The Jewish Cultural Endowment (JCE) supports Jewish cultural programs across the University, sponsoring lectures, conferences, literary events, curricular enhancement, and artistic performances and exhibitions. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of Jewish culture in all its richness and diversity.
The JCE invites grant proposals from individuals (faculty, students, and staff) with access to a BU program administration that will be responsible for planning, promoting and executing the event. JCE funded events must take place on the BU campus and should directly benefit the BU community.
JCE Committee
Andre de Quadros, Professor of Music, Music Education, CFA
Rabbi Jevin Eagle, Chief Executive Officer, Boston University Hillel and University Chaplain
Abigail Gillman, Professor, Modern Languages and Comparative Literature, CAS
Nancy Harrowitz, Director,Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies and Professor of Italian and Jewish Studies, CAS
Ethan Sobel, Executive Director, Boston University Hillel
Rules and Deadlines for Awards
1. All JCE-funded projects must take place on the Boston University campus or virtually via zoom.
2. The proposal must make clear that the organizer of the event is a current member of the BU Hillel community, BU staff member, faculty, or student, and that this person or persons is capable of managing all tasks associated with planning, promoting and executing the proposed program. Applications from persons not associated with BU will not be considered.
3. There are three submission deadlines each year in February, May and October . All proposals will be discussed and voted on by the JCE steering committee within two weeks of their submission.
4. Off-cycle proposals will be considered only in extraordinary circumstances.
5. Our policy is to limit awards to a maximum of $10K. The JCE committee encourages and looks favorably on multiple funding sources and collaborative programming
6. Every proposal must include a detailed, itemized budget. Along with the budget, each proposal should include a designation of which on-campus unit (department, program or student organization) will be available to receive and disburse JCE funds.
7. In accordance with Boston University policy, if funds are being paid by reimbursement, all receipts must be submitted to our staff administrator no later than 30 days from the completion of the funded event. Original receipts are required. If funds are being paid by account transfer, the awardee must contact the JCE staff administrator at ewcjs@bu.edu and provide a BU cost center object into which funds can be transferred. If the JCE pays directly for any internal services such as Catering on the Charles, all organization of the service must be done by the organizer, and the organizer must supply the JCE administrator with a quote or order sheet from the vendor in order to process payment. Unused allocated money will revert back to the JCE.
8. A detailed publicity plan must be submitted a minimum of 6 weeks prior to the event for approval from the board. This plan must be implemented at least 4 weeks prior to the event. Publicity should include online and print calendar listings, flyers to departments, online advertising, and, if appropriate, printed ads.
9. All promotional materials must be emailed (NO HARD COPIES) to the JCE staff administrator (ewcjs@bu.edu) at the time of their distribution. Files may be sent in Word, PDF, or JPEG format.
10. All publicity material must note JCE sponsorship.
11. Approved grants must be used within 18 months. If they are not used within this period, the applicant must reapply for funding.
If these guidelines are not met by the grantee, the JCE will not be able to provide financial support for any part of the program.
Examples of Previously Funded Projects
– Guest Lecturer, Writing Program course, “Beyond Night: The Work of Elie Wiesel”
– Seminar Series, Jews Muslims, Christians and the Struggle for Religious ‘Identity’ in Modern Mediterranean Societies
– A Reading by Two Russian Jewish Poets. “Poetry in the Age of Totalitarianism”
– Annual Commemoration, Italian Holocaust Remembrance Day. “Interned at Home: The Situation of Italian Jewry”
– Ladino Voices: A Symposium
– One-Day Workshop, The Hebrew Alphabet
– Matisyahu Concert
– Conference: Blacks in the Bible
– A Conversation with Sayed Kashua