Frequently Asked Questions


Frequently Asked Questions - Forward Together

Click on a frequently asked question below to navigate to the answer.

1. When will we be told of the amount of the matching grant?

2. Can we tell our donors that HGF is making a five-year commitment to our camp?

3. Can we use the unrestricted portion of our Forward Together grant for capital purposes?

4. Does a grant from the local Jewish Federation office qualify for matching in the Forward Together grant?

5. If we are submitting for the $10,000 bonus, do donations beyond the 1:3 total need to be restricted?

6. Is the $10,000 bonus going to be available in years after 2023?

7. Do physical improvement projects need to be completed by 12/31/23 or can they be in progress?

8. We rent our camp location. Do you have suggestions for camps like ours to fulfill the requirement to use 50% of Forward Together funds for capital?

9. Would Harold/HGF be interested in a named element in a building project being funded in part by our Forward Together matching grant?



1. When will we be told of the amount of the matching grant?  

Camps will be notified of their challenge grant amount after they complete the Application. A Letter of Agreement with the allocation amount is expected to be released in mid-January.

2. Can we tell our donors that HGF is making a five-year commitment to our camp?

Yes, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and JCamp 180 have made a commitment to provide matching grants to affiliated camps in each year over the five-year period, 2023-2027.  Donors can be told of this commitment.  Although the Foundation’s overall commitment to the JCamp 180 overnight camping program was confirmed to be $5 million per year, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation has reserved the right to adjust the precise challenge grant to each camp in 2024-2027. 


3. Can we use the unrestricted portion of our Forward Together grant for capital purposes?

Yes. The only requirement is that a minimum of 50% of the Forward Together grant be spent on capital.

4. Does a grant from the local Jewish Federation office qualify for matching in the Forward Together  grant?

Annual, standard grants from a Federation that are, or have previously been made available to any Federation-supported organization, does not qualify for matching in the Forward Together challenge program.  Grants from a Federation that are designated for a capital improvement qualify for matching within the Forward Together challenge grant program as long as the grant is paid in the 2023 calendar year. 

5. If we are submitting for the $10,000 bonus, do donations beyond the 1:3 total need to be restricted?

No. As noted in our Forward Together grant guidelines, “Funds raised by camps toward the $10,000 bonus need not be restricted for any purpose,” and the HGF bonus funds are unrestricted.

6. Is the $10,000 bonus going to be available in years after 2023?

The $10,000 bonus applies to 2023.  HGF has not yet determined whether there will be a bonus for subsequent years.  

7. Do physical improvement projects need to be completed by 12/31/23 or can they be in progress?

Projects do not need to be completed by 12/31/2023. In your Final Narrative Report you will be asked to provide a status update on the designated Physical Improvement Project that this grant supported.

8. We rent our camp location. Do you have suggestions for camps like ours to fulfill the requirement to use 50% of Forward Together funds for capital?

Please see ‘Examples of Qualifying Physical or Capital Improvement Projects’ here. If your camp has other ideas, please propose them in your Application.

9. Would Harold/HGF be interested in a named element in a building project being funded in part by our Forward Together matching grant?

Although the Harold Grinspoon Foundation would be honored to have a named element in the camp's building project that is funded by Forward Together, that is not a requirement. Any acknowledgement of the gift should be designated as being from “The Harold Grinspoon Foundation” or “JCamp 180, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.”