Federation Innovation has just announced that four organizations will receive Propel Innovation Grants. The latest grants bring Federation’s total community investment in innovation to nearly $500k, over the past two years — all in support of creative, scalable projects that can impact Jewish life.
Jori Mendel, V.P. for Innovation said, “We are proud that for nearly a decade our community and Federation together have encouraged innovation. We have funded 50+ organizations and initiatives, and built infrastructure to enable creative minds to learn from and with each other. The opportunity in this moment, is how can we continue build on this work in an exponential manner? In the year ahead, we will keep investing in and incubating new ideas and bold initiatives across our ecosystem. We are committed to guiding our community through this together, so we can prepare for a resilient future
Be’chol Lashon (Passport to Peoplehood)
Atlanta’s Jewish community is diverse and increasingly so, but our legacy institutions struggle to address and serve Jews of color. As a Southern city, Atlanta has a complex history with regards to race. Be’chol Lashon, which means “in every language,” will offer diversity training workshops and educational resources to create greater awareness of racial and ethnic diversity in Atlanta’s Jewish Community. The goal is to provide the tools for organizations to fulfill their mission of being more inclusive. Diverse trainers will facilitate community conversations about race and identity in a Jewish context, followed up by personal consultations.
Jewish Atlanta During COVID-19 Film (Entrepreneur)
The film will highlight and document the unique history of the Jewish community in Atlanta during COVID times. This film will explore Atlanta’s Jewish community during this unprecedented time, while also promoting Atlanta to communities around the world. This film will be created in collaboration with The Breman Museum and has gained the invaluable support of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival’s leadership team.
Trybal Gatherings (Entrepreneur)
Trybal’s core program is a four-day, three-night camp experience that provides a socially Jewish environment for millennials to have fun, connect with new people, and plug into a dynamic Jewish community during a purposeful Shabbat retreat. The retreat serves as a grassroots entry point to Jewish communal life. Trybal’s partnership model is designed to create mutual value and lead to sustainability for local supporters/partners. With tens of thousands of Birthright and camp alumni in our region, Trybal represents a major opportunity for Jewish millennial engagement.
Jewish Fertility Foundation (Modern Jewish Family)
The Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF) provides financial assistance, educational awareness, and emotional support to Jews who have medical infertility. One in six Jewish couples experience infertility, and JFF helps them feel supported through this journey. The organization is seeing two new client trends, including 1) an increase in the number of single moms by choice and 2) an increase in multi-faith couples utilizing JFF’s emotional support services and receiving JFF Fertility Grants. By supporting their clients, emotionally and financially, throughout their fertility journey, JFF is able to continue the important work of building a vibrant Jewish community.
