2021–2025 Samis Foundation Strategic Plan for Philanthropy Key Highlights

GOAL 1: Promote the sustainability, vitality, and growth of Seattle Jewish day school education.  

• After launching the Samis Day School Affordability Initiative, we witnessed a 25% increase in day school enrollment across Seattle since 2022, with 90% retention for Jewish day school students.

• Samis invested $5.6 Million in special initiatives including support for professional development, collaboration, special needs and Israel trips.

GOAL 2: Increase accessibility and participation in high-quality experiential Jewish education for Jewish youth in Washington State.

• In 2021 Samis launched a 3-year $1 Million Youth Enrichment and Engagement Initiative supporting 21 programs, 4 professional development opportunities and annually touching over 1,200 youth and families across Washington State. 

• Samis’ support for local camps and needs-based scholarships through the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle ensured that over 1,300 campers annually had the opportunity to experience the magic of camp.

• Over 200 teen Israel experience academic year and summer program participants received Samis grants and needs-based scholarship support since 2021.

 GOAL 3: Improve lives for targeted populations of Israeli society.

• Samis’ strategic investments of over $6.3 Million from 2021–25 supported thousands of Israelis on the periphery of Israeli society including new immigrants, widows and orphans, higher education and vocational programs for students, and those in poverty seeking improved employment.   

• In the aftermath of October 7^th Samis granted over $2.5 Million to address a wide range of emergent needs across the State of Israel building resilience and addressing mental health and trauma and supporting employment programs.

GOAL 4: Preserve and develop Israel’s wildlife and archaeological riches and support opportunities to make these resources available to the general public.

• Key investments included a $500k grant supporting the Israel Nature and Heritage Sea Turtles Rehabilitation Center, and a $1 Million grant to support a major renovation of the Wohl Herodian Quarter Archaeology Museum.

Sephardic Heritage Grants

In honor of Samuel Israel, Samis made two signature grants: $1 Million to the Sephardic Heritage Archives of the National Library of Israel and $195,000 to launch the PJ Library Sephardic Stories Initiative.

Flexible Response to COVID-19

At the outset of launching the strategic plan, grantees and the participants they serve were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Samis immediately assumed a flexible approach to its grantmaking, permitting reallocation of funds, reducing grantee reporting requirements, and making special COVID related grants in support of health and safety.