Grant Guidelines and Application

Application Deadline - Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 12:00 noon

Who We Are
We are 22 Jewish teenagers from the Greater Denver area. We are in 9th to 12th grade at 11 high schools. We encompass the entire spectrum of Jewish faith from Orthodox to Reconstructionist to unaffiliated. We were brought together by Rose Community Foundation to learn about philanthropy and to fund programs and projects that better our community. We believe that we have a responsibility to practice tikkun olam, the Jewish ideal of repairing the world, by working to improve our community.

What We Fund: Grant Priorities
Rose Youth Foundation will grant up to $60,000 to organizations serving the Greater Denver seven-county area with programs and services that:

1. Engage Jewish teens in their Jewish communities through programs that are
meaningful and relevant to them.
Rose Youth Foundation sees a disconnect between modern Jewish teens’ interests and programs currently offered by Jewish organizations. The world is changing rapidly, and we fear that many teenagers are feeling more and more disconnected from their Jewish roots. Most importantly we feel that traditional, classroom-based programs are unappealing to Jewish teens. In addition, we are concerned that many existing programs attract only teens who are already involved and do not reach out to teens who are not already connected Jewishly.

We believe new and exciting programs that reflect our generation’s needs and interests will encourage teens to become involved. We believe that successful Jewish programming for teens must:

• Connect Judaism to contemporary issues teens face and to their extracurricular interests
• Effectively reach out to engage teens, especially those who are currently unaffiliated or did not have a bar or bat mitzvah

We will consider requests for Jewish teen programs that:

• Serve Jewish teens age 13 to 18 years old
• Incorporate teen interests, including – but not limited to – culture, arts, sports, leadership development, cooking and food, community service, social action, and awareness of global events and issues
• Empower teens facing anti-Semitism at school to promote respect and understanding.
• Demonstrate a proven track record of success or provide a new and innovative approach
• Include opportunities for teen leadership
• Connect Judaism to contemporary issues
• Value intra-denominational diversity
• Promote activities that explore Jewish identity
• Welcome and engage teens who are not currently involved in the Jewish community

We will give higher priority to programs that:

• Actively reach out to teens from interfaith families
• Actively encourage involvement of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning teens
• Promote understanding between different denominations within the Jewish community
• Recognize the busy schedules of teens and try to accommodate them
• Incorporate hands-on, kinesthetic learning
• Are easily accessible from a variety of locations, particularly in geographic areas that have not previously had this type of opportunity for Jewish teen involvement
• Offer social action projects
• Request funding primarily for program costs rather than general operating costs
  

We will not fund:

• Endowments
• New classroom-based programs
• Programs that are entirely adult-led

2. Empower high school students to advocate for educational change in public
schools
Rose Youth Foundation believes that there is an underlying issue within the public schools system: students do not have a voice in their school’s administration and feel disillusioned. This leads to a growing disparity in academic achievement, a lower rate of involvement among students and a higher dropout rate.

Education is the foundation for self-sufficiency and the future of our society. The Jewish philosopher Maimonides believed that highest form of giving is providing the means to help people succeed. We believe that empowering high school students to create change in their school community through communication and leadership with school stakeholders exemplifies Maimonides’ teachings.

We will consider requests for programs that:

• Take place at, or directly benefit, public high schools in the Greater Denver area
• Demonstrate innovative new approaches or proven existing approaches to assisting students in advocating for a more successful educational experience
• Will help close the achievement gap by involving a diverse group of students
  

We will give higher priority to programs that:

• Are student-led and -run

We will not fund:

• General organizational operating costs
• Endowments
• Scholarships

3. Promote integration and self-sufficiency of refugees and survivors of genocide currently residing in Greater Denver and Boulder.
Rose Youth Foundation believes there is a lack of support and services that help refugees and survivors of genocide integrate into the community and attain economic self-sufficiency. We hope to promote self-sufficiency and integration of refugees and survivors of genocide who have fled their country of origin because of conflict or persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or membership of a particular social group.

We believe that cultural and academic education, job training, language acquisition and integration into society are pathways to economic self-sufficiency and acceptance.

We believe it is our responsibility as Jews to support those fleeing persecution or genocide because throughout history our people fled persecution and benefited from the kindness and hospitality of others.

