Changemaker Challenge

In the spirit of tikkun olam — healing the world — The Jewish Federation is searching for innovative ideas that will make Los Angeles a better place for us all. If yours is chosen, we’ll make it happen together! Just submit your entry in our ChangeMaker Challenge by Monday, September 16th, and we’ll take care of the hard part.

We’ll partner on projects from eligible 501(c)3 or 501(c)3-sponsored organizations in two ways:

1. We’ll invest up to $5,000 each, based on allocated funds, in nonprofits that set out to make a meaningful impact in Los Angeles County. We are seeking projects focused on, but not limited to, the following areas:
   • Building Bridges — supporting initiatives that focus on building bridges among disparate communities.
   • Enhancing Lives — addressing the needs of local communities.
   • Fostering Leadership — activating and enhancing programs that support the growth of civic leaders and civic life in L.A.
2. We’ll provide 15 hours of capacity-building training to leadership from chosen organizations led by premier nonprofit coaches from our partner Executive Service Corps of Southern California.*

The ChangeMaker Challenge is our partnership investment in you! Learn more about the program and read FAQs.

Apply Now!

Please email MYork@JewishLA.org for additional information.

ChangeMaker Challenge Application Process

If you have already applied for a grant with the Federation, skip to the login on the Spectrum Grants System with your credentials.

If you are a first-time grant applicant, you will need to register and gain system approval to proceed to the application. Please note, once you register as an applicant, it will take about 24 hours to receive an applicant approval email that notifies you that you can log in to the Spectrum Grants System to begin the application. Please register here as a grant applicant.

If you would like to start a draft of your application answers while you await registration approval, the questions have been included below.

Org Name:
Mailing Address:
Org Website:
Contact Name & Title:
Contact Phone/Email:
Executive Director:
Exec Dir Email:
Program Name:
Brief Program Description:
Organization Overview:
Amount Requested:
Total Project Budget:

1. What is your project and what kind of problem or challenge are you trying to address in LA?
2. When and where will your initiative take place? How will you use your CMC award?
3. How will your project strengthen relationships between different communities and have a positive impact on our city?
4. Outputs, Evaluation and Collaboration:
   1. How many clients will you be able to serve?
   2. What other outputs will you have (meals, services, etc.)?
   3. How will you evaluate the impact of your project?
   4. Who do you currently collaborate/partner with?
5. Does your project already exist? If so, please explain how a CMC award will help you improve, enhance, expand or add innovation to your project.
6. What other pending funding sources do you have? If you do not receive this other funding but do win the Changemaker Challenge, will you still be able to move forward with your project/initiative and how?
7. To make the most of the coaching component of this partnership, we require participation from a leadership staff person at your nonprofit. He/she will be expected to participate in approximately 5 monthly capacity building group trainings along with leadership from other CMC winners aimed at providing your organization with an added value of approximately $4k in the way of support and coaching. Each year the capacity building curriculum is tailored to fit the needs of the participants in the cohort based on an initial needs assessment. Past topics have included board development, strategic planning, defining/changing organizational culture, fundraising, time management, managing for success, etc. Please provide names and titles of 1 or 2 staff persons in a leadership role from your organization who should participate. Please note, the same staff person should be able to attend each of the 5 sessions.
8. How did you hear about the ChangeMaker Challenge?

*The ChangeMaker Challenge capacity-building training is valued at approximately $4,000 per organization.

The ChangeMaker Challenge is a program of The Jewish Federation’s Community Engagement Strategic Initiative, dedicated to bringing together leaders from different backgrounds and perspectives to learn and work together on important issues in Los Angeles and Israel, promoting civil discourse, and helping the Federation strengthen our community.