Grant Funding is Now Available for J-Serve 2023!

J-Serve is the International Day of Jewish Teen Service.  In an effort to empower a growing number of communities around the world to participate and expand their program efforts, we are excited to announce that community grants are now available for J-Serve 2023—happening worldwide on Sunday, April 16, 2023!

Available Grants for J-Serve 2023 include:

1. Large Community Grant - up to $2,500
   Open to all J-Serve projects led by new or returning agencies that can demonstrate 3+ strong community partnerships and whose programming will reach 200+ Jewish teens (grades 6 - 12).
   
   
2. Mid-Size Community Grant - up to $1,800
   Open to all J-Serve projects led by new or returning agencies that can demonstrate 2+ established community partnerships and whose programming will reach 100+ Jewish teens (grades 6 - 12)
   
   
3. Micro-Grant - up to $500
   Open to all J-Serve projects engaging 10+ Jewish teens in partnership with at least one other local community movement/agency.--J-sdJ-serve                                                                                                                                           
4. BBYO Internal Grant - up to $10 per attendee                                                                          Open to all BBYO Global and North American regions and chapters. This grant does not require a partnership with another organization. We will contribute up to $10 per middle/high school child/teen that attends. 

ABOUT J-SERVE
Since 2005, J-Serve has provided teens with a unique opportunity to unite through service as a global community of thousands committed to fulfilling the Jewish values of gemilut chasidim, acts of loving kindness, tzedakah, just and charitable giving, and tikkum olam, the responsibility to repair the world. Every year, Jewish teens around the world join together on this special day and throughout the spring to make their community and the world a better place.

The goal of J-Serve is to highlight the importance of service and social action, emphasizing the critical role teens play in bettering their communities by empowering young leaders to create and support impactful experiences that will mobilize Jewish teens in grades 6 - 12 across denominational and organizational lines to make a difference both at home and in the world. J-Serve and its endorsing partners are committed to the idea that serving others is not only a core tenet within modern Jewish values, but also that it's a key component of a life-long continuum that engages, maintains, and strengthens teen involvement in Jewish life.

J-Serve is a collaborative effort run by BBYO in partnership with Repair the World, Good Deeds Day, and YSA's Global Youth Service Day. The initiative is generously underwritten by numerous generous donors.

There are many ways to make change in your community. Potential ideas open for exploration may include, but are not limited to:

• Advocacy Trainings
• Philanthropic Events
• Community Organizing Rallies
• First Responder Trainings
• Charity Rides/Runs/Walks
• Dance Marathon Fundraisers
• Lobbyist Trainings and/or Outings

Whatever you decide, lean into your creativity to create the ultimate, culminating spring service experience for Jewish teens to celebrate your community’s yearlong commitment to social action.

With questions regarding J-Serve and/or available grant funding opportunities, please contact Jess Zimmerman. 

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PLEASE NOTE: 

You must complete this online grant application in one sitting.

This form can be translated into any language when using Google Chrome. Just right click and select "translate!"

I.  J-Serve 2023 Grants and Minimum Requirements

Grant Name	Application Deadline	Maximum Funding Awarded	Minimum Teen Engagement Requirement	Experience +  Partnership Requirement
Large/Experienced Community Grant	Awarded on a rolling basis with a deadline of 15 business days before your J-Serve program	up to $2500	at least 200 teens	3+ strong movement/agency partners
Mid-Size/New Community Grant	Awarded on a rolling basis with a deadline of 15 business days before your J-Serve program	up to $1800	at least 100 teens	2+ established movement/agency partners
Micro Grant	Awarded on a rolling basis with a deadline of 15 business days before your J-Serve program	up to $500	at least 10 teens	1+ movement/agency partners
BBYO Internal Grant	Awarded on a rolling basis with a deadline of 15 business days before your J-Serve program	up to $10 per attendee	at least 10 teens	No partnership requirement. Only open to BBYO communities

*All projects should engage both high school and middle school teens (grades 6 - 12).

NOTE: as you formulate your funding request throughout this application, please keep in mind that J-Serve grant funds are typically awarded assuming an average spend of $10/teen. Any major deviations from this amount should be explained within the grant application request. 

To receive the funding you are applying for, you must provide proof of attendance following your event on the grant reporting form. If you apply for a grant for 100+ teens, and 50 teens attend, we will adjust your total grant awards accordingly.

 II. Requirements of all Lead Agencies upon approval of a J-Serve Grant [of any size] include:

• Electronic submission of a signed J-Serve Grant Agreement 
• Electronic submission of a full participant data list including (at least, but not limited to) NAME, EMAIL, HS GRADE, GENDER, PHONE NUMBER for all teens engaged by the project. We will request this to be attached to the J-Serve Grant Reporting form. If you are a BBYO North American Community, we ask that you use Mybbyo to track attendance and be sure to select J-Serve in the Event Category tab. 
• Electronic submission of a completed J-Serve Grant Reporting form within 30 days of the event. If a J-Serve Grant Reporting form is not submitted within this time period, you will be subject to forfeiting your grant monies.
• Participation in one J-Serve Community Training Call (Exact dates + times TBD),
• Online registration link for the local project(s) to be created and shared to post on the official J-Serve website,
• Inclusion of the official J-Serve logo on all shirts, swag, banners and/or other printed materials associated with the project, AND
• Digital file-sharing of all promotional materials - including videos, photos, event flyers, and/or press clippings - associated with the project.
• The J-Serve Grant Application is available to you up until 15 business days before your scheduled program. We will not be able to accept any late applications. Please note BBYO offices are closed for Passover, April 6th-April 13th, 2023. No acceptances will be sent during this time. We appreciate your patience.
• In years past there has been an opportunity to apply for J-Serve funding before or after the date of J-Serve -- Sunday, April 16th, 2023. This year we will only be able to consider J-Serve Grant requests that occur between April 2-April 30th, 2023. Any programs beyond these dates will not be eligible for funding.  

Failure to comply with any of the above stipulations without suitable explanation will be reason to withhold J-Serve grant funding.

III. About Your J-Serve Project

*NOTE: please keep in mind when indicating the exact grant amount requested above that funds are generally allotted at $10/teen engaged, unless a strong case is made for additional funding required.

Minimum number of total teens you anticipate engaging as part of J-Serve:

Please be conservative in your estimation as we will adjust funding based on the total teens engaged after you submit your Grant Reporting Form.

IV. Project Proposal

UNDERSTANDING YOUR VISION FOR J-SERVE

This year your International Sh'lichim, Josh and Leah, have focused J-Serve around direct hands-on service. Please think about how your community is going to give back in an active way to your local community.

The prompts below explore key early-stage visioning elements of your J-Serve experience - including:

• Project description
• Service partners
• Recruitment strategy
• Community leader engagement

Please keep your responses brief, limiting all answers to 1-3 sentences.

V. Projected Program Budget

Program Budget- J-Serve grant funds can be used to promote your J-Serve project, to pay for out-of-pocket expenses directly related to the overall volunteer experience, and/or to cover relevant administrative fees/services. 

Please UPLOAD a complete budget proposal outlining how you plan to make use of all requested grant funding – including individual line items reflecting all anticipated expenses as well as revenue sources (which should include any additional sources of income you expect to receive to support this program).

VI. Applicant's Signature

Given the staff + teen collaborative nature of the J-Serve program, we ask that both the lead agency staff contact and a designated teen project coordinator sign this application together to indicate shared buy-in of the content included within this form. By signing in the space below, you are certifying that all information is correct and accurate to the best of your knowledge and that you are the person(s) - both staff and teen - completing this application.

When you press the 'Submit' button, you will receive an email confirmation that your application was received.