By Nancy B. Greer
President & CEO
When I see the creativity with which our peer Jewish organizations open doors to experiencing the diverse beauty of Jewish life, I am heartened that our community has a vibrant future to look forward to.
Keeping that creative energy flowing is why your Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle awards Ignition Grants of up to $7,500 every year to new, one-time, and pilot projects. It all stems from Hitlamdut and (“openness to learn”) and Kehilla/Areivut (“community/mutual responsibility”), two of the timeless Jewish values that guide our work.
Applications for Fiscal Year 2022 Ignition Grants are now open, and we invite Jewish organizations to bring forward proposals developed from great ideas they’ve had percolating.
Based on what we’ve seen in previous years, we are looking forward to seeing amazing proposals coming in the door. In 2021, for example, Ignition Grants funded a Leadership of Color initiative. Resources for greening congregations in the Shmita year that began at Rosh Hashanah. Family camps geared for less involved members of the Jewish community. A learning series showcasing local Jewish authors. A podcast exploring the history behind Ladino folk sayings.
In 2021, Federation awarded Ignition Grants to those and 13 other projects that enriched Jewish life by broadening approaches to learning, providing engaging cultural opportunities, helping people in need, and keeping us connected amidst the challenges of the pandemic.
For 2022, priority will be given to Ignition Grant proposals that address one or more of these four important issues:
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Outreach to unconnected/unaffiliated members of the community
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Outreach to Jews of Color
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Projects that have a racial justice component
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Projects that address refugee relief
The goal of the priorities is expansive: to widen avenues of engagement with Jewish life and to deepen the urgent work of pursuing justice and repairing our world. As the needs of our community evolve, the pursuit of innovation that is a hallmark of Jewish Puget Sound can help address those needs.
We encourage any Jewish organization in Western Washington that is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is presumed to be one under the tax code, or has a non-profit fiscal sponsor to develop thoughtful project ideas and apply for an Ignition Grant. Don’t wait! The review deadline for grant proposals is October 29 and the final deadline is November 5.
And please help spread the word that Ignition Grant applications are open. Together, let’s put new ideas into action to help meet these goals for our community!
