A fund with no 990, no public donors gave $2M+ to JVP, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Bend the Arc, NIF, and IfNotNow via the Proteus Fund.
A fund with no standalone tax filing, no public donor list, and no media scrutiny has distributed more than $2 million since 2020 to Jewish Voice for Peace, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, IfNotNow, Bend the Arc, the New Israel Fund, Never Again Action, and Rabbis for Ceasefire.
It is called the Jewish Liberation Fund. It operates inside the Proteus Fund — a $67 million progressive infrastructure organization based in Amherst, Massachusetts. No outlet has investigated its grantee list. This is the first report.
Jewish Liberation Fund: Founded to Bypass Mainstream Jewish Funders Who Refuse to Fund BDS
The Jewish Liberation Fund launched publicly in November 2020. Director Joanna Ware — a former Keshet program team member based in Boston — runs operations. Five million dollars pledged over the first decade.
JLF states its purpose explicitly. From its Vision page: "Across the American Jewish philanthropic landscape, within Federations and many family and community foundations, the norm of instituting policies that require organizations to adhere to a Zionist political framework that totally rebuffs the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement has widespread silencing, alienating, and divisive effects."
The Proteus Fund's 2022 report confirms: "JLF practices participatory grantmaking and does not impose limitations on grantees around Anti-Zionism or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) support."
The Jewish Liberation Fund exists to fund organizations that mainstream Jewish funders will not fund because those organizations support BDS or oppose Zionism.
Jewish Liberation Fund 2025 Grantees: JVP, Anti-Zionist Network, IfNotNow, Bend the Arc, NIF
In 2025, JLF distributed over $600,000 to nearly 60 organizations — its largest year. The grantee list, published on JLF's website, includes:
"Peace, Safety, and Dignity in Israel/Palestine":
A Jewish Voice for Peace — the leading BDS organization in American Jewish life. JVP's strategy is to create "a wedge" within the American Jewish community to eliminate U.S. aid to Israel. Columbia University suspended JVP in November 2023. The ADL reports the Proteus Fund gave JVP $12,500 in 2022.
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network — anti-Zionist by name and mission.
If Not Now Education Fund
Rabbis for Ceasefire
Center for Jewish Nonviolence · Academics4Peace · Halachic Left
"Fighting Antisemitism":
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action — the largest progressive Jewish advocacy organization in the U.S. Chaired by Alex Soros. Endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. Funded by Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation ($1.2 million). JLF categorizes Bend the Arc under "Fighting Antisemitism."
"Leadership Development":
New Israel Fund / Shatil Social Justice Fellowship — NIF is under formal congressional investigation by the House Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. Chairman Jim Jordan: "The law is the law. You're not supposed to be using this for electioneering activity. It looks like they were."
"Issue-Based Organizing":
Never Again Action — blocked ICE detention facilities.
"Local Grassroots Organizing":
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ)
How the Proteus Fund Pass-Through Hides Donor Identities
JLF has no EIN, no bank account, no independent legal existence. It operates as a "fiscally sponsored project" of the Proteus Fund (EIN: 04-3243004).
Donors give to Proteus. Proteus holds the money. JLF's steering committee picks the grantees. Proteus cuts the checks. The grants appear on Proteus's 990 — buried inside $50.9 million in aggregate expenses. No line item identifies "Jewish Liberation Fund." No filing reveals which donors designated their contributions to JLF.
The fiscal sponsorship structure lets donors fund JVP, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, and BDS-permissive organizations without their names appearing on any tax filing connected to those grants.
Proteus Fund 2024 financials: $43.2 million revenue. $50.9 million expenses. $67.1 million total assets.
Proteus Fund's Other Programs: RISE Together and the $50 Million BAMEMSA Campaign
JLF is one of several programs inside Proteus. The others include:
RISE Together Fund — the only national donor collaborative for Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities. Received $6 million from MacKenzie Scott. Ford Foundation also funds it. Goal: $50 million over five years. In September 2024, launched "In Our Name" — a campaign to "raise and distribute resources to support efforts that will positively impact Palestinian leaders and communities in the U.S. and abroad."
Solidaire Network — directs funds to radical activist groups. Solidarity Collaborative — launched 2024. Rights, Faith & Democracy Collaborative.
One organization. One tax umbrella. A Jewish fund distributing money to anti-Zionist groups. A BAMEMSA fund raising $50 million for Palestinian organizing. No separate disclosure for either.
Jewish Liberation Fund Grantmaking by Year: $100K to $600K in Five Years
2020: $100,000 to 4 grantees. 2021: Additional $100,000. 2022: $550,000 to 39 grantees. 2025: $600,000+ to nearly 60 organizations. Lifetime: ~$2 million. Pledged: $5 million over the first decade. Grant range: $10,000–$25,000.
Jewish Liberation Fund Leadership and Anonymous Donors
Director: Joanna Ware. Former Keshet staff. Antioch College. Harvard Kennedy School certificate. Boston.
Steering Committee: Composed entirely of Jews of Color, Sephardi, and/or Mizrahi leaders who make funding recommendations.
Donors: Anonymous. No public list. JLF's "Donor Covenant" states: "The size of your check does not dictate the depth of respect or quantity of time to which you are entitled."
Five Years of Funding Anti-Zionist Organizations — and Nobody Reported It
The Jewish Liberation Fund has been funding Jewish Voice for Peace, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, IfNotNow, Bend the Arc, and the New Israel Fund since 2020. The grantee list has been published on their website every year. It has never been investigated.
The fund explicitly exists to route money past the policies of mainstream Jewish institutions — Federations, family foundations, community foundations — that refuse to fund BDS-supporting organizations. It operates with no independent tax filing and no donor disclosure, inside a $67 million progressive infrastructure organization that simultaneously runs a $50 million campaign for Palestinian communities.
The donors are anonymous. The grants are buried. The grantees are public.
Somebody should have looked.
Sources
Jewish Liberation Fund: 2025 Grantee Partners · JLF Vision · JLF Launch Press Release (November 2020) · Proteus Fund 2022 JLF Spotlight · ADL: "Who Is Funding U.S. Anti-Israel Groups?" · Inside Philanthropy: Proteus Fund · InfluenceWatch: Proteus Fund · Proteus Fund: RISE Together · Proteus Fund: "In Our Name" Palestinian campaign · House Judiciary and Ways and Means committees letter to NIF, July 9, 2026 (JNS)
Ronn Torossian is the founder and chairman of 5W AI Communications, the AI Communications Firm. He is the publisher of Everything-PR and the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release.