The Minneapolis Jewish Federation

The Minneapolis Jewish Federation is a fundraising nonprofit organization focused on building a vibrant, inclusive and supportive Jewish community. The Federation works with people and partners everywhere to lead initiatives, raise funds and support essential community services. For more than 80 years, the Federation has served the community by nurturing Jewish life and learning, helping those in need and building connections with Israel and Jews around the world. Maintaining a relationship with the Federation goes back to Jay & Rose, who believed giving to the Federation was both a duty and an honor, born out of their extraordinary good fortune and strong ties to the Jewish community. Supported since the earliest days of the Foundation, current grants support the Federation’s Community Annual Campaign.

The Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning

Originally established in 1969 at St. John’s University as The Jay Phillips Center for Jewish Christian Learning, The Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning was formed in 1996 from a merger of the Jay Phillips Chair in Jewish Studies at St. John’s University and the Center for Jewish-Christian Learning at the University of St. Thomas. Since 1996, the Center has expanded its focus beyond Jewish-Christian relations to include programs on many of the world’s major religions. The Center currently hosts and organizes a lively array of lectures, performances, conferences and other events on the campuses of both sponsoring institutions. Grant funds support these activities.

Access to Reproductive Health Services

Protecting access to personal reproductive health care services has been a long-standing interest of the Foundation going back to the early days of Jay and Rose. Over the last several years, the Foundation has supported a few local organizations engaged in grassroots organizing, education and reproductive justice. These currently include NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota and Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Minnesota Private College Council

The Foundation currently funds two scholarship programs at the Minnesota Private College Council.

The Phillips Scholars Program

Established in 1995, the Phillips Scholars Program was created to perpetuate the legacy of community service reflected in the lives of Jay and Rose Phillips. Along with two years of significant scholarship support, recipients work as a cohort to plan and implement a summer service project to address a critical community need.

The Eddie Phillips Scholarship for African American Men

The Eddie Phillips Scholars Program, established in 2015, aims to support the academic achievements of African American males through financial support, comprehensive advising and mentoring, leadership development, and experiential learning. Beginning the summer before their junior year with a 2-credit leadership course, the program aims to change the trajectory of a student’s educational journey by creating and supporting a cohort model that is deeply relevant in an African American male student’s life.  Read more here.

Northside Achievement Zone

The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) exists to permanently close the achievement gap and end generational poverty in North Minneapolis. Along with dozens of partner organizations, NAZ is walking side-by-side with low-income families as they put their children on a path to college. NAZ’s wrap-around framework effectively supports low-income children of color so that they will graduate from high school prepared for college. As one of NAZ’s earliest funders dating back to 2010, current grants support the operations and growth of the NAZ movement.

Jewish Community Action

Founded in 1995, Jewish Community Action’s (JCA) mission is to bring together Jewish people from diverse traditions and perspectives to promote understanding and take action on racial and economic justice issues in Minnesota. Its model combines traditional congregational-based community organizing with issue-based campaign work to bring a distinctly Jewish voice to the fight for justice. JCA’s current campaigns include reducing gun violence, voting rights, and responsible banking in low-income communities. The Foundation has consistently supported JCA since 1996 with grants for general operations and community organizing efforts.

Northside Funders Group

Since 2008, the Northside Funders Group has brought together funders with investments in North Minneapolis to collectively learn and share resources to increase everyone’s impact. The ultimate goal is to change the way philanthropy works in North Minneapolis. As a founding member, the Foundation is one of 17 active members.

MSP Workforce Innovation Network (MSPWin)

MSPWin continues to serve as this region’s principal critic, advocate, and change agent in the arena of workforce development. Using legislative and administrative advocacy to try to focus state and local funding for adult job training more tightly on low-income people of color, MSPWin is an active presence at the legislature, a constant voice in the ears of state and local bureaucrats, and a funder of notable innovations in this field. As a founding member, the Foundation is one of 12 active members.

Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative

The Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative is a member organization comprised of grantmakers and intermediaries committed to working together to prevent and end homelessness in Minnesota. The Collaborative brings a strong working relationship with policymakers and the unique contributions of philanthropy to support the implementation of Heading Home: Minnesota’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The Foundation is a founding member of this collaborative established in 2015.

Minnesota Comeback

The vision of Minnesota Comeback is to increase access to great schools and close the opportunity gap for 30,000 low-income Minneapolis kids. MN Comeback leads a coalition of more than 80 schools, community leaders, and funders focused on the most impactful strategies around K-12 systems change and school success. This aligned approach helps schools grow and improve more quickly and efficiently, and helps funders invest limited resources with the greatest possible impact. The Foundation is one of 28 active members.