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Hillel the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

EIN 52-6081729 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak39 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF GW HILLEL IS TO PROVIDE AN OPEN, WARM, AND PLURALISTIC ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS CAN SHAPE THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE BY CONNECTING SOCIALLY, CULTURALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY TO THEIR JUDAISM. HILLEL AIMS TO FOSTER STUDENTS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATIVITY BY FACILITATING WORK IN CULTURAL EVENTS, SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH SELF-REFLECTION AND EXPRESSION, STUDENTS AT HILLEL CAN FIND CONNECTION AND IDENTITY WITH THEIR JEWISHNESS, TAKING PART IN THE COLORFUL, UNFOLDING NARRATIVE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE. ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL OF GW HILLEL IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THEIR ENTRY INTO THE WIDER WORLD WITH A STRONG, DEEPLY ROOTED JEWISH IDENTITY.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
-60.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
7
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$192,643, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 39 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $606,855 spent. JEWISH EDUCATION AND ISRAEL PROGRAM: GW HILLEL OFFERS A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR RICH HISTORY AND TRADITION. STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ONE-TIME CLASSES, WEEKLY SESSIONS, FELLOWSHIPS THAT SPAN SEMESTERS WITH A COHORT, AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, WE AIM TO LACE EDUCATION INTO ALL WE DO IN A MEANINGFUL AND SUBSTANTIVE WAY. THIS CHARGE IS LED BY OUR SENIOR JEWISH EDUCATOR, RABBI DAN EPSTEIN, HIRED IN THE SUMMER OF 2016.EACH YEAR, GW HILLEL HOSTS AN ISRAEL FELLOW THROUGH THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL. THIS INDIVIDUAL IS CHARGED WITH CREATING SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE COUNTRY, TAKING SHAPE THROUGH CAMPUS EVENTS, TRIPS, HEBREW LANGUAGE PRACTICE, AND MORE.
  2. $365,130 spent. ENGAGEMENT: THIS YEAR OUR PROGRAMMING AND ENGAGEMENT WAS ENHANCED BY A ROBUST STUDENT ENGAGEMENT TEAM. THE TEAM CONSISTS OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SENIOR JEWISH EDUCATOR, ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATE, AND SPRINGBOARD FELLOW. THIS TEAM IS CHARGED WITH CREATING SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH JUDAISM, THROUGH CAMPUS EVENTS, PROGRAMS, LEARNING AND MORE. DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR GW HILLEL REACHED 1,610 PEOPLE THROUGH PROGRAMMING, BUILDING USE, AND ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTIONS. OF THOSE, 263 ENGAGED WITH GW HILLEL 6 TIMES OR MORE, HITTING A KEY METRIC FOR LONG TERM ENGAGEMENT.
  3. $95,452 spent. MACCABEE TASK FORCE PROVIDES A GRANT TO GW HILL IN SUPPORT OF PRO-ISRAEL WORK ON-CAMPUS. THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS GO TOWARDS SUPPORT OF A TRIP FOR 25 STUDENTS TO ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK. THE REMAINDER OF FUNDS COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SPEAKERS, SHABBAT DINNERS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.

    Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1993.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.