We will consider requests for programs that:

• Promote self-sufficiency of refugees now living in Greater Denver and Boulder
• Provide English instruction for adults or children
• Promote involvement in the greater Denver community
• Provide counseling, particularly to survivors of genocide
• Address the differences between refugees’ original cultures and American culture
• Include job training or employment assistance
• Help refugees and survivors of genocide adapt to their new cultural surroundings

We will give higher priority to programs that:

• Provide child-care services in conjunction with adult education
• Include a plan for follow-up with previously served refugees and genocide survivors
  

We will not fund:

• Scholarships
• Programs that support immigrants (i.e. those who have left their home exclusively seeking economic or professional opportunities)
• Legal fees associated with attaining refugee status
• Costs associated with housing, food, or health care

How to Apply

Rose Youth Foundation is a separately organized grantmaking initiative within Rose Community Foundation. Grant applicants to Rose Youth Foundation are not subject to Rose Community Foundation’s Grant Guidelines. Organizations with a pending grant request at Rose Community Foundation may also apply for this grant program. An organization must submit all of the items listed below in order for their application to be considered complete. Rose Youth Foundation does not have IRS determination letters on file for any organization.

Deadline
All grant applications must be received at Rose Community Foundation by Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at noon. Because of Rose Youth Foundation’s short grantmaking timeline, late or incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Funds Available to Grant
Rose Youth Foundation has up to $60,000 to grant for this Request for Proposals. Applicants should be realistic and sensible in the amount they request and consider the total amount available when submitting their grant requests.

Eligibility Requirements
Rose Youth Foundation accepts proposals for programs or from organizations that serve the seven-county Greater Denver area of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. Programs with a broader geographic focus may apply; however, the proposal must address its relevance to people living within these seven counties.

Applicants must be charitable, nonprofit organizations with a tax-exempt classification from the Internal Revenue Service; a tax-supported institution such as a school or government agency; or they must have a tax-exempt organization serve as their fiscal sponsor.

Application Contents and Format
Applicants should adhere to the format and content specifications listed below. If you are not able to provide one of the items requested below, please provide an explanation in your proposal so that it is not considered incomplete.

1. Cover Letter: one page stating the total amount requested and explaining how the proposed project fits within one or more of the grant priorities

2. Summary of Applicant/Organization: one page with description of self, group or organization including background, mission, goals and all contact information:
organization name, address, executive director, main contact person, phone, fax, email and web address

3. Purpose of Project: no more than four pages that include: description of project, its purpose, your expected goals and outcomes, and how you will achieve and measure them. Tell us about your program/project design and the impact you hope to have as it relates to the grant priorities listed above. Be specific about how your idea or program is consistent with best practices. If applicable, list the number and qualifications of persons involved in the planning and execution. List all other sources of funding, potential funding, volunteer and/or in-kind support for this project and whether your
work will continue in the future.

4. Project/Program Budget: Provide a detailed line-item budget of all expenses and revenue, including a budget narrative that describes clearly how specific line-item numbers were derived and how each one relates to the project.

5. Organization Budget: Attach your organization’s annual operating budget for the current fiscal year.

6. Financials: Attach your organization’s most recent year-end financial statement, including a statement of assets and liabilities, or balance sheet and a statement of profit and loss.

7. Proof of Tax-Exempt Status: Provide a copy of the original IRS determination letter for your organization indicating tax-exempt status, including federal identification number. If you are not a tax-exempt organization, provide the IRS determination letter of the organization that will serve as your fiscal sponsor and a letter from that organization acknowledging the relationship.

8. Six Possible Site Visit Dates: Rose Youth Foundation may conduct site visits between Monday, March 15 and Friday, April 16, 2010. Please provide a list of three dates and times between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., and three dates and times during the normal workday when your key staff could meet with a small group of Rose Youth Foundation members.

Submission Instructions
Rose Youth Foundation has a preference for electronic submission but will accept applications electronically or by mail up until noon on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. Complete proposals, including all attachments, may be submitted via email to grantsmanager@rcfdenver.org. We prefer that your entire proposal is submitted as a single .pdf document, however we can accept separate attachments in the following formats: Microsoft Word, Excel, .tif, .jpg, .bmp, or .pdf. Proposals must be either electronic or hard copy − no combination of the two formats is acceptable. Late or incomplete proposals may not be reviewed. All submissions will be acknowledged within 48 business hours. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement, please contact Cheryl McDonald, grants manager, at 303.398.7446.

If you are unable to submit electronically, proposals must be printed on one side, without staples, and mailed to:
Rose Youth Foundation
c/o Grants Manager
600 South Cherry Street, Suite 1200
Denver, CO 80246

Notification
All applicants will be notified of funding decisions by Wednesday, May 5, 2010.

Questions
Contact Sarah Indyk at 303.398.7416; she will have a Rose Youth Foundation member contact you. For more information about Rose Youth Foundation, visit rcfdenver.org/RYF.