Guidelines

General Rules and Guidelines

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation has committed $25 Million, $5 million per year over each of the next five years, in matching funds to nonprofit Jewish overnight camps to support camps as they move beyond the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and build on their fundraising success during the pandemic period.
 

Overview

Camps participating in the Forward Together 2023 matching grant for Jewish overnight camps will be eligible to receive $1USD from The Harold Grinspoon Foundation for every $3USD they raise from other donors (1:3 match) beginning January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, up to a maximum grant allocation from JCamp 180 to participating camps.  Camps that raise four (4) times the challenge grant amount within the grant period will receive a bonus of $10,000USD.  A minimum of one-half of the HGF challenge amount and the funds raised as match to that portion of the grant must be used for physical or capital improvements (“Improvements”). For a list of examples of qualifying projects, please see the list below.

With this five-year commitment, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation plans to offer additional matching challenge grants to participating organizations in calendar years 2024 through 2027, which camps will be invited to apply for on an annual basis.  The Harold Grinspoon Foundation reserves the right to adjust grant amounts as well as the terms and conditions of future grants.

All participating camps will receive in the beginning of December a notification via email that includes a link to the grant registration. Camps must register through the HGF online grants system by Friday, December 30, 2022.

In early January 2023, camp grant applications will be approved and grant agreement letters with matching grant allocation amounts will be sent to participating camps. All grant agreement letters must be signed and returned through the HGF online grants system by Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Matching grant allocations are not subject to appeal. 
 

Grant period

• January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023
• February 1, 2024 is the final reporting deadline, including submission of the donation tracking report, and the final narrative report, which will include questions regarding the actual use of the funds, both for unrestricted and physical or capital improvements.

Bonus

Camps that match the HGF challenge amount at a 1:4 level or higher ($4 raised for every $1 in grant funds) during the Forward Together 2023 grant period will be awarded a $10,000 bonus.
 

Eligibility

Forward Together 2023 is offered to Jewish overnight camps affiliated with JCamp 180. A full list of eligible overnight camps can be found here. This campaign is by invitation only and applications need to be approved by JCamp 180.
 

Grant usage and match amount

One-half of the Matching Grant is Restricted to Physical or Capital Improvements:

• A minimum of one-half of the HGF grant amount and the funds raised as a match to that one-half of HGF grant amount must be used for capital improvements (“HGF Capital Allocation”).  See a list of qualified physical improvements at the bottom of this page. Participating camps seeking alternative uses of the capital portion of their grant should contact their JCamp 180 Relationship Manager for guidance.
• For camps that do not own real estate, JCamp 180 has made allowances for the use of the portion of their grant designated for physical or capital improvements to be used for the purchase of stand‐alone moveable equipment.
• The other half of the HGF grant amount is unrestricted for any use (“HGF Unrestricted Allocation”).
• Funds raised by camps toward the $10,000 bonus are not restricted and the HGF bonus is not restricted in terms of use of the funds. 
• The chart below outlines how funds should be used for capital and unrestricted expenses. In this example the base HGF grant award is $50,000 and the camp does raise 1:4, giving them the $10,000 bonus.

 

Earning the HGF grant

• HGF Physical and Capital Improvement Allocation: The portion of the HGF grant designated for physical or capital improvement use may only be matched by unrestricted funds or funds restricted for these improvements. 
• HGF Unrestricted Allocation: The portion of the HGF grant whose use is unrestricted may be matched by any gift to the camp. 
• Bonus: All funds raised, regardless of restriction, count towards the 1:4 match to earn HGF’s $10,000 bonus.

The chart below demonstrates the allocation of funds a camp can report towards the HGF match by restriction for a base HGF grant amount of $50,000.


 

Gifts eligible to be matched

• Cash or cash equivalent. Stocks, bonds, and other cash equivalents will be matched.
• Gifts of any amount up to 3 times (3X) the camp’s base grant will be matched, capped at the total grant amount offered to your camp.
• Gifts must be received by the camp between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
• Grants from Jewish federations or similar agencies directly in response to the Forward Together 2023 Grant (Regular allocations do not count, as included below).

