The most-effective philanthropists know not to go it alone.

Philanthropists and funders want to do much more than write a check. Instead, they respond to a need to connect their giving to their convictions and motivations.

This blog post is from Emily Wexler of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, who will present a webinar on Thursday, Jan. 9, in partnership with JFN, on the promises and pitfalls of local and national funder collaborations. Emily will discuss the potential advantages of local-national partnerships and offer lessons that enhance their effectiveness.

For many Jews, giving is a part of who they are. After all, tzedakah literally means “justice,” even though it’s often translated as charity. It’s a way to create a world where fairness is the rule rather than the exception. Since giving is a central tenet of Judaism, tzedakah is also a way to manifest the values Jews hold most deep.

Funding from JFN Members Aims to Promote Jerusalem as Hub of Israeli Creative Thinking

NEW YORK, January 2, 2014 -- An artists’ project, a dance company, and an NGO that uses film to promote nonviolence among Israelis and Palestinians are among the grantees from the first round of a matching grant program devoted to furthering social and cultural programs in Jerusalem.

The public radio program “Marketplace” last week ran an in-depth series on philanthropy called “A Lot to Give,” which did a deep dive on many of the pressing issues in the field--the good, the bad, the tax deduction.