Approach

Grants

We do not accept unsolicited grant proposals or other funding inquiries. The foundation issues an invitation to apply only after a thorough analysis indicates shared vision, innovation, organizational strength and a willingness to collaborate on the part of the future applicant. We often seek out other major funders with which to partner and promote the sharing of knowledge on or about successes in our mission. Foundation staff are involved in the development of the programs and remain very involved in major programs funded over multiple years. Single-year and pilot programs are also thoroughly monitored to assess future funding potential.

Please note that we do not provide direct services, referrals, nor work with individuals.

Advocacy

We deploy advocacy efforts on the topic of disability inclusion as well as the topic of Israel-American Jewish Relations

Disability Inclusion Advocacy:

• We seek to raise awareness of disability inclusion and impact widespread social attitudes toward people with disabilities. Historically and presently disability has most saliently been viewed as a matter of charity toward those on the margins of society. We aim to shift the approach toward disability away from charity and toward civil rights.
• The disability rights movement is the civil rights movement of the twenty-first century. It is imperative that people with disabilities be fully included in all aspects of society from birth to death—education, employment, housing, communal life, religious life, entertainment, and more—in accordance with civil rights.
• Our advocacy has multiple approaches:
  – We release rapid responses (press releases) commenting on current events, speaking up against discrimination of the disability community.
  – We commission and/or write Ruderman White Papers that seek to elevate crucially, but oftentimes overlooked topics of disability inclusion and bring them into the national conversation. In the process, we also seek to educate and inform journalists on best practices regarding disability coverage.
  – The Ruderman blog highlights important and timely matters on the topic of disability inclusion.
  – We are very active on all our social media channels (you can follow us on twitter and facebook) where we disseminate original content as well as share existing content.

Israel-American Jewish Relations:

• We aim to raise awareness of the strategic importance of the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish Community, in order to foster a strong commitment on both sides to invest efforts in strengthening it. We believe that common dialogue and mutual learning between the two communities, in moments of disagreement and in everyday routine, form the basis for creating a common future.
• Our activities focus on generation, accessibility, and dissemination of knowledge that stimulates productive and positive discourse, uses the language of opportunity, and calls for action. We operate in Israel and the United States, adapting to the unique needs and challenges of both communities.
• Our activities in Israel provide a unique answer to the lack of knowledge and ignorance existing in parts of in the Israeli public and the Israeli leadership towards the American Jewish community, its historic contribution, and commitment the State of Israel, and the central issues affecting the relationship. In the United States, our activities are focused on raising awareness of processes and trends in Israel that influence the relationship and of the efforts invested to strengthen it.

Our advocacy takes multiple forms:

• We operate an active and growing Facebook page in Hebrew that addresses the Israeli audience and features original knowledge and content. We are currently developing the English Facebook page.
• We conduct and publish surveys, reports, guides and videos on issues that are on the public agenda.
• We work in partnership with research organizations and publish innovative studies that focus on key issues in the relationship or on various topics including national security, politics, civil rights, and more.