Now Accepting Submissions for 2023
Shalom Corps Ltd. is a non-profit organization established by Mosaic United (a collaborative program of the Government of Israel and the Ministry of the Diaspora) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (hereinafter: “the Company”). The mission of the Company is to promote a scaled global Jewish volunteer movement by supporting responsible and significant volunteerism grounded in Jewish values and engaging participants in meaningful Jewish learning experiences.
- Goals of the Company:
- Increase the number of Jewish volunteers in Israel and worldwide.
- Enable and encourage profound discussions regarding issues of individual and collective Jewish identity.
- Encourage social responsibility through meaningful service for marginalized populations throughout the world focused on community outcomes.
- Goals of the Global Immersive Service Program:
- Provide funding to eligible Jewish programs around the world involved in volunteering activities in accordance with the guidelines and criteria detailed below
- Incentivize the initiation of new programs and collaborations between operators to widen the scope of global Jewish service programs
- Eligibility criteria for qualifying operating organizations:
- The applicant is a duly registered entity, either in Israel or abroad
- The applicant must have at least two years of demonstrated experience in:
a) Volunteer or international development activities, and/or
b) Activities in the field of Jewish education or Israel engagement - Preference for applicants with proven and extensive volunteer infrastructure.
- The applicant must have, as part of its staff or as an outside service provider, a senior Jewish educator providing an ongoing role in training and curriculum Organizations that do not currently have a senior Jewish educator may declare a commitment to hire for this role as part of the application and may apply for funding of a senior Jewish educator as outlined in section 6 below.
- Criteria for funding:
- Qualifying operating organizations may apply for funding for multiple programs.
- When applying for more than one program a separate application form, Appendix A, should be submitted for each eligible program meeting the following criteria:
- The program is intended for Jewish volunteers age 17 – 40, as reflected in its educational content, instruction and
- Each program cohort includes no less than 5 participants (who are not from the same family).
- The program targets volunteer activity aimed at impacting at least one of the following populations:
- Vulnerable Jewish populations in Israel and abroad
- Marginalized Non-Jewish populations in developing countries
- Marginalized and disadvantaged populations in developed countries.
- The program includes no fewer than 7 days of volunteering activity (not including travel time, flights and intermediary layovers). Approved programs may receive financial assistance for up to 90 Volunteer programs in Israel for a period in excess of 8 weeks are not eligible for funding.
- The program includes no less than 25 hours per week of volunteer
- The program includes no less than 8 hours per week of learning and reflection sessions as detailed in Appendix B.
- The program should include educational content as detailed in Appendix B.
- Shabbat and Jewish holidays are recognized and celebrated as detailed in Appendix B
- Funding of approved applications:
- Approved applications will receive funding based on the table included in Appendix C which provides for partial funding of the direct costs of the approved program (as defined), based on conditions set forth below in accordance with and subject to the conditions of a definitive agreement to be signed between the parties after the application has been approved
(hereinafter: “the Agreement”). The Agreement will detail the approved direct costs eligible for the receipt of funding.
- Funding will be based on participant growth, determined by the number of new active participants who join the program.
- The number of new active participants is calculated as the increase over a benchmark determined by the average number of participants in the program over the last three years (or less, for organizations with less than three years activity). This benchmark will serve as the baseline for measuring growth for a period of up to 3 years from the date of signing of the agreement.
- Funding will be determined based on an average daily cost per volunteer in accordance with organization reporting and approval by Shalom Corps. Additional funding considerations include the make-up of each cohort and the location of the programming, as detailed in Appendix C.
- The percentage of Israelis participating in the program and eligible for funding is no more than 25%. Programs with more than 25% Israeli participants are eligible for funding but funding for Israeli participants in each cohort will be limited to 25%. Multiple applications submitted by a single operating organization will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility.
- Organizations applying for supplemental funding for additional expenses as detailed in Section 6 below should indicate that in the Shalom Corps will follow up with additional criteria.
