Maya Natan Advocates Strategic Philanthropy to Strengthen Israel's Social Sector
Maya Natan, CEO and co-founder of Keshet Foundation, outlined a new approach to philanthropy management in Israel during her appearance on the Re:Israel podcast by Reichman University and Calcalist. Speaking with Dr. Yossi Ma'aravi and computer science student Amir Sherem, Natan emphasized the necessity for Israel's social sector to adopt advanced financial, business, and strategic tools. She argued this integration is essential not to diminish social impact but to significantly enhance the sector's capacity to do good.
Natan, a leading figure in strategic philanthropy and social capital management in Israel, has worked for two decades connecting donors, foundations, wealthy families, and nonprofits. She founded the Israeli branch of the Jewish Funders Network and currently leads Keshet Foundation, Israel's first donor-advised fund (DAF). She challenged the misconception that "doing good" and "business" are opposing fields, stating that understanding cash flow, taxation, investments, long-term planning, and impact measurement is crucial for real influence.
Highlighting the fragility of Israel's social sector, Natan noted its heavy reliance on government budgets, which are often unstable due to political and administrative delays. This financial vulnerability affects nonprofits providing essential services in welfare, education, mental health, rehabilitation, foster care, and emergency support. Meanwhile, Israel's private wealth, especially from high-tech and finance, has grown substantially, but local philanthropy has not kept pace, often remaining reactive and one-off rather than strategic and sustained.
Keshet Foundation's innovative solution is to separate the moment of donation from the decision on fund allocation. Through the DAF model, donors can allocate assets to a philanthropic account, receive immediate tax benefits, and then decide over time how to distribute funds after assessing needs and impact. This approach transforms philanthropy from reactive giving into managed social capital, allowing investments to grow resources and enabling donations of complex assets like stocks, options, real estate, and art.
Since its 2020 inception, Keshet manages philanthropic accounts for about 200 families, mostly Israeli, with approximately 1.5 billion shekels deposited and 900 million shekels already distributed to nonprofits. Natan stressed that this strategic giving mindset is accessible not only to the wealthy but also to families donating modest amounts who can plan and commit long-term. She also urged nonprofits to adopt professional financial management and transparency to survive and thrive.
Ending on an optimistic note, Natan expressed hope inspired by her daily interactions with donors, social entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and youth, affirming Israel's unique potential to improve society through belief and action.
