How to apply for a grant

» Click here for the application process

» Click here for the downloadable grant forms

Thank you for considering submitting a proposal to The Jewish Fund. We place a high value on developing and sustaining partnerships with non-profit organizations in our community to enhance the quality of life for residents of metropolitan Detroit.

The Jewish Fund was established in 1997 from the sale proceeds of Sinai Hospital to the Detroit Medical Center. Sinai Hospital was a Jewish community funded facility that grew into one of metropolitan Detroit’s top health care institutions. As a legacy of Sinai Hospital, The Jewish Fund continues the tradition of assuring excellent and compassionate care for those in need in Metropolitan Detroit.

Grantmaking Priorities

The Fund is particularly interested in supporting projects that:

address health care and social welfare needs of vulnerable/at risk populations within the Jewish community
respond to priority capital and equipment needs of DMC/Sinai Hospital
improve the health and well-being of vulnerable/at risk populations in the general community
support inclusion of people with special needs into the general activities of the community
enhance positive relationships between the Jewish community and the Detroit community

Highest priority is given to requests for:

new programs with a defined period that address a critical need
programs and services that impact the lives of residents of the metropolitan Detroit area of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties

We also prefer to support proposals that:

have a defined plan for sustaining the program beyond the grant period
include a financial or in kind contribution from the organization
Involve collaboration with others
Have an outcomes – based evaluation plan
Can be funded and replicated by others

Lowest priority is given to request for:

Grants made directly to individuals
Loans
Grants to support religious activities or sectarian education
Overseas projects
Capital projects or equipment purchases (except equipment at the DMC/Sinai)
Endowments, annual fund drives, fundraising events
Past operating deficits

Eligibility

The Fund will make grants to 501©(3) organizations and other non-profits qualified as tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code.

Applying to The Jewish Fund

We encourage you to call to discuss your proposed program with the executive director before applying for a grant. We want to be sure your organization’s project is a good fit with the mission of the Fund and meet its criteria. Please review the following instructions before you call.

APPLICATION PROCESS

» Click here for the downloadable grant forms

I. LETTER OF INTENT- NEW GRANTS

The first step in the application process is to submit a Letter of Intent. We invite these twice annually, by November 5, 2010 and April 8, 2011.

The Letter of Intent consists of a Letter of Intent Cover Page and an Executive Summary of no more than 2 pages. Forms are available to be downloaded on the website or you may call our office to request forms.

The Executive Summary should include the following information, using these headings:

1. Organization

Briefly describe the organization and its accomplishments. Include the amount of the annual budget, number of employees, volunteers and number of unique individuals served per year. Also, please describe any partnerships that will occur as a part of the proposed project, including an outline of the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

2. Project Description

Purpose and Amount Requested – Define the issue the proposal is addressing in one sentence. State the amount requested and the number of years (see Section V – Grant Term).
Rationale (Need) – Describe the rationale for the proposed project and explain why the program is important to the target population and/or community. Be sure to describe the population to be served and how it is considered to be vulnerable or at-risk. Does the project address a gap in existing community services and unmet needs for the target population? Is this a new or expanded part of your program offering?
Activities – Describe the services and/or activities to be provided. Provide a work plan with a time frame for accomplishing the project’s objectives.
Impact – Does the program address a critical unmet need? Does the project have the potential for long-term impact?
Outcomes and Evaluation – An outcomes based evaluation plan must be provided which specifically addresses the desired benefits to the program participants. What criteria will be used for determining the effectiveness of the proposed project, the anticipated outcome(s) and the overall impact of the proposed project? For assistance with the development of an evaluation plan, please contact us for a consultation at no cost.
Sustainability – While the Fund will support organizations for up to three years, a well-thought out plan for continued funding of the proposed program must be included with the application. Progress reports will be expected to include progress toward achieving sustainability by the grant term’s conclusion.

3. Supporting Materials*

*Not to be counted towards the two page limit

Copy of the organization’s IRS determination letter verifying Section 501 (c)(3) or other qualified tax-exempt status, if applicable.
Complete copy of the most recent audited financial statement.
Most recent organization brochure and/or annual report.
Preliminary budget for the project.
Letters of Intent applications are reviewed by The Jewish Fund staff and Grants Committee in February and June.

Applicants are notified of the Committee’s decision to request a full proposal within 10 days of its meeting.

