LEMSKY ENDOWMENT FUND
GRANT GUIDELINES & APPLICATION
For
LOCAL MEMPHIS PROGRAM APPLICANTS
2014/2015
Memphis Jewish Federation
The Lemsky Fund
The Lemsky Endowment Fund of Memphis Jewish Federation, established through the generosity of the late Abe Lemsky z'l, further enables Federation to strengthen the bonds between Memphis and Israel through a variety of programs. [1] The Lemsky Fund has accomplished this by providing support for a variety of programs and activities, which have included: (a) subsidies for high school and college applicants to participate in summer and/or study and volunteer programs in Israel, (b) financial support for programs of interest about Israel through lecturers, performances, and Israeli emissaries brought to Memphis for the benefit of the greater community, and (c) vital funding for special projects in Israel provided through the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee, and World ORT, to aid new immigrants, the elderly and Israeli populations at risk.
The guidelines and process described below are applicable for grants to nonprofits with headquarters in Shelby County. These guidelines and processes are not applicable to Mission trips and projects in Israel.
Funding Criteria
The Lemsky Fund welcomes applications for programs that are consistent with and supportive of its mission of developing programs which build bridges between the Memphis Jewish community and Israel.
The Lemsky Fund may not have sufficient resources to support all of the proposals it receives, nor is it obligated to fund any proposal. As such, applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funding in addition to the Lemsky Fund. The Lemsky Fund shall only fund proposals by eligible applicants that address the Lemsky Fund’s mission and grant making priorities and meet desired program outcomes. In addition, program impact, program sustainability, the level of need for support, and quality of agency management also will be considered.
Procedures for Applicants
Please direct all inquiries to Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein at ,
or 767-7100. We suggest that inquiries be emailed. General responses to questions will be posted on the Memphis Jewish Federation website (www.memjfed.org)
Please check the Memphis Jewish Federation website regularly for information and updates about the application process and our grantees. Please review the Lemsky mission, application guidelines, grant-making policies, and FAQs before submitting your application. The Lemsky Fund may also offer technical assistance sessions to assist potential applicants in preparing their applications. The calendar dates for these sessions will be on the Memphis Jewish Federation website.
Eligibility Requirements
1. An applicant must be a charitable organization with its headquarters located in Shelby County, Tennessee.
2. Applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and “not a private Fund” under section 509(a) of the Code. An applicant may use a fiscal sponsor if the fiscal sponsor meets these requirements and submits a letter to the Lemsky Fund accepting expenditure responsibility.
3. Previously funded applicants must complete the required final report and financial reports prior to submitting a new application, including a complete accounting of expended funds and a brief summary of the program outcomes supported by the Lemsky Fund. Please note that as of the 2014-2015 grant period, there are specific guidelines for grantees who wish to reapply for funding.
4. Fund restrictions - The Lemsky Fund does not make grants to: an educational institution for its regular, educational operations or capital programs, any municipal, state or federal agency, or any programs of a fundraising nature, including capital campaigns. The fund does not support general agency overhead costs beyond the pro-rated salaries of staff needed to manage the specific program to be supported by the Lemsky Fund.
Types of Lemsky Fund Support
1. The Lemsky Fund is designed to support a variety of programs that fulfill the mission of building strong connections to Israel.
2. Lemsky Fund grants for programs in Memphis are one-year awards and are restricted for the specific support of the program or activity pursuant to any final, Memphis Jewish Federation Board-approved grant proposal, including any terms and conditions of such final approval. The Lemsky Funds may only be used for specific, approved program activities. These are not general operating funds or unrestricted funds.
3. Lemsky Fund grants have ranged from $2,000 - $70,000.
a. There is a maximum award of $70,000. However, it is unlikely that an award this size will be made annually.
b. Lemsky Fund grants will fund a maximum of 75% of the total program budget for a new program.
c. Grant applications must be submitted annually. Funding during one year does not create any entitlement for funding for any subsequent year. As of the 2014-2015 grant cycle, a returning program may reapply and is eligible for up to 50% of its total program budget. Returning programs must meet all outcome and reporting requirements and are subject to the same annual grant review process and scoring as first year programs.
d. For purposes of Lemsky grant review, “total program budget” may include salaries (pro-rated to time spent on program) but not general, regular overhead costs that pertain to the daily operation of the agency.
