points of view NextGen from page 33 "The future of the Jewish community is inextricably tied to the future of the Detroit area and, therefore, to all of Southeast Michigan." - Miryam Rosenzweig NEXTGen already is stirring national interest. Rosenzweig has received inquiries from the Jewish communities of Norfolk, St. Louis, Atlanta and San Antonio. On Aug. 5 in Orlando, she talked up NEXTGen at the 2012 National Young Leadership Cabinet, of which Robb Lippitt of Bloomfield Hills is incoming president. Paving The Way Operating as a Federation experiment for 13 months, CommunityNEXT (CNXT), a priority of Federation CEO Scott Kaufman, sought to meet Jewish young adults ages 21-32 in their space and on their terms — not according to a traditional engagement model. CNXT has touched at least 2,200 young adults — a notable achievement although strategic follow-up will be essen- tial to keeping them interested. CNXT initiatives have included the ComePlayDetroit athletic intramural leagues, a free office-space program called Elevate, a career assistance service for job seekers in their 20s (in partnership with JVS) and a 12-city forum on attracting and retaining young adults in Jewish commu- nities across the so-called Rust Belt. Pitch for Detroit, a charity softball tournament returning this Sunday to Inglenook Park in Southfield, is one of the star CNXT attractions. It has raised almost $150,000 over the last two years for the Live Detroit Fund, which provides rent subsidies to selected young adults to move to Downtown Detroit; in return, recipients host a monthly event that brings peers to the central city. It's hard to gauge the motivation and longevity of the grant win- ners, but a metro area bent on boasting an active, urban young adult community must think beyond traditional margins. This year's Pitch for Detroit will benefit the Do It for Detroit Fund, earmarked for central-city social justice initiatives. "Our goal: Rosenzweig said, "is to have indi- viduals apply for micro project grants. By doing this in partnership with Repair the World, we'll ensure the projects are mean- ingful and a benefit." New York-based Repair the World bills itself the advocate for volunteering and service in and by the American Jewish community. To further bring young professionals to Detroit, NEXTGen, on behalf of CNXT, also has struck up working relationships 34 August 23 2012 with other Detroit-based operations such as Moishe House, Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, Detroit Institute of Arts, Summer in the City and Dan Gilbert's holdings. Cutting-edge thinking must per- meate the funds and events that bubble up from these partnerships. Some things may fail, but calculated risk taking typically is a hallmark of successful innovation. CNXT, like all central city-focused orga- nizations and individuals, is dependent on Mayor Dave Bing, the city council and the police department together spurring an urban groundswell, economic incentives and safe neighborhoods. Otherwise, short- term gains run the risk of disintegrating. Through its Detroit Nation, CNXT also has reached out to native Detroiters living in other popular metropolises. This keeps the young-adult energy pipelines flowing and further aids the Live Detroit Fund. Upward And Onward Meanwhile, NEXTGen is busy analyzing Gen X and Gen Y demographics and their major implications in search of revers- ing the Jewish community's young-adult population trends. Numbers alone can be misleading, but NEXTGen clearly is on the up trajectory. Over the last year, Pitch for Detroit hosted 1,000 players, Latke Vodka drew 800 par- ticipants, the EPIC event sold out with 600 attendees and a Lag B'Omer picnic had 200 picnic-goers. At the Jewish Federations of North America TribeFest last March in Las Vegas, NEXTGen, supported by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, not only sent 90 delegates, the most of any Jewish community, but also was voted as having the "Most Innovative Programs for Young Adult Engagement." New this year is NEXTGen Hub, specifi- cally designed to bring together 30-45 year olds with common community interests. Recognizing the crucial role of the Annual Campaign, NEXTGen is off to a good start, raising more than $560,000 from more than 1,000 donors. Yearlong NEXTGen goals include hon- ing board criteria and strategy that's truly invigorating. Make no mistake: Boards that have a rigorous sense of their purpose will more likely arrive at a direction that really matters. NEXTGen board action ultimately will secure or refute Federation's faith in the new umbrella department — faith demonstrated by $180,000 being grams are accomplishing goals and bring- allocated from the 2012-2013 Annual ing the largest return on investment." Campaign for next-generation engage- The burden thus falls to NEXTGen to ment, an increase of $86,000. get results by having a process to measure, "Federation has definitely recognized evaluate and improve programming. that it needs to invest more than it did in The promising early success at engaging the past toward engaging young adults hasn't deterred Rosenzweig from believing because we're now a department struc- NEXTGen could widen its audience via the tured with higher expectations for com- right welcome mats. munity building," Rosenzweig told me in "We want to find out who else is out an interview. there and figure out the best way to reach "In order to take Federation's historic them so we can diversify our core group," mission of helping Jewish people into the she said. "We want NEXTGen to also next 100 years, we've got to build a vibrant speak to them. We want to know what Jewish future agenda," Federation's Scott they would like us to be so we can create Kaufman told me on Aug. 15, the day after space for them, too." he co-led a discussion about young-adult In his acceptance engagement at a Jewish Federations of speech as president, North America workshop held in Dallas Marty Maddin of for Federation professionals. Huntington Woods said "And we're doing this without getting at the NEXTGen inau- away from our historic role and without gural meeting in June: radically cutting funding to our agencies We must reach beyond Marty Maddin to pull this off. I feel good that we said our comfortable circle of we'd do something about next-gen engage- friends and create space ment and we're actually doing it. This and a voice for those not currently at the isn't Federation talking in the abstract. table. This is not our table; this is a com- Collectively over the last three years, atten- munity table. And everyone who wants a dance at young-adult events — Torah on seat at it is welcome." Tap, Lathe Vodka and Pitch for Detroit, for It's encouraging that NEXTGen is taking example — is showing a 300-400 percent an aggressive approach in its quest to sway increase. There's great energy" the actual and potential young leaders of Participants are the primary energy Jewish Detroit toward why they collec- generators. "We're just opening doors," tively have a better shot at making a trans- Kaufman said, acknowledging the energy formative, enduring difference in Detroit, is rubbing off on Federation staff and lay Southeast Michigan and beyond. E leaders. While the thrust is outreach and engage- Young adults curious about NEXTGen should ment in the Jewish community, a positive contact Miryam Rosenzweig: (248) 205-2538. spinoff has been three straight years of Annual Campaign growth in the number of young donors. 1 Notably, NEXTGen YOU DON'T SYRIA 2012 N\ isn't wholly reliant on THINK OF THE PROVES THAT Federation. Outside fund- FOLKS YOU'RE IN A CIVIL WAR ing has pushed the 2012- SOONG AS 2013 NEXTGen operating budget to upwards of $500,000, Kaufman said. Dry Bones NIA 2012 Driving Hard The NEXTGen staff is laser focused right now on developing a matrix and metrics for leadership development — namely, measurement tools for every program. "We want to make sure programs are the most effective they can be — and if they aren't, we will make adjustments:' Rosenzweig vowed. "We operate through 'program- ming with intention' The intent is to ensure pro- YOU THINK OF THEM AS "THE BAD GUYS"