Jewish Portal of Teacher Education

Source: The Covenant Foundation

The Covenant Foundation is currently inviting applications for the 2011 Covenant Grants that focus on cultivating excellent, effective, and creative Jewish education in North America. Because it believes that education occurs in all settings and environments, The Covenant Foundation defines formal and informal Jewish education in its broadest possible terms, funding early childhood, youth, family, and adult Jewish education across all denominations and in all settings.

The Covenant Foundation invites applications for innovative programs in Jewish schools, agencies, community organizations, and other institutional settings. These grants will provide funding to help creative Jewish educators develop and implement significant and financially responsible approaches to Jewish education that are potentially replicable in other settings. Covenant Grants may also be awarded for projects whose purpose is to disseminate particularly effective existing programs.

Although there are two Covenant Grant categories, Ignition and Signature, applicants should submit only one letter of inquiry in only one grant category in any given year. Applicants for Covenant Signature Grants may request up to $250,000 for up to five years of support, generally no more than $50,000 per year. Smaller Signature Grants are not unusual, however; there is no minimum dollar amount associated with a Signature Grant.

Ignition Grants are designed to explore new, untested ideas or to determine how established practices can become even more effective. An Ignition Grant is appropriate for an exciting idea that is not yet ready for a multi-year Signature Grant, perhaps because it is still in the planning stage or because the organization needs time to develop necessary capacity and expertise. Any organization that receives an Ignition Grant may apply for a Covenant Signature Grant after submission of the final report. Applicants for Covenant Ignition Grants may request up to $20,000 for one year.

Any institution, agency, or organization actively involved in transmitting Jewish heritage in North America is eligible to apply for a Covenant Grant. This includes day schools, congregational schools, central agencies of Jewish education, Jewish community centers, teacher resource centers, summer camps, museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions concerned with the issue of Jewish identity. Only a tax-exempt, non-profit organization may serve as the sponsoring organization of a Covenant Grant proposal.

Applicants should submit a brief letter of inquiry (LOI) and background information about the sponsoring organization. Letters of inquiry must be received by Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. EST.