MONTREAL — The deadline to apply for Federation CJA’s GEN J Promise Grants for innovative Jewish programs or projects, particularly those benefiting teens and young adults is May 1.

A total of $100,000 is available. GEN J, launched in 2008, aims to invigorate Montreal’s Jewish community by connecting young people to one another and inspiring them to engage in Jewish life.

Applicants are non-profit or community-based organizations, services or programs, although individuals can also apply.

Requests may not exceed $20,000 per program, and organizations are eligible for one grant only. Funding is available for one year and begins in September 2012. The number of grants available depends on the number of submissions.

Priority is given to ideas on how to reach out to specific segments or areas of the Montreal Jewish community.

The programs or projects should “meet a critical Jewish identity need in the population or geographic area. They should also foster a connection to Jewish life and outreach to less affiliated and less connected Jewish groups,” according to Gen J.

Some past grant recipients include the student-run, tolerance-promoting campaign Human Promise; the Mile End Chavurah, a progressive community group connecting Jews to Judaism in that district; the Hozek Royal Vale program for Jewish students in non-Jewish schools; and the J Montreal matchmaking website.

GEN J Promise Grants are made possible through the support of Brenda and Samuel Gewurz and the Mendel family and friends.

For further information, visit http://www.genj.ca/grants, or call Sarah Benmergui, GEN J program associate, at 514-345-2645, ext. 3375.