Join The Miriam Fund

TMF is a volunteer-led philanthropic community of more than 120 members. We are committed to creating an equitable world that expands opportunities for women and girls. Through strategic grantmaking, TMF aims to inspire and strengthen women and girls within and beyond our Jewish community and, in the process, encourage its members to be advocates, leaders, and agents of change.

TMF is a volunteer-led community of strategic philanthropists. Members each donate an annual gift to fund TMF grant work. A minimum annual gift of $2,500 or more is required to sustain TMF membership. TMF offers a reduced minimum entry rate of $1,250 for new members in their first year. Many of our members are pleased to contribute amounts that exceed the annual requirement.

Funds are invested through JCEP (Jewish Community Endowment Pool) in a quasi-endowment fund. These gifts are recognized as tax-deductible donations, and the monies are then distributed to organizations through TMF’s annual grantmaking process.

The Miriam Fund also accepts gifts of stock and is eligible to accept corporate matching gifts for amounts that exceed a member’s minimum gift commitment.

The time commitment varies depending on how involved you would like to be! The heart of the work centers on our robust, volunteer-led annual grantmaking process. Members can serve on any of our three grant subcommittees (Jewish, Secular, and Israel). In addition to training opportunities, each subcommittee holds two meetings (two hours each) to discuss, evaluate, and vote on proposals. To prepare for these meetings, members read and analyze the grant applications independently.

TMF also offers many other committee leadership positions in membership, program and advocacy, and nominations, as well as opportunities to learn and connect socially with other members and the community.

No, though you likely will need to live in or visit the Boston area to participate on the grant subcommittees and other events and activities. The grant subcommittees typically meet one to two times, in person or over Zoom, depending on the subcommittee, in February and March/April. All committee meetings include a hybrid virtual participation option, though we greatly encourage in-person participation.

Gifts to TMF are donations to Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Inc. (CJP), a public charity in good standing with the IRS. Your donation may be treated as a tax-deductible contribution; please consult your own tax advisor for more information.

Yes! Corporate matching gifts may be made for amounts exceeding a member’s minimum required gift. Please send an email request to Beth Tauro, Director of The Miriam Fund, at betht@cjp.org.

TMF operates on an annual membership basis, following CJP’s fiscal year of July 1 to June 30. Members are strongly encouraged to pay membership dues in the fall/early winter to align with our grantmaking calendar, though membership dues are accepted at any time during the year. We aim to receive all gifts by March 1 each fiscal year.

The Miriam Fund has a robust, volunteer-led annual grantmaking process. Members can volunteer to serve on any of our three grant subcommittees (Jewish, Secular, and Israel). In addition to optional training opportunities, each subcommittee holds two meetings to discuss, evaluate, and vote on proposals.

From the moment you donate to TMF, you are a member of our grantmaking community and welcome to participate in all events, join a committee, review grants, and more. We send monthly newsletters with updates to our members. You get to decide how involved you want to be! Opportunities include:

• Attend any of our social or educational events

• Volunteer as a grant reader

• Serve in a short-term or long-term leadership position

• Meet our grantees

• Act as a mentor to a new member

• And more!

Yes, you can support our work by donating any amount you choose. Non-member donors do not serve on committees or in leadership positions, nor do they vote. Gifts are recognized as tax-deductible donations, and the monies are then distributed to organizations through TMF’s annual grantmaking process. The Miriam Fund also accepts gifts of stock and is eligible to accept corporate matching gifts for amounts that exceed a member’s minimum gift commitment.

Yes. If you would like further information on using stock to cover membership gifts or a donation to The Miriam Fund, please send an email request to Beth Tauro, Director of The Miriam Fund, at betht@cjp.org.

The work and activities of TMF are based around its strategic grantmaking model. The heart of the work is the grantmaking process. TMF events, volunteer activities, and other opportunities embrace our grantees and issues impacting women and girls.

CJP’s Women’s Philanthropy (WP) does not have a grantmaking component. WP aims to deepen relationships with women, grow philanthropy, and develop and support women leaders in the Boston Jewish community and at CJP. WP helps build connections through curated experiences, relationships and learning cohorts, and making meaningful gifts to show their strength as women.

Through a women and girls gender lens, this program seeks to empower and educate women ages 25–35 with exposure to strategic grantmaking, intergenerational connections, and philanthropy.

Participation in the Cohort provides:

• The opportunity to make an impact through grantmaking with a gender lens

• Access to intergenerational connections and networking experience, including a mentor/mentee program

• Full membership rights/responsibilities in TMF, including the opportunity to read grant applications, vote on applications, and decide funding amounts

• The ability to meet and learn about grantee partners

• Educational opportunities about pressing issues related to women and girls, different communities, best practices in grantmaking, and trends in philanthropy

The following outlines the FY27 Cohort expression of interest process:

• The annual process to solicit expressions of interest will open April 13, 2026 (please contact Beth Tauro, Director of The Miriam Fund, at betht@cjp.org for updated details)

• Expressions of interest are due by May 15, 2026

• Decisions will be finalized by early June 2026

• Candidates will have a conversation with a TMF member prior to finalizing their expression of interest

Up to six women will be welcomed to participate in the Cohort. If more than six eligible expressions of interest are received and approved, the six spaces will be filled by lottery and remaining candidates will be put on a waitlist for the following year.

Participation in the Cohort includes:

• Cohort members will agree to a two-year-long commitment with a requirement to pay $180 in dues toward the fund each year

• Attendance at the opening and closing events is highly recommended, as is participating in a site visit

• Each Cohort member is expected to read Letters of Intent and grants, attend both grant subcommittee meetings and both training sessions (grant reader review and financial training), unless providing advance notice that an accommodation is needed