2013 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS JEWISH VENTURE PHILANTHROPY FUND – LOS ANGELES Dear Community Innovators, The Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund-Los Angeles (JVPF), in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, is pleased to announce our 2013 (Round XI) Request for Proposals. Thanks to our investors, partners and a network of creative supporters from across the Jewish world, our Fund is growing and has reached over two million dollars in cumulative grants since its inception. During the 2013 cycle, we expect to make grants totaling approximately $250,000. JVPF BACKGROUND JVPF is a group of individuals who have pooled their financial resources and business planning skills to fund and support new and innovative programs that are consistent with Jewish values. Each JVPF member contributes an equal amount and has one vote. JVPF provides a special emphasis on incorporating business principles and ensuring the sustainability of the organizations we fund. We seek to select causes that reflect our passions and we focus on community needs that can benefit from our time, commitment, abilities and insights. Grants range in amount from $20,000 - $150,000 and are typically paid out over two to three years. A summary of our past investments can be viewed on our website at www.jvpf-la.org. JVPF CRITERIA JVPF makes targeted and significant venture-level investments in creative new programs and organizations that have the potential for impact, scalability and sustainability. JVPF supports programs based in Los Angeles and Israel, as well as domestic national programs that have the potential for impact in Los Angeles. The ideal funding opportunity for JVPF is one in which our financial investment and creative input will provide vital assistance to allow a good idea to grow exponentially. Examples of this type of funding include capacity-building, strategic planning and development growth.

1

JVPF adheres strictly to its criteria in making its funding decisions and applicants are strongly encouraged to evaluate their proposals against the criteria. The Fund looks for projects and organizations that are at a stage in its growth or development at which JVPF’s investment can (1) have significant impact; (2) grow the organization or project to scale; and (3) help the organization or project attain sustainability. Funds are specifically targeted to the greatest need of each organization or project. JVPF’s specific criteria include the following: • • • • • • • • •

Jewish Community Need: Is there a demonstrable need? Impact: What is the impact on beneficiaries? New/Innovative Idea or Organization: Is it an original approach or a new organization? Sponsor/Staff: Who are the people behind idea and are they credible? Sustainability: Is there a credible plan for sustaining the work beyond JVPF’s investment? Scalability: Can the idea be grown (scaled up)? Measurability: Can impact and outcome be quantified? Opportunity for involvement: What support and input can the Fund provide beyond its financial investment? Opportunity for leverage: How will JVPF’s investment assist the organization in securing other funders?

JVPF PROCESS The attached Guidelines for Submitting Proposals explains the requirements for submissions and our timeline for this cycle. JVPF generally receives over 100 requests for funding every cycle. Fund members evaluate the proposals and select approximately 12 applicants to make in-person presentations. JVPF then selects three to six applicants with whom several Fund members will undertake an intensive due diligence process. During this due diligence process, Fund members assist the applicants in shaping their ideas and business plans and further evaluate whether and how the proposals meet JVPF’s criteria. Upon completion of the due diligence stage, the Fund members then vote to determine which proposals will be funded, the amount of each grant, and the conditions and benchmarks that the grant recipients must meet in order to obtain the funding. During the term of the grant, JVPF continues to monitor grant recipients to confirm that the funding conditions and benchmarks have been satisfied and obtained.

2

Pre-Application Conference Call We strongly encourage all new applicants to participate in our Applicant Q&A Conference Call scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. PST. The dialing instructions for the call are as follows: Dial: (866) 266-3378 Enter Conference ID: 323-761-8346# Passcode: 6505# If you would like to be on the conference call, we ask that you please send an email noting your interest to [email protected]. For additional background, please see the JVPF website (www.jvpf-la.org). Should you have any questions, please contact, Scott Minkow at [email protected].

JVPF-LA is a project in collaboration with The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

3

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS GENERAL GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS • • • •

Grants will be given out in amounts ranging from $25,000 - $150,000. Applicants must be classified as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations by the IRS or have imminent plans to file for tax exempt status. Applicants must be willing to submit additional financial and programmatic information if requested. Agencies may only be the lead agency for one application.

PROPOSAL FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS •

Fill out the JVPF 2013 Cover Sheet with the basic information about your organization and the proposed program.

•

Write a brief description of your proposal which must not exceed two (2) pages (excluding the cover sheet). Please include each of the following sections in order: 1. Program Description/Case: A one-paragraph summary of the project and the case for its funding. This summary is your chance to succinctly sell your idea. 2. Need: Describe the target population, need, and potential impact. 3. Goals/Objectives: List the goals and objectives, and how you intend to achieve them. 4. Innovation: Explain how the project or program is unique and how it can serve as a catalyst for further innovation. 5. Scalability: Outline the ways in which your project could be scaled to serve larger populations (e.g., on a community, national, or international scale) or become a model program for replication in other areas. 6. Organizational Structure and Expertise: Explain the staffing plans, personnel expertise, management competence and capacity to deliver services generally, and the project specifically. 7. Outcome/Evaluation: Identify the expected outcomes, criteria that will be used to measure success, and the plan for assessing benefits as measured against costs. 8. JVPF Role: Describe how JVPF’s technical assistance and Fund member experience could be used to further the applicant’s program. 4

9. Sustainability: Summarize the fiscal strategies for making the program or organization sustainable in the intended time-frame and beyond the grant period. 10. Funders: List names and contact information for key recent funders (both of the organization and proposed project) and pending applications and prospective funders (including name of prospective funder, amount requested, and intended use of funds if received). You may include this information in the budget if you would like. •

Include a one-page itemized budget listing both projected revenue and expenses for the entire project (and, if necessary, a one page budget narrative). If the proposal is for a specific program, please also include a complete organizational budget. The budget must demonstrate an effective and efficient plan for use of JVPF funds. The budgets and narrative should be attached to the proposal.

•

Papers should be in 12 point font and may be either single- or double-spaced.

•

Concept papers are to be submitted solely in electronic format.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND PROCESS TIMELINE •

All submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. PDT, Friday, March 29, 2013. Please submit your proposal electronically to [email protected].

•

Applicants will be notified of the results of the initial screening process by May 15, 2013.

•

Applicants selected to make in-person presentations to the Fund will be invited to do so at a JVPF meeting in May or June 2013.

•

Applicants selected for the due diligence stage will work with Fund members during the summer.

•

Final funding decisions will be made in the fall of 2013.

JVPF-LA is a project in collaboration with The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

5