Gifts not eligible to be matched

• Gifts from anonymous donors if reported with incomplete donor contact information.
• In-kind contributions, discounts on services or goods, art, real estate, or other non-cash instruments will not be matched by HGF.
• Regular allocation from Jewish federations or similar agencies are not eligible to be matched.
• Government relief funds are not eligible.
• One Happy Camper or PJ Goes to Camp Incentive Grant funds will not be matched. 
• If the recipient camp is currently in another active HGF matching grant through JCamp 180, donations may only be submitted to one HGF grant to be matched.

Program requirements and payments

• The full list of overnight camps eligible for the Forward Together 2023 grant can be found here.
• All participating camps must apply for the grant through the HGF on-line Grant System and be approved.  
• Participating camps must sign and submit a Grant Agreement Letter. The letter will be generated and sent through the HGF Online Grant System.
• Upon the grant’s conclusion, camps must submit a Final Narrative Report including the number of donors, total amount raised, and how funds were used for both unrestricted and physical or capital improvement uses.
• To be eligible for future Forward Together grants, the final report for Forward Together 2023 is due on or before February 1, 2024. HGF requests that pictures of any physical or capital improvement projects (even if still in progress) funded under this grant be submitted at the time of the Final Report.
• The Harold Grinspoon Foundation will make a single payment (including the base payment and any bonus earned) within 30 days of approval of a camp’s final report beginning in July 2023.
• Disbursements may be made via electronic payment or by check.
• All decisions for matching funds are at the sole discretion of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Terms and conditions are subject to change and/or termination at any time.

Examples of Qualifying Physical or Capital Improvement Projects:  

• New/renovated buildings (dining facilities, washhouses, health centers, cabins, program spaces, recreation halls, etc.)
• Shade pavilions for outdoor programming
• Waterfront improvements for pools or lakes
• Ballfields
• Climbing walls
• Amphitheater
• Treehouses
• Hand washing stations (permanent)
• Stand-alone moveable equipment (boats, farming equipment, bicycles, exercise equipment, sports equipment, picnic tables, playgrounds)
• Roof replacements (but not roof repairs)
• Underground piping (water or sewer) replacement (but not repairs to same)
• Installation of outdoor lighting
• Installation of new facilities or modifications to existing facilities that address climate change (including wildfire suppression, flooding, or other environmental impacts)
• Reconstruction of high ropes facilities (not routine repairs)
• Reconstruction of outdoor facilities use for Shabbat services or other camp meetings (includes replacement of seating or shade system but not routine repair of those)
• Installation of new siding on buildings
• Purchase or construction of new buildings
• Replacement of kitchen equipment
• Projects that offer energy savings
• Purchase of pool liners or covers or repairs to pool and pool equipment (filters and pumps)
• Major repair to or replacement of docks for boats or swimming at waterfront
• Repaving of driveways, walkways, and parking areas
• Electrical system upgrades
• Installations that will enable the introduction of NEW specific programs such as garden facilities, sports facilities, or others that have an expected life of 10 years or longer.  (e.g. sports walls, garden landscaping and fencing, ga-ga pit walls)
• Landscaping equipment including- riding lawnmowers and landscape tractors for use in maintaining camp grounds
• Painting
• Splash pads/Playgrounds
• Mobile programming trailers/vehicles/spaces: e.g. kitchen, arts & crafts, theater/drama, STEM
• Technology for a computer lab
• Storage/shipping containers

Physical or Capital Projects that do not qualify for HGF Forward Together matching funds:

• FFE:  Furniture, Fixtures, equipment for existing buildings
  • Includes new beds, mattresses, or office equipment
• Camp supplies for the summer (art and other programming supplies)
• Portable electronic equipment (video, drones, office computer equipment)
• Staff wages, salaries, or benefits, either part-time or full-time
• Expenses that have appeared in the operating budget in the past 3 years
• Making COVID-19 testing or isolation facilities more permanent (e.g polycarbonate barriers)
• Vehicles to transport children on and off-site