Foundation News —Chip Edelsberg

Foundation News
—Chip Edelsberg, Executive Director

June 2009

Jim Joseph Foundation Directors devoted a portion of our April Board meeting to another formal review of the Foundation’s implementation of its strategic plan. Directors examined a profile of JJF’s philanthropy (JJF Grant Award Portfolio Analysis) prepared by the Foundation’s professionals. Together, the Board and professionals analyzed the Foundation’s execution of its strategic plan and explored possibilities to re-calibrate what we do.

Having now granted more than $150 million dollars, the Foundation recognizes that it is awarding a greater percentage of funding to “young” adults, ages 22-30, than it had originally predicted. We are likely to continue on this path for the time being, believing that funding over the long term is most likely to enable JJF and its grantees to achieve desired outcomes.

JJF continues to favor awarding grants in the four metropolitan areas where JJF directors reside. However, the Foundation’s prominent support of successful national organizations – Birthright, BBYO, Foundation for Jewish Camp, and Hillel to name a few – means that the original goal of allocating 60% of our annual grant making to the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington DC is not necessarily realistic. Efforts to support these targeted communities will continue, but JJF will aggressively pursue other promising opportunities.

We discovered other interesting, emerging characteristics of our grant making that the Board’s strategic plan implementation sub-committee will monitor throughout the rest of the year. Among the most important of our existing strategies the Board affirmed is continuing its support of both accomplished, well-established institutions of Jewish education as well as newer (often smaller) organizations whose excellent performance meets JJF’s due diligence standards.

At this same April board meeting, Directors approved grants to Mechon Hadar and Moishe House. These are two among a group of grantees with which JJF plans to work closely in assisting them to sustain their innovative work, each offering compelling programming that engage Jewish youth and young adults in substantive Jewish learning.

A clearly-identified strategy that is patiently executed and adjusted as results dictate is at the heart of effective philanthropy. JJF’s commitment to this approach to its grant making is steady, certain, and instrumental to the Foundation’s pursuit of a vibrant contemporary Judaism.

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