Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Organizations from any country worldwide, including Canada and Israel, may apply, provided they are legally registered in their country of origin, and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the RFP.
The applicant's legal structure does not in itself determine eligibility. Both exempt and licensed sole proprietors may apply. However, preference will be given to contracting with nonprofit entities or with entrepreneurs operating through such an entity. Contracting directly with for-profit corporations or sole proprietors will be considered only in exceptional cases, subject to rules established in advance and in writing.
A local community organization may apply directly, provided it meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the RFP. Applications are not limited to central or umbrella organizations representing multiple branches, and we are absolutely interested in receiving applications from local or single-city entities.
An initiative may operate in one or multiple locations, provided the proposed scope is appropriate to the model and budget and demonstrates meaningful potential impact or a strong proof of concept with potential for future expansion or replication.
Locations that are part of one integrated program should be included in one proposal. Distinct projects should be submitted separately.
No. The proposed initiative does not have to be entirely new. "Early-stage" refers to the initiative's stage of development, not necessarily to how recently it began operating. An initiative that has already operated for some time may still be eligible for the Start-up, Entrepreneur Track if it is seeking to test, refine, professionalize, or further develop its model, or if it is introducing a meaningful new element.
The Scale-up, Growth Track is intended for more established organizations or initiatives seeking to expand, adapt, replicate, or bring an existing model to broader scale. In either track, the proposal should clearly explain what is new, developing, or being significantly advanced through the proposed project.
Yes. Organizations that already partner with Mosaic United or have previously received funding may apply. Prior or existing relationships do not affect eligibility or create a preference; all proposals will be evaluated according to the same published criteria and preferences.
"Scale" means the potential to expand an initiative's reach or impact through expansion, adaptation, or replication.
Participants & Target Audience
Challenge #1 is intended for young people up to age 20 and does not set a numerical minimum age. Proposals involving younger participants or earlier transition points may be eligible if they clearly demonstrate how the model contributes to continuity after high school.
Yes. A broader program may apply, provided the proposed project clearly focuses on eligible participants up to age 20. Activities and expenses related to participants over age 20 may not be included in the project budget submitted under this RFP.
Parents and educators may be included as part of the program, provided the proposal clearly explains how their involvement advances the challenge and benefits young people up to age 20.
This RFP is intended to support programs serving Jewish teens and young people in the Diaspora. The proposed project must therefore directly engage Diaspora participants. Activities may take place in Israel if they are an integral part of the program. A program may also engage or integrate Israelis, including through a mifgash, where this serves as a means of strengthening the connection of Diaspora participants to Israel. A pilot serving only participants based in Israel would not be eligible under this RFP.
The Innovation Initiative is separate from Mosaic United's Mifgashim program. A Mifgashim component is neither required nor preferred. Applicants may include one if they believe it strengthens their response to the challenge. Because this is not the Mifgashim program, such a component is not required to follow its specific model or guidelines and may take different forms, such as a relationship with an adult or mentor, provided it clearly advances the proposed program's objectives.
An initiative may focus on a small or narrowly defined target population, provided the proposal demonstrates meaningful potential impact or presents a strong proof of concept with potential for future expansion or replication. The RFP does not set a minimum, maximum, or preferred number of participants. The proposed number should be appropriate to the program model, budget, stage of development, and intended impact.
Program Design & Scope
A proposal focused on strengthening Jewish identity, continuity after high school, and resilience may align with Challenge #1 if it clearly addresses the challenge's objectives. Programs whose primary purpose is responding to or countering propaganda fall outside the scope of Mosaic United's work and this RFP.
A proposal may include multiple complementary components, provided they form one coherent program and clearly demonstrate how they collectively address the challenge. Each component and its contribution to the overall program should be clearly explained.
A technology-supported model may qualify. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the model functions as informal Jewish education and how it advances Jewish identity, connection to Israel, and continuity after high school.
Project deliverables may include outputs, learning products, data, or materials that clearly reflect the program's activities and intended impact. These may include youth-created media, anonymized impact data, and digital learning materials. All funded programs must comply with all relevant laws and regulations, including those connected with personal data privacy.
An agreed mechanism for intellectual property ownership, content rights, and licensing will be established with each selected applicant and set out in their agreement.
Partnerships & Collaboration
Yes. Collaboration between organizations is permitted and will receive preference in the review process.
Yes. An applicant may work with implementation partners without submitting a joint proposal or forming a formal consortium. The application should identify the partners, clearly describe their roles, and specify the lead applicant responsible for the proposal and agreement.
The lead applicant should complete all required fields in the online application form and the online bank details form. All partner organizations should be identified, and their roles should be clearly described. Additional information may be requested during the review or contracting process.
One organization may serve as the lead applicant, coordinator, and sole contracting party, provided it meets the eligibility requirements and the roles of all partners are clearly described in the application.
The matching contribution may be provided unevenly by one or more partners, provided the full matching requirement is met.
Government Funding Restrictions
Yes. An applicant or partner organization may receive Israeli government funding for other activities and it should declare and detail such funding. The proposed project itself may not receive Israeli governmental funding, directly or indirectly.
