SF-based Jewish Community Federation Partners with the Schusterman Philanthropic Network to Provide Micro-Grants within Jewish Community

San Francisco, CA – Today, the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties (the Federation) announced that it will join as a community partner in the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Philanthropic Network’s (Schusterman) #MakeItHappen Micro-Grants Initiative – Schusterman’s global call-to-action for Jewish individuals to submit inspiring ideas for creating Jewish experiences in their communities.  Schusterman will select up to 50 ideas from around the world for micro-grants of up to $1,000 each, with five ideas receiving up to $5,000.  Submissions will be accepted between October 21 and December 6, 2013.  The initiative is designed to activate ideas from individuals, not solicit requests from organizations for operating or programmatic budgets.
 
As Schusterman’s Bay Area community partner, the Federation will provide 10 additional micro-grants to individuals within the Bay Area.
 
“The goal of these micro-grants is to provide support for emerging leaders, thinkers, and visionaries who seek to contribute to our local Jewish community,” said Jennifer Gorovitz, CEO of the Federation. “This model is designed to create a foot in the door of involvement and opportunity.  I am very thankful to the Schusterman Network for leading this charge, and I look forward to putting a Bay Area stamp on this great effort.”
 
This campaign is a means of promoting and supporting a new generation of Jewish leadership, especially those who may have otherwise received no assistance from the philanthropic community.  Selected projects will identify creative means of engaging, serving, and leading local Jewish communities – from hackathons to meetups, Shabbat dinners to service projects.
 
More on Schusterman’s process and guidelines:
 
Submit it!  For a limited time, individuals 18 years of age and older can upload their inspiring ideas for a project, event or program that will make a difference in their communities and engage their peers in a meaningful Jewish experience.  Terms and Restrictions apply.
 
Share it!  Eligible ideas will be posted on the #MakeItHappen website where they can be shared with friends, fans and followers on Facebook, Twitter and anywhere else people like to convene and converse.  Visitors to the site can search ideas by topic and location, “Like” their favorites and even contact the creators directly to assist them in making those ideas happen.
 
#MakeItHappen!  Schusterman will announce several recipients per week between October and December 2013.  Schusterman will also share additional opportunities for all people who submit ideas to help #MakeItHappen in their communities.
 
A few key details to keep in mind:

• A central part of the experience must have a specific nexus with Jewish life, whether it is cultural, educational, spiritual or social.
• Organizations cannot submit projects nor receive a micro-grant.  They have to be submitted by an individual who is personally going to take the lead on making it happen.
• Micro-grants are not intended to be small “operating grants” for existing projects.  They are intended to support “experience grants” that enable specific programs/events that would not have occurred otherwise.

More info:

• #MakeItHappen website: http://makeithappen.schusterman.org
• #MakeItHappen Digital toolkit: http://makeithappen.schusterman.org/resource
• About #MakeItHappen: http://makeithappen.schusterman.org/about_us
• #MakeItHappen Terms and Restrictions: http://makeithappen.schusterman.org/terms

For any questions on Bay Area grants, contact David Katznelson, the Federation’s Director of Strategic Change, at DavidK@sfjcf.org or 415.512.6233.

 
The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund connects people of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives to the power of the Jewish community to improve the world. We partner with donors, organizations, and foundations to address pressing issues facing our community, and develop innovative strategies that result in deep and lasting impact locally, in Israel, and around the world. Find out more at www.jewishfed.org.