Jewish Portal of Teacher Education

Source: PEJE

The 2011 Challenge Award for North American Jewish Day Schools was designed to encourage day schools to pursue new and creative initiatives that boost financial sustainability.

PEJE will award $625,000, in gifts of $25,000, to 25 schools that implement within 2011 programs achieving one or more of the following goals:

• increasing key revenue streams of either tuition, annual campaign, or endowment and legacy;
• creatively responding to the middle-class affordability challenge resulting in increased dollars invested in school or increased enrollment; and
• producing a bold advocacy campaign that results either in increased inquiries, tours, applications, or enrollment; or reducing attrition.

Examples of Types of Initiatives That Are Eligible for Submission for PEJE Challenge Award

• Launch an alumni campaign that results in new gifts to the school or innovative use of alumni to recruit students, or solicit gifts.
• Launch an alumni initiative (e.g. Gather contact information on all alumni and catalog; Use your alumni as ambassadors or speakers at recruitment events resulting in increased enrollment).
• Increase participation in the annual campaign without the use of an event or dinner (move from transactional [event-based] fundraising to relationship-based fundraising).
• A social networking initiative that drives increased applicants and individual tours for prospective students/families.
• Build a new pipeline to your school that results in new students from new sources.
• Cut attrition through a new set of actions.
• Achieve 100% parent involvement in annual campaign.
• Achieve 100% board involvement (giving and soliciting) in annual 
• Secure legacy or endowment gifts though a donor match program.
• Get a donor or group of donors to establish a match that dramatically increases your funds raised.
• Start/Launch a Legacy Society and secure 10 Legacy commitments.

Save the Dates

• The data form will be available on June 1, 2011.
• The deadline for submitting forms is November 1, 2011.
•  Awards will be announced on December 21, 2011, the first day of Hanukkah.