Synagogue Fundraising Grant

I. Overview
The Orthodox Union’s Community Engagement Department recognizes that one of the greatest challenges facing our member shuls is the ability to develop long term fundraising strategies to ensure the financial viability of their institutions. We believe that we can proactively assist synagogues to address this crucial area of operations through a grant application process.

Five shuls chosen for develop the most creative and comprehensive five year financial plan, will receive a $5,000 prize, 5 additional shuls will receive consultative services, in lieu of funding to help them implement their five year plan.  Each plan will be required to include fundraising and endowment or bequest targets for each year.  The OU financial grant will be given to both implement the plan, and then as matching funds for the initial gifts.  The OU consultative grant will provide technical support for the implementation of the plan, and initial solicitations.

II. Rationale
The grant program is aligned with the mission and vision of the Community Engagement Department, which is to support, empower, inspire and strengthen lay and professional leadership so that they can maximize their institutional success.  Throughout the grant process the OU will provide guidance and support to congregations, while empowering them to think creatively. 

Grantees will be asked to create a fundraising plan that is repeatable, sustainable and actively involves board members and lay leadership in its design and implementation phases.  As a result, the OU will maximize their institutional success, and provide an opportunity to showcase their efforts nationwide.

The primary goal of the program is to develop best practices for long term fundraising for replication in OU member synagogue nationwide.  The need to assist synagogues with generating long term revenues has been identified through consultations nationwide.  Our secondary goal is to empower congregations to mentor other congregations, and funding will be provided to congregations to help them teach other shuls about their success.
III. Grant Process
A grant application form will be sent to all OU member shuls, posted on the OU Website in the middle of November.  Only OU member shuls in good standing will be eligible for funding. Any shul interested in applying for the grant must have at least 4 lay people and 1 professional attend a webinar which will provide an overview of synagogue fundraising and detailed information about the grant process. The grant application will require shuls to identify specific fundraising goals for each year of the plan.

Any synagogue planning on submitting a grant application must inform the OU by December 16th, 2011 of their intent by filling out the ONLINE FORM.  On December 16th, the grant form will be online.  All grants will be due to the OU on January 14, 2012. The applications will be judged on their creativeness, sustainability and replication for other synagogues. The winners will be announced March 15, 2012, with nationwide announcements scheduled for Shabbat HaGadol.

The five synagogues selected for the cash grant will receive $2,000 to implement their fundraising plan in May 2012. Once a Shul has reached 75% of its first year fundraising goal in pledges and/or bequests and/or endowment commitments it will receive an additional $3,000 to serve as a matching fund for the first year of the plan.

The 10 proposals selected will be printed and distributed electronically to all OU member synagogues for replication. In addition, following the completion of one year of the plan, congregational leadership from the selected synagogues will be featured in a series of webinars for other congregations to learn about their successes.  Funding will be provided to shul leadership to travel to other shuls to discuss their successes. The staff of the OU Community Engagement Department will monitor the progress of the plan throughout the five years.

Click here to continue to the online grant form