Atlanta's Jewish Fertility Foundation Receives $3M Grant to Expand IVF Assistance

The funding will help the organization meet surging demand for fertility treatments, especially among LGBTQ+ families.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:06pm

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An extreme close-up X-ray photograph of a human embryo, its delicate structures and internal details glowing with a ghostly, ethereal luminescence against a dark background, conveying the fragility and wonder of new life.A groundbreaking grant will enable the Jewish Fertility Foundation to expand access to vital IVF treatments and surrogacy support for underserved families.Atlanta Today

The Atlanta-based Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF) has received a $3 million grant from the Marcus Foundation, the largest single gift in the fertility treatment funder's history. The funding will primarily go towards employee salaries, benefits, professional development, academic research, and marketing expenses as JFF experiences a sustained spike in demand for its in vitro fertilization grants. The grant also comes as JFF pilots a new program to provide larger grants of $20,000-$25,000 to offset the high costs of gestational surrogacy for LGBTQ+ Jewish families and others who require surrogates to start families.

Why it matters

The Jewish Fertility Foundation plays a crucial role in helping Jewish couples and families access vital fertility treatments. This significant grant from the Marcus Foundation will enable JFF to expand its programs and meet the growing demand for IVF assistance, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals and others facing the high costs of surrogacy.

The details

The $3 million grant from the Marcus Foundation, a longtime donor to JFF, will primarily be used to cover the organization's operational expenses like salaries, benefits, and professional development. The funding also comes as JFF pilots a new program to provide larger grants of $20,000-$25,000 to help LGBTQ+ Jewish families and others offset the substantial costs of gestational surrogacy, which can range from $100,000 to $200,000. JFF has experienced three major spikes in demand for its IVF grants in recent years, which the organization attributes to growing awareness and increased use of assisted reproductive technology.

  • The $3 million grant from the Marcus Foundation is the largest single gift in JFF's history.

The players

Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF)

An Atlanta-based organization that provides grants and support to help Jewish couples and families access in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments.

Marcus Foundation

A philanthropic organization based in Atlanta that has been a consistent and longtime supporter of the Jewish Fertility Foundation.

Elana Frank

The founding CEO of the Jewish Fertility Foundation.

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What they’re saying

“We always have relied on the Marcus Foundation to pay for the less sexy stuff. They've been instrumental in helping to offset the cost of salary and benefits and professional development.”

— Elana Frank, Founding CEO, Jewish Fertility Foundation

“At the end of the day, they want to see more Jewish babies, and so they're helping us with increasing our fertility grant allocations, and other things that we're going to be doing.”

— Elana Frank, Founding CEO, Jewish Fertility Foundation

What’s next

The Jewish Fertility Foundation plans to use the $3 million grant from the Marcus Foundation to expand its programs and meet the growing demand for IVF assistance, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals and others facing the high costs of surrogacy.

The takeaway

This grant will enable the Jewish Fertility Foundation to significantly increase access to vital fertility treatments and surrogacy support for underserved Jewish families and LGBTQ+ individuals, addressing a critical need in the Atlanta community.