Lemsky Fund Required Program Outcomes
Awards will be given to programs that result in one or more of the following outcomes:
· Program participants deepen their understanding of Israel-related issues
· Program participants increase their solidarity with, concern for, and connection to the people and State of Israel
· Program participants increase their connection to the people and State of Israel as evidenced by taking more trips to Israel, increasing charitable giving to Israel, becoming involved in Israel education and advocacy, and increasing their attendance at Israel-related programs in Memphis and elsewhere
· Program participants increase their general involvement in Jewish communal life
Lemsky Fund Funding Preferences
In addition to the basic funding requirements and required program outcomes, the Lemsky Fund encourages programs that a) have a connection to JAFI, JDC, and/or World ORT; b) are structured with significant collaboration with other agencies. The committee is also interested, where applicable, in potential program revenues and clear plans for program sustainability after the Lemsky Fund grant. These preferences will be reflected in the staff vetting and committee scoring of the application.
Application Procedures/Submission
The Lemsky Fund has set application deadlines which are outlined on the website (www.memjfed.org). Incomplete applications may be reviewed upon the sole discretion of the Committee, and points will be deducted for missing items.
A complete application includes detailed answers to the application’s questions, completed Budget Tables and Budget Narrative, Attachments (no more than five pages), the Interim Report (one page) and the Final Report for previous Lemsky grantees (no more than three pages).
Please submit one electronic copy of the application to Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein at by the application deadline. The deadline for all applications for programs taking place in 2014-2015 is Monday, March 10, 2014, by 9 am.
The Lemsky fund will send e-mail confirmation upon receipt of each application. Grant review meetings of the Lemsky Fund committee are generally held in April, and grantees will be notified of awards in May.
As of the 2014-2015 fiscal year, each applicant will be invited to present its agency’s application before the entire committee. At this time, applicants will have the opportunity to expand on the proposed project as well as answer questions from committee members.
Lemsky Fund – Local Grants - Cover Sheet
Name of Organization:
Address:
Executive Director:
Contact person and title:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Name of Program:
Program Time Period:
Total Program Budget:
Amount Requested from Lemsky Fund: $
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
DATE OF RECEIPT OF APPLICATION: ______
PROPOSAL NARRATIVE
Please provide detailed answers to the following questions. Answers must be written in Times New Roman, 12-point font.
1. Name of Program:
2. Connection to Lemsky Fund Mission/Program Purpose & Need: Explain how your proposed program is connected to the Lemsky Fund mission of creating stronger connections between Memphis Jews and Israel and which of the required program outcomes your proposed project will achieve. Also include how you determined the need for this program in the community and how this program will add value to what already exists in the community:
3. Description of Program/Project: Please describe the program and include target population (s) (age, denominational affiliation, etc.), and projected number of people to be reached. Include any collaboration with other local agencies:
4. Timelines: What is the timeline for implementing this program? Please outline a chronology of program/project activities and the timeline for program promotion:
5. Program Outcomes and Measurements: Please describe in detail what the program/project intends to accomplish and how these outcomes will be measured. Include milestones and performance targets. How will you define success? What type of evaluation plan do you have integrated into the program?
BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE
An application will be evaluated on the extent to which the budget is clear, easy to understand, provides a detailed justification for the amount requested and reflects costs that are appropriate and reasonable.
Please complete the two budget tables below listing projected expenses (as per sample budget below) and income and complete a budget narrative that explains the expenses listed.
