First-Time Camper Grants

Eligibility

Your first-time camper may be eligible for a One Happy Camper grant of up to $1000!

To see if your community offers a One Happy Camper program, see the list of partners below and contact your local program provider.

Eligibility criteria varies from community to community. Typically, campers must reside within the local program provider area, already be enrolled in their first overnight nonprofit Jewish summer camp (a 12-18 or 19+ consecutive day session), and identify as Jewish. One Happy Camper was envisioned as an outreach initiative for children who are not currently receiving an immersive, daily Jewish experience. As such, children who attend Jewish day school or Yeshiva are not typically eligible these programs (however, some exceptions apply).

Important additional information:

  • One Happy Camper is not a scholarship program. Grants are not based on financial need.
  • A child can only receive one grant that is affiliated with the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s One Happy Camper program. This includes, but is not limited to, the PJ (Library) Goes to Camp – One Happy Camper program, the Harold Grinspoon Western Massachusetts camp incentive program, and/or the various community-based and camp-sponsored One Happy Camper programs.
  • If you do not live in a One Happy Camper community and are not eligible for the PJ Library One Happy Camper grant, your camper is not eligible for a One Happy Camper incentive grant.

CALIFORNIA

Jewish Federation of San Diego County

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant for campers who are the first in their family to attend camp and are enrolled for 11-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school or yeshiva
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive days

 Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

Jewish Federation of the Desert

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

COLORADO
JEWISH Colorado

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive day
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

CONNECTICUT

Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven

  • $1000 grant if campers do not attend Jewish Day School and are enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if campers do not attend Jewish Day School and are enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • $500grant if campers attend Jewish Day School and are enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $350 grant if campers attend Jewish Day School and are enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

DELAWARE
Jewish Federation of Delaware

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

FLORIDA
Jewish Federation of Broward County

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

GEORGIA
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Eligibility Criteria for first-time* campers:

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 11-18 consecutive days

Eligibility Criteria for second-time* campers:

  • Family has an adjusted gross income below $160,000 a year
  • $500 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $350 grant if enrolled for 11-18 consecutive days
  • Received an OHC first-time camper grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta the previous summer

 

ILLINOIS
Jewish Federation/Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • Must be entering grades 3-9 (after camp)
  • Jewish Day School students must attend one of the following schools: Anshe Emet, Akiba Schechter, Chicago Jewish Day School, Chicagoland Jewish High School, Solomon Schechter
  • Eligible for JUF’s Camp Coupons of up to $360 if they attend one of the following Jewish Day Schools: Arie Crown Academy, Bais Yaakov, Cheder Lubovich, Hillel Torah
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive day

 

INDIANA
Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
    Do not attend Jewish day school or yeshiva

 

KANSAS
Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $500 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

KENTUCKY
Jewish Community of Louisville

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

MASSACHUSETTS
Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish Day School
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive days

 

MISSOURI
Jewish Federation of St. Louis

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

NEBRASKA
Jewish Federation of Omaha

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days

 

NEVADA
Jewish Nevada

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jewish Federation of New Hampshire

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Reside in New Hampshire or family must belongs to a New Hampshire Jewish congregation
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

NEW JERSEY

Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish Day School
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive day
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

NEW YORK

Farash Institute for Jewish Education

Eligibility criteria for first-time* campers

  • Camper must reside in one of the following New York counties: Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Yates, Seneca, Livingston, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans
  • $1800 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

Eligibility criteria for second-time* campers

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $500 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Household gross income under $100,000 a year

 

Jewish Federation of Central New York

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

NORTH CAROLINA
Greensboro Jewish Federation

  • $1,250 grant for campers enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $875 grant for campers enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

OHIO

Jewish Education Center & Jewish Federation of Cleveland

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • Please contact the Federation directly about grants for Jewish day School campers

 

Jewish Federation of Columbus

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

OREGON
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

PENNSYLVANIA

Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Campers enrolled in the following Jewish Days Schools are eligible: Community Day, Hillel and Yeshiva School
  • Campers enrolled in any other Jewish Day School are not eligible

 

RHODE ISLAND
Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive day
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston Jewish Federation

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

TENNESSEE
Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

TEXAS

Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days

 

Jewish Federation of Greater Houston

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

Jewish Federation of San Antonio

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish Day School
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive days

 

VIRGINIA
Tidewater Jewish Foundation

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

WASHINGTON
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle

  • $1000 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if they are the first in the family to attend camp and enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish Day School
  • Siblings of campers who previously received a grant or are receiving the grant this year are eligible to receive $500 when they attend camp for the first time for at least 19 consecutive days

 

WASHINGTON D.C.
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school
  • The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington has a limited list of camps to whom they give grants. Please contact the Federation directly to learn if your camp is eligible.

 

WISCONSIN
Milwaukee Jewish Federation

  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • Do not attend Jewish day school

 

PJ LIBRARY
PJ Goes to Camp

  • Campers are eligible if they are current PJ Library members, PJ Library alumni, or siblings of PJ Library members or alumni.
  • $1000 grant if enrolled for 19+ consecutive days
  • $700 grant if enrolled for 12-18 consecutive days