Federation Grants Fund Creative Programs for Unique Populations

As part of its responsibilities to Miami’s complex, evolving Jewish community, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation supports a variety of emerging programs that answer new social-service and cultural needs. In fall 2014, Federation’s Planning and Distribution Committee approved 10 grants, ranging from $1,500 to $7,500 each, allocated to address creative approaches to growing community needs. These allocations, known as “Incubator Grants,” are available to organizations and programs that respond to and serve unique populations within the Miami-Dade Jewish community.

Recipient organizations include:

· The Friendship Circle of Miami Beach and North Dade: Its Sunday Circle program pairs special needs youth with teenage volunteers to engage socially, learn social skills and provide parent with respite care.

· The Friendship Circle Miami: Its 17 programs pair special needs youth with teenage volunteers for socialization. Federation’s grant provided funding for the Kulanu Circle Hebrew School for children with special needs.

· Helping Hands Kosher Food Koop: This service offers high-quality, low- cost kosher food to low-income families. Federation’s grant partially funded the purchase of a forklift and refrigerated container needed to move and maintain large quantities of donated food.

· Keshet: This national organization requested support for training and follow-up for Miami Jewish community youth workers, teachers and institution leaders. Its goal is to encourage inclusion and equality of LGBT Jews in local community life.

· K-Space: With a mailing list of 1,800 participants, this North Dade organization offers social and holiday programs to attract young adults' involvement in the local Jewish community.

· Limmud Miami: This local grassroots group is hosting a vibrant day of Jewish learning for 800 people on February 22, 2015.

· NCSY Next Jen Project: This grant will support a leadership program for 50 Jewish teens at local schools under the auspices of the NCSY Southern Region.

· Second Avenue Jewish Chorale: This organization performs high-quality choral concerts throughout the community, promoting awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of Jewish culture and arts.

· The Tribe: A Jewish outreach program that engages 22- to 40-year-olds in a variety of interesting and meaningful Jewish experiences.

· Yachad: This grant will support a Miami-Dade Shabbaton, for Jewish youth with disabilities to engage them in Jewish life.

Federation’s Incubator Grant program is now in its second year and is reviewed by a subcommittee of the Planning and Distribution Committee. Chaired by Elizabeth Schwartz, this subcommittee also includes Julie Russin Bercow, Robin Jacobs, Adam Lustig, Diane Schilit and Gary Yarus. Grant applicants must undergo an application and review process to qualify.

Incubator Grant funds are raised through the Annual Federation/UJA Campaign, which supports a coalition of social-service, education and cultural agencies in Miami, in Israel and in more than 70 other countries around the world.

If you represent an emerging local social-service or cultural organization that would benefit from a Federation Incubator Grant, contact Planning Associate Julia Franks at 786.866.8497 or [email protected] for more information about next year’s application cycle.