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One8 Foundation is a private trust based in BOSTON, MA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 1997. The principal officer is Anna Sikorsky. It holds total assets of $401.1M. Annual income is reported at $64.5M. The foundation is governed by 2 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2020 to 2024. Grantmaking is concentrated in Massachusetts. According to available records, One8 Foundation has made 347 grants totaling $74.2M, with a median grant of $50K. Annual giving has grown from $33.4M in 2021 to $40.8M in 2022. Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $3M, with an average award of $214K. The foundation has supported 233 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in Massachusetts, New York, District of Columbia, which account for 77% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 20 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
One8 Foundation operates through two fundamentally different giving tracks, and understanding which one applies to your organization is the essential first step before any outreach.
For Massachusetts public schools, One8 runs a structured, publicly accessible grant competition through the One8 Applied Learning Hub (one8appliedlearninghub.org). Schools can apply directly for implementation grants tied to four evidence-based curricula: Project Lead The Way (K-12 STEM engineering, computer science, and biomedical science), OpenSciEd (NGSS-aligned middle school science), Democratic Knowledge Project (grade 8 civics), and Investigating History (grades 3-7 history). These publicly solicited grants represent the only open door at One8.
For all other organizations — nonprofits in Jewish life, Israel engagement, youth development, health, and community services — One8 is strictly invitation-only. The foundation does not review unsolicited proposals. It identifies potential partners through proactive research, expert networks, and the Jacobsons' personal relationships. Inside Philanthropy describes this as a 'venture philanthropy' model: One8 seeks deep, multi-year partnerships and provides both funding and pro bono consulting to a limited portfolio of carefully vetted organizations.
Founded in 1997 as the Jacobson Family Foundation by hedge fund manager Jonathon Jacobson and his wife Joanna Jacobson (who serves as President), One8 reflects the founders' belief that education is the doorway to individual success, anchored in Jewish values of human dignity, social justice, and community. Both Jacobsons serve without compensation, suggesting a hands-on, high-conviction approach.
The foundation prizes organizations that demonstrate 'breakthrough potential' and scalable impact. One8 backs talented leaders with a growth mindset as much as it funds programs — expect scrutiny of leadership quality and organizational capacity. Geographic concentration is pronounced: 59% of tracked grants (206 of 347) went to Massachusetts recipients, with New York (11%) and Washington DC (6%) as secondary concentrations. Non-Massachusetts organizations that receive funding typically either operate national programs with proven Massachusetts reach (Year Up, Thread Inc) or have Israel-focused missions with a strong Jewish institutional identity.
The relationship progression for invited grantees typically spans multiple years — from network introduction to modest early support to multi-million-dollar partnership. Organizations should not expect a major grant on first engagement.
One8's giving has grown substantially over more than a decade. Total giving rose from $22.3M (FY2012) to $41.2M (FY2021), then accelerated sharply to $52.3M (FY2022) and $71.5M (FY2023) — a 73% increase in two years. Grants paid in FY2023 totaled $56M against $92.9M in net investment income. Foundation assets have ranged from a peak of $501.9M (FY2019) to $401.1M (FY2024), declining as payout rates have increased. The effective FY2023 payout rate of approximately 17.8% is well above the 5% private foundation minimum.
Across 347 tracked grants, the median grant is $50,000 and the average is approximately $190,000–$213,000. The large gap between median and mean reflects a barbell distribution: the majority of grants are $25,000–$100,000 implementation and program support grants, while a small tier of flagship partnerships receive $1M–$6M commitments. The recorded range spans $500 (smallest) to $6M+ in cumulative awards.
Top-tier investments ($2M or more in total grants): - Honeymoon Israel Foundation: $6M (community/global) - Year Up Inc: $6M (youth workforce development) - American Israel Education Foundation: $4M (Israel education) - Thread Inc: $3.5M (youth mentoring) - American Friends of Maoz-Seal: $3.1M (Israel) - Combined Jewish Philanthropies Donor Advised Fund: $3M - Mind Research Institute: $2.1M + $1.24M (STEM education) - Itrek: $2.3M (Israel)
By issue area, Israel and Jewish community giving dominates the top-line totals. Education investments span from $2M+ anchor grants to $333,000–$500,000 mid-tier grants for organizations like OneGoal, Open Up Resources, Buck Institute for Education, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Health and human services represent a meaningful secondary priority, with repeat grants to Youth Villages, Upstream USA, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Children's Hospital. Youth development (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay: $1M combined; Summer Search: $300,000) rounds out the portfolio.
Multi-year relationship patterns are visible throughout: top grantees like Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Vibe Israel USA, and Buck Institute for Education each appear with 2+ grants, confirming the foundation's preference for sustained partnerships over one-time awards.
