Information Brochure

(Updated: 06 October 2009)

Background

The Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund (JHF) started operating in 2002. The Foundation was established as a result of the negotiations on Jewish war claims in the Netherlands. In the settlement between the Dutch Jewish community, the Dutch Jews in Israel, and the Dutch government, it was agreed to allocate part of the Dutch government's contribution toward a fund supporting projects dedicated to restoring Jewish life in former communist countries, providing Jewish education, promoting mutual respect between people, and supporting civilian victims in war zones. The award policy of the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund is based on the principles of human rights and tzedakah. Tzedakah is not a privilege but a right. The aim of tzedakah is to establish a just society.These principles are embedded in the Jewish tradition. In Leviticus XIX (9) is the admonition "not [to] wholly reap the corners of thy field" but to leave them for the poor. The JHF logo (a rectangle with a corner cut off) symbolizes these values.

Support to Jews in Central and Eastern Europe

Nazi persecution and oppression by communist dictatorships were a double blow to the Jews in Central and Eastern Europe, after the defeat of the Soviet Union, the Jews are trying to restore their communities, thereby perpetuating two thousand years of Jewish existence in their countries. The JHF welcomes efforts to establish and enrich Jewish life.The JHF aims to support projects dedicated to filling the "social and cultural void" in these Jewish communities by helping to rebuild the social and cultural structures that were destroyed with the deaths of millions of Jews during the Holocaust. Hundreds of thousands of Jews have departed for the world centres of Jewry in the United States and Israel. But many have chosen to keep the torch of Jewish life burning in the country of their birth. The JHF strongly believes that Jews who decided to stay in their countries of origin should receive support to assure the continuation of Jewish life.The JHF aims to empower Jews to enhance Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe to help them once again contribute significantly in these regions. It is for this reason that the JHF has a special interest in the younger generation - members of the new generation who will become the leaders, teachers, youth workers, and officials of the future. Organizations and Projects dedicated toward cultivating Jewish values and traditions among the younger generation would serve an explicit JHF objective. JHF has also an interest in strengtening the relationship between the diaspora and Israel.

Co-financing

The JHF supports organizations that have a broad scope and aim to have a significant impact on Jewish communities and small and/or innovative projects. These objectives are more likely to be successful when a project is funded by several organizations. Co-financing will therefore be one of the criteria applied in deciding which organization or which projects will be awarded a grant. Preference will be given to those organizations and projects that can demonstrate counterpart or co-funding commitments.

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

Organizations should not be registered in the Netherlands. The aim of the organizations or their projects have to be dedicated to one or more of the following causes:

Building and ensuring the continuity of Jewish communities in such areas as culture, knowledge transfer, and enhancement of the non-capital infrastructure;
Facilitating Jewish education;
Promoting mutual respect between people;
Supporting civilian victims of war situations.

Organizations cannot have its activities in the Netherlands and may not relate to the Dutch-Jewish community in Israel.

Are grants from the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund restricted to countries in Central and Eastern Europe?

Grants from the JHF are intended primarily for organizations and projects in or directed towards the former communist countries, with the exception of the former DDR. Support by the JHF of Jewish communities elsewhere in the world may be provided if:

a situation gradually or suddenly emerges that is or can be harmful to a Jewish community or to Jewish individuals in a certain region (e.g. outburst of anti-Semitism, political, economic, natural disasters, or other emergency situations);
the community itself is not able to meet the financial consequences of the changed situation;
there is no support for (or only insufficient support) by governmental or non-governmental organisations whose primary goals are to support such communities or individuals;
it is reasonable to expect that financial support would relieve the fate of the community in distress and/or its individual members;
the support is in accordance with the mission of the JHF.

Support by the JHF of civilian victims in a war zone may be provided if:

civilians are Jewish and non-Jewish victims of ethnic violence;
the violence stricken community itself is not able to meet the financial consequences of the changed situation;
there is no support for (or only insufficient support) by governmental or non-governmental organisations whose primary goals are to support such communities or individuals;
it is reasonable to expect that financial support would relieve the fate of the community in distress and/or its individual members;
a clear relationship exists between the Dutch-Jewish communities in the Netherlands and/or Israel and the communities in distress;
the support is in accordance with the mission of the JHF.

The Disbursable Amount per year of our Foundation shall be sub-divided into three categories as following:

Thirty percent (30%) of the Total Disbursable Amount shall be set aside for small and/or innovative projects (“Category 1 Grants”);
Sixty percent (60%) of the Total Disbursable Amount shall be set aside for organizational core funding, rather than project funding, to build institutional capacity, financial sustainability and long term development (“Category 2 Grants”);
Ten percent (10%) of the Total Disbursable Amount shall be set aside for projects dedicated to victims of conflict situations (“Category 3 Grants”).

Applicants can apply for a grant for category 1 and 2 in the same year, but will only be awarded for one of the two categories.

How to apply for a project grant

Special application forms, for each category are available from the JHF. These forms should be filled out on our website on or before 1 July 2010. This deadline will be strictly adhered to. Applications should be made for core-funding of the organization or for projects to start after 1 January of the following year. Ordinarily, the Board of the JHF will decide on awards of grants in November of each year. In the Disbursement framework underneath you will find information on the disbursement.

