Instead of a continental organization that partners with them, providing the expertise for federation CEO searches, federations are on their own; instead of supporting its own FedWeb initiative, federations are on their own; instead of the continental Speakers Bureau, federations, for the first time, are on their own...and so it goes, Dues remain the same, federations return on what was once an "investment" -- on their own.
And, mentoring new CEOs across City-sizes, I am reminded...
- A few years ago, one then new CEO told me of the time shortly after he joined the system that he spoke up at a Large City Executives meeting of his need for help, to which one of the renowned long-time LCE responded: "We have to get ____ a mentor." The CEO looking for guidance responded: "You were assigned to help me."
- Another new CEO, well-trained in our federation system, told me that instead of a mentor, he received a sheet of "Q and A's for the New CEO" or some such, nothing more.
The void that has been created by JFNA walking away from its obligations to the profession and the federation system, can be found in a single "edition" on FedCentral, the web-based device JFNA has substituted for its own lack of capacity to respond even to the most basic questions from the communities. For example, in the FedCentral edition, August 6-12, the questions:
- Who should we get as a Major Gifts "inspirational speaker;"
- What platform should we use for on-line donations;
- Does your community include a "honey stick" with Rosh Ha'shana cards;
- Should we have a communal Social Media policy;
- Does your federation use Instagram;
- Super Sunday text to pledge;
- How to increase teen travel to Israel;
- And...more
This is in no way a criticism of the questions: it is an observation on the extent to which JFNA has left the field to its own devices. And, then, charges the user for the privilege.
And, while the abandonment is on-going, JFNA leaders are pleading that Dues are inadequate, that they need more and more and more.
This isn't going well so there is no reason to believe that this will end well.
Rwexler
My community gets less and less for our Dues -- literally JFNA offers us the work of its D.C, office and the constituencies support -- Cabinets, Women's Philanthropy (both inherited from UJA) -- and that is about it. Can any community report that it is getting real value for its Dues at this point? We have reached the point of not just diminishing returns but totally diminished returns.
ReplyDeleteSince you are on the subject of dues, it is my understanding that JFNA told the federations that they were going to reduce their operating budget by $1.5 million, but keep the dues at the same $30 million level for 2018-2019.
ReplyDeleteHow could any federation leadership agree to allowing JFNA to collect the same amount in dues, but in theory, provide $1.5 million less in services?
If the operational budget was reduced by $1.5 million, shouldn't the corresponding dues be also?
And, what is the $1.5 million being used for, other than I'm guessing to fund the ill-advised $450,000 for Bridgespan to conduct their survey that can be presented to the next CEO. What a wonderful welcome present that will be for whoever takes the job.
My guess is that since there appears to be no pushback on the idea, the next move will be for JFNA to reduce their operating budget by $5 million, and ask the federations to keep up the $30 million dues level.
Why not?
This would be accurate unless JFNA ran a deficit of $1.5 million this past year. If they received $1.5 million less than budgeted they could reduce the expenses by $1.5 million but still to collect the same dues to have a balanced budget.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:10
ReplyDeleteGood observation, but isn't that making the assumption that JFNA runs a balanced budget each year?
Given their (lack of) transparency with things like the breakdown in the consultants' fees, that $1 million questionable gift, etc. I'm skeptical.
The point is that there is no possible justification for $30 Million - probably not even for $10 Million. A $1.5 Million reduction is a joke.
ReplyDeleteAn organization that has stopped functioning and doing what it is mandated to do cannot expect to maintain the same level of funding as before. Why anyone in their right mind would be willing to keep the funds flowing is beyond comprehension.
Either the organization gets back on track or it crashes. The way things look now, the latter will be the case.
I am Anon 3:10 that started this recent chain. Don't misunderstand. I fully agree that there is no justification for a $30 mil budget given the value (lack of) received for that $30 mil. As a person who previously served on the budget committee of UJC and CJF before that in various years I have little doubt that they present a balanced budget each year. My experience in those days was that each year the actuals were close to budget on the expense side and the income typically was less than budget based on the decisions made by individual federation to pay less than their "fair share". This is what caused future budget projections to be lowered which then again weren't met by federations on the income side. At the end of the year JFNA and predecessor organizations would "rob Peter to Pay Paul" such as taking money from Network communities for the budget instead of using it for the partners, etc. And unfortunately the board in recent years (and by implication the committees) allowed this process to proceed unabated. Richard has pointed out these tricks over the past many years all of which have gone unanswered by JFNA.
ReplyDelete3:10, this is 11:17 again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the context.
I just don't recall there ever being an official announcement of a reduction in the budget coupled with the notion that the federations would continue to fund at the same level nevertheless, in this case $30 million.
I think it is the ultimate form of chutzpah, but then it appears that nobody is complaining, and that's why I disagree with Anon 6:29 in that the federations are just going to continue to pay their dues at whatever level they are asked and therefore JFNA will continue to exist, despite obvious short comings.
It's all about leadership and if these in the local federations feel that they are getting their money's worth, then I applaud JFNA leadership for sticking it to them year after year.
This is Anon 3:10 again - My assumption is that most federations are like mine in that we never knew what portion of our Overseas Allocation was dues. It was always lumped together and typically was a response to a letter we would get from JFNA telling us this is what our "fair share" was. Our federation simply lumped it all together under "Overseas" on the basis that it wasn't local.
ReplyDeleteNot only wasting valuable resources on an umbrella organization that can't even fulfill that limited function, but fooling and misleading our people by making them think that the funding for this is part of their contribution to Israel and Overseas.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the wasted resources for thre Israel Global Operations Office (which should be shut down) these dues are for a completely domestic fiasco that has nothing to do with Israel or Overseas activity.
These are dues and should be listed as such - certainly not as funds for Israel.
Those communities that are "hiding" their JFNA Dues are really just defrauding their donors. If they are embarrassed about the amount of Dues, then they should take it up with the failed leadership at 25 Broadwa or demand that they either receive service commensurate with the Dues they pay or that Dues be dramatically reduced. Instead, like sheep, they line up at the trough and pour money into it, demanding neither service nor accountability.
ReplyDeleteNew York (25 Broadway) is not Overseas. Is there no limit to organizational chutzpah?
ReplyDelete