Tikkun

Tikkun is a private family foundation established in 2017 by Lori and Bruce Berman, based in Boulder, Colorado. The name "Tikkun" derives from the Hebrew concept of "Tikkun Olam" — repairing the world — which is a core value in Jewish ethics and philanthropy. This reflects the foundation's philanthropic identity: while led by a Jewish family, the foundation funds a diverse range of causes united by a common thread of healing, support, and community. The foundation is managed from a residential address in Boulder (2500 Meadow Ave) and uses a phone number in the 847 area code (north suburban Chicago, IL), suggesting the Berman family may have Chicago roots or connections. The foundation operates as a purely endowed vehicle with no outside contributions — all income comes from its approximately $4.1M investment portfolio. Grantmaking reflects three core priorities: (1) youth mental health and suicide prevention (Rise Against Suicide, Saving Teens in Crisis, NVLD Project, Treatment Advocacy Center); (2) science and nature education, particularly astronomy (Sky's the Limit Observatory); and (3) Jewish community programs (Chabad Aspen JCC). Secondary areas include emergency family assistance in Boulder and bridge/transitional housing. The name "Tikkun" and these funding areas — especially mental health of teens, Jewish community programs, and nature education — suggest personal life experiences that have shaped the Bermans' philanthropy.

Tikkun is a purely endowed foundation with no external contributions. Revenue comes entirely from dividends and investment gains. FY2024: Revenue $445,678 (dividends $159,332, asset sales $286,346), expenses $267,019, charitable disbursements $204,176, assets $4,095,581. FY2023: Revenue $214,872, disbursements $205,600, assets $3,859,390. FY2022: Revenue $410,932, disbursements $255,030. Annual disbursements have ranged from $200,000 to $277,000. GrantBay data shows 186 total grants totaling $1,918,840, with a median of $5,000 and range from $100 to $200,000. Latest year (2024): 29 grants with a median of $5,000. Geographic breakdown: 55% Colorado (Boulder 50%, Lafayette 14%, Denver 10%), remaining 45% spread across California, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and other states. The top single grantee in 2024 was Sky's the Limit Observatory (Twentynine Palms, CA) receiving multiple grants totaling $125,000 in that year. Rise Against Suicide received $65,000 across multiple grants in 2024. The foundation's 427% growth in giving over 6 years reflects both portfolio growth and expanded giving ambition.

Tikkun is a Boulder-based Jewish family foundation with a distinctive mental health and science education focus. Peer comparison:

Tikkun is distinctive for its concentrated multi-year commitment to anchor grantees (Sky's the Limit Observatory received $125K in 2024 alone), combined with consistent support for Boulder-area emergency assistance and Jewish community organizations.

In FY2024, Tikkun made 29 grants totaling $204,176 in charitable disbursements. Top grantees: Sky's the Limit Observatory and Nature Center (Twentynine Palms, CA) received multiple grants including $75,000, $50,000, and $50,000; Rise Against Suicide (Lafayette, CO) received multiple grants totaling up to $65,000; Saving Teens in Crisis (Wallingford, CT) received $25,000 and $20,000; Chabad Aspen JCC received $15,100 and $15,000; EFAA received $15,000 (multiple times); NVLD Project received $15,000; Treatment Advocacy Center $10,000; Bridge House $10,000; Anyi Institute $10,000. Total assets at FY2024 are $4,095,581 with $57,532 in liabilities (unusual for the foundation). The 990-PF was filed May 14, 2025. The website tikkun.org is currently not functioning (502 error). The foundation noted as "2025 Holiday Star Host" by Rise Against Suicide, suggesting an active personal relationship with that grantee.

Tikkun has a low new-grantee rate (13%), meaning the foundation primarily maintains established relationships. That said, each year 2-4 new organizations do receive grants. Guidance: (1) Youth mental health is the dominant funding priority — organizations working on teen suicide prevention, crisis intervention, or learning disabilities (particularly NVLD — Non-Verbal Learning Disability) have the strongest alignment. (2) Astronomy and nature education organizations, especially those making science accessible to youth, should consider outreach (Sky's the Limit Observatory is a flagship grantee). (3) Boulder, Colorado is the primary geography — organizations in Boulder County or the broader Front Range Colorado region have the strongest chance. (4) Jewish community programs are consistently funded, particularly in Aspen CO and Colorado generally. (5) Phone: (847) 374-0400. Physical address: 2500 Meadow Ave, Boulder, CO 80304. The website tikkun.org is currently non-functional. (6) The low new-grantee rate (13%) suggests personal introductions through existing grantees (Rise Against Suicide, Sky's the Limit) would be the most effective pathway. (7) Grant sizes range from $5,000 to $75,000+; requests should be proportionate to the relationship depth.