Sample Budget Format
Funding Category / Project BudgetJuly 1- June 30 / Lemsky Fund Request
Personnel
--Project Director / 5,000
--Assistant / 2,500 / 2,500
Program materials
--Brochures / 750 / 750
--Notebooks / 1,000 / 1,000
Visiting Scholar
--Travel RT-Israel / 2,250 / 2,250
--Stipend / 3,600 / 1,800
--Other
Other
--Event Venue / 250 / 250
--Teleconference / 250 / 250
TOTAL / 15,600 / 8,800
What is your total annual programming budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year? ______
Budget Expenses
Funding Category / Project BudgetJuly 1- June 30 / Lemsky Fund Request
TOTAL
Budget Income/Revenue/Resources
Funding Source / Amount ProjectedTOTAL
BUDGET NARRATIVE
The budget justification should be in a narrative form. Please specify whether numbers are presented in a calendar year or fiscal year format.
PERSONNEL
Description:Costs of employee salaries and wages. Justification:Identify the project director. For each staff person, provide:the title; time commitment to the project as a percentage or full-time equivalent; annual salary; wage rates; etc.Compensation paid for employees engaged in grant activities must be consistent with that paid for similar work within the applicant organization. Do not include the costs of consultants, personnel costs of delegate agencies.
FRINGE BENEFITS
Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits. Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc. Fringe benefits should be based on actual known costs or an established formula. Fringe benefits are for the personnel listed in budget category (A) and only for the percentage of time devoted to the project.
Name/Position Computation Cost
TRAVEL
Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization.(This item does not include costs of consultant travel). Justification:For each trip show:the total number of traveler(s); travel destination; duration of trip; per diem; mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used; and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances.
EQUIPMENT
Description:List non-expendable items that are to be purchased. Non expendable equipment is tangible property having a useful life of more than two years. Expendable items should be included either in the “Supplies” category or in the “Other” category. Rented or leased equipment costs should be listed in the “Contractual” category. Explain how the equipment is necessary for the success of the project. Justification:For each type of equipment requested provide:a description of the equipment; the cost per unit; the number of units; the total cost; and a plan for use on the project; as well as use and/or disposal of the equipment after the project ends.
Item Computation Cost
SUPPLIES
Description:Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category. List items by type (office supplies, training materials, etc. ) Generally, supplies include any materials that are expendable or consumed during the course of the project. Justification:Specify general categories of supplies and their costs.Show computations and provide other information that supports the amount requested.
Supply Items Computation Cost
CONTRACTUAL
Description:Costs of all contracts for services and goods except for those that belong under other categories such as equipment, supplies, construction, etc.Include third-party evaluation contracts, if applicable, and contracts with secondary recipient organizations, including delegate agencies and specific project(s) and/or businesses to be financed by the applicant. Visitor/Consultant Fees: For each consultant enter the name, if known, service to be provided, hourly or daily fee (8-hour day), and estimated time on the project.
Name of Visitor/Consultant Service Provided Computation Cost
Consultant Expenses: List all expenses to be paid from the grant to the individual consultant in addition to their fees (i.e., travel, meals, lodging, etc.) Justification:Provide a description of the product or services to be procured by contract and an estimate of the cost. Applicants are encouraged to promote free and open competition in awarding contracts.
OTHER
Enter the total of all other costs.Please do not include general overhead costs that pertain to the general operating budget of an agency. Justification:Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category.
Attachments/Appendices
Applicants may include a few items that support their proposals; for example, brochures, program announcements, articles from local media, etc. Please be selective in the items attached, and please make sure each fits on 8.5x11” pages, either in WORD or as an Adobe PDF.
Grantees Interim Report
If you are a returning applicant, please submit a one-page Interim Report reporting on the progress of your current Lemsky-funded program to date:
· What programs have taken place?
· What were your target populations? How many participants attended?
· How have the programs strengthened connections to Israel?
Grantees Final Report
If you are a returning applicant, please attach a Final Report, including a financial review report, to your new application. The Final Report is an evaluation of the program for which you received a Lemsky Fund award for the previous year. Both a returning applicant applying for a new program and a returning applicant applying for the same program must submit this report.