DISBURSEMENT FRAMEWORK: THREE CATEGORIES

DISBURSEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORY 1

CATEGORY	EXTRA INFORMATION	AMOUNT OF THE GRANT	PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES
Category 1: small and/or innovative projects	Applicants can only apply for one year at a time provided, however, that grant applications for the same project may be made for a maximum of three (3) years. Each year the Fund will review the project and make an allocation decision independent from any prior year’s decision. The geographic focus is Central and Eastern Europe. The “small and/or innovative” standard reflects the size of the project and not the size of the applying organization. An organization can submit up to two applications a year. Applicants can apply for a grant for category 1 and 2 in the same year, but will only be awarded for one of the two categories.	The amount of any grant shall not be more than €8.000 per year.	Organizations applying for Category 1 funding should use the application form which can be found on the website of the JHF. Required documents should be included. Once a project has been completed, the organization shall promptly (a) send a Project Report, (b) provide reliable evidence that the project has been carried out, and (c) provide a statement of revenues and expenditures of the project.

DISBURSEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORY 2

CATEGORY	EXTRA INFORMATION	AMOUNT OF THE GRANT	PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES
Category 2: organizational core funding to build institutional capacity, financial sustainability and long term development	Organizations that have received grants from the JHF in the past and have performed satisfactorily; and/or are reputable and widely recognized organizations which are considered leaders in their areas of service will be considered. Applicants can only apply for one year at a time. Subject to an annual review and re-application, It is expected that Grants will be for multiple years. While the grant request will be part of an organization’s core funding, there must be demonstrated in the proposed budget the organization’s commitment, and specific plan, for the development of institutional capacity, financial sustainability and long term development. Category 2 Grants are not intended to fund general organizational deficits of the past. The geographic focus is Central and Eastern Europe. Applicants can apply for a grant for category 1 and 2 in the same year, but will only be awarded for one of the two categories. An organization can submit one applications a year. Category 2 is reserved only for situations where the core funding is indispensable to the continuation of the organization, or is vital to essential projects that the organization has been forced to discontinue. As an indication for the amount you can request, please note that your application should be in proportion to previous subsidies from the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund. Be aware that the amount of core funding provided by the JHF is limited.	The amount of any grant shall not be more than €50.000 per year.	Organizations applying for Category 2 funding should use the application form which can be found on the website of the JHF. Required documents should be included. When reporting on the grant at the end of the grant year, organizations are required to send a detailed financial annual report and a detailed report on operations for the entire organization. If the JHF Grant equals or exceeds 20,000 Euro in a given year then an auditor’s statement will be required as well.

DISBURSEMENT FRAMEWORK CATEGORY 3

CATEGORY	EXTRA INFORMATION	AMOUNT OF THE GRANT	PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES
Category 3: projects dedicated to victims of conflict situations	The Board of the Fund may decide to make Category 3 Grants as necessary without the adherence to a specific grant-making calendar. Applicants can only apply for one year.	There is no limitation on the requested amount of the grant. Ten percent (10%) of the Total Disbursable Amount of the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund shall be set aside for projects in Category 3.	Organizations applying for Category 3 funding should use the application form which can be found on the website of the JHF. Requested documents should be included. Once a project has been completed, the organization shall promptly (a) send a Project Report, (b) provide reliable evidence that the project has been carried out, and (c) provide a statement of revenues and expenditures of the project. Organisations need to send an annual financial report of the organization unless the JHF Grant equals or exceeds 20,000 Euro in a given year, in which case an auditor’s statement will be required as well.

Multi-annual projects

Organizations that have received financial support of the JHF in the past three years for a category 1 project are not eligible for a fourth year grant for the same project, as a given project can only be subsidized by the JHF for a maximum of three years. These organizations may apply for other projects, or for core funding of their organization. Although organizations should apply each year, it is expected that grants for core funding of the organization will be for multiple years.

Which organizations and/or projects are the most likely to be awarded a grant?

Organizations and projects in the former communist countries will be given strong preference.
Organizations and projects with substantial co-financing.
Organizations and projects dedicated to building and ensuring the continuity of Jewish communities in the areas of culture, Jewish traditions and heritage, knowledge transfer, and enhancement of non-capital infrastructure.
Organizations and projects dedicated to Jewish education, including Holocaust education to non-Jews.
Organizations and projects that promote mutual respect between people.
Organizations and projects dedicated to supporting civilian victims of current war situations.
project grants requested by private institutions/organisations will receive preference over project grants requested by public or semi-public institutions/organisations.
Organizations and projects that are most likely to achieve their objectives.
Organizations and projects that will have broad based effectiveness for the money invested.

Applicants should note that:

It is not the Fund's intention to approve applications for organizations whose primary purpose is to disburse direct or indirect grants.
The Fund would expect that the bank account for remittances of a grant be in a bank located in the country of the organisation's registration or the residence of the applicant. Exceptions to this are subject to the prior approval of the Fund.
It is not the intention of the Fund to provide material support for Holocaust survivors.
Applications for capital infrastructure will not be awarded.
The Fund does not fund private initiatives or individuals.
In principle it is not the Fund's intention to approve applications directed towards cleaning or restoration of graveyards.

Award Grants

Decisions to award grants are subject to change until the amount of the grant has been definitively set. Additional information about possible grounds for change can be found in the Disbursement Regulations. By applying for a grant, applicants accept the Disbursement Regulations.

Objections

Objections may be lodged against decisions by the Board. An independent Appeals Committee will look into these objections and advise the Board. Appeals can be made up to six weeks after the formal letter containing the Board's decision has been sent to the applicants.

Financial transparency

A registered accountant goes over the finances and the JHF grants annually.

Disbursement Regulations

Details about applying, evaluation criteria, requirements for applicants, settlements, objections and appeals, and other matters appear in the Disbursement Regulations of the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund. The Disbursement Regulations are available from the offices of the JHF. This leaflet is not the basis for definitive legal rights, it only provides guidelines.