About the program
The JewishColumbus Youth Foundation (JCYF) is an annual program that engages local high school leaders and empowers them to grant funds to the Columbus Jewish community. Throughout the year, JCYF participants gain skills in leadership development, board governance and professional collaboration all through the lens of Jewish philanthropy.
The current structure is a two-tiered model, a Learning Cohort and a Voting Cohort. The JCYF Learning Cohort engages in a year-long process of learning about youth philanthropy and community needs and organizations. The JCYF Voting Cohort works together to develop a competitive grants program, which invites Jewish community organizations and programs to apply for funding. Collectively, the cohort decides their philanthropic focus and grants $5,000 to the organizations or programs of their choice. This is made possible thanks to the Legacy Foundation Board of JewishColumbus who invest in our teens and help populate the leadership pipeline.
JCYF grants have supported programs as diverse as the Love & Hugs Bears Program at Zusman Hospice to Environmental Education programs at the Columbus Jewish Day School. Topics addressed by this committee include Jewish Education, Hunger, Summer Camp, Senior Programming, Jewish teen outreach and others. JCYF is made up of B’nai Tzedek Fund holders. For more information contact Alyssa Russell at alyssa@jewishcolumbus.org.
FY2021 Cohort funding priority announced!
The FY21 Cohort determined their funding priority to be programming [services] for those who are physically at risk; including, but not limited, to programs addressing those who are immunocompromised, disabled, and/or elderly.
Jewish Family Services submitted the winning proposal, and their submission will provide technology, access to Internet and remote socialization programming to isolated seniors so they can feel a sense of community.
We are grateful for the support of the Columbus Jewish Foundation Legacy Board, a JewishColumbus Partner, who invests in our teens and provides the granting dollars to makes this program possible.