over the past year to create a process that better serves both our Jewish and general communities,” says JCF CEO Tracy Salkowitz. “Together we were able to simplify two complicated grant cycles into one streamlined effort, resulting in a greater impact for our community.” “This Federation and Foundation grants alignment is a wise use of resources, and we’re pleased with the results,” says JFSA President and CEO Stuart Mellan. “We are better serving our community, and the result is much more strategic funding.” The Community Impact Grants program unites JCF’s annual competitive grants program and JFSA’s Compelling Needs and Senior & Disabled Task Force funding programs. jcftucson.org and jewishtucson.org
VALLEY
Jewish Community Foundation
In May, the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix awarded $259,591 in grants to benefit the Jewish community locally and in Israel, through the Fund for Jewish Philanthropy, Jewish Women’s Endowment Fund, field of interest funds and a grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for its Economic Crisis Response program. This year’s committee noted the importance of supporting local programs and voted to direct a minimum of 65% toward local requests. The Fund for Jewish Philanthropy enables the Jewish Community Foundation to support new programs designed to address unmet needs in the Jewish community or that offer a unique approach to enhancing the Jewish community, or capacity-building programs for local Jewish communal organizations. The Foundation defines capacity building as “improving the overall performance, effectiveness and financial stability of an organization,” according to Robert Roos, Grants Committee chair. Among the local community organizations receiving grants are the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, East Valley JCC, the Phoenix Holocaust Survivors, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Hillel and Jewish Free Loan. Pardes Jewish Day School and the Phoenix Hebrew Academy received a joint grant to provide self-contained and inclusion-model special education services in both general and Judaic classes. One of the larger grants went to Valley Beit Midrash to establish a Jewish Leadership Corps. Money to Israel will assist education and social services programs there. In response to the Gaza crisis in July, the JCF awarded an additional $21,600 directly to Israel for emergency purposes to the Stop the Sirens campaign and to the Jewish National Fund. The largest discretionary reserve fund grant was given to Limmud, a gathering of Jews from all walks of life, offering a full schedule of workshops, discussions, arts, music and text study sessions. The Women’s Jewish Learning Center is the fiscal sponsor for the program, which is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. jcfphoenix.org
Valley Beit Midrash
The second group of Start Me Up! grant recipients was named in May. These entrepreneurial individuals were granted seed money to help improve the Jewish community in creative and unique ways. Last year’s Start Me Up! projects included The Blooming Plate, Desert Gathering Jewish Music Fest, Jewish Legal Aid, Leadership Adventure Program and the online Learning Shuk. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, executive director of VBM, is enthusiastic about the coming year. "Our new cohort of Start Me Up! fellows is full of diverse talent, passionate commitment, broad vision and powerful leadership. Together, we will dream about our
Jewish future and put down sustainable roots to turn our ideals into transformative effective realities." This second cohort of Start Me Up! fellows includes Iris Feinstein, Daniil Gunitskiy, Jeremiah Kaplan, Nicki Kaplan, Ari Mandel and Lana Monashkin, Erin Searle, Talyah Sands, Avi Wolf and Rebecca Wolf. Beginning this fall, the two-year program will include a mentorship program as well as training in management, social entrepreneurship and adaptive leadership. Utilizing the JCF Grant, VBM has recently announced its first Jewish Leadership Corps. Rabbi Shmuly explains: “We chose the best Jewish leaders in their 20’s that we could find in the city. They have to be committed to an immersive learning experience and to serving in the Jewish community in community leadership roles.” Nine enthusiastic young Jewish individuals were selected to participate in this inaugural year: Shauna Stein, a law student at Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University; Gabrielle Rozio, a University of Arizona grad beginning her graduate studies at ASU; AJ Frost, a graduate of ASU and Columbia University; Allison Gusdorff, a graduate from the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU; Chelsey Keller, who has a degree from ASU in Tourism; Joel Taubman, a new Valley resident who graduated from the University of Virginia; Joelle Fox, who recently received her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine; Blaine Light, a graduate from the U of A College of Engineering; and Zack Jaburg, an ASU student with four years of military experience. valleybeitmidrash.org
GRANTS STILL AVAILABLE Young Jewish Funders
The mission of Young Jewish Funders of Arizona is to identify and support initiatives that strengthen the metro Phoenix Jewish community. The group is dedicated to leveraging their shared resources to build a better and more engaging Jewish community in the Valley of the Sun. The group will be awarding five to seven grants totaling approximately $100,000 this year. The Young Jewish Funders of AZ will consider projects that: • Are impactful, community-building events • Engage those who are not yet connected with the Jewish community • Address acute needs of people in our local community. To be considered: • Projects must be scheduled to take place during the 2015 calendar year • The online application must be completed by Sept. 19. Please note, YJFAZ is open to new projects that do not yet have 501(c)3 status. If the project is selected as a finalist, YJFAZ will work with you to try to find a partnering organization or another solution. Finalists will be notified by the week of Oct. 6 and will be required to meet with the group on the evening of Oct. 28. Grantees will be notified by Nov. 15. The application deadline is Sept. 19, 2014. Applications are available at: jfunders.wufoo.com/forms/young-jewish-funders-of-arizona-grantapplication For questions, contact YJFAZ@jfunders.org.
ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE | SEPTEMBER 2014 43