PresenTense: NYC

Progressive Secular Jewish Community
Let's build an inspired secular Jewish community around education, progressive activism and communal celebration! If you are interested in developing a cultural agenda for Baby Boomers or families with children at home,  focusing on innovative expressions of the progressive and secular heritage shared by much of American Jewry, PresenTense can help develop and scale your ideas. Ventures might incorporate a calendar of celebrations, lifecycle events that engage and inspire the secular community, facilitated experiences or guides to self implementation.  
Extended Application deadline: December 25.

Dayschool Intrapreneurs
Some of our smartest community leaders are teaching in Jewish dayschools across the New York area, and yet one of the most difficult areas to innovate across is the dayschool environment. PresenTense is seeking innovative Jewish Dayschool Teachers and administrators who are looking to start a new program, or  have been experimenting in the classroom and in their schools and would like to scale their learnings to other schools across the city and the world. Fellows will enjoy access to key funders in the Jewish education sector, receive some financial support to build out their idea, and training on how to develop and scale their ventures to other Jewish schools. Extended application deadline: December 18.
New: Up to $1500 of support for dayschool venture expenses.

_Jewish Educational Games Designers
Whether you are an online game whiz or an offline gaming master (or interested in developing a Alternative Reality Game somewhere in between), PresenTense is looking for educational innovators seeking to tap the power of game mechanics to educate children, young adults and older adults. Applicants who have a complementary partner or team will be preferred (i.e., if you have the vision, apply together with someone with technical skill, and visa versa), and those chosen will be connected with leading experts and potential clients. Application deadline: December 11.

Economic Development
Jews aren’t all rich - that much we know. What most people do not know is that nearly 20% of Jews in the New York area or poor or near poverty. If you have an idea for how to provide employment opportunities, or repurpose the skills of the now unemployed, PresenTense wants to help connect you to the tools and networks you’ll need to turn your idea into a reality. Application deadline: December 11.

Israel Activism
The State of Israel has been a central part of Jewish identity for over half a century, but Israel’s image and the connection of the youth to Israel has rarely been as bad as it is now. PresenTense is looking to support grassroots or high-level efforts to connect youth to Israel and provide alternative strategies to overcome the BDS offensives carried out on campuses and across social networks. If you have new ideas for how to engage the public in Israel issues and connect individuals to Israel and its life as a State, PresenTense wants to help you launch or strengthen your venture. Application deadline: December 11.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
While women make up the majority of the public sector workforce, women have yet to be equally accounted for among the public sector leadership or in the field of social entrepreneurship. PresenTense is searching for field-building entrepreneurs with ventures that can empower women to take leadership roles and build new social enterprises that will help balance the field. Application deadline: December 11.