An Initial Ten Years of Grantmaking: The Life and Legacy of Jim Joseph

As we head into the final months of 2015, the Jim Joseph Foundation prepares to complete its tenth year of grantmaking. During this decade, the Foundation has been fortunate to partner with grantees, an array of talented technical assistance professionals, and like-minded funders. The relationships we have developed made it possible to translate strategic planning in the Board room to on-the-ground initiatives and programs that create and support robust Jewish learning experiences.

We regard ten years of the Foundation’s strategic grantmaking to be a milestone. While the Foundation has drawn little attention to this, earlier this year the Foundation approved preparation of a special package of ten-year anniversary materials to develop and share with the field. I’m honored to unveil those here.

A ten-year retrospective timeline traces the evolution of the Foundation from the death of Jim Joseph, z”l, through the Foundation’s operations today. We have done our best to design this interactive timeline so that its use is engaging, meaningful, and even fun (three traits, incidentally, often found in effective Jewish learning experiences). For those familiar with the Foundation’s philanthropy, you will not be surprised by the major content of the timeline: the work of grantees and their significant projects and outcomes; evaluations from which we have gleaned insights; and the various contributions from thought leaders and experts in the field that have helped to shape our efforts.

The timeline allows one to travel back to 2006 to revisit the important early work done with trusted madrichim. Their valued perspectives informed the Foundation’s formulation of strategic priorities. Moving through the years, the Foundation’s evolution has some defining elements. Many grantees are referenced multiple times at key dates, a sign of the Foundation’s deep relationships with grantees. Successful initiatives are often noted more than once, too, having been adapted by others to further advance Jim Joseph Foundation initiatives. Once the timeline hits the Foundation’s midway point in 2010, third-party evaluations of grants are prevalent, offering rich insights for the field.

In addition to the timeline, I also am excited to share two other materials that help to answer a question I have been asked many times since 2006 (when I began serving as the Foundation’s executive director): “Who was Jim Joseph?” While a brief bio on Jim Joseph is available on the Foundation’s website, in many ways this question remains not fully answered. To this end, the first new item is a short film on Jim’s family history, his professional career, and the legacy he left behind with the Foundation that bears his name. Interviews from his children and business associates offer unique insight into Jim’s values, beliefs, and views on American Jewish life and Israel’s place in it.

The second document of note is a touching memoir written by Jim’s son Joshua, who also is a Foundation Board member. Through interviews with family and Jim’s old friends and associates, Joshua chronicles the family’s history from Eastern Europe to Jim’s life in the U.S. Anyone who has wondered what shaped Jim’s life and drove him to leave such a lasting legacy for the Jewish community should  find both materials informative. They are available on the timeline and our main website (in addition to the links above).

We created this package of ten-year anniversary materials in an effort to tell an interesting story about the Foundation’s first decade. As we close this chapter, we anticipate continued collaboration with philanthropic partners—grantees, funders, and expert consultants alike – in the service of Jewish education and its ongoing improvement.