The Jewish community is full of big ideas to foster Jewish culture and community online. Now, finding money to bring those innovations to life is about to get a little easier. Three major players on the Jewish philanthropic scene — the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation and The Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation — have pooled resources to create the Jewish New Media Innovation Fund. In this inaugural year, the philanthropies are making available $500,000 to finance a range of digital media projects.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

As examples of new media used innovatively to engage American Jews, the grant-making organizations have cited G-dcast, a series of animated short web videos centered on the weekly Torah portion, and 10Q a website that encourages Jews to reflect on their lives in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The fund will distribute money in increments of up to $100,000, though most grants are expected to be in the $30,000 to $50,000 range. Unlike many other projects sponsored by each of the three philanthropies, the Jewish New Media Innovation Fund does not limit the request for proposal to non-profit organizations; for-profit enterprises and individuals are also eligible.

Grantees must agree to track their progress and share with the fund what they learn in the course of implementing their respective projects. Should the innovation turn a profit, grantees are expected to donate a small portion of the money back to the fund.

–Gabrielle Birkner

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount