We're excited to share a new impact report that Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) released in eJewish Philanthropy, based on studies from JTFN’s Foundation Board Incubator, generously funded by Laura Lauder and the Maimonides Fund.

Give and Grow: Jewish Teen Philanthropy’s Unique, Powerful and Lasting Impact, recaps multiple studies of participants in community-based teen philanthropy programs and shows that alumni of these programs demonstrate stronger Jewish identities, a deeper connection to Jewish community, and the inspiration, skills, and confidence to become leaders and changemakers in their own communities.

At the JFN International Conference in March, there was a seminar that exposed funders to the world of design thinking. Now we're starting to see how the core concepts from this exciting field are seeping into the world of Jewish philanthropy.

The entire JTFN team joined our colleagues at the Jewish Funders Network for the annual JFN International Conference in Miami Beach from March 9-11. We were delighted to spend three days with more than 350 other Jewish funders and foundation professionals, spreading the word of teen philanthropy. We also participated in panel discussions and attended many thought-provoking sessions. Now that we've had time to process the experience, here are our five key takeaways from the conference:

Naomi Skop Richter and Stefanie Zelkind

It’s been almost 15 years since the first Jewish teen philanthropy program was created. In the years since, more than 100 synagogues, schools, federations and other Jewish agencies throughout North America have launched programs to educate and engage young people in giving through a Jewish lens.