The call for Jewish Community organizational funding grows
Many aspects of life and operations changed drastically at the onset of the pandemic, continued to evolve as the world adapted, and now look markedly different on the other side.
For our local community organizations, one constant amid all this change is the need for continual and ongoing support. Inflation, job losses, and increased health needs have led to a significant surge in demand for services by many non-profit organizations. Adapting to the changing needs of non-profit organizations after the pandemic is crucial to ensure their ongoing success in serving their communities.
"The pandemic accelerated a change in community needs," says Foundation CEO John Diamond. "During lockdowns, organizations slowed down operations and even closed, causing granting applications to slow. However, with services open again, the demands are higher than ever, and it is our time to answer."
As a source of stability and reassurance for many organizations in our community, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba plays a pivotal role in providing support and resources to these charitable organizations.
The Foundation receives grant applications ranging from requests to upgrade and repair facilities to assistance in creating new programs for non-profits that were previously non-existent or beyond their tight operating budgets.
Organizations’ need for support grow each year. Non-profit organizations look to help their constituents in any capacity they can, something we look to do for them as well. As their needs grow, so does their need for support from donors and grants.
"Over the last few granting cycles, we have seen a significant increase in both the amount of funding and the number of organizations who need it," says Diamond. "Each request we receive is important; naturally, we want to support as many people as possible with our available granting dollars."
Our Community Impact Funds are among the most effective tools at our disposal. In 2020, these funds provided over $680,000 for COVID-19 relief; in 2021, their total distributions surpassed $1 million.
This past year, that number rose to over $1.1 million.
These Community Impact Funds constitute an allocated pool of capital, the annual income of which the Foundation distributes as grants through our volunteer Grants Committee. The Committee reviews each submitted grant application meticulously to determine where the community will benefit most from these funds.
"These funds have an incredible reach; we can help so many great organizations achieve their goals," says Diamond. "However, despite that, we can still do so much more. The need for financial support is a continuous journey that these organizations are navigating, and the more the JFM and our donors can provide, the better."
As a community grows and changes, so do its needs. To ensure the stability of our community, the Foundation must continue to evolve and grow alongside it, as we have for over 50 years. However, we cannot do