New York—MATCH, a matching grant program designed to strengthen Jewish day schools by expanding the community of donors, will launch today for the fourth time since 2004. In partnership with the Jewish Funders Network (JFN) and the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE), the AVI CHAI and Kohelet Foundations will be matching the first $6 million of new donations to Jewish day schools throughout North America with an additional $3 million, thereby infusing the field with at least $9 million of additional funds.

MATCH presents a unique opportunity for donors to leverage their gift of $10,000 or more at a matching rate of 50 cents to the dollar. Through the program, schools can qualify for as much as $50,000 of additional funding. Both first-time donors and past donors are encouraged to apply; a comprehensive list of eligibility requirements can be found at www.dayschoolmatch.org.

“This latest round of MATCH has the potential to not only draw support for Jewish day schools from alumni and grandparents, but also to inspire the broader Jewish community to support institutions that are essential to creating an energized nucleus of Jewish life,” said Dan Perla, AVI CHAI Program Officer in Day School Finance.

“Our hope is to encourage new circles of donors to recognize and support the critical role that day schools play in producing the next generation of Jewish leaders,” added Holly Cohen, Executive Director of the Kohelet Foundation. “We are honored to be a part of this team.”

Applications will be accepted from August 1, 2012 until January 15, 2013. Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis until the entire amount has been allocated.

According to Andres Spokoiny, President and CEO of the Jewish Funders Network, “Funders know how important day schools are for the Jewish future, and the MATCH program is a great way of broadening the community of support. It also shows how much stronger we can be when we work collaboratively and focus our networks on critical issues.”

“Since its inception, MATCH has sent a consistent message: day schools must strengthen their financial support by building and stewarding donor relationships,” said PEJE Executive Director Amy Katz. “We congratulate schools for their progress in this area and expect MATCH 4 to provide further incentive for them to adopt strategic development practices.”

To learn more about the MATCH program visit www.dayschoolmatch.org.

For general media inquiries, please contact Avi Zollman at [email protected]. For inquiries related to Jewish day schools, contact Donna Woonteiler at [email protected].