WHO WE SUPPORT
Grants
In its mission to support a vibrant Jewish community in the East Bay and overseas, the Federation and The Foundation provide grants, capacity-building support and endowment fund services to programs and organizations.
Applying for a grant from the Federation and Foundation
Each fall, the Federation and Foundation award grants for projects and non-profits serving the East Bay Jewish community in areas such as Jewish education, social services and community outreach. Funding for the process comes from the Federation’s Annual Campaign, the Foundation’s Permanent Community Endowment and restricted funds and from individual Foundation donors who recommend grants through their donor advised funds and supporting foundations.
These grants:
- Provide funding for creative solutions to diverse communal concerns.
- Help respond to the community's urgent and changing needs.
- Provide seed money for innovative one-time projects and start-up endeavors.
- Fund the enhancement and continuation of successful community programs.
- Contribute to the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of Jewish community members.
Members of the Grants Committee (consisting of lay leaders from the Federation and Foundation) review and rate proposals and make recommendations as to which grants should be made. These recommendations are reviewed by the Foundation and Federation Boards at their December meetings. In addition, eligible proposals are presented to the Foundation's donor representatives for funding consideration from supporting family foundations and philanthropic donor advised funds.
To apply:
- Our guidelines: Before applying for grants, please consult our eligibility guidelines to determine the fit between your proposal and our community objectives.
- Contact us: Before filling out a Request for Proposal (RFP), please contact Sean Mandell at 510.318.6405 or sean@jfed org to discuss your proposal.
- Respond to the RFP: After determining the potential for funding, you may respond to our request for proposal (RFP).
- Submissions: Proposals must be sent via email to Sean Mandell at sean@jfed org.
- Formatting: Please submit all required proposal materials in the body of one Word or PDF document attached to an e-mail, including:
- Cover sheet
- Narrative
- Budgets
- Board contact information
In the document header, list the organization and project name on each page. Do not include page numbers.
- Committee review and decisions: The Federation and Foundation Joint Grants Committee meets to discuss grant proposals in late fall. Recommendations are made to the boards of both organizations in December; grant applicants are notified in January.
Long-term Endowment Funds
Community agencies, synagogues and institutions can set up endowment funds to provide a predictable, year-after-year source of future funding.
On their own or in concert with donors, organizations set up endowment funds by making one-time or ongoing gifts to the Foundation. Funds are invested according to policy in order to yield consistent returns over time and are overseen by an experienced investment monitoring committee, supported by a professional investment consultant firm retained by the committee.
Distributions are made available according to a formula designed to ensure fund stability and growth while providing yearly funding for the organization's work.
Capacity Building
In addition, the Foundation can work with your organization to increase its ability to fund operations. We can lend our expertise in fundraising, grant seeking and programming to help your organization make connections in the community to drive shared missions forward.