The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) has announced $1.5 million in Cutting Edge Grants to seven local nonprofit organizations for highly innovative programs that are intended to engage diverse segments of the Jewish community ranging from college students and senior adults to the LGBTQ population and interfaith families.

Recipients of 2014 Cutting Edge Grants include:

• The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for Campus Impact Network;
• USC Davis School of Gerontology for Zekenim: Honoring and Celebrating Los Angeles’ Jewish Elders;
• JQ International for Caring for LGBTQ Jews, Families, and Allies in Need;
• InterfaithFamily.com for InterfaithFamily/Los Angeles;
• American Jewish University for Institute for Jewish Creativity;
• The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for Jewish Teen Engagement Initiative; and
• Jewish Graduate Student Initiative (JGSI) for Center for Ethics and Fellowship.

The $1.5 million awarded in the current grantmaking cycle represents the largest aggregate amount in the history of the Cutting Edge Grants and a 25 percent increase from $1.2 million given in 2013.

The Cutting Edge Grants, established in 2006, are designed to encourage creative thinkers, social entrepreneurs and innovative organizations to develop and implement transformative programs of high visibility and impact in the Los Angeles Jewish community. Grantees can receive a maximum of $250,000 over three years.  Since establishing the Cutting Edge Grants, The Foundation has seeded 53 programs with a total of nearly $10.5 million awarded.