No. A proposed project that receives funding, directly or indirectly, from an Israeli governmental source is not eligible under this RFP. The organization may still apply if such funding supports unrelated activities and is not used for the proposed project.
An organization that receives Israeli government funding for unrelated activities may participate in the proposed project. Any paid role or expense included in the project budget must not be funded, directly or indirectly, by another Israeli governmental source for the same activity or cost. An organization may also participate as an unfunded partner, provided its contribution to the proposed project is not supported by Israeli governmental funding for that project.
Application Process
Yes. An organization may participate as a partner in more than one proposal, submit more than one proposal, and apply to both tracks. Each proposal will be evaluated independently on its own merits, and more than one proposal involving the same organization may be approved, subject to the Selection Committee's decision and the available budget.
Each application must describe a distinct project that is ready for implementation and can be evaluated independently. Applicants may explain how the proposed projects relate to a broader strategy. However, a separate application should not be submitted for a future stage that is not yet ready for implementation; such stages may be described in the application for context only.
Applicants should submit a full proposal through the online application form. The RFP does not provide a separate process for preliminary concepts or concept papers.
Applicants should assess their proposal's fit based on the published RFP and guidance. Mosaic United does not provide individual feedback, preliminary assessments, or proposal-specific guidance before submission. The consolidated Q&A published on the website includes the clarification questions received and Mosaic United's responses and should be reviewed as part of the application process.
No. Clarification questions were accepted in writing through July 31. Following the close of the clarification period, no additional clarification or proposal-specific questions will be addressed. Applicants should refer to the consolidated Q&A published on the website.
Budget & Matching Funds
Applicants should include all reasonable and necessary direct expenses related to implementing their proposed project. Each expense should be clearly itemized and justified in the project budget.
Under the standard funding model, Mosaic United may fund up to 50% of the total project budget with government funds, with at least 50% provided as matching funding. The total project budget is capped at $100,000. For example, a request for $90,000 from Mosaic United would require an additional $90,000 in matching funding, resulting in a $180,000 project, which exceeds the budget cap. Under the standard model, Mosaic United's governmental contribution may therefore not exceed $50,000.
In exceptional cases, if applicants do not believe they will be able to raise the relevant match funds themselves, they may request that the required matching share be supported partially by non-governmental funds made available by Mosaic United. This does not increase the $100,000 total project budget cap but would assist in raising the matching funds. Such requests must be included in the application, specifying how much matching funds they can raise and what the gap might be, are subject to Selection Committee approval, and are not guaranteed.
Mosaic United may fund up to 50% of the total project budget using its government funds, with at least 50% provided as non-governmental matching funding. The total project budget is capped at $1,000,000. For example, a $1,000,000 project may receive up to $500,000 in governmental funding through Mosaic United and must include at least $500,000 in matching funding to be raised by the applicant.
Applicants must identify the expected matching sources and amounts in their application, but the full matching amount does not need to be held in cash at the time of submission.
In exceptional cases, applicants who do not expect to raise the full required matching amount may request that part of the matching share be supported by non-governmental funds made available by Mosaic United. The request must be included in the application and specify the amount the applicant expects to raise and the anticipated funding gap. This does not increase the $100,000 total project budget cap. Approval is at the discretion of the Selection Committee and is not guaranteed.
Matching may be based on donor pledges or other commitments conditional upon approval, but the availability of the matching funds may need to be confirmed during contracting.
No. Applicants to the Scale-up, Growth Track must independently secure the full required matching amount. The exceptional matching-support option described for the Start-up, Entrepreneur Track does not apply to this track.
At the application stage, it is sufficient to identify the expected matching sources and amounts. Formal written commitments are not required as part of the submission. Applicants whose proposals are selected may be required to provide supporting documentation during the contracting process.
The matching funding may come from multiple donors or funding sources. It does not need to come from a single source.
Yes. Funding from international foundations may count toward the matching requirement.
Matching funding may come from a variety of donors and funding sources, except funding received, directly or indirectly, from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism or another Israeli governmental source for the same project.
No. The required matching funding must be financial. In-kind contributions may be presented as additional support for the project, but they do not count toward the 50% matching requirement.
Timeline, Payment & Selection
Selected projects may begin after approval and completion of the contracting process. The start date will be set in the agreement with each selected applicant.
The agreement is signed with Mosaic United, and payments are made through Mosaic United using its Israeli governmental funds for up to 50% of the project budget.
Projects funded under this RFP are expected to be implemented within a one-year cycle. The specific start and end dates will be set in the agreement with each selected applicant. Funding is approved only for the period specified in the agreement; any continued support beyond that period is not guaranteed.
The payment terms and schedule will be set out in the agreement.
Potentially. High-performing initiatives may be considered for further expansion, replication, or development into longer-term Mosaic United programs. Continued support is not guaranteed and would require a separate decision and approval.
Applicants will be notified after the professional review and the Selection Committee's decision. The process is expected to take no longer than approximately three months from the application deadline.
The number of proposals approved in each track will depend on the quality, scope, and number of applications received and the available budget.
