JFC’s 2017 Local Grants Contest Begins

New York--Jewelers for Children just launched the 2017 edition of their Local Grants contest and, this year, there is $50,000 that will be used for 10 grants of $5,000 each.

Between today (Oct. 10) and Oct. 30, independent jewelers will have an opportunity to nominate an organization to receive one of the grants.

Once the final list of nominees is compiled, it will be up to the jeweler and his or her nominated charity to drive people to vote for them in the contest, which will take place on the Jewelers for Children Facebook page.

Retailers can generate interest via their own social media outlets--including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter--email blasts or by using any other advertising opportunities available.

JFC will announce the names of the charities and the jewelers that nominated them to the trade and will give jewelers a press release template they can use to try to secure local, or even national, recognition.

The voting process will begin Nov. 6 and end on Nov. 17.

JFC said it will announce the top 10 vote-getters--the charities that will ultimately receive a grant--on Nov. 21. The winning organizations will receive their $5,000 by the end of the year.

Jewelers who nominate the winning charities will present the grant directly to the charity on behalf of the jewelry industry.

Details on how to participate in the 2017 JFC Local Grants program and requirements for nominated charities can be found under the “Happenings” section of the JFC website. The section also has a nomination form that can be printed out, completed and returned to JFC.

JFC, which was founded in 1999 and has donated more than $53 million to children’s charities over the years, started its Local Grants program in 2014 as a way to raise jewelers visibility in their local communities while also raising money for charity.

Past grant recipients include Camp Sunshine (nominated by Day’s Jewelers), Gio’s Garden (nominated by Bauer Jewelry Designs) and Matthew’s Giving Tree (nominated by Kay Cameron Jewelers).