New Grants from Jim Joseph Foundation Support Wide Range of Jewish Education Organizations and Initiatives

More than $17 million awarded to create more Jewish learning experiences

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The San Francisco-based Jim Joseph Foundation today announced the grant awards from its June 2014 Board meeting, totaling more than $17 million to a variety of Jewish education organizations. The Foundation focuses on creating effective and compelling Jewish learning experiences for youth and young adults (primarily ages 13-30) in the United States.

“These new grants support collaborative and dynamic initiatives designed to educate significant numbers of Jewish youth and young adults,” says Al Levitt, president of the Jim Joseph Foundation. “Particularly with the recent events in Israel, we are steadfast in our determination to create more compelling Jewish learning opportunities and to pursue the vision of vibrant Jewish life. We are fortunate to work closely with grantees that share these goals and are deeply committed to their work.”

Two of the grants—one to Rose Community Foundation and one to UJA-Federation of New York—were awarded for the Jim Joseph Foundation’s Community-Based Jewish Teen Education Initiative. Grants to Hillel, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies for the Pardes Center for Jewish Education, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco for the Jewish Resource Specialist Program, and Harold Grinspoon Foundation for the PJ Library Alliance all represent support to organizations that have achieved positive outcomes in initiatives previously funded by the Foundation.

Adds Levitt, “In cases where it is possible, we always rely on independent evaluators to assess an initiative. Many of these new grants are based on previous key learnings or build on organizations’ past achievements in Jewish education.”

Major Grants from June 2014 Board Meeting

Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life (2014-2015)
Up to $2,000,000 to expand effective campus-based Jewish student engagement and experiential Jewish learning. This includes the development of a comprehensive business plan and efforts that are part of Hillel’s three pillars for future growth of the organization—Excellence on Campus: Supporting and Measuring Quality; Excellence in Recruiting and Developing Talent; and Excellence in Resource Development.

Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies North America Inc. (2014-2018)
Up to $3,700,000 for 1) the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators (PCJE) for program and operating costs associated with three resource development personnel, and for 2) the Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project (PEASP), which provides graduates with induction support, professional development and leadership opportunities, access to critical knowledge, and opportunities to network with colleagues. Funds from this grant in years three and four totaling up to $1,823,000 will serve as a 1-to-1 match to funds raised by Pardes for PCJE.

Rose Community Foundation (2014-2018)
Up to $2,256,015 for a 1:1 match for funds raised for support of a multi-faceted Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Initiative designed to increase the number and diversity of Jewish teens aged 13-18 in Greater Denver participating in Jewish education and engagement experiences. The collaborative initiative also is designed to deepen the quality and diversity of teen Jewish experiences.

UJA-Federation of New York (2014-2018)
Up to $4,403,119 to support a new community-based Jewish teen education initiative designed to increase the number of Jewish high school-aged teens from the New York area participating in meaningful, immersive, Jewish learning experiences during the summer months. The Jewish summer experiences will include a year-round follow-up plan for engaging teen participants. This grant will serve as a 1-to-1 match to funds raised by UJA Federation before and during the grant period.

Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties (2014-2017)
Up to $1,754,044 to expand the Jewish Resource Specialist (JRS) Program of the Jewish Community Federation’s Early Childhood Education Initiative (ECEI) to a second cohort of up to ten Jewish preschools in the Bay Area, and for documentation of the JRS.

Harold Grinspoon Foundation (2014-2019)
Up to $2,500,000 to support the content and engagement component of the PJ Library Alliance, a funder partnership created to expand the reach and impact of PJ Library in North America over the next five years.

Expedited Grants from June 2014 Board Meeting

Keshet (2014-2016)
Up to $250,000 to expand the Keshet Leadership Project to New York and Los Angeles. The project gathers, trains, provides resources for, and supports Jewish institution to become more inclusive of LGBT individuals and families.

National Ramah Commission, Inc. (2014-2016)
Up to $222,000 to support a cooperative venture between the National Ramah Commission and Young Judaea to establish a series of Young Adult Jewish Learning Hubs for camp alumni in four communities across the United States.

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