ROI Seed Fund

Schusterman supported CLI to give $400,000 to young innovators through new ROI grants BY JACOB BERKMAN JUNE 2, 2009 7:47 PM Young Jewish innovators will receive some $400,000 through two new grant programs. The Center for Leadership Initiatives, an operating foundation founded by Lynn Schusterman, has announced that it will give out grants to alumni of its ROI fellowship program, a leadership development program that it runs in Israel through the Center for Leadership Initiatives. The foundation will give out grants to alumni of its ROI fellowship program, a leadership development program that it runs in Israel through the CLI. Schusterman will provide small grants of up to $10,000 to help ROI alumni support projects that are in the start-up phase through its new ROI Seed Fund. And it will provide angel funding of up to $50,000 to projects of alumni that are already up and running through More than 400 young innovators have gone through the ROI program since it was started in 2006, and Schusterman hope to help alumni further develop their initiatives with this money. “Since its inception four years ago, ROI has been providing young Jewish innovators from around the world with opportunities to network with peers, meet Jewish leaders from other countries, and enhance their skills,” said the philanthropist behind the foundation, Lynn Schusterman. “We hope that these funds will further support the amazing young people in the ROI Community as they take their projects to the next level, and encourage them to work together to build a secure and bright future for world Jewry.” The foundation will start accepting applications for the seed grants June 1 and applications for the innovatoin fund Aug. 31. Here’s the press release:[[READMORE]] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES LAUNCHES ROI GRANTS PROGRAM New Funding Represents Further Investment by Lynn Schusterman in Young Jewish Innovators CONTACT: ROI Grants Manager: Sharon Almougy – The Center for Leadership Initiatives – Israel; Sharon@leadingup.org.il; Phone #: 972- 2-566-7772. JERUSALEM, ISRAEL and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLOMBIA – June 2, 2009: The Center for Leadership Initiatives announced today the launch of two new grant programs for members of the ROI Community, a global network of young Jews from more than 30 countries seeking to advance Jewish life with their innovative ideas and creative projects. These two programs will result in the investment of more than $400,000 in a wide variety of projects developed and led by members of the ROI Community. The ROI Seed Fund will provide small grants (up to $10,000) to help members of the ROI Community support projects in the start-up phase, and the ROI Innovation Fund will provide mezzanine funding (up to $50,000) to initiatives that are more fully developed. The launch of the 2009 ROI Grant Program represents the fulfillment of a commitment announced by Lynn Schusterman at the 2008 ROI Global Summit for Young Jewish Innovators and further advances her commitment to the Jewish future. While these funds will be accessible only to the 400 young leaders who are part of the ROI Community, all applicants will be encouraged to collaborate with innovators and organizations within and beyond that global network. “Since its inception four years ago, ROI has been providing young Jewish innovators from around the world with opportunities to network with peers, meet Jewish leaders from other countries, and enhance their skills,” says ROI founder, Lynn Schusterman. “We hope that these funds will further support the amazing young people in the ROI Community as they take their projects to the next level, and encourage them to work together to build a secure and bright future for world Jewry. ” ROI Grants will be awarded to applicants whose projects are designed to: • Build community around new expressions of Jewish life, culture and values • Offer diverse and inclusive opportunities for young people to become increasingly involved in their Jewish communities • Mobilize and strengthen the skills, people and relationships within the ROI Community “The ROI Grant Program is more than just two new sources of funding,” says CLI Executive Director, Yoni Gordis. “These funds are being launched now, when the world is suffering an economic downturn that has had a devastating impact on the non-profit sector. While many organizations are cutting innovative ideas which they perceive to be luxuries or unnecessary expenses, CLI is seizing the opportunity to invest resources and professional development in young leaders. We see this as a long-term investment in the Jewish future. ” Complete grant guidelines are available at ROIcommunity.org Innovative projects that have emerged from the ROI Community in the past include G-dcast.com (Sarah Lefton, USA); Oleh! Records (Jeremy Hulsh, Israel); and Jewlicious.RU (Tanya Gutsol, Ukraine). ROI is a global community of young Jewish innovators that was created by Lynn Schusterman as a partnership between the Center for Leadership Initiatives and Taglit-Birthright Israel. Participation in the ROI Community is by invitation only, and the members of the community engage in networking and skill-building activities as they work to realize their personal visions for improving the Jewish world. CONTACT: ROI Grants Manager: Sharon Almougy – The Center for Leadership Initiatives – Israel; Sharon@leadingup.org.il; Phone #: 972- 2-566-7772. About the Center for Leadership Initiatives Founded in 2006 through the initial support of Lynn Schusterman, the Center for Leadership Initiatives, Inc. (CLI) is a private operating foundation dedicated to developing Jewish leaders and promoting managerial excellence throughout the Jewish community. CLI takes a multi-faceted approach to leadership development and professional growth, one that includes crafted gatherings, professional peer networks, fellowships and a host of online resources. All of these are carefully designed to help those who participate in CLI programs to translate the knowledge and skills they gain into greater impact in their communities. With a global reach that last year involved participants from over 30 countries, CLI works to support current and emerging leaders from diverse Jewish communities around the world. About Taglit-Birthright Israel Taglit-Birthright Israel provides the gift of first time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Taglit-Birthright Israel’s founders created this program to send thousands of young Jewish adults from all over the world to Israel as a gift in order to diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewry; and to strengthen participants’ personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.