II. PROPOSAL – NEW GRANTS

A Proposal may be invited based upon your Letter of Intent (see above). The Proposal must not exceed a total of 8 numbered pages, and must follow the format outlined below. Include the grant identification number in the upper right hand corner of every page of your Proposal and on the first page of each Attachment. Some of the requested information duplicates information included in the Letter of Intent, however we are asking for a more detailed description of each proposal area at this time.

1. Organization

2. Project Description

Purpose and Amount Requested – Define the issue the proposal is addressing in one sentence. State the amount requested and the number of years (see Section V – Grant Term).
Rationale (Need) – Describe the rationale for the proposed project and explain why the program is important to the target population and/or community. Be sure to describe the population to be served and how they are considered to be vulnerable or at-risk. Does the project address a gap in existing community services and unmet needs for the target population? Is this a new or expanded part of your program offering?
Activities – Describe the services and/or activities to be provided. Provide a detailed work plan with a time frame for accomplishing the project’s objectives. What are the relevant qualifications and experience of the organization and the project’s principal staff?
Impact – Does the program address a critical unmet need? Does the project have the potential for long-term impact? If relevant, provide evidence that the proposed activities are likely to lead to the desired outcomes. This may include research finding, proven models or a new proposed theory of action to be tested by your program.
Outcomes and Evaluation – An outcomes based evaluation plan must be provided which specifically addresses the desired benefits to the program participants. What criteria will be used for determining the effectiveness of the proposed project, the anticipated outcome(s) and the overall impact of the proposed project? For assistance with the development of an evaluation plan, please contact us for a consultation at no cost. If your evaluation plan was not completely defined at the time of your Letter of Intent, it should be thoroughly developed at this time. Please refer to the Logic Model evaluation method in describing your outcomes (located on our website).
Sustainability – While the Fund will support organizations for up to three years, a well-thought out plan for continued funding of the proposed program must be included with the application. Progress reports will be expected to include progress toward achieving sustainability by the grant term’s conclusion.
If your organization has been a past recipient of grants from The Jewish Fund for a different project, please report on the operational status of that project. Is it still functioning? If not, why not. If so, how are you supporting it?
Supporting Materials (not to be counted towards the two page limit)

Complete copy of the most recent audited financial statement
Most recent organization brochure and/or annual report.
Detailed budget for the project, including the proposed use of Jewish Fund grant funds and any additional support anticipated or secured from other sources. Use the Proposal Budget Form provided. If more than one year of funding is requested, complete the form for each year.
Current list of trustees and/or board members.
Letters of support from those organizations whose cooperation is integral to the success of the project and/or whose testimony supports the project as a sound approach to achieving you’re the project’s outcomes.
Resumes of principal staff for the proposed project, if applicable.

III. MULTI-YEAR GRANTS

If you have been awarded a multi-year grant, you need not submit a full proposal each year. Instead, please submit the Multi Year Grant Cover Page, Proposal Budget Form and a Progress Report that responds to the guideline provided on our website.

A new Letter of Intent is required for continuation grants, beyond a first year cycle. These are due on November 5, 2010 for a May approval date and April 8, 2011 for a November approval date. If you are uncertain of which cycle your grant fits, please contact us.

» Click here for the downloadable grant forms.

IV. GRANT DECISIONS

Numerous factors are taken into consideration when considering the requests submitted to the Fund. The priorities have been described in the application process described earlier. Reviews by staff and the board determine both requests for full proposals and the ultimate decision to award a grant, the funding level and the duration of the grant. Grant decisions are made twice a year, in May and November. Applicants will be notified of the Board’s decision within 10 days of its meeting.

All organizations whose requests have been approved for funding will be required to sign a Grant Agreement Letter notifying The Jewish Fund of their preferred start date and ability to comply with all reporting and operating requirements. Funding levels for approved multi-year grants may be adjusted based upon the projected or actual balance of available funds by The Jewish Fund.

A Progress Report is required for every six-month period covered by the grant, though it may be requested sooner for Multi-Year grants. A Final Report is required shortly after the conclusion of the grant and should share the results of the project and show how that all funds were spent as intended.

» Six-month Progress Report Budget Form [PDF]

» Six-month Progress Report Budget Form [Word]

V. GRANT TERM

The Jewish Fund will fund programs for a limited term. The Fund generally will not support a project for more than 3 years. Multi-year grants are subject to annual review by the Board and are contingent upon satisfactory progress and grant compliance. Projects funded are expected to become self-sustainable following the completion of the grant term and evidence of progress toward this goal must be demonstrated.

Revised October 2009