- Palestine (Occupied Territories)
- North Africa
Countries further afield (such as the Gulf countries, Sudan, or Afghanistan) may be considered, but will not be given priority. Given the precarious political state of many of these countries, and U.S. Government guidelines in regard to global grantmaking, it may not always be possible to work with or in all of these countries.
Within this geographic focus, the Trust welcomes innovative ideas in the fields of
- International Economic Development
Including, but not limited to:
- Environmental Issues
- Peace Initiatives
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Reproductive Health
- Women’s Welfare and Livelihoods
- Arts and Culture
2. The Trust also makes grants to American organizations that promote a deeper understanding of Middle Eastern issues and culture (particularly related to the countries listed above) in the United States.
Organizations that promote or produce, for example, films, film series, art exhibitions, blogs, or popular books are encouraged to apply. Of special interest is work that looks at the early diasporic experience of immigrants in the U.S. Academic research may also be funded. Applicants must present a strong case that their projects will have a broad, positive and lasting impact on American attitudes towards the people or cultures of the Middle East.
The Trust looks for non-traditional approaches to the challenge of sustainable development on the one hand, and cultural education on the other but leaves it to the grant-seeker to come up with and present those approaches. New and emerging methodologies that can use modest amounts of funding to “jump start” larger efforts will be given priority. The Trust will not be risk-averse in its approach.
To advance its mission, the Trust makes grants and/or Mission Related Investments that are aligned with its funding and programmatic priorities. As such, we aim to give to non-profit groups, both in the U.S. and abroad (see grant guidelines). Preference will be given to small, local organizations over large, global ones. Donations can be made for general operating purposes as well as for specific projects (i.e., both “unrestricted” and “restricted” donations) depending on the nature of the request and the capacity of the organization.