Kingjay Foundation Trust

The Kingjay Foundation Trust operates as a closed, family-controlled private foundation that exclusively supports preselected Jewish religious and educational organizations. The foundation explicitly states in its IRS 990 filings that it does not accept unsolicited grant requests, making cold outreach ineffective. The only viable approach for organizations not already on the foundation's radar is to cultivate a relationship with Judith Stern, the sole decision-maker, through shared institutional networks such as Ohr Torah Stone's alumni and partner ecosystem, Orthodox Jewish philanthropic convenings, or mutual board connections. Any outreach should be through warm introductions rather than formal letters of inquiry. Given the foundation's pronounced preference for Israeli institutions (especially Ohr Torah Stone) and its relatively small administrative overhead, prospective grantees should frame their work in terms of direct impact on Jewish education in Israel or strengthening Orthodox Jewish communities in specific U.S. metro areas (New York, New Jersey, Texas).

The foundation's grantmaking exhibits a highly concentrated, relationship-driven pattern. In 2024, 27 grants were awarded totaling approximately $351,887. The distribution is dramatically bi-modal: two grants to Ohr Torah Stone alone accounted for over $609,700 — nearly twice the total reported giving, suggesting carryover from prior years or multiple disbursements. Geographic concentration is pronounced: 11 of 15 tracked grants in 2024 went to Israeli organizations. Grant sizes range from under $100 (symbolic/charitable gifts) to $329,700, with a median near $540 — indicating that the bulk of grants by count are small community-level contributions while institutional partners receive the lion's share by dollar value. Total annual giving has been stable at $217,000–$352,000 from 2020–2024. All grants are classified as unrestricted. The foundation's revenue derives primarily from asset sales (93% in 2024) and investment dividends, not incoming contributions, suggesting a classic endowment-distribution model.

Among Palm Beach-based private foundations, Kingjay Foundation Trust occupies a niche as a small-to-mid-sized ($6.2M assets) faith-specific grantmaker. It is substantially smaller than the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties (hundreds of millions in assets) and lacks the open grant cycles of regional foundations. Within Jewish philanthropy, it operates alongside much larger vehicles like the Jewish Federations and major Israeli-focused foundations, but distinguishes itself through its tight family control and concentrated relationship with a single primary beneficiary (Ohr Torah Stone). Unlike most community foundations, Kingjay does not publish grant guidelines, maintain a grantee portal, or run competitive grant programs. It most closely resembles a donor-advised fund or family trust being used as a structured vehicle to channel charitable giving to a curated list of personally meaningful institutions.

In 2024, the foundation's most significant activity was two large disbursements to Ohr Torah Stone totaling over $600,000, along with 25 additional grants to a mix of Israeli charities (Chiburim, Central Fund of Israel, Shurat Hadin, Kav Hameached) and U.S.-based Orthodox Jewish organizations. Total assets grew to $6.24M (up from $5.22M in 2023), driven primarily by $1.42M in asset sales. The foundation paid its president/treasurer Judith Stern $48,209 in 2024 (up from $36,820 in 2023). No new programs, RFPs, or public grant announcements were found for 2025–2026.

1. Do not submit unsolicited proposals — the foundation explicitly states it funds only preselected organizations. Cold outreach is counterproductive. 2. Focus on relationship-building with Judith Stern through shared networks in Orthodox Jewish philanthropy, particularly the Ohr Torah Stone ecosystem or Israeli-focused charitable convenings. 3. Organizations should be clearly mission-aligned with Jewish religious education or community welfare in Israel or specific U.S. Orthodox communities (Brooklyn, Great Neck, Cedarhurst, Dallas). 4. Frame work in terms of specific impact on Jewish continuity, Torah education, or Israeli civil society — the foundation has no interest in secular, interfaith, or non-Jewish causes. 5. Given the foundation's tendency toward long-term relationships with existing grantees, the best entry point is a small introductory gift request backed by a trusted mutual referral.