The Westbury Group - Deadline

Call for Proposals, 2012-13

Background

The Westbury Group is a network of more than 20 international foundations with a shared interest in enhancing Jewish life in Europe. The Westbury Group group brings together foundation professionals, the philanthropic elite, opinion shapers and policy makers from across the Jewish world, to provide unrivalled insight into the real-time issues facing European Jewish communities.

The Westbury European Initiatives strive to support activism, build organizational capacity, and show case some of the wonderful activities taking place in Jewish communities around Europe. Each year the Westbury Group identifies a number of exciting grassroots organizations that are operating in emerging Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe.

Through the Westbury European Initiatives, selected organizations will be publically recognized and showcased for their excellence, creativity, innovation and ability to achieve meaningful change in their communities and offered support for their work. The top 3-5 most impressive organizations will receive a Westbury Innovation Grant of up to €20,000. A small number of additional organizations will receive Westbury Recognition Grants of €1,000. Throughout the 12 month grant term recipient organizations will also receive mentoring and capacity building from the Westbury Group.

How to Apply

The deadline for the submission of applications is Monday, February 20, 2012.Please send your application along with all supporting documents, by email to miri@westburyeurope.org .

Please read these guidelines for applicants carefully in order to decide if your organization is eligible to apply for funding. If you decide to submit a proposal, please use these guidelines to ensure you complete the form correctly. If you unsure about how to answer any of the questions in the application form or the supporting documents required, please do contact us with any questions ahead of the deadline.

We hope these Guidelines will help you to improve the quality of your proposal. The Westbury European Initiatives aim to support and strengthen organizations in the long-term, and therefore we are interested in obtaining a full picture of your organization and its activities.

Please note that due to scheduled meetings of the Allocations Committee of the Westbury Group, only complete applications that are received before the deadline along with all required supporting documents will be considered for funding.

Guidelines:

1. Applicants must be registered charities or non-profit organizations in a European country, or operating under the aegis of a local, legally incorporated community body or organization. Proof of the charitable status of the organization that will be receiving funds, should a grant be approved, must be submitted along with the application. Organizations without charitable status can apply only if a registered charity is willing to accept funds on its behalf.

2. The Westbury European Initiatives aim to strengthening Jewish life in Europe by supporting smaller organizations and initiatives that are grassroots funded and led, rather than established bodies with significant annual budgets, strong support from the local Jewish community and links with state institutions. Applying organizations must involve and benefit European Jews. European projects or departments of international organizations will not be considered for funding. Grants are intended to support and invigorate grassroots organizations with an annual operating budget of no more than €50,000.

3. A number of grants of up to €20,000 will be made to support and invigorate grassroots efforts with an annual overall operating budget of no more than €50,000. Grants from the Westbury Group are intended to strengthen the infrastructure and core activities of smaller organizations, rather than supporting short-term projects. Therefore, organizations with a larger annual budget are not eligible to apply, even if the project budget for which they are seeking funding is less than €50,000.

4. As the Westbury Group has limited resources, there is a preference to support initiatives in emerging communities in Central and Eastern Europe.

5. Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate an ability to increase the impact of grants awarded by the Westbury Group by raising matching funds.

6. Applications must include an operating budget with organizations’ income and expenses for the current year and any subsequent year for which funds are being requested. We will not be able to consider applications with missing or incomplete operating budgets.

7. Only applications in English can be accepted. However, we recognize that English may not be your organization’s language of operation and will take this into account when assessing proposals.

8. It is important to demonstrate in your application that you have researched the sustainability, necessity and effectiveness of your organization. In addition, we would like to hear about your planned evaluation methodology.

9. Applications must include at least one recommendation by an impartial expert with an understanding of the area of the work of the applying organization. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain recommendations and submit them along with their application before the deadline.

10.

Checklist for Applicants

Before sending us your application, please make sure you have included all information and supporting documents:

ð Completed Application Form

ð Operating budget for 2012

ð Proof of your organization’s charitable status

ð If your organization does not have charitable status and would like to transfer funds through a third organization:

a) Letter from third organization agreeing to accept funds on behalf of your organization

b) Proof of charitable status of third organization

ð Recommendation from an external referee