In that light, one of you, sadly anonymously, has raised some serious questions:
"JFNA’s Form 990 for the year ending June 30th 2017, shows total revenues of $261 million, down from $274 million in the prior fiscal year.
https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-42/2431/JFNA_990_Public_Disclosure.pdf
Grants, which one assumes are pass-through funds using JFNA as a conduit, were $213 million, down from $234.6 million.
Salaries were $23.7 million as compared with $21 million, but other expenses were $24.4 million vs $21.5 million.
Shockingly, page 2 (of 73) says FRD spent over $22.8 million. How is that even possible?
On page 19, one can see that they are getting fleeced by Blackbaud for their donor management system, when charities like the American Red Cross pay under half that amount.
Any clue on page 20, lines 2a-f?Line 3 on that page shows the astounding result of JFNA making $1 million a year just by sitting on the cash of other Federations.
On page 22, lines 11-12, we learn that JFNA is playing the stock market with $56 million of funds for which it is a fiduciary. I wonder how that amount did in the last few months? And who is their stock broker?
Page 43 is most instructive. Who donates $45 million a year to JFNA? Is this your friends at IFCJ?
On page 38 we learn that the entire DC lobbying activity which you laud is run for well under $1 million."
And:
"So, I neglected to ask, given the opacity of the JFNA financials, how does one calculate a $30 mill budget as opposed to something closer to $45 million?"I wish that I had answers for you beyond knowing that the International Fellowship isn't donating to JFNA. Perhaps you,my friends, have some -- if so, send them on. These 990s are almost impregnable. While we have urged JFNA transparency time and again, there has been little evidence of any -- if anything, behind the claims of "confidentiality" with regard to every consultant contract, and the clear evidence that JFNA expenditures have nothing to do with Budget lines, the imprenetrability of JFNA is worse than a decade ago.
More's the pity.
Rwexler
Posts
2 comments:
I'm sure that the members of our Board of Trustees don't have a clue about all this. They also probably don't realize that it is their responsibility to understand and to ask for explanations and clarifications when they don't. Do they realize that they are expected to ask questions and are even allowed to express concerns or disagree with what is being presented, to suggest or ask that alternatives be developed for consideration?
But raising their hands to ask questions or for anything other than to vote "aye" would be considered a hostile act by those running the show, so I guess the business part of these meetings will be smooth and short, with no impolite interuptions and nobody rocking the boat.
I totally agree with 10:49. Good luck with the JFNA board. They have allowed Silverman and company to dictate policy for almost 8 years without a whimper of questioning, let alone disagreement or confrontation.
You have to hand it to Jerry though, for being able to read the tea leaves and just rake in his compensation for 8 years without accomplishing anything.
I would love to see his creative resume of the last 8 years that he will present to his next employer.
And in the tradition of JFNA, that next organization will probably not do any due diligence.
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