A FEW WORDS FROM MARGORecent events have made it clear that we are not always blessed to escape the difficulties of life unscathed. The ongoing economic downturn is affecting each of us as well as our families, friends, co-workers and the world at large. It is in this environment that we are completing our latest grant cycle, and are intending to award 17 inspiring and exciting grants to improve the situations of women and girls here and in Israel. Congratulations and thank you to all those who made this possible: the readers of Letters of Intent, the Grant Committee chairs, co-chairs and readers, and the general Fund membership! We can all feel proud about the work we’ve done and the work we will make possible.
On April 2, we will present details on the grants selected for funding -- and start thinking about next year. In the Town Meeting portion of the evening, we will discuss how to improve the grants process going forward. We have also set aside time to talk about how the Fund should respond to the changing economic landscape in next year’s grant cycle. Many worthy ideas have already surfaced during the Grant Committee meetings: making fewer but larger individual grants, funding a single issue, and providing expertise from within the Fund to grantees. Still, we need your input. Your creativity, perspective and energy will help us generate and evaluate possible strategies as we look to fund effectively in these difficult times. Please make a special effort to join us!
Obviously, the economic downturn has also affected the endowment of the Fund. As of February 28, 2009, the Fund’s endowment stands at $1,844,000. This is down 20.5% from a year ago. While this represents a significant reduction in value, we have fared better than many thanks to the prudent investment management provided by CJP’s Board of Managers. Most importantly, we remain financially stable and strongly committed to our mission to support those women and girls who need our help most.
Finally, a special welcome to our newest member, Barbara Targum, and a thank you to Toby Sloane for renewing. Our membership now stands at more than 170. Speaking of membership, please note that the upcoming May 7th breakfast discussion about the sexualization of childhood provides a great opportunity to familiarize prospective Fund members with our activities and membership, so consider bringing along a guest. (RSVP to hannahg@cjp.org)
I hope to see you on April 2nd and May 7th and also at our closing event on June 11. More details on all of these events will follow shortly.
Margo Levine Newman
Co-chair
ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR CALENDAR
- April 2: Final grants discussion and Town Meeting – 6 PM at JCHE on the JCC Campus in Newton
- May 7 : “So Sexy So Soon” – author Diane Levin talks about the media’s sexualization of childhood and how to respond to it - 8 AM at Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington Street in Newton
- June 11: Our 9th year celebration and closing event at the home of Joyce Schultz - 6 PM; address will be sent to you when you RSVP
GRANTS UPDATE
Jewish Women’s Archive wins our first multi-year grant!
We’ve talked about it for years, and now it’s real!
Last fall we invited several agencies (whom we’ve funded before) to submit proposals for a long term grant. Roberta Crowley Gottlieb chaired the committee that awarded $75,000 over three years to the new JWA online Bat Mitzvah Initiative, designed to bring fresh meaning, relevance and inspiration to the experience. It will weave together community service, family stories and Jewish women’s history, enabling participants to make connections between Jewish traditions and values and their own emerging identities.
Other grant news:
3 grant committees have reviewed 24 grant applications, and, pending confirmation at our April town meeting, we will be awarding $250,000 to 17 finalists in Boston and in Israel. Full details in our next newsletter...
"See What You Can Be"
Hotly debated in the 2008 grant cycle, our $6,000 grant to JBBBS funded workshops and materials that presented girls ages 8 to 12 with images of accomplished women, career options and the tools to help big sisters engage with their “littles” in serious discussions of their futures. JBBBS Chair Carolynn Levy, a Fund member tells us "This was an incredible and useful program for me as a volunteer; but much more important, it provided a true growth experience for my Little Sister, and gave her a set of resources and skill building tools we can use together as our relationship moves forward and as she grows and matures as a young women”.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: CAROL GOLDBERG
Founding member Carol Goldberg is a Boston legend, a corporate and non-profit leader who has been a consistent champion of our Fund. She’s been a critical and driving force since we started, offering her wisdom and energy, supporting us with great generosity, and always willing and available to mentor our leaders. A visible, articulate and devoted advocate, she has drawn others to us, lending her imprimatur to a group that started small, but now includes more than 170 members.
Carol joins a grant committee every year, and also serves on our Executive Committee consistently encouraging and strategizing as we move ahead.
Ask Carol Goldberg what about the Fund makes her most proud? “We get better at decision making every year. We’ve become savvy and sensitive grant makers. And our members take this learning into other areas of community life where they are rising to leadership. Which is what we’re all about.”
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