The Case for Operational Support

/
The Case for Operational Support

Amanda Mizrahi, program officer for Aish from the Mayberg Foundation, and Dan Hazony, Chief Information Officer of Aish, discuss why an operational framework for giving is so important. According to Mizrahi, outward signs of an organization’s major growth, like a new building or program, are flashy and fun, but they only work if they continue to stand on a strong foundation, which has to grow with the organization. “I would think that anyone who cares about the success of any nonprofit would want to understand the base’s stability before adding onto it,” she writes. “A new program that aligns with an organization and donors’ mission is exciting, but only if that success is sustainable because the organization’s baseline operations (fundraising, data, and communications) are all in good shape.”

Read More

The Backstop: An Underused Tool for Overcoming the Chicken and Egg Challenge

/
The Backstop: An Underused Tool for Overcoming the Chicken and Egg Challenge

In this piece by Rebecca Weisman, The Backstop: An Underused Tool for Overcoming the Chicken and Egg Challenge, she lays out a dilemma many nonprofits know all too well – the organization cannot secure funding until they launch the project, and at the same time, cannot start the project until they secure funding.

During moments of uncertainty, like a global pandemic, finding creative solutions to funding challenges is even more necessary.

Enter, a creative tool that the Mayberg Foundation found to be particularly effective in funding an initiative as an early investor and mitigating risk. The “backstop,” which was successfully implemented in its funding of the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC), allowed the organization to build a track record while seeking other funding sources.

Read More

Looking Through a Multidimensional Philanthropic Lens

/
Looking Through a Multidimensional Philanthropic Lens

After 21 years at The AVI CHAI Foundation, I am excited to begin the next stage of my career as the Mayberg Foundation Senior Advisor for Education Grants and Programs. It’s wonderful to be able to bring my experience to a new milieu, while at the same time have the opportunity to learn from and about different philanthropic models. After only a few weeks, I can already point to noteworthy variations in approaches.

Both AVI CHAI and the Mayberg Foundation believe that Jewish literacy is key to sustaining the next generation of Jews. It’s no surprise then that both foundations view Jewish day schools as an essential vehicle for imparting deep Jewish knowledge. Each focuses on acting as an agitating force for the improvement of the instruction of Jewish studies. Additionally, the Mayberg Foundation and AVI CHAI both demonstrate a respect for Jewish unity and Jews across the spectrum. It’s striking that despite these similarities in funding priorities, there are numerous differences in philanthropic practices:

Read More