By ROCKNE ROLL
The Jewish Review

The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s Gather Grant program applications open today  for the summer cycle of its successful microgrant program for Jewish community-building events.

In two quarterly cycles so far, the Federation has awarded nearly 100 grants through the Gather Grant program, modeled after successful efforts in Atlanta and spurred on by findings from Portland’s 2023 Community Study. After applications are approved, hosts of events with six people from outside their household fill out a survey about the event and receive reimbursement of up to $120 for expenses associated with putting on the event. 

“It’s been so positive what people say, how the funds enable them to do either a bigger event or just being invited to participate this way has helped them go from thinking about it to acting upon their ideas,” Federation Chief Planning and Engagement Officer Caron Blau Rothstein, who administers the program, said. “They talk about what a good time they had. Then we get the participant surveys. If you want to sit around and smile all day, you just read all those.”

You don’t have to take her word for it: Blau Rothstein shared some of the host survey responses with The Jewish Review.

“I think I most enjoyed seeing how much people appreciated having something organized for them so they could come and enjoy each other’s company,” one host wrote. “I have no notes! Just a lot of appreciation for the JFGP addressing the loneliness epidemic in a real, practical way.”

“I think the Gather Grant program is awesome!” another host said. “It makes it easier to get support for different events and thus encourages more people to host events than without Gather Grants. I liked that the Gather Grant was relatively easy to apply for.”

While the variety of events supported by Gather Grants is large, many events supported by the program’s spring cycle naturally centered around Passover – with the small amount of financial support making a big difference. 
“I enjoy opening my home to celebrate this and every Jewish holiday,” one host who put on a Gather Grant-supported Seder said. “[The Gather Grant] was the difference in providing a beautiful, bountiful meal versus a bare-bones meal, underscoring the fact that we are free and no longer slaves.”

But there’s more to Gather Grants than just the funds– Blau Rothstein recalled one Gather Grant Seder host who was going to be short on haggadot. 

“I gave him a couple resources for where he could crowdsource those, and he was able to use those recommendations to get himself an abundance of different haggadot,” Blau Rothstein said. “Everybody had one for the Seder and it was really nice.”

Other programs included Shabbat dinners, get-togethers over coffee, book club meetings, movie nights, and even an outing to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn. 

“That’s such a ubiquitous Portland event, there’s nothing Jewish about the event, but to go with a group of Jewish friends to that experience,” Blau Rothstein explained. “That group of people really had a great time.”

Applications are now open for events scheduled for June 15-Aug. 31, with Fall event grants applications for Sept. 1-Nov. 15, encompassing the High Holy Days, will open in August. The grants are supported by the Federation’s Catalyst Fund and by a grant from the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation. 

For eligibility guidelines, program ideas and to apply for a Gather Grant, visit jewishportland.org/ourcommunity/gathergrants