The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) has announced $2.3 million in grants to twelve new Jewish initiatives focused on innovation. This year’s Cutting Edge Grants recipients include programs that range from engaging Jewish millennials through the performing arts, to creating connectivity in an emerging alternative downtown community, to a platform ensuring continuity in senior health care that will improve overall well-being.

Established by The Foundation in 2006, the Cutting Edge Grants are multi-year grants of up to $250,000 awarded to creative thinkers, social entrepreneurs, and innovative organizations to develop and implement transformative programs of high visibility and impact in the Los Angeles Jewish community. Successful applicants must demonstrate the capacity and leadership to implement their initiative, that the program is unique and sustainable, and that it offers long-term benefits to Jewish Los Angeles.

This year’s awards reflect a 24 percent increase from the $1.85 million awarded last year, and are 53 percent higher than the $1.5 million granted two years ago, according to The Foundation.

Recipients of 2016 Cutting Edge Grants include:

• The Aleph Institute for Project Tikvah;
• Builders of Jewish Education (BJE) for Project EnAble;
• Honeymoon Israel Foundation for Honeymoon Israel Los Angeles;
• Israeli-American Council for IAC Center Engage;
• Jerusalem U for Step Up for Israel;
• The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for AcrossGen;
• Jewish Women’s Theatre for The Braid 2.0 – PlayC: A Place to Cultivate Jewish Voices;
• Los Angeles Jewish Home for Connections to Care: Interoperability Platform (C2C-IP);
• Moving Traditions for Moving Traditions’ B’nai Mitzvah Program;
• Pico Union Project for The Sanctuary@Pico-Union;
• Reboot in partnership with IKAR for Death over Dinner: Jewish Edition; and
• Union for Reform Judaism for 6 Points Sports Academy California.