FJC’s $4M Investment in Camps’ Critical Infrastructure
Multi-year initiative made possible by The Gottesman Fund; new round of applications ongoing.
NEW YORK — Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) today announced initial project completions and impacts from $4 million in capital expansion grants provided to 12 camps. The funding — which went towards projects including staff housing, program spaces, and camper bunks — represented the first round of grants under a multi-year, $15 million initiative in partnership with The Gottesman Fund. Critical infrastructure upgrades will enable camps to welcome more kids and ensure Jewish camp remains a top choice among summer opportunities. Applications for the second round of funding under the initiative are in progress.
“Camps moved quickly from funding to shovels in the ground, and we are already seeing the benefits to the camper and staff experience,” said Jamie Simon, CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp. “The first phase of grants met a clear field need and set a strong foundation for growth. We are deeply grateful to The Gottesman Fund for making these projects possible, and we look forward to awarding the next round of grants so that more camps can expand capacity, modernize key spaces, and deliver transformative summers for young Jews.
Enrollment at Jewish summer camp is at all-time highs, with an estimated nearly 200,000 young people attending a day or overnight camp across North America this summer. While serving as a testament to the field’s recovery since the pandemic, high enrollment is stretching camps’ current infrastructure. FJC estimates that at least a quarter of its camps are operating at or near full capacity. Many have been developing plans to increase their ability to serve more young people, and additional support is essential in helping them carry out these plans
At its biennial Leaders Assembly in December 2024, with a record audience in attendance, FJC announced a $15 million commitment from The Gottesman Fund to help camps build critical infrastructure projects so they can welcome more campers, recruit and retain exceptional staff, and deliver safe, modern, climate‑resilient facilities. Each individual grant can be up to $750,000 and can cover up to 50% of a project’s total cost.
More than 70 camps submitted interest forms for the first round. Altogether, they requested nearly $40 million in funding from FJC to support over $180M in capital projects, illustrating the vast need among Jewish camps for financial assistance with capital projects. After a competitive review, 27 were invited to apply, and 12 were ultimately awarded a total of $4 million.
| Grantee Camp | Summer Location | Brief Project Description |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Moshava Indian Orchard | Honesdale, PA | Purchase of land and building camper and staff housing and program spaces. |
| URJ Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) | Oconomowoc, WI | Rebuilding tent housing and dining spaces, as well as outdoor program areas. |
| URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp | Utica, MS | Building new Counselor-In-Training (CIT) camper housing. |
| Camp Ramah in Wisconsin | Conover, WI | Building a new staff housing building. |
| Camp Morasha | Lakewood, PA | Building new staff housing & camper bunks. |
| Camp Judaea | Hendersonville, NC | Building and renovation of camper bunks post Hurricane Helene. |
| Camp Young Judaea – Texas | Wimberley, TX | Building new camper bunks. |
| Camp Ramah Darom | Clayton, GA | Building a new CIT camper village. |
| Camp YJ | Amherst, NH | Building and refurbishing camper bunks. |
| J & R Levinson Day Camp – JCC Pittsburgh | Monroeville, PA | Building new outdoor programming and sensory spaces, as well as a dining hall. |
| Lessans Camp JCC – Bender JCC | Rockville, MD | Renovation of camp program spaces in Bender JCC. |
| Camp Zeke | Lakewood, PA | Building new program space: Sports and Arts pavilion. |
One third of these first-round projects are already complete or nearly complete — at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp, URJ OSRUI, Camp Moshava Indian Orchard, and Camp Ramah in Wisconsin — with the remainder anticipated to wrap up by next summer.
At URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Mississippi, new housing for counselors-in-training, also known at URJ as Solelim, is already making a big impact.
“Our experience with the Bayit has been an incredible upgrade to our Solelim program. The communal living environment fostered meaningful connections and learning in the lounge, and those skills truly shined when our counselors‑in‑training were paired with cabins and campers throughout the summer,” said Anna Herman, Executive Director of URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp. “Inspired by this experience, many Solelim are eager to return next summer as counselors, strengthening our leadership pipeline and ensuring a dedicated future staff.”
The process for the second round of Gottesman grants is in-progress. A subset of camps among those who submitted an interest form will soon be invited to submit full applications and FJC anticipates notifying awardees and issuing initial payments by December 2025.
About Foundation for Jewish Camp
FJC’s mission is to grow, support, and strengthen the Jewish camp movement, leveraging more than $20 million of philanthropic giving annually to scale programs and resources that benefit more than 300 Jewish day and overnight camps across North America. jewishcamp.org
About The Gottesman Fund
Founded in 1965, The Gottesman Fund is managed by members of the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman family and is dedicated to enhancing and perpetuating Jewish life in the United States, providing significant support to domestic medical, educational, and cultural institutions, and supporting projects in Israel which improve the quality of life for its visitors and residents.
