New Initiative Seed Money for Adult Learning & Experiences

Request for Proposals

The Jewish Life & Learning Commission of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh seeks to fund new initiatives that help advance our goal of maximizing the number of Jewish Pittsburghers engaged in meaningful Jewish learning and experiences.

Applicants can apply for up to $3,000 per project per fiscal year. Applications for repeat funding will be entertained. Funds are awarded twice per year: January 2023 and April 2023, for programs that will take place prior to September 29th, 2023.

Eligible new initiatives must:  

• Provide direct learning or experience to adults in the Pittsburgh Jewish community* (i.e., not a consultant or professional development)  
• Be backed by a tax-exempt organization (i.e., 501c3) status, or in partnership with such an organization (projects created by individuals who have a pass-through funding relationship with a tax-exempt organization are permitted)  

The Commission is especially open to new initiatives that:  

• Have not been done before in Pittsburgh  
• Bring together Jews from various affiliations and communities  
• Serve a community that is currently under-served by existing institutions  
• Demonstrate potential to grow into an ongoing and meaningful program  
• Are created and owned by more than one person or organization, or are grassroots  

Previously funded projects include:  

• Tzohar Seminary Women's Project  
• 10.27 Healing Partnership/JCC: A Shavuot Exploration
• Congregation Emanu-El Israel Greensburg: Talmud for Today 
• ShpielBurgh: “Hadassah” Purim Shpiel  

Grantees are asked to provide name recognition of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh on all marketing materials.   

Application Deadlines 

• Cycle 1 – Open: November 1, 2022; Close: January 16, 2023
• Cycle 2 - Open: February 6, 2023; Close: April 18, 2023

How to Apply

Step 1: Start your application on our grant making portal.  

1. Create an applicant profile and invite collaborators to do the same. Also, if applicable, have your Executive Director create their own profiles so that they can e-sign the grant agreement later in the process, if your application is awarded.  
2. Take the eligibility quiz and select the “Jewish Life and Learning New Initiatives Micro-Grants”. Please follow these steps to access the eligibility quiz.  
   1. Click on the triangle next to your name in the top right corner and select "My Account." On the left side under Account Settings select "Eligibility." Then click the green box that says, “Update your eligibility profile.”
   2. Select “Jewish Life and Learning New Initiatives Micro-Grants” and then click "Next".
   3. Enter the access code “JLL2023”, then click “Next”. In the box that says “Jewish Life and Learning New Initiatives Micro-Grants,” click the green box that says "More," followed by "Apply."
   4. To invite your Executive Director to create their own profile, click the gray “Add collaborator” box. Enter the email address of the collaborator you would like to invite in the text box provided. Make sure that the “type of access” is set to “View and Edit”. Then click the green box that says, “Send Invite”.

Step 2: Complete Application, which will include:

• Goals of the new initiative
• Target Audience
• How the new initiative would be implemented
• How achievement of goals will be measured
• Leadership of the new initiative
• If your new initiative does not receive the full amount of funding requested, will you be able to conduct it?

Applicants should also upload a budget, including:

• Total cost of the new initiative
• Other organizations or corporations that have committed funding for this project, if any
• Participant fees, if any

Step 3: You will have the option to upload supplementary materials if you wish, such as:

• Implementation timeline
• Letters of support