One8 Foundation sits among a cohort of ~$396–402M family foundations, but it stands apart from its asset-class peers in two critical dimensions: payout aggressiveness and thematic specificity. While most foundations at this asset level give 5–8% annually, One8 distributed approximately 17.8% of assets in FY2023 alone.
| Foundation | State | Assets | Annual Giving (est.) | Primary Focus | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One8 Foundation | MA | $401M | $71.5M (FY2023) | Education, Jewish Life/Israel, Boston Community | Invited only (schools: open portal) |
| Milken Family Foundation | CA | $401.7M | Not disclosed | Education, Health, Jewish causes | Invitation only |
| Inasmuch Foundation | OK | $399.4M | ~$15–20M | Oklahoma community development | Limited open RFP |
| Craig H. Neilsen Foundation | CA | $397.1M | ~$25–30M | Spinal cord injury research/rehab | Open letters of inquiry |
| Zilber Family Foundation | WI | $396.1M | ~$10–15M | Milwaukee community, social justice | Invitation only |
The Milken Family Foundation is the closest strategic analog — similar asset size, Jewish philanthropic identity, education emphasis, and invitation-only access. Both foundations were established by financiers with deep community ties and operate with a venture-philanthropy orientation.
One8 is the most aggressive giver in this peer set by a wide margin. Regional community foundations like Inasmuch (Oklahoma) and Zilber (Milwaukee) mirror One8's geographic concentration but operate at lower payout levels and with somewhat more accessible processes. The Neilsen Foundation, with its medical-research focus and open LOI process, represents the opposite end of the accessibility spectrum — more transparent, sector-specific, and externally accessible than One8.
The most notable 2025-2026 activity at One8 is the Applied Learning Hub's expanded grant cycle, which ran four simultaneous K-12 grant competitions with staggered deadlines:
All four programs are currently listed as closed for the SY26-27 cycle. The next application window for each program is expected to open in fall 2026 for the SY27-28 school year.
On the philanthropic grantmaking side, no major public announcements, leadership changes, or new program launches were identified in publicly available sources for 2025-2026. Joanna Jacobson continues as President and Trustee; Jonathon Jacobson remains Trustee. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile for its invited grantmaking — consistent with its operating style as a quiet, relationship-driven institution. The absence of press releases is a feature, not a gap: One8 does not publicize individual awards or announce grant competitions in the press.
The rules for engaging One8 are entirely different depending on which track applies to your organization.
For Massachusetts public schools (Applied Learning Hub):
One8 wants to hear from qualifying schools and runs a merit-based competition with transparent criteria. The decisive factor is commitment to full program adoption — partial pilots are not funded. OpenSciEd requires 100% adoption across all 6th–8th grade students and teachers. PLTW favors schools building multi-school pathways (K-12 or 6-12 feeder systems). Demonstrate this commitment explicitly in your application narrative.
For nonprofits pursuing invited philanthropic grants:
You cannot submit a proposal. The path in is through relationship, not process.
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Smallest Grant
$500
Median Grant
$50K
Average Grant
$190K
Largest Grant
$3M
Based on 176 grants from the most recent 990-PF filing.
Mass stem hub is a program of one8 foundation with the mission to provide schools with deeply supported access to high quality science, technology, engineering and math (stem) in school programming that engages students and develops 21st century skills. Mass stem hub provides support and training to teachers and schools and creates and manages student stem events for schools in the commonwealth.
Expenses: $1.2M
One8 massachusetts women's executive mission to israela funding issue priority of the one8 foundation is to build an objective and robust understanding of israel, its history, culture, economy and people, among emerging and existing leaders through educational initiatives, including immersive programs run directly by the foundation that include in-person educational programming in israel. The one8 massachusetts women's executive mission to israel cultivates a deep and meaningful understanding of israel. Mission participants are immersed in a program that includes meeting with and learning from a diverse array of israeli leaders across multiple sectors and ethnicities throughout the trip, providing an opportunity for meaningful learning experiences and a robust exchange of ideas and approaches to current challenges.
Expenses: $366K
One8's giving has grown substantially over more than a decade. Total giving rose from $22.3M (FY2012) to $41.2M (FY2021), then accelerated sharply to $52.3M (FY2022) and $71.5M (FY2023) — a 73% increase in two years. Grants paid in FY2023 totaled $56M against $92.9M in net investment income. Foundation assets have ranged from a peak of $501.9M (FY2019) to $401.1M (FY2024), declining as payout rates have increased. The effective FY2023 payout rate of approximately 17.8% is well above the 5% priva.
One8 Foundation has distributed a total of $74.2M across 347 grants. The median grant size is $50K, with an average of $214K. Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $3M.
One8 Foundation operates through two fundamentally different giving tracks, and understanding which one applies to your organization is the essential first step before any outreach. For Massachusetts public schools, One8 runs a structured, publicly accessible grant competition through the One8 Applied Learning Hub (one8appliedlearninghub.org). Schools can apply directly for implementation grants tied to four evidence-based curricula: Project Lead The Way (K-12 STEM engineering, computer science,.
