By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer

In January, the Jewish Federation announced the recipients of its first Innovation Grants funding cycle, which will provide $26,295 in financial support for six new Jewish community programs to be offered this year.

The aim of the grants is to encourage innovative Jewish outreach programming and services across the community, and to promote collaboration among Jewish community organizations.

The idea for the Innovation Grants grew out of the Federation’s 2011-12 strategic planning process. Co-chairs of the Innovation Grants Committee are Cadi Polk and Dan Sweeny.

A key message that came out of the strategic planning process and community-wide survey was that the Dayton area’s Jewish community prefers more coordination and less competition among local Jewish organizations.

“Expectations were difficult to set as this was the first grant cycle,” Sweeny said. “However, the committee was very pleased and excited to see the 10 submissions we received from throughout the community. It was clear that people took the committee’s charge as an opportunity to put serious thought into programming designed to bring the Jewish community together. In the end, to be able to fund the majority of submissions is tremendous.”

In addition to nurturing successful Jewish programs, Sweeny said the grants committee hopes “that new relationships will be made, new ideas will be had, and our Jewish community will become stronger as a result.”

The Federation plans to open requests for 2014 grant proposals this summer.

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton 2013 Innovation Grant Recipients

Chabad and DJCC Yoga Renewal Retreat, $3,500

Temple Beth Or Religious School Community Social Action Initiative, $4,550

DJCC Teen Kehilah Project, $5,000

DJCC Camp Shalom and Partnership2Gether Camp Shaliach (emissary), $4,000

Hillel Academy Community Youth Workshops, $4,870

Chabad and DJCC Sharing Traditions Series, $4,375