Brick by Brick - How to Apply

A group of people walks through a filed of tall grasses and flowers. A red barn is in the background, along with trees, hills, and a bright blue sky with white clouds.

Application Process

 

Are you ready to join us in 2025? Apply now!

The application process helps us get a clearer picture of who will be participating in this year's cohort. We will be tailoring the curriculum to the unique priorities, skills, and interests of the group.

Interested in nominating someone for Brick by Brick? Please reach out to our team at brickbybrick@jewishliberation.fund.

  • September 2024: Applications go live, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis

  • November 15: Applications due by midnight Pacific Time

  • November 29: Fellows commit to Brick by Brick Fellowship 2025

Eligibility

 

This program is open to senior staff members at foundations, board members, and major donors/individual philanthropists. 

We're seeking leaders who are ready to make changes to their grantmaking. Below is a set of statements to give you an idea of the kind of person for whom this program is designed:    

  • You've given to movements/power building work in the past, but want to better understand the strategies your grantees are employing.

  • You are looking for closer relationships with movement leaders, or are looking for guidance in how to better hold relationships with movement partners. 

  • You are seeking a community of support, but some of the existing funder communities aren’t satisfying you. This could be because of your politics, that you desire a space that is more Jewish, or are seeking a community that is more action oriented. 

  • You have power to make change within their institution - you possess informal authority or formal decision making power as it relates to grantmaking.

Key Program Information

 

Expectations and time commitment:

  • Kick off Retreat: 3-day in-person gathering in February 2025

  • Virtual Cohort Sessions: 9 bi-weekly 2-hour virtual cohort work sessions

  • Chevruta Sessions: bi-weekly peer learning & support sessions with another fellow

    Between sessions, there will be pre-work and other materials to review, and periodic one-on-ones with facilitators, coaches, and others to support Fellows’ leadership development goals and engagement with the curriculum.

  • Closing Retreat: 2-day in-person gathering, date TBD based on cohort availability

The Brick by Brick Experience

Program Cost

 

The actual cost to run the fellowship is approximately $14,000 per participant. The Brick by Brick Fellowship is subsidized by JLF, with generous support from the Krupp Family Foundation.

Tuition for the fellowship is sliding scale based on the annual grantmaking budget of your organization (these ranges do not include operations expenses).

  • $1,800 Tuition - For an organization/individual with an annual grantmaking budget between $50,000 - 3 million.

  • $5,000 Tuition - For an organization/individual with an annual grantmaking budget between $3 million - $15 million.

  • $8,500 Tuition - For an organization/individual with an annual grantmaking budget greater than $15 million.

Additionally, each Fellow’s organization will be asked to dedicate specific funds or designate a portfolio with which the Fellow can experiment with the design and implementation of new funding practices. Specific interventions and strategies will be identified through the course of the Fellowship, and tailored to each organization by the Fellow.