LIFE & LEGACY ® is a results-oriented, four-year endowment-building initiative that promotes legacy gifts to benefit local organizations across the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community. In partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Jewish organizations – such as day schools, synagogues, and social service organizations – learn best practices to build an endowment for their organization.
The initiative motivates Jewish organizations to create and execute a plan to build endowments and integrate legacy giving into their philanthropic culture. Participants receive training, consulting and marketing assistance from Jewish Federation and Harold Grinspoon staff.
Incentive grants will be offered for meeting established goals. For example, organizations will receive a grant of $5,000 for securing 18 Letters of Intent. The grant increases to $7,500 for 25 + Letters of Intent.
We look forward to partnering with organizations across our Greater Philadelphia Jewish community. Gift by gift, and organization by organization, we will assure Jewish tomorrows and create a vibrant future for the generations to come.
Participation in life & legacy
- Attendance at group meetings over four years, as well as individual meetings, and by at least two members of each organization’s legacy team
- Legacy teams are made up of four to six individuals, including the Executive Director/Rabbi/Head of School, Development Director (if applicable) and a minimum of two lay leaders
- Team members should prepare to actively participate in having conversations to secure legacy commitment and following up with prospects and donors
- Gifts secured through this program will build an endowment fund for your organization at Jewish Federation
want to learn more?
All local Jewish communal organizations are invited to apply to be in the first cohort of the LIFE & LEGACY initiative. We will be hosting an informational meeting WHY LEGACY? WHY NOW? presented by our LIFE & LEGACY Consultant Tamra Dollin of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation on March 29 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. by Zoom. Please register here. For questions, please email legacy@jewishphilly.org.
For information, please email Sonya Aronowitz, LIFE & LEGACY program coordinator at legacy@jewishphilly.org or call 215.832.0574.
apply here
The deadline to apply is April 30. Click here to apply for the first cohort of the LIFE & LEGACY initiative.
FAQs
LIFE & LEGACY is a proven initiative to build endowments for Jewish community organizations through legacy giving. Seventy three communities throughout North America have participated in this effort, securing more than $1.3 Billion in estimated future gifts to 750+ Jewish organizations of all kinds. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation supports this initiative through the LIFE & LEGACY effort, to strengthen our Jewish communities for a vibrant future.
- Provides training, coaching and consultations over four years to learn best practices to build endowed funds.
- Incentive grants of $5,000 and more are available when organizations reach their goals.
- Collaboration between participating organizations will be key to the community-wide success of the LIFE & LEGACY initiative. As a donor-centered effort, donors appreciate the community working together to give them the opportunity to identify all the organizations they want to support with one Letter of Intent. This will ultimately benefit the whole Jewish community now and in the future.
There is no cost to the organization to participate and unrestricted incentive grants can be earned by achieving set goals. Jewish Federation’s interest in helping organizations build endowments is to strengthen Jewish Philadelphia for generations to come.
Each organization that is interested in participating in LIFE & LEGACY is invited to submit the online application by the deadline of April 30th. A committee comprising lay leaders from the community and Jewish Federation professional staff will review all applications and select participants for our first cohort of 12-15 organizations. We will inform applicants of our decision by May 18th.
The ability to put together a legacy team made up of senior professional(s) and lay leaders. The legacy team will be responsible for:
- Attending all required trainings
- Writing a legacy plan
- Having legacy conversations to secure Letters of Intent
- Submitting reports to Jewish Federation on a quarterly basis
- Implementing a marketing plan and stewardship process for all legacy gift donors
In addition, each participating organization is required to establish an endowment account at Jewish Federation for gifts received through the LIFE & LEGACY initiative. The funds are held to benefit your organization.
- Implement and fund LIFE & LEGACY, in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation
- Offer incentive grants to organizations that meet their goals through all four years.
- Provide quality group training seminars, consulting, and coaching in conjunction with our LIFE & LEGACY consultant from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation
- Create a community-wide event to celebrate and honor all legacy gift donors
- Create and offer marketing materials to support the community LIFE & LEGACY effort
- Offer support and resources to participating organizations to ensure their success
Although we will not be able to offer the grants, coaching or consulting services to organizations that are not in our first cohort, there will be opportunities for some organizations to attend the trainings.
Wednesday, March 29 at 12:00 pm (Zoom)
Session 1: Why Legacy? Why Now?
Sunday, April 30
Application Due
Thursday, May 18
Cohort Notified of Acceptance to Program
Wednesday, June 14
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Session 2: Writing the Legacy Plan
Monday, October 23 (in person, location TBD).
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m
Session 3: The Legacy Conversation
Friday, November 1
Program Launches
February TBD
Session 4: Marketing Your Legacy Program
May TBD
Session 5: Effective Stewardship