THE JEWISH DIVORCE ASSISTANCE CENTER OF LOS ANGELES (JDAC) NAMED ONE OF AMERICA’S 
TOP 50 INNOVATIVE JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS

Twelfth Annual Slingshot Guide Highlights the Best of the Thriving Jewish Nonprofit World

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – JDAC has been named one of North America’s top 50 innovative Jewish organizations in the twelfth annual Slingshot Guide. The Guide has become a go-to resource for volunteers, activists and donors looking for new opportunities and projects that, through their innovative nature, will ensure the Jewish community remains relevant and thriving. Slingshot 2017 was released today.

 

Selected from among hundreds of finalists reviewed by nearly 100 professionals with expertise in grant-making and Jewish communal life, the Guide called JDAC “an essential service provider". Organizations included in this year’s Guide were evaluated on their innovative approach, the impact they have in their work, the leadership they have in their sector, and their effectiveness at achieving results. JDAC is proud to be among the 50 organizations honored for meeting those standards.

 

The organizations included in the Guide are driving the future of Jewish life and engagement by motivating new audiences to participate in their work and responding to the needs of individuals and communities – both within and beyond the Jewish community – as never before.

 

This year, for the first time, organizations were asked to apply based on where they are in their life cycle: start-up, mezzanine or legacy. Applications and evaluations were tailored to life cycle, giving organizations a greater context to share their work within an ever-expanding ecosystem. Presented this way, Slingshot also aims to set expectations within the field for what innovation looks like at each life stage.

 

"JDAC is proud to be selected in this year’s guide, and thrilled to be part of the amazing community of the hundreds of innovative Jewish organizations included in the Guide over the past eleven years who continue to create positive change in the Jewish community,” said Sarah M. Nissel, Esq., Executive Director of JDAC.

 

Added Stefanie Rhodes, Executive Director of Slingshot, which publishes the Guide each year, “Slingshot’s work is to help Jews find, fund and connect to meaningful, exciting experiences in Jewish life. After 12 years, the book remains relevant in a changing world because we continue to highlight organizations doing exceptional work, serving as the trailblazers for what is possible, meeting the community’s evolving needs and inspiring all of us. This year we’ve added a new resource to the field by outlining our new process for evaluation, which includes criteria for various life stages. Whether we look to the guide for funding ideas, best practices or trends in Jewish life, it remains a resource for all of us, providing new tools and optimism for our collective future.”

 

Sarah Rueven, Slingshot board chair, agreed, "We are excited to share our new methodology, a momentous step forward for Slingshot. It is clear that innovation is a critical component of today’s Jewish community and embracing organizational life cycles will be important for all of us as we seek to support and sustain Jewish innovation. Slingshot is highlighting the work of organizations that strengthen Jewish life by rising to the challenges of the day and making our community more relevant to our generation. We are inspired by projects that help people connect to Jewish life in ways that both feel both fresh and relevant, while honoring our traditions. With our new framework, the twelfth edition of Slingshot becomes the most compelling guide yet. Readers will learn about valuable new projects and gain a deeper insight into the emerging needs in Jewish life, as identified by our community's top leaders.” 

 

Being listed in the Guide is often a critical step for selected organizations to attain much needed additional funding and to expand the reach of their work. Selected organizations are eligible for grants from the Slingshot Fund, a peer-giving network of young donors with an eye for identifying, highlighting and advancing causes that resonate the most with the next generation of philanthropists. Furthermore, the Guide is a frequently used resource for donors seeking to support organizations transforming the world in novel and interesting ways.

 

About the Slingshot Guide

The Slingshot Guide, now in its twelfth year, was created by a team of young funders as a guidebook to help funders of all ages diversify their giving portfolios to include the most innovative and effective organizations, programs and projects in North America. The Guide contains information about each organization’s origin, mission, strategy, impact and budget, as well as details about its unique character. The Slingshot Guide has proven to be a catalyst for next generation funding and offers a telling snapshot of shifting trends in North America's Jewish community – and how nonprofits are meeting new needs and reaching new audiences. The book, published annually, is available in hard copy and as a free download at www.slingshotfund.org.