Granting our Future

Recently, YAD Board Members Danna Rubin and Sarah Persitz came up with an interesting idea on how to educate young adults on philanthropy: create a unique event that isn’t focused on collecting money but, rather, on giving it away. On January 28, more than 30 members of the Federation’s Young Adult Division participated in Granting our Future, an occasion where attendees sat at tables of six, wined, dined and made decisions about which Federation grantee would receive $5,000.

"We are providing them with a way to be part of the grant making process; the challenges, stresses, excitements, successes. Through this first-hand experience our goal is for these young adults to walk away empowered and educated in a way they were never before.”

- Danna Rubin, YAD Executive Board member and event co-chair

Providing young adults a glimpse into the fund allocation process

When guests arrived, they were randomly assigned to a table with five other participants. Each table member did an exercise to help identify their individual values and ethics. Words like community, compassion, friends and freedom were proclaimed. Each table then analyzed its results and selected one collective value that best represented all of the members at the table.

Identifying the key value became the driving force for deciding which organization would receive the grant. At the end of the evening, each participant voted to determine the grantee.

UpStart Bay Area, a social venture and innovation consulting firm, was the winner, receiving $5,000 for its operating budget.

Providing meaningful ways to channel young adults on a pathway to deeper philanthropic and leadership involvement

This event was just one example of how innovative community members partner with the Federation to provide different opportunities for participation in the full lifecycle of charitable giving. Our YAD members are not only donors; they are the future grant makers, leaders and philanthropists of our community. That’s why the Federation offers programs that provide a wide variety of educational, leadership, volunteer, and social activities, and which foster meaningful involvement. Through these programs and events, hundreds of inspiring and dynamic individuals have become committed to building a stronger Jewish community in the Bay Area, Israel, and throughout the world.