NORTHEAST FLORIDA JEWISH LIFE
JEWISH GRANT MAKING COMES ALIVE! •
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By Kellie Smith, Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida
The Jewish Grant Making Fund is not new by any means, but it has been reinvented and reintroduced after four years of dormancy. With money held in an endowed grant making fund of the Jewish Community Foundation and with the support of our newly formed Foundation Advisory Board we were able to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) on July 1. Simultaneously we accepted nominations for individuals to serve on the Grant Review Committee. The RFP was open to all Jewish nonprofit organizations in Northeast Florida and closed July 31. Our first ever Zoom Grant Review was a major success with the support of Sandy Zimmerman serving as our committee’s mentor and facilitator. Sandy has served
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on several boards within our Northeast Florida nonprofit community, including the Jewish Community Foundation. He is also a past president of our Jewish Federation and the current chair of our Investment Oversight Committee. Over the course of a two hour grant review session via Zoom, Sandy helped navigate and engage the new committee in discussion around the intent and purpose of the Jewish Grant Fund, as well as creating thoughtful dialogue around maximizing dollars to create impact and drive change. I am pleased to report that The Jewish Grant Fund is awarding funds to 7 Northeast Florida Jewish Nonprofits. These grants will provide funding for the following initiatives: • Elementary Jewish afterschool programming in St. Johns County public schools through the
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GROW program of Chabad St. Johns. Tradition boxes and Shabbat kits to Jews in need through Jewish Family and Community Services. Innovating the Mitzvah Program at Martin J. Gottlieb Day school to be pandemic friendly and able to do more for those in need throughout Northeast Florida. New Technology for River Garden Senior Services that will help residents engage and feel more connected to the community. Post B’nai Mitzvah Teen Programming geared towards Social Justice and current events through the Temple, Congregation Ahavath Chesed. Supporting professional development and education through the Jewish Community Alliance Educator Support Network for early education teachers to continue their training and better themselves for the entire community.
• Increasing Teen Programming and combatting antisemitism in Public Schools throughout Northeast Florida with Jewish Student Union/JSU. Having been able to witness this incredible night first hand, I am honored to be working in a community with so many incredible Jewish nonprofit organizations and to be a part of awarding programmatic grants to engage and strengthen our Jewish Community. Congratulations to all of our grantees and thank you to the committee for their time and commitment to the process.
Pictured: Sandy Zimmerman, Gigi Ackerman, Rebecca Cooper, Rachel Davis, Sarah Jacobs, Rachel Mizrahi Morgenthal, Steve Neihaus, Emma Pulley, Brandon Sugg, and Kellie Smith. For more information about the Jewish Grant Making Fund, or how you can support local programming contact Kellie Smith by email at kelliek@jewishjacksonville.org or by phone 904512-379�.
