The Tidewater Jewish Federation Grants process was created to have an impact on the Tidewater Jewish and general community by providing funding for new and innovative projects that focus on the social, welfare, health, education, community relations, and cultural fields.
The latest round of grants, which were recently approved by the TJF board, included projects for 12 unique organizations.
Some of the new grants will enhance education, including an Augmented Reality Lab and 3D printer for Hebrew Academy of Tidewater, funding for electives such as Robotics and Foreign Language for Toras Chaim, funding to help send local college students to the AIPAC Policy Conference, and for a Jewish Learning Fellowship at Virginia Tech. In addition, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities received a grant to provide workshops and trainings for teens, as well as teachers to build inclusive programs within schools in Hampton Roads. BINA High School for Girls received a grant for their new “Connections” program, which will allow them to participate in conventions and host a Shabbaton in Norfolk. Andie Pollack, director of student services and fundraising coordinator at BINA, says she is excited about the grant because their school is so small and the girls need to know that there are others like them. “This grant is important because we want our girls to have the advantages of living in our small community and also a chance to network with like-minded girls through conventions and Shabbatons.”
TJF administers the grants process twice a year. The grants awarded in the Spring of 2018 are:
• United Jewish Federation of Tidewater: Handicapped accessible track surrounding retention pond
• Sandler Family Campus: community security upgrades
• Hebrew Academy of Tidewater: Virtual reality and augmented reality lab and 3D printers
• BINA High School: Connect 2 programs for Shabbaton and conventions
• Temple Emanuel: Emergency Fund
• Toras Chaim: After school electives
• Norfolk Kollel/Commodore Levy Chapel at Norfolk Naval: Passover Seder and Sailor Outreach
• Hillel at UVA— Brody Jewish Center: UVa Jewish women’s group enhancement project
• Hillel at Virginia Tech: Jewish Learning Fellowship
• William & Mary Hillel (w/ODU, CNU & TCC): AIPAC Policy Conference stipend
• Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities: Building Inclusive Schools in Hampton Roads
• Jewish graduate student Initiative: Jewish holiday celebrations for UVa Law School and Darden School of Business
Scott Kaplan, president and CEO of TJF says, “We are happy with the range of projects we were able to fund, and we hope to continue to stimulate creativity and innovation in our community.”
The next round of grant applications will be available May 15. Deadline is July 13. Visit http://jewishva.org/tjf-grants-process or contact Barb Gelb, TJF director of philanthropy, at 757-965-6105.
– Barb Gelb