Beginning with the new campaign year, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle will enable donors to either give to the Sustaining Our Community Fund, or to designate their annual contributions to one or more specific areas of impact or community priorities. Their focus is to connect donor passions to meaningful impact in the Jewish community.

In the past, the Federation’s allocation committee would assess organizations and distribute donations to those in need. With this new model, the Federation provides donors with options of specific impact areas that will allow them to select the community priorities and needs they wish to support. “This program has been specially designed to really involve the donor in their investment and see the impact they’ve made,” said Federation President and CEO, Richard Fruchter. “Donors now have a much more intimate relationship with the entire philanthropic process, by deciding what area the donation should assist and how it’s making a difference in our world.”

In addition to increasing the choices donors have for giving, the new approach to philanthropy also opened up the opportunities for new Jewish nonprofit organizations locally, in Israel and across the globe to apply for funding through a detailed request for funding process. Because funds will now be allocated based on specific program needs and goals, donors will be able to more directly see the outcomes of their contributions.

The specific community impact areas and priorities were defined over more than a year with participation from over one hundred members of the Jewish community.