Back in the day, the United Jewish Appeal's Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission was the seminal Israel experience on the national Mission Agenda. Begun under Richie Pearlstone's last year as National Campaign Chair, I was privileged to inherit it when I succeeded Richie. We used the Mission as the vehicle for leaders other than the National Campaign Chair to lead and co-lead the Mission with Richie, I and our successors participating in a support role, cheerleading as it were. The initial staff leader was Vicki Agron and staff support was limited to a critical few. We always went to Israel even after a pre-Mission `(typically in the FSU); with a contingent that had a minimum of 75 federations and a maximum of 100 communities sending their Campaign Chairs and Directors.
Each Mission exemplified the ruach and commitment of the participants.
That was then; and this is now: the National Campaign Chair led this Mission; 35 communities were represented; Israel? Not a chance, so 1990's -- this year the Mission travelled to Argentina and Uruguay (yes, Uruguay!!!). I assume Israel was mentioned. Staffing? Oh, there are at least 15 JFNA staffers -- and, mirabile dictu, one of those is Vickli Agron. For over a decade participation was limited to actual Campaign Chair, Directors and always a number of CEOs; today, the more the merrier.
Friends of the Blog sent on the Mission participant "materials." Setting aside the fact that the Mission is in South America, the Itinerary is certainly full -- along with end of ther day opportunities for fireside chats with the lay and professional leaders. There are appropriate FRD sessions led by pros who have rarely if ever solicited a major gift from a lay donor: it would have been far better had the leaders asked Gail Reiss, now the CEO of the Jewish Agency's development arm, to conduct the solicitation training.
Yes. this is now.
And, now, as you know, is a time when there is no JFNA SVP Financial Resource Development and hasn't been since Brian Abrahams left. Worse, if the roster of speakers and trainers is complete, the JFNA fund-raising professional staff may be near extinction -- check the number of JFNA pros in comparison with the number of FRD community consultants -- a large number.
Eric Fingerhut is on his way. Assuming he has at least a five-year contract, his first act should be to hire the best and brightest to lead a revivified JFNA FRD effort at 25 Broadway because what has been allowed to happen is tragic.
Tragic.
Rwexler
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4 comments:
The abaqndonment of Israel by JFNA is criminal -- no leadership whatsoever, lay or professional. Does anyone there really believe that had Israel been the ultimate destination of thiws FRD Mission, attendance would have been LESS? Maybe the time has come to adopt your thought of a couple of years ago -- let JAFI and JDC take over JFNA's non-existent FRD function: with all of their faults, those organizations know how to fund raise. JFNA has totally forgotten.
As you have written (often), Israel has been so diminished by JFNA, and not just on Missions -- no Israel advocacy, and Israel Office more inte3rested in expanding its own powers than in delivering anything for Israel or the federations. Israel is an afterthought if that.
Well over a decade ago I wrote a piece, which Richard kindly carried on his blog in its totality, titled: JFNA IS DEAD (in an earlier version the title was THE FEDERATIONS ARE DEAD, LONG LIVE THE FEDERATIONS.
I opened with why I believe the Federations had lost their place in the Jewish Community as the major fundraising and funder organization. PROJECT RENEWAL was the first time (for most donors) to be able to give directly to a program/institution/organization. Once that door was opened it could never be closed.
My ‘vision’, which gained no traction then (maybe it will now) was….
•The Federation should no longer raise funds to directly allocate to other institutions, agencies or programs.
Thus it will not be seen as a competitor.
This is the key.
Once the Federation is no longer an advocate for any specific organization, agency or program, it can become the ‘honest-broker’ for the donors and agencies and the effective organization the community needs.
•The Federation should be the communal organization whose responsibility it is to:
o Serve as a resource for all organizations in the areas of fundraising, leadership, staff development and management.
o Serve as a resource for all donors and provide ‘fair and balanced’ (sorry FNC) information about all programs and projects needing funding.
o Serve as the place where all organizational leaders meet to discuss the issues – not necessarily to force a consensus but to allow for open discussion in a neutral environment.
o Serve as a true ‘community relations committee/council’ in developing relationships between the Jewish and non-Jewish community and even within the Jewish community.
o Serve as the community-wide outreach organization to motivate those not involved to become involved and assist them in developing their own paths.
o Convene the community in times of crises or special need. Play the major role in the development and coordination of community action, programs, and responses.
•Federation leadership should include the top local leadership (lay and pro) of all communal organizations and, as importantly, the top donors (who may be much more willing to serve in this new institution than in what we now currently have).
•Funding for this ‘new’ Federation will have to come from the cadre of communal donors who, if they buy in to the new concept, will see this new structure as a benefit to all, not as a waste of time and money.
I ended with what should happen to the JFNA…
•This vision does not see the need for the JFNA since the JAFI and the JDC will, as all other organizations, raise funds directly in the community. This vision does see the necessity for an organization much the same as the CJF was – a national umbrella resource for all communities.
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I enjoy reading Richard’s Blogs, although, to this day there has been only ‘talk’ and no real action. Isn’t it time for the talking to stop and the action to begin?
Paul is most certainly correct that JFNA as it is today is no longer needed. It has stopped doing what it should have been doing and is much too monstrous of an organization to fill whatever need still exists to be a trade and umbrella organization for its members - the federations.
Close down JFNA now and set up a new federation umbrella organization with limited scope and limited budget. Every day of delay is a shameful waste and an outright crime.
All that is left unfortunately is that every organization needs to watch out for itself.
It is a pity (crime) that this is what the merger has done but there is evidently no way back.
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