NCEJ Program Grants

NCEJ Program Grants is sponsored by National Center to Encourage Judaism. NCEJ offers direct grants to synagogues and Jewish nonprofits for single events and multi-session programs, traditional classes, and experiential learning that engage, educate, and connect interfaith couples, people interested in conversion, and others who want to explore becomi…

Grant Process - National Center to Encourage Judaism The National Center to Encourage Judaism (NCEJ) is a private foundation that funds efforts worldwide to attract more new people to Judaism. Our primary objective is to help Judaism grow by increasing the number of Jews by Choice and helping those in interfaith marriages see the benefits of raising their children as Jews.

We give grants to synagogues, JCCs/federations, national groups, international organizations, and other Jewish nonprofits. The National Center to Encourage Judaism offers grants to synagogues, and regional, national, and international groups sponsoring programs that attract more new people to Judaism from all walks of life and backgrounds.

Grant-Giving at a Glance: Introduction to Jewish traditions Download Grant Application Virtual and hybrid programming Local: Synagogues and Consortium (Rabbinic Councils and Other Groups) Regional: Individual Federations and JCCs National Groups: for Sub-grants to Affiliates in their networks and for Programming promoted throughout the US International: Projects located in Israel, Europe, Canada, and many more countries.

What to Know Before You Apply Applications are considered throughout the year. Program must be open to the public. We only fund programs that begin after the date the application was submitted.

Grantees may receive more than one grant per year . If you are seeking funding for a multi-part year-long program please complete a single application. If you are submitting for two different programs, please separate into two separate applications with the relevant details on each.

The applications will be reviewed and considered individually. Reimbursement & Reporting Policies Generally funds are not dispensed until a program is completed and copies of receipts are submitted, along with any other information that may have been requested. We only reimburse for expenses directly related to the content of the program we are funding.

NCEJ does not reimburse for the entire cost of a program. It may take up to a month before you receive reimbursement. Reimbursement for multi part year long programs can take place at the conclusion of each section or at the end of the year.

We ask that a program survey be completed upon program conclusion ( available here on our website). Photos are encouraged. Grantees may be profiled on NCEJ website.

We encourage grantees to submit marketing examples. Welcoming New People to Judaism The National Center to Encourage Judaism funds programs worldwide to engage, educate, and connect interfaith couples, people interested in conversion, and others who want to explore becoming part of the Jewish community.

We offer direct grants to synagogues and Jewish nonprofits for both single events and multi-session programs, traditional classes and experiential learning. We reimburse for marketing and program materials (including holiday celebration kits), security, and related expenses. To help people get the tools to build the type of Jewish home that has meaning for them.

To provide the resources for groups to promote their programs to a wider audience. To enable people who are interested in exploring Judaism find a place in their local Jewish community. Types of Marketing Covered NCEJ reimburses for some of the costs for graphic design and printing.

We reimburse for the costs for email marketing campaigns directly attributable to a specific program. Examples of promotional material we have funded recently include: We fund a mix of advertising methods to help grantees widen the audience and reach new people. We encourage grantees to go outside their traditional marketing methods, and particularly to consider local channels.

In addition to using fee-based platforms, many of our grantees have found personal outreach to be an effective way to increase program participation.

Here are some ideas from recent grantees: Jewish and mainstream press Instagram, Facebook, Google, other digital media We cover a wide variety of program materials, including: Activity and take-home kits * Food related to program content Books to be used solely for students registered for class Ritual-related items (i.e. candlesticks, mezuzahs)* *We only cover ritual items as part of a program we support, not as a stand-alone item.

In some cases we provide limited staff support, including speaker honoraria. NCEJ does not reimburse for the entire cost of a program.

View/Download these guidelines as a PDF Programs geared only to an institution’s members or solely a Jewish audience Tuition assistance or grants to individuals Festivals (i.e. food or film) Meals before classes, and food expenses unrelated to program content Operating expenses (both brick and mortar and virtual) Services for the community at large Programs that have already started View/Download these guidelines as a PDF NCEJ funds larger organizations, such as JCCs and Federations, to support programs they sponsor directly, and also gives umbrella grants to national groups to fund subgrants for their members/affiliates.

If your grant request is more than $10K, or you are a larger organization please visit our Larger Grant Requests page. Have an idea for an outreach program for your national network? See our Larger Grant Requests page.

View/Download Funding Focus Framework as a PDF NCEJ accepts applications throughout the year — apply anytime! Grantees may receive more than one grant per year. We fund a variety of programs (online, hybrid, and in person) for interfaith families, people interested in conversion, and others who are new to Judaism.

All programs must have an educational component . We place a priority on marketing, to widen the audience and increase attendance. We only fund programs that begin after the date the application was submitted.

We receive many applications each year. Our goal is to provide grants for a diverse group of organizations, and a mix of programs. We welcome your inquiries.

Please reach out to us at 301-802-4254 or contact Ellen Gerecht , Executive Director. Applicants are generally notified of a decision within 45 days. No commitment should be assumed until the receipt of a grant award letter.

Applications are considered throughout the year . Download the application below. Best edited in Adobe Reader (free download).

Follow the submission instructions on the application. Verify that your PDF is filled out and not blank before you submit it via email. Applicants: If you have submitted an application and have not heard from us in 2-3 weeks please reach out to us at 301-802-4254, or contact Ellen Gerecht , Executive Director to make sure we received your application.

Looking for Programming Ideas? We Can Help. Our program profile pages are chock-full of examples of recently-funded projects, ranging from Judaism 101 classes to holiday workshops for interfaith families.

To get ideas that you can use in your community see our profile pages: Introduction to Jewish Traditions Interfaith/Intercultural Engagement Have an idea but not sure if it meets our criteria? Try our proposal form , or contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Get grant news and find out about grant opportunities.

Share on X (Opens in new window) X Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Type and Press “enter” to Search