Capturing the Emerging Charitable Markets in the USA: Fundraising for Israel-Based Organizations in the New Economy

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by Robert I. Evans and Avrum D. Lapin As leading nonprofit consultants specializing in fundraising and leadership development for organizations serving the Jewish community, we are increasingly aware that attracting new donors and raising the sights of existing philanthropically-oriented Jews in the United States is not as straightforward as it once was. Generational shifts have already impacted giving, accompanied by innovations in online giving, decreasing attendance at worship services at U.S. synagogues and new perspectives on the importance of Israel to American Jews. These factors have created a new environment in which nonprofits compete on the “open market” for the support of ever-more entrepreneurial donors. … [Read more...]

Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York Announces 2012 Grantees

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York (JWFNY) has awarded $500,000 in grants to 20 organizations during the 2011-2012 funding cycle, increasing its giving by over 100 percent in the past few years. Grants were awarded to organizations that support JWFNY’s mission: advancing the status and well-being of women and girls in the Jewish community in New York, Israel and around the world. Economic empowerment for women and girls prevailed as a central theme for the second year in a row. “After the economic downturn of 2008,” says Rebecca Garrison, Associate Director of JWFNY, “it became clear that women from all socio-economic and Jewish backgrounds need increased support to achieve financial security. In particular, women need better paying jobs, skills to open or expand businesses, and … [Read more...]

Boomer Women Give More to Charity, New Study Finds

Women of the Baby Boom and older generations give more to charity than their male counterparts and are more likely to give, when education, income and other factors affecting giving are equal, a new study from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University finds. “Women, in general, earn less and have less money in retirement than men, and they have a greater life expectancy,” said Debra J. Mesch, Ph.D., director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. “Although some may have concerns about their financial security, our study suggests that Boomer and older women share their resources with others more generously than their male peers.” At all income levels, and regardless of the share of their permanent income that they give, Boomer and older … [Read more...]

U.S., Israel Jewish Women’s Foundations Partner to Promote Gender Equality

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Recent acts of illegal exclusion and discrimination against women in Israel have spurred an international movement and a unique collaboration of individual Jewish women’s groups. For the first time, Jewish women’s foundations - 14 in the United States and three in Israel - are pooling resources to effect social change for women and girls in Israel. The Jewish Women’s Collaborative International Fund has awarded a two-year grant to Itach-Maaki, the lead organization of Bringing Women to the Fore: A Feminist Partnership. The partnership is a cooperative effort of eight leading women’s organizations in Israel that are uniting to develop a strong activist coalition. The groundbreaking collaboration became possible with the support of Barbara Dobkin, a long-time feminist funder both in the … [Read more...]

It’s Not Easy Being a Teen but Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego Helps with 4 Cs

by Sharyn Goodson For many of us, memories of our early teen years are filled with awkwardness, moodiness and insecurity. Few will attest that adolescence is any easier today, especially for young women. In addition to highly rigorous academics, over-scheduled days, and media pressure to look and act certain ways, mean girl bullying has become even more rampant when amplified through emailing, texting and social media. Since teenage girls often turn inward to deal with their stressors, their voices are often silenced in our community. Determined to bring their needs to the forefront, the Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego recently developed a multi-pronged approach to create positive change. We knew that funds alone would not bring about the transformative impact our community was seeking - … [Read more...]

Engaging Female Donors: Learning from Jewish Women’s Foundations

by Sara Rose Gorfinkel and Emily Muskovitz Sweet There has been much discussion of late about the Modern Jewish Woman Donor (MJWD), and whether she may be overlooked in today's Jewish philanthropic circles. In fact, she is active and thriving, not just in Jewish federations, but particularly within Jewish women’s foundations (JWF) across the country. The MJWD is being hailed as a new paradigm, but she is far from new. Organizations and communities looking to further reach female donors in meaningful ways can learn a lot from our model, which has been effective in engaging women, raising dollars and empowering women as philanthropic leaders in our communities for more than 17 years. Jewish Women Donors are, in fact, reshaping the face of Jewish philanthropy and have been doing so through … [Read more...]