The Jewish Federation Bay Area (the “Federation”) and Hebrew Free Loan of San Francisco (“HFL”) are the recipients of the Synergy for Change Award at the 2025 Donor Advised Funds Giving Summit in Washington, D.C., the premier national organization celebrating individuals and organizations that make a lasting impact through donor-advised funds.
The award recognizes innovative models of giving that strengthen relationships, maximize resources and drive meaningful change.
The Federation and HFL were selected for their expansion of access to interest-free lending and their creation of philanthropic capital to support individuals and families across the Bay Area. By linking Federation fundholders to HFL’s lending model, the collaboration created a sustainable pipeline of support for education, medical expenses, small-business growth, emergency relief and more.
From 2020 through 2025, the Federation seeded $6 million to support thousands of Hebrew Free Loan borrowers. Notably, from July 2023 to June 2024, HFL lent 50% more than before the COVID-19 pandemic. HFL borrowers repaid their loans at a rate of 99%, allowing the funds to be recycled for future Federation lending opportunities.
The Federation’s partnership with HFL now serves as a successful philanthropic model for all North American Jewish communities.
“This is a powerful recognition of the Federation’s role as a bridge to consistently bring donors, nonprofits and community leaders together to reshape and strengthen our community,” said Laura Lauder, board chair of the Federation. “Our partnership with Hebrew Free Loan reveals how forward-thinking models of collaboration can revolutionize the philanthropic field.”
Andrew Schneiderman, Federation’s senior director of impact investing, said the two agencies “are building an ecosystem where philanthropy directly empowers people, their businesses and their families. This award affirms our belief that with strategic planning and efficient resource allocation, cross-organizational collaboration creates greater impact than the sum of its parts.”
On behalf of Hebrew Free Loan, executive director Cindy Rogoway said that “for 128 years, Hebrew Free Loan has assisted those facing difficult times or working hard to pursue opportunities. Our partnership with the Federation was a lifeline during the pandemic, when many people lost their income overnight. Our ongoing collaboration provides us with critical funding to offer interest-free loans throughout the community while enabling donor-advised fundholders to have an immediate impact on the lives of people in need.”
The award was accepted on behalf of the Federation by Nicole Levine, Federation’s managing director of philanthropy. Mark Abelson, former Hebrew Free Loan president, also delivered remarks at the ceremony.
