The question I am asked most frequently these days is “how does my organization go about being invited to apply for a Jim Joseph Foundation grant?” It’s a fair question, to be sure.

Here’s how we operate at the Foundation to ensure we do the best job possible of inviting grantees to work with us in crafting promising proposals.

First of all, we critically view the Foundation’s philanthropy through various value screens, the most important of which are the Foundation’s mission, vision, and its strategic goals. We also consistently apply a set of grant screening criteria to any prospective grantee:

- Demonstrated need in the target population

- Financial feasibility

- Potential for funding partners

- Strength of professional and lay leadership

- Evaluation that will yield useful information on the initiative’s implementation and impact

- Degree of innovation

- Opportunities for leveraging impact of the grant, such as indicators that the initiative can be adapted or replicated in other communities

- Plan for sustainability.

Additionally, the Foundation’s perspective on best-possible grant opportunities is shaped by the considerable investment the Foundation has made in studying the field. The layered prism through which we filter grant opportunities includes the Brandeis University research commissioned by the Foundation; the ten papers prepared for the Foundation by distinguished madrichim; and extensive ongoing scanning the Foundation’s professionals conduct of educational programming for Jewish children, youth and young adults.

Finally, we actively consult key informants in the field - including foundation professionals, Jewish education/studies scholars, leaders in the denominational movements, organizational CEO’s, prominent practitioners, and the like – to animate our thinking.

The flow of information into the Foundation is extraordinary. We rely on the Foundation’s six Directors and its professionals to identify potential grants, working very closely with one another. All ideas which pass initial scrutiny are then eligible for a proposal development process that proceeds through a structured four stage process.

We work in partnership with potential major grantees. Initiatives are developed cooperatively. The Foundation takes a common sense, disciplined approach in calculating if an initiative it is contemplating possesses potential for achieving specific results and advancing the Foundation’s mission. We carefully and as precisely as possible define the challenge and presenting funding opportunity. We want to know what we are trying to change or improve; why the targeted improvement is necessary; how the grantee plans to accomplish desired outcomes; what success will look like; and if the potential impact merits the philanthropic resources required to fund it.

The Jim Joseph Foundation approach to its grant making is invitational, transparent and disciplined. While the Foundation is new, we believe this structure will serve us – and the field of education of Jewish youth- well.