Who We Are

We Are Women – Daughters. Members of our Jewish community who believe that every woman and girl can find the strength and inspiration needed to reach her full potential.

We Are Philanthropists – Investors in brighter futures. Funders of grants that turn the greatest challenges into even greater possibilities.

We Are Grantmakers – Balanced decision makers. Diverse peers united by purpose, given equal voices on a complex range of issues.

We Are Advocates – Educators. Leaders who address critical needs in our community and champion change.

The Miriam Fund Grant Cycle

The Miriam Fund supports programs in the areas of economic advancement, education, health, advocacy, the arts, girls’ healthy development, and safety from violence. Projects are funded for the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30. The Fund does not support capital projects or scholarships, or make grants to individuals.

The Fund welcomes applications for new and ongoing results-oriented programs and supports efforts that benefit:

  • Jewish women and girls in the local, Jewish community
  • Women and girls in the local, general community
  • Women and girls in Israel, specifically programs that serve the Greater Haifa community or  have a documented history of funding from other North American organizations


Interested organizations should send letters of intent, which must be received by late October (specific deadline dates vary by year). Each organization submitting a letter of intent will be notified in early December whether it will be asked to submit a full proposal. Organizations invited to submit proposals will receive complete instructions for doing so. A site visit or telephone interview by members of The Fund will be a component of the final application process. The deadline for submitting full proposals is in February, and The Fund will notify all applicants of its decisions by mid-April.

Gitta and Saul Kurlat Fund for STEM Education

Born in Israel, convent-educated in Lebanon, and a graduate of Boston University Law School and its School of Management, Gitta Kurlat had a distinguished career.  She was the first woman partner at Rubin and Rudman where she specialized in business law, she was among the earliest members of The Miriam Fund (formerly known as The Boston Jewish Community Women’s Fund), and she mentored many women in and out of the legal profession.

Gitta was married for 59 years to Saul Kurlat, a pioneering engineer and the founding President of Eikonix Corporation. Gitta and Saul recognized that young women needed encouragement to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To address that need and to honor Gitta’s memory, Saul has created the Gitta and Saul Kurlat Fund for STEM Education at The Miriam Fund.

The Chairs’ Fund

David Epstein designed The Chairs’ Fund to honor his wife, Betsy. When Betsy co-chaired The Miriam Fund, he often heard her wondering aloud how to help organizations, including The Miriam Fund, support smaller initiatives to boost their capacity.

The Chairs’ Fund has an initial amount of $25,000. The hope is that this number will increase over time as others contribute to it. The three co-chairs, in consultation and collaboration with the director of The Miriam Fund, will use this money in ways that they judge to be appropriate. There will be a $5,000 limit to all grants that they consider.