The Jewish Funders Network (JFN), in partnership with the Leichtag Foundation, has announced a new matching grant opportunity, entitled Jerusalem Renewal: Breathing New Life into an Ancient City. The program’s goal is to fund Jerusalem-based NGOs engaged in strengthening the fabric of Jerusalem’s civil society.

This initiative offers a generous matching pool for first-time gifts made by JFN members (or those joining JFN through this initiative) to NGOs or projects that support Jerusalem’s future as a thriving hub of social entrepreneurship and activism. Qualifying one-year grants of $10,000 – $50,000 will be matched at a rate of 1:1. Two-year grants will be matched at a rate of 1:1.5 with a maximum potential match of $75,000. Previous funders of Jerusalem civil society projects must at least double their largest previous gift in order to be eligible for the match.

Like the twelve JFN matching grants programs that have come before it, this initiative is designed to serve as a strong incentive to encourage funders to invest in a funding area that is new to them and of great importance to the Jewish community. Funding will help much needed efforts to build grassroots change in Jerusalem, foster young activism, promote economic and social entrepreneurship, and cultivate the arts in this ancient – and thoroughly modern – city.

JFN’s past matching grants initiatives have generated almost $80 million to support Jewish education, services for the Jewish elderly poor, advocacy and environmental protection in Israel, and more.

Full eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and the online application are currently available at jerusalem-match.org.