The Cross-Border Philanthropy Initiative is a giving circle of Israeli and North American philanthropists (social investors), who work together to create a new standard of collaboration and to establish an influential leadership platform for new social investors. The social investors have assembled to advance social goals in Israel and in other Jewish communities in the world by combining and leveraging their financial resources to create a whole that is larger than the sum of all its parts. The primary themes of the initiative include collaboration and resource sharing. Each program participant commits to at least two years of involvement and an investment in a joint fund of $50,000 per year for a total of $100,000 per investor. Together the Circle members decide on the areas of focus and specific guidelines for their investment. 100% of the financial resources are invested in the selected projects.
The Circle meets twice a year to monitor their investments and to consider and approve program activities. Cross-Border Philanthropy is an initiative of Sheatufim's Center for Philanthropy. The Center manages the resources and activities of the initiative. Management includes professional consultation, presentation of social investment alternatives and resource administration, as well as measurement and evaluation of the selected projects. Sheatufim is responsible for the management costs of the initiative. The activities of the North American participants are supported by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).
The Circle's first investment is in Maase's Seeds of Hope program, which will create a unique joint volunteer, leadership, and study program for Jewish young adults from Israel and the United States. The pilot two-year project will include a preparatory year in Israel and the United States, followed by a joint volunteer service year in Israel, with Israelis and North America's working side by side in an underserved Israeli community. Maase was founded in 2004 with the goal of helping under-privileged young adults achieve social mobility empowerment by participating in volunteer programs and leadership training.