Jewish Teen Funders Network (Jewish Values Programs & Resources, Online Programs & Resources, Teen Programs & Resources, Tikkun Olam/Social Justice Programs & Resources)

City: New York, NY

Auspice/Sponsorship: Jewish Funders Network

Contact Information: Stefanie Zelkind - szelkind@jfunders.org

Website: http://www.jtfn.org

Year Established: 2006

Category: Jewish Values Programs & Resources, Online Programs & Resources, Teen Programs & Resources, Tikkun Olam/Social Justice Programs & Resources

What is the program's mission?

• The mission of the Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) is to provide teens with multiple Jewish values-driven opportunities to engage in collective philanthropic giving with their peers.

What is the structure of the program?

• JTFN has compiled a publication titled, "Build Your Own Program.  It offers resources and sample documents for teachers, community professionals, and teen advisors interested in creating and establishing their own Jewish youth philanthropy programs.  It also has published "JFTN Best Practices," a report broken down into 12 "Best Practice" sections.  Each section provides a concept introduction and 3-5 strategies/concepts for consideration.  Under each strategy you can find examples and resources, and in some cases, technical how-to steps.

What was the genesis of the program? What need was it meant to serve?

• Over the last decade, more than 60 Jewish youth philanthropy programs have emerged throughout North America. From the East Coast to the West Coast, in large metropolitan areas and small communities, these programs engage teens ages 13-18 in hands-on collective philanthropic giving. They are housed in day schools, religious schools, synagogues, social service agencies, local Jewish Federations, and endowment foundations.  There are roughly four programmatic models for Jewish youth philanthropy programs:
• youth foundations, in which teens contribute money to a collective philanthropic pool that is matched by a local donor, or a pool of funds provided through a community endowment, and then give the money away
• seventh grade funds, which allow B’nai Mitzvah students to give money they otherwise would have spent on B’nai Mitzvah gifts to tzedakah
• youth boards, in which teens do not contribute their own money; rather, they are responsible for decisions on a portion of a foundation’s grant making corpus
• individual endowment funds, in which teens donate the interest from individual accounts to organizations of their choice.                                           
• Some programs meet over the course of an academic year, while others meet over one semester. Some programs are structured as one-time experiences, while others engage teens for several cycles. Programs meet 4-8 times, and some include weekend retreats and/or site visits to potential grantees.