s funding priority is support for the international Jewish community and Israel; however, it also gives to groups focused on women and girls, public health, and community development causes across the United States.
IP TAKE: This funder maintains a very low profile, which restricts clarity about giving priorities and strategies. It also prefers a proactive funding approach and does not accept unsolicited requests for funding or review project proposals. According to 990s, its grantmaking focus is fairly narrow and groups whose mission does not address Jewish causes in some way will almost certainly be unsuccessful here. That said, this is a major funder that made over $90 million in grants in a recent year with no signs of slowing down, so even though this funder will require high-level networking most likely via previous grantees, it is an important funder to keep in mind.
Billionaire Jan Koum is also possibly affiliated with a newer venture, the K18n Foundation, which is a newer nonprofit that received nearly $1.6 billion in 2022, and shares three board officers with the Koum Family Foundation, including the same president, according to IP’s Kavate.
PROFILE: Established in 2015, the Koum Family Foundation is the primary philanthropic vehicle for Jan Koum, cofounder and former CEO of WhatsApp, a cross-platform mobile messaging app that allows users to send text messages for free. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, to a Jewish family, Koum moved with his mother and grandmother to the Bay Area when he was 16. In 2009, while working at Yahoo as a security tester, he started WhatsApp with Brian Acton, another early Yahoo employee. Facebook bought the startup for $19 billion in cash and stock in 2014. The Koum Family Foundation’s grantmaking primarily supports the international Jewish community; however, it also gives to women and girls, public health, and community development organizations across the U.S.
Grants for Jewish Causes
The Koum Family Foundation has given millions to Jewish groups and organizations operating in the United States and Eastern Europe. In the U.S., funding tends to prioritize organizations in New York and California.
- According to an intensive analysis of the foundation’s giving by Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “more than any other cause, Koum gives to nonprofits affiliated with Chabad-Lubavitch, the international and growing Hasidic Orthodox Jewish movement with origins in Eastern Europe.”
- Within the U.S., Chabad Np, the Jewish center, preschool and synagogue in San Mateo, received $4.5 million. Foundation for Jewish Camp, Project Kesher, Global Jewish Assistance and Relief Network, Moishe House, and Addison Penzak Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley are all past grantees.
- The family foundation has consistently supported the East European Jewish community, notably through groups including Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS and Baltic States and Jewish Community Center of Moscow.
- The foundation also donated about $17 million to the European Jewish Association, an organization which has supported Ukrainian refugees from the Russian Invasion.
- It has also given to politically conservative organizations either based in or supporting Israel.
- Previous grantees here include Birthright Foundation and Friends of Ir David, which works to accelerate expansion of Jewish settlements into the Palestinian parts of the city.
- Friends of the Israel Defense Forces received over $5 million, and the Central Fund of Israel, which has supported violent Israeli right-wing extremists, received $175,000.
Grants for Community Development, Women, and Public Health
Outside of its grantmaking to support the Jewish community, Koum has also given to a variety of smaller, local community organizations in the areas of health and healthcare access, reproductive health, and community development.
- These grants, while still considerable in many cases, generally tend to be smaller than those for Jewish-based groups.
- Some of these grantees include Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, Project Giving Kids, and Jewish Family and Children’s Services.
Grants for Higher Education
While support for education does not appear to be a major focus area for the foundation, it is worth noting that the Koum Family Foundation has consistently given at least $10 million annually to Stanford University, and it gave an additional $3 million to the Stanford Jewish Center in 2019. The foundation also gave $1 million to Fordham in 2020.
Important Grant Details:
Most grants range from $10,000 to $10 million; however, the most common amount is $1 million. In 2023, this funder gave about $91 million in grants. Funding has appeared to increase year over year.
- The foundation keeps a low public profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.
- It makes grants entirely at the discretion of Jan Koum and according to his interests and funding priorities.
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