About the Awards

Young people have the power and passion to create ripples of good and repair the world.

Every year, the Helen Diller Family Foundation awards up to 15 Jewish teens with $36,000 each for their leadership efforts to change the world. From the environment to social justice to access to education and beyond, these young people are tackling big challenges in their communities and having tremendous impact.

Helen Diller Family Foundation

The Helen Diller Family Foundation supports programs and institutions in both the Bay Area and throughout the world, with a focus on education, science, and the arts. The Foundation invests in Jewish teens, creating powerful experiences that strengthen both their Jewish identity and their leadership abilities.

About the Foundation >
Statement of Values

The Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards is a program of the Helen Diller Family Foundation. Jewish values inform the work of the Foundation. In the words of Helen Diller, “It’s never too late, too early, or too often to give back and make the world a better place.”

The Foundation is committed to engendering respect for all humanity and building bridges of understanding between different cultures. We welcome diversity within the Jewish community and embrace its racial, ethnic, and religious differences.

The Foundation denounces any organization or ideology associated with hatred, including but not limited to racism, misogyny, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, antisemitism, and any other form of bigotry or harassment. The Foundation and its grantees support the State of Israel and its right to self-defense and security, while striving for peace and co-existence, and condemn attempts to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist.

Two teenage girls sit in an atrium in front of a large arched window having a conversation and smiling.

Applications are open Applications will open August 2025 Nominations will open August 2025

Apply

Describe your project and its impact.

Apply Now

Nominate

Recommend a Jewish teen who is repairing the world.

Nominate Someone
Key Dates
  • Nomination deadline

    December 20, 2024

  • Application deadline

    January 15, 2025

  • Semifinalists announceed

    March 2025

  • Finalists announced

    April 2025

  • Awardees announcement

    June 2025

Eligibility requirements

Applicants and nominees must be:

  • 13-19 years old by application deadline
  • Identify as Jewish
  • A resident of the United States
  • Volunteering without any compensation
  • Currently serving in a leadership role on one project or initiative that embodies the values of tikkun olam — repairing the world
Project criteria

To qualify, applications should:

  • Focus on a single project or initiative led by the applicant
  • Demonstrate that the applicant has made a significant and impactful contribution in a leadership role, either in initial project creation or over time
  • Show the project’s measurable impact
  • Provide a clear articulation of an issue area, geographic region, and community that the project serves
  • The project can serve the Jewish community or the broader community

Frequently asked questions

More questions?
  • Who is eligible to apply for the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards?

    Applicants must be:

    – 13-19 years old
    – Currently serving in a leadership role on a project/initiative aimed at repairing the world
    – Identify as Jewish
    – Volunteering without any compensation
    – Residents of the United States

    Note: Teens who have created and co-led projects with others are welcome to apply individually for the Tikkun Olam Award. In such cases, each applicant will be considered and evaluated separately, and no more than one applicant per project will be chosen as an award recipient.

    Note: Teens are not eligible for the Award if they have a sibling who has received a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award in the preceding five years.

  • What can Award recipients do with the Award?

    The $36,000 Award may be used to further the recipient’s philanthropic work or for their education. Recipients can speak with philanthropic advisors at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, who will explain their financial options.

  • What kinds of projects/initiatives does Diller look for?

    Projects can have a local, national, or global focus benefiting the Jewish or general community. Applicants can create a new project or contribute to an established initiative if they demonstrate a current, significant leadership role in an existing organization or project. We recommend you view past Award recipients to get an understanding of the types of projects that have been recognized.

Meet some of the Awardees

Bold. Inventive. Optimistic. Extraordinary. These Jewish teen leaders are making their mark in significant ways.

Learn More
Three teens sitting outside working on a project together.

Where is 2019 Awardee Katelyn McInerney Now?

Katelyn McInerney poses with several younger people at Gigi's Playhouse.

Katelyn McInerney was a recipient of the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award in 2019 for her leadership in founding Special Siblings, an initiative that seeks to unite children that have siblings with special needs. Special Siblings offers support groups where siblings come together to discuss a variety of topics while feeling supported, understood, and accepted. Since receiving the Award, Katelyn has expanded Special Siblings and established partnerships to further her organization’s mission.

Some of Katelyn’s major milestones include:

  • 2023: Presented her undergraduate research in Tsukuba, Japan and received two awards for her presentation and community engagement.

  • 2023: Started a PhD program in Biomedical Sciences.

  • 2022: Partnered with Gigi’s Playhouse to combine resources and offer more programs to Special Siblings’ target communities.

“It is never too late, too early, or too often TO GIVE BACK AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE”
Helen Diller