Violet Jabara Charitable Trust Grant

Overview

Welcome

The Violet Jabara Charitable Trust was founded in May, 2007, to continue the philanthropic work of its founder Dr. Linda K. Jacobs, and it is named after her mother, Violet Jabara Jacobs. The mission of the Trust is two-fold: to help improve the lives of the people in developing countries of the Middle East and to foster greater understanding of Middle Eastern culture in the United States.

Areas of Interest

The Trust makes grants to organizations which work in developing countries in the Middle East (see below.) Within this geographic focus, the Trust welcomes innovative ideas in the fields of

* International Economic Development, including, but not limited to

* Health
* Environmental Issues
* Peace Initiatives
* Microfinance
* Social Entrepreneurship
* Education

* Reproductive Health
* Women’s Welfare and Livelihoods
* Arts and Culture

The Trust also makes grants to American organizations which promote deeper understanding of Middle East issues and culture (particularly related to those countries listed above) in the United States. Organizations which promote or produce, for example, films, film series, art exhibitions, blogs or popular books are encouraged to apply. Academic research may also be funded. Applicants must present a strong case that their projects will have a broad, positive and lasting impact on American attitudes towards the people or culture of the Middle East.

The Trust looks for non-traditional approaches to the challenge of sustainable development on the one hand, and cultural education on the other, but it leaves it to the grant-seeker to come up with and present those approaches. New and emerging methodologies that can use modest amounts of funding to jump start larger efforts will be given priority. The Trust will not be risk-averse in its approach.

To advance its mission, the Trust makes grants and/or Mission Related Investments that are aligned with funding and programmatic priorities. As such, the Trust gives donations to non-profit groups, both in the US and abroad. Preference will be given to smaller, local organizations over large, global ones. Donations can be made for general operating purposes as well as for specific projects (i.e., both unrestricted and restricted donations) depending on the nature of the request and the capacity of the organization.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* The Trust makes grants to organizations which work in developing countries in the Middle East:

* Lebanon
* Jordan
* Syria
* Iraq
* Iran
* Palestine (Occupied Territories)
* Yemen
* Egypt
* North Africa

* Countries further afield (such as the Gulf countries, Sudan, or Afghanistan) may be considered, but will not be given priority.
* Given the precarious political state of many of these countries, and U.S. Government guidelines in regard to global grantmaking, it may not always be possible to work with or in all of these countries.
* General Criteria for Grantseekers

* An organization must be a 501(c) 3 organization or must have a bona fide fiscal sponsor in the United States.
* Every applicant, whether American or foreign, must provide the Trust with sufficient proof of its bona fides—including providing the names of people and organizations it works with and proof that it has done due diligence in relation to those people and organizations—so as to satisfy requirements of the U.S. Government. After an initial review, grantseekers may be invited to submit full proposals. At that time, a check-list of required documentation will be provided;
* Every organization must either be secular/non-sectarian, or serve its clients without regard to religious or political affiliation, and certify that it meets these criteria;
* The organization must be committed to the well-being of its clients and have an institutional process for including them as stakeholders in decision-making;
* The organization’s mission and strategy for implementation of its programs must be committed to peace and justice; and
* The rights of women, minorities, all genders, and all nationalities must be respected at every level of the organization (this must be evident in staffing, board governance policies and leadership, along with direct services provided to constituents/clients).

Ineligibility

* No programs or organizations which are primarily religious or political in nature will be funded
* Generally, the Trust will not give grants for construction or improvement of buildings or to individuals.