One8 Foundation is headquartered in BOSTON, MA. While based in MA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 20 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathon Jacobson | TRUSTEE | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Joanna Jacobson | PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$401.1M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$401.1M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
347
Total Giving
$74.2M
Average Grant
$214K
Median Grant
$50K
Unique Recipients
233
Most Common Grant
$50K
of 2022 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year Up IncYOUTH DEVELOPMENT | Boston, MA | $3M | 2022 |
| Honeymoon Israel Foundation IncCOMMUNITY | Atlanta, GA | $3M | 2022 |
| The Jewish Federations Of North America IncCOMMUNITY | New York, NY | $2.5M | 2022 |
| Thread IncYOUTH DEVELOPMENT | Baltimore, MD | $2.5M | 2022 |
| Itrek IncGLOBAL | New York, NY | $2.3M | 2022 |
| American Friends Of Maoz-Seal IncGLOBAL | Somersworth, NH | $2.2M | 2022 |
| American Israel Education Foundation IncGLOBAL | Washington, DC | $2M | 2022 |
| Boston College TrusteesEDUCATION | Chestnut Hill, MA | $1.8M | 2022 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies Of Greater Boston IncCOMMUNITY | Boston, MA | $1.8M | 2022 |
| Mind Research IncEDUCATION | Irvine, CA | $1.2M | 2022 |
| Jewish Vocational Service IncEDUCATION | Boston, MA | $989K | 2022 |
| Up Education Network IncEDUCATION | Boston, MA | $773K | 2022 |
| Jewish Funder'S NetworkGLOBAL | New York, NY | $704K | 2022 |
| Youth Villages IncHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | Woburn, MA | $613K | 2022 |
| Project Lead The Way IncEDUCATION | Indianapolis, IN | $600K | 2022 |
| Nyu Langone HealthHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | New York, NY | $525K | 2022 |
| Jewish Agency For Israel-North American CouncilGLOBAL | New York, NY | $500K | 2022 |
| Upstream Usa IncHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | Boston, MA | $500K | 2022 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Massachusetts Bay IncYOUTH DEVELOPMENT | Boston, MA | $500K | 2022 |
| Open Up ResourcesEDUCATION | Gladstone, OR | $473K | 2022 |
| Collective ImpactGLOBAL | Hadera | $400K | 2022 |
| Middlesex Community CollegeEDUCATION | Lowell, MA | $332K | 2022 |
| The Jewish Institute For National Security Of AmericaGLOBAL | Washington, DC | $325K | 2022 |
| Summer SearchYOUTH DEVELOPMENT | Jamaica Plain, MA | $300K | 2022 |
| Israel-America Academic ExchangeGLOBAL | Beverly Hills, CA | $300K | 2022 |
| The Design PlatformCOMMUNITY | New Orleans, LA | $300K | 2022 |
| Israel On Campus CoalitionGLOBAL | Washington, DC | $300K | 2022 |
| OnegoalEDUCATION | Chicago, IL | $250K | 2022 |
| Boston Medical Center CorporationHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | Boston, MA | $250K | 2022 |
| Vibe Israel UsaGLOBAL | Jersey City, NJ | $250K | 2022 |
| OnetableCOMMUNITY | New York, NY | $250K | 2022 |
| Children'S Hospital CorporationHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | Boston, MA | $250K | 2022 |
| Worcester Polytechnic InstituteEDUCATION | Worcester, MA | $242K | 2022 |
| Union For Reform JudaismCOMMUNITY | New York, NY | $210K | 2022 |
| New England Aquarium CorporationCOMMUNITY | Boston, MA | $200K | 2022 |
| A Wider BridgeCOMMUNITY | New York, NY | $200K | 2022 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center IncHEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | Boston, MA | $200K | 2022 |
| Harold Grinspoon FoundationCOMMUNITY | Agawam, MA | $200K | 2022 |
| The Calculus ProjectEDUCATION | Randolph, MA | $180K | 2022 |
| Bend The ArcCOMMUNITY | New York, NY | $175K | 2022 |
| Moishe HouseCOMMUNITY | Encinitas, CA | $175K | 2022 |
| Jewish Community Relations Council Of Greater BostonCOMMUNITY | Boston, MA | $150K | 2022 |
| The Greater Boston Food Bank IncCOMMUNITY | Boston, MA | $150K | 2022 |
| Rosie'S Place IncCOMMUNITY | Boston, MA | $150K | 2022 |
| Steppingstone Foundation IncEDUCATION | Boston, MA | $150K | 2022 |
| Western States Center IncCOMMUNITY | Portland, OR | $150K | 2022 |
| Impactisrael IncGLOBAL | Needham, MA | $150K | 2022 |
| Hillel The Foundation For Jewish Campus LifeCOMMUNITY | Washington, DC | $125K | 2022 |