Areas of Focus
Mission
The Foundation supports economically disadvantaged individuals and families. We seek programs that promote and strengthen skills and learning to better oneself on the way to self-sufficiency.
The Foundation gives priority to programs from the following fields of interest: workforce development, and active learning for preteens and teens.
Workforce Development
This program component is intended to help individuals gain economic security through programs that make it feasible to become and remain employed. Foundation criteria require comprehensive delivery of a broad range of educational and/or vocational services. These should include cultural orientation, English language training, interview preparation, job search assistance, job placement and post employment support. An ‘On the Job’ training component is encouraged.
The Foundation seeks to support programs that feature the following characteristics:
• Bring low-income or dislocated workers into the economic mainstream
• Collect aggregate outcome data related to skills advancement, credentialing, job placement, job retention or earnings
• Maximize the use of technology for monitoring programs and outcomes
• Build formal connections with employers
• Develop innovative partnerships with other organizations to maximize client success
• Have explicit retention strategies and post-placement supports
Active Learning
This program component includes after-school or year-round enrichment for preteens and teens through supplemental or alternative experiences. Programs should offer hands-on, experiential learning, have real-world relevance , support the development of career-specific skills, and build 21st century workplace capabilities such as collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking. Programs should involve a meaningful commitment over a sustained period of time, such as year-long or school year programs versus summer only*.
The A. C. Ratshesky Foundation is particularly interested in supporting youth-serving organizations or programs with the following design elements**:
- Real-world relevance
- Ill-defined problem
- Sustained investigation
- Multiple sources/perspectives
- Collaboration
- Reflection
- Interdisciplinary perspective
*Please see Frequently Asked Questions for Active Learning.
**Adapted from Marilyn Lombardi’s white paper: Authentic Learning in the 21st Century: An Overview
Fighting Antisemitism Through Education
This new program area aims to transform the perception and understanding of Jewish people in the Boston area. Funding priorities include those that cultivate knowledge, raise awareness, build bridges, and promote positive messaging with the aim to reduce prejudice and hatred. Programs should offer a pathway toward creating a more just, compassionate, and responsible community serving Greater Boston.
Key areas of interest:
- School initiatives: We seek programs that support teacher education, classroom learning and investment in young populations that indicate promise for a better future. This may include but not limited to curriculum enhancements, field trips to educate, opportunities to develop meaningful relationships.
- K-12
- College
- Community Engagement: We seek programs that reach across religious and cultural institutions to build understanding of their intersecting realities through relationship building and mutual learning. We seek to deepen ally ship across communities.
- Clergy
- Congregations
- Workplace
- Thought Leaders
Given changing dynamics in this space, our goal is to learn and evolve. We are most interested in funding initiatives that track success.