OVERVIEW: The Alan B. Slifka Foundation funds grantmaking for violence and social justice that largely centers on tolerance and Jewish life in Israel. It also funds a wide array of biomedical research studies concerning sarcoma, melanoma, autism and Asperger syndrome.
IP TAKE: This funder focuses its violence grants largely on tolerance, understanding shared society principles and collaborative efforts concerning inter-group relations.
The Slifka Foundation accepts one to two page letters of inquiry for grant requests concerning sarcoma, melanoma, Asperger syndrome and autism. It does not accept unsolicited requests for funding for its other grantmaking programs. It’s not particularly accessible, but make your letter of inquiry succinct and direct to attract attention.
PROFILE: Co-founder of Halcyon Asset Management, Alan B. Slifka, established the Alan B Slifka Foundation in 1965 to help create “a world safe for difference.” Initially, the foundation focused its grantmaking on Judaism and Israel but has since expanded to “the pursuit of inclusion, diversity, peace and healing.” Slifka’s current funding priorities include fostering an equitable shared society, diversity and tolerance in Israel, Jewish life in Israel and the United States and research related to sarcoma, melanoma, Asperger syndrome and autism.
Grants for Violence Prevention, Civic and Democracy
The Slifka Foundation’s Shared Society program awards grants to promote awareness, tolerance and inter-group relations in civil society. The foundation supports efforts to promote understanding of the principles and policies of a healthy civil society, while fostering collaboration and building capacity of organizations who work toward those goals around the world. Slifka has supported violence prevention related organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The foundation focuses its efforts on Israel in particular, where it focuses its grant making efforts on “equality and opportunity for all citizens of the State.” Areas of interest include Jewish-Arab relations in Israel and “respect for Israel’s Jewish diversity.” It also aims to raise awareness among American Jews of the “benefits of shared society in Israel.” Grant partners include the Heller School at Brandeis, Shalom Hartman Institute, and the Abraham Fund.
Grants for Diseases
The Slifka Foundation’s Sarcoma Research Grants Initiative invests in a diverse set of topics including but not limited to translational studies, vaccine studies, the molecular biology of sarcomas, drug resistance, novel sarcoma therapies, early detection and diagnosis. The peer review process for this grant takes approximately two to four months. Slifka does not specify which types of research it funds in relation to autism and Asperger syndrome. On a smaller scale, the foundation also funds other disease-related organizations beyond its funding scopes, such as cystic fibrosis and leukemia. Past grantees include the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center and the International Society for Autism Research.
Grants for Jewish Causes
The Slifka Foundation’s Jewish Life program area works to foster Jewish identity and values in the United States and Israel. It supports “outreach and engagement with meaningful and relevant content, including text study” and “participation in diverse Jewish living and learning options in Israel.” It aims to promote a sense of community and belonging and an understanding of the tradition, values, and diversity of the global Jewish diaspora. Grantees include Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the Heller School at Brandeis, Shalom Hartman Institute, and the Abraham Fund.
Important Grant Details:
The majority of grants range in amount from $10,000 to $100,000; however, research grants for sarcoma cannot exceed $50,000. Grantseekers may review a brief list of Slifka’s current grantees on its Our Partners page.
PEOPLE:
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