- Funding of a Senior Jewish educator and/or volunteer coordinator
- Applicants may be eligible for no more than $5,000 of the annual cost of employing a senior Jewish educator and/or volunteer coordinator.. (i.e. based on a program of between 7-10 days the actual quarterly salary cost of these two functions should be of at least $15,000). (For programs in excess of 10 days the possibility of a funding formula to be included in the definitive agreement will be considered).
- Funding of the senior Jewish educator/volunteer coordinator is for new roles dedicated to a specific program that is in compliance with the criteria detailed below.
- The funding of the position is for a period of two years, should the program be approved on a continuing basis, with funding for a third year requiring renewed Funding will be provided using the same basis as that shown in Appendix C for total direct costs.
- In lieu of funding a Jewish educator and/or volunteer coordinator, applicants may apply for funding to develop and implement a Jewish service learning curriculum with an outside service provider, pending approval of the provider by Shalom Corps.
- Shalom Corps retains the right to transfer the funding directly to the outside service provider.
- In the event that an organization operates more than a single volunteer program, it must define and prove the extent of the relative salary of the senior educator or content provider for the specific funded program to determine funding eligibility. Eligibility for funding of a senior Jewish educator will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility.
- Organizations that submit a proposal meeting these criteria for eligible educator, recruiter, volunteer coordinator , as detailed further in Appendix B, may receive funding as outlined.
- Reporting:
- Each operating organization is obligated to submit reports as a condition to receiving funding as detailed below:
- A brief report and budget prior to launching the program.
- A program conclusion report within 30 days of concluding the program.
- Shalom Corps will publish a payment table and timeline subject to receipt and authorization of the reports submitted by the program operator. It is clarified that Shalom Corps will make payments 4 times a year based on quarter end reporting, regardless of when the program concluded.
- Schedules and timetables:
- Shalom Corps reserves the right to update the requirements set forth in this proposal as needed, subject solely to the issuer’s discretion.
- Intellectual property:
The applicant undertakes to ensure that all the documents, data and programs submitted as part of this proposal shall be original and that no violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party whatsoever shall occur.
- General application instructions:
- This Request for Proposals does not constitute a tender, and accordingly the relevant tender laws shall not apply to it.
- An applicant whose proposal is accepted will be required to sign an agreement with Shalom Corps.
- The agreement shall be for a period up to three years (subject to available budget).
- Submission of an application will not obligate the Company to enter into a commitment or sign an agreement with the applicant.
- By submitting a proposal the applicant declares that they are aware that the Company reserves the right not to implement the Immersive Cross-Border Service Program and/or to reply to only some of the applicants and/or others – at the discretion of the Company.
- Applications may be submitted for a joint proposal by several parties, corporations or organizations provided that all of the eligibility requirements detailed above are met by at least one of the parties and that the applicant parties shall submit, in addition to the application, a signed contract between them regulating the operation of the program by them in the aforementioned collaboration.For more information:
Organizations in North America please contact Daniel Tamir: Daniel@shalomcorps.org
For the rest of the world, please contact Sharona Shir: Sharonashir@shalomcorps.org
Appendix C – Detailed Direct Costs
The direct costs will include the entirety of the expenses for every volunteer as required in accordance to the program, with the exception of flight expenses and headquarter costs. Direct costs should be listed per volunteer and accompanying staff, by country.
One third of the daily cost funding per volunteer will be provided by the applicant and/or donations to Shalom Corps. Amounts to be paid to applicants represent two thirds of the daily cost funding.
For removal of doubt below is an example of the funding calculation:
Target Volunteering site
Africa
Total direct costs per volunteer per day $80
Shalom Corps funding $80
Sum refunded to the applicant $53.33
Sum borne by the applicant $26.67
Should total direct costs be less than $80 per day per volunteer then Shalom Corps refunding will be of 2/3 of daily cost.
Should total direct costs exceed $80 per day per volunteer then Shalom Corps funding will be limited to $80 per volunteer on the basis shown above.
The above example can also be used (with appropriate adjustments) for the other volunteering sites included in the above table.
