JUST ASKIN'

1. So, JFNA, thanks to the work of its singularly (as in "only") successful unit, JFNA-Washingto, announced last month that its "Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care" had awarded $2.8 million to 23 organizations (that's about $122,000 per organization) to, one hopes, assist Holocaust Survivors, among our People most in need. The announcement included the following:

"Per Committee approval, JFNA's Fund for Holocaust Survivors (the National Pool) contributed about $850,000 toward the service grants and technical assistance including developing and implementing grant process, monitoring results, developing webinars, disseminating best practices, site visits and implementing the renewal process for future grants.  In addition, the federal grant requires about $1.6 million in matching funds, and the Fund for Holocaust Survivors is contributing toward that match, especially to help smaller communities.  We will continue to provide fundraising assistance to all communities in the cohort and beyond, so they can meet the match and sustain their Holocaust Survivor programs."

Look, this appears to be a real achievement for which JFNA is to be congratulated -- I just wish I could understand how the Survivors will benefit and how much fund raising success there has been because I am so confused by the above and, even worse, by the following:

"Congress has approved another $2.5 million for Year 2 for this program.  If combined with matching funds and another allocation from the National Pool, this would result in another $4.5 million in Holocaust survivor services next year.  We will continue to work with communities across the country to press Congress to appropriate funding for the full 5 year life of this program.

Nationally, we have raised at least $27.5 million in communities and for JFNA's National Pool, which has $2.3 million in pledges.  Even with the matching requirements over the next 2 years, we need to do extensive fundraising in the communities to meet our national goal of $45 million.  We will plan fundraising connected with JFNA events and a media campaign to better spread the word." (emphasis added)

Usually, I am pretty good at deciphering the JFNA-speak that unique lingua franca that emanates from the genius that is 25 Broadway; but I really need an interpreter here. Where  numbers tumble forth and somehow  $2.5 million yields $4.5 million? We have "raised" "$27.5 million in communities and for JFNA's National Pool, which has $2.3 million in pledges?" Huh? What? There's a "national goal of $45 million" -- OMG!! What?

Now, they're going to "spread the word?" Jeeeez. 

Could someone please make sense of this for me/for us? I think this is good, but damned if anyone could tell from this gibberish.

Just askin'....
    
2. Then there is this...for almost a year there has been no professional leader of financial resource development at JFNA. An excellent consultant was hired and drafted an FRD Plan for JFNA; she filed her Report sometime around last year's GA (we haven't seen it; may be a couple of important people have) but any implementation, of course, will be totally dependent upon hiring the right person for the "department's" leadership. We have already written that JFNA Jerry of all people has placed a compensation ceiling on the position. That's within his discretion as the CEO; provided, that that discretion is not unreasonably exercised. At one and the same time, as JFNA is on the cusp of hiring a new CPO for FRD why in heaven's name would JFNA Jerry preempt that person's ability to hire his/her own head of Planned Giving and Endowment by hiring a person for that position (the "best Interenet something-or-other in Rhode Island") preempting the ultimate FRD hire from hiring his/her own person in that role.

This is not management; it's mismanagement, isn't it?

Just askin'...

Rwexler