Forty-three years ago, Rachel and Sol Banks created a legacy for our community by establishing the Rachel B. Banks Youth Fund with a $100,000 donation.
Creating this endowment was their commitment to support our community by ensuring that our Jewish youth had quality educational programs.
Innovative Proposals
Annually, Richmond Jewish Foundation seeks innovative proposals focusing on services that have the potential to meet the ever-expanding needs of our Jewish youth.
The grants committee looks for grant submissions that focus on identified needs that are not being met. In most cases a grant proposal includes a shared financial responsibility between the organization requesting funding and Richmond Jewish Foundation’s Banks Fund.
June 2, 2023, Deadline
The committee is now accepting innovative grant applications through June 2, 2023, for funding beginning in the fall.
Last year $20,469 was awarded to support programs ranging from early learning to high school.
The Weinstein JCC was awarded a grant for the “Building Community: Connecting Youth and Families program, Temple Beth-El Religious School was awarded a grant for the workshop series “Olam Shalem, Olam Gadol: Jewish Racial Diversity and Inclusion training for Richmond Jewish educators” and, Keneseth Beth Israel received two grants, the first for the “Jewish Children’s Library” program and the second, for “Project Shine”.
BBYO was also awarded a second year grant for” Richmond AZA Recruitment and Engagement” program.
The Banks Fund is an example of a Field of Interest Endowment Fund at RJF. Rather than naming a particular organization, Field of Interest Endowment Funds are created for a specified broad purpose.
For example, RJF has Field of Interest Endowment Funds designed to support youth education, senior programming and Holocaust education.
With this type of fund you can be assured that grants will be made to the best organizations following the criteria established when the fund was created.
At RJF there are many options for donors including donating to an existing fund like the Banks Fund or creating your own fund based on your passions and interests.
For more information about choice, designation and special giving options call 804-545-8628 or email: joice@rjfoundation.org.
