The 18-member Roots & Branches Foundation, organized and funded by Rose Community Foundation, is seeking grant proposals.

Roots & Branches Foundation will grant $65,932 for efforts that promote Judaic engagement and discussion of contemporary issues among adults age 40 and below, or for programs promoting comprehensive access to elements of economic self-sufficiency for individuals 40 and below, and their families, who fall below the Colorado Self-Sufficiency Standard.

Roots & Branches Foundation invites nonprofit organizations - Jewish or non-Jewish - to submit grant proposals for programs that serve people in the seven-county Denver/Boulder area and meet one or more of the following objectives:

1. Promoting Judaic engagement and discussion of contemporary issues among adults age 40 and below

*Programs that lead to discussion of and engagement in contemporary Jewish issues
*Examples include educational and cultural gatherings; lectures or discussion groups; agricultural, cooking, nutritional, and health programs; civic engagement, social justice and advocacy opportunities
*Programs that target adults under age 40

2. Promoting comprehensive access to elements of economic self-sufficiency for individuals age 40 and below, and their families, who fall below the Colorado Self-Sufficiency Standard

*Sustainable programs helping adults age 40 and below and their families who fall below the Colorado Self-Sufficiency Standard achieve lasting economic self-sufficiency
*Programs from organizations with a proven track record
*Programs that address multiple elements of self-sufficiency, including adequate shelter, food, health care, job training and placement, child care, and life skills
*Programs from a single organization providing multiple services, or collaborative programs between multiple organizations providing at least one service each

Interested organizations should review the complete Request for Proposals for a full description of these grant priorities and an explanation of how to apply. The Request for Proposals is available online at Roots & Branches Foundation's web page at rcfdenver.org/initiatives_roots.htm, by emailing roots@rcfdenver.org, or by calling Sarah Indyk at 303.398.7452. The deadline to submit a grant proposal is Wednesday, Dec. 2 by midnight.

Roots & Branches Foundation's members include Jews from throughout the Metro Denver area, representing a broad spectrum of Judaism. The group has been meeting every three weeks since July to learn about philanthropy and to choose grantmaking priorities.

Roots & Branches Foundation
2009-2010 members
Sephra Albert
Eric Altman
Carley Brooks
Adam Burstein
Sara Chaitin
Loren Faye
Zach Frischp
Lauri Gaffney
Rob Glucksman
Aaron Goldhamer
Joel Gratz
Sari Levy
Aaron Ney
Moshe Lev Perkins
Liza Reifler
Lainie Rosenthal
Andrew Silver
Jess Simmons