The last time that JFNA published the data on foundations and endowments within the Jewish federation world was in 2017, the statistics from 2016. Back then, the total of "assets under management" was $21.7 billion (you read that correctly). And, with most, if not close to all, of our communal institutions in extremis still in the midst of the COVID pandemic, the question has to be asked: when will any of our organizations -- are you listening JFNA -- take its head out of the sand and argue for an immediate and urgent commirtment of funds before (if we aren't there already) to these vital foundational blocks of the communities and the social safety net that we have built? WHEN?
In the earliest of days, even before the extent of the financial catastrophe that would accompany the pandemic but as an integral consequence of it, a small number of major Jewish Family Foundations stepped forward to address....certainly not meet -- address...what was then the incipient emergency. These Foundations recruited each other, ultimately raising a formidable $91 million through a vehicle they named the Jewish Community Response and Impact Fund -- as always, an acronym: JCRIF. Reading between the lines of the JCRIF's self-description, these founding Foundations were done soliciting other Foundations to join them, while the Fund "...welcomes additional investors."
I doubt that now, as our organizations confront the incredible, overwhelming unmet needs generated by the pandemic directly and collaterally, anyone believes that $91 million -- as generous as that contribution for interest-free loans and an "aligned grant program" was, it could not possibly fully address the overwhelming needs...needs that grow 24/7. Yes, there are a number of remarkable communities, like Chicago, where the most generous have reached even deeper in the midst of the pandemic; but many more are confronting multi-million dollar deficits, closing agencies and programs...and getting neither guidance nor financial support from what we used to call "the system."
And, so the question -- what's next? What might be done?
And, friends, the seminal question: is this the best that we can do....really? Our federations and our agencies and beneficiaries are facing the worst financial crisis in their (and our) history and, after this initial voluntary funding from that small number of Foundations...nothing. Why? What exactly is that "rainy day" these foundations and endowments have been building the corpus of their funds for, if not the deluge of today? So many of these self-same foundations and endowments have been built for the long-term on the philanthropic aspirations of the donors the distributions from which may or may not support the Jewish community or the organizations at the community's core. (In fact, I once asked the CEO of one of Large Cities most significant Jewish Community Foundations why they even keep "Jewish" in the name inasmuch as over 80% of its distributions were not to Jewish organizations.) To meet the real crisis of today, that must change.
JFNA, which as the inheritor by merger of the systemic fund-raising flag once flown with pride by the long-forgotten (by some) United Jewish Appeal, seems wholly satisfied with the allocations role assigned to it within JCRIF -- fund-raising? Are you kidding? (Also, one can only note with frustration that JFNA seems to believe that it can continue with "business as usual" in the midst of the deepest financial crisis in communal organization history. How else can one explain the glee that JFNA leaders expressed over its brand new Changemakers programs, the latest shiny object to distract the so easily distracted?)
I know from historic experience that in its day, the UJA -- maybe with the similarly extinct Council of Jewish Federations -- would have immediately convened a national meeting (today by Zoom) to rally the federations, to lay out a national plan on the JCRIF "model" of loans and grants by reaching out to those whose wealth, the super majority of which is found in Supporting Foundations and Donor Advised Funds to recognize the emergency in which communities and beneficiaries find themselves today and then act in a manner similar/identical to that of JCRIF. Contrary to what appears to be the case evidenced by JFNA's inaction, this advocacy is one of the core purposes for which JFNA was created.
Yes, this would be hard. In many (most??) instances it would change the historic Planned Giving and Endowment "model" -- just raise and manage the funds and let the donor determine the beneficiaries -- no advocacy for any cause let alone a Jewish communal one. The reality of the historic crisis which we are all confronting now and into an indeterminate future cries out for changed practices. After all, the application of even a small portion of the $21.7 billion in assets under management (and, surely, that corpus has grown in the four years since the last accounting) could mean life or death to the social safety net federations and our local/national/overseas agencies have built over their history.
Now is not the time for timidity.
Carpe diem.
Rwexler
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8 comments:
GORNISHT HELFEN
One has to ask, for the 100th or more time, what has happened to us. Is there no more communal leadership to passionately advocate for the application of our managed r3sources to assist our communities and agencies in their hour of greatest need? Do the elected officers of our federations believe their titles are nothing more than honoraria requiring nothing more from them than showing up at meetings, smiling and moving on to the next title? You have written often of this “make no waves” generation of so-called leaders; the failure to demand that resources be shared and shared now is their shame and ours.
What purpose does JFNA ser4ve for its $30 million in Dues demands and a $50 million Budget. Can't Wilf and Fingerhut lead a downsizing effort appropriate to the times and circumstances? My federation can no longer afford, if we ever could, a six-figure JFNA Dues but we can't convince JFNA leaders of that rreality (especially when we face "taxation without representation" as do so many other communities.
Hey, commentator 9:02, where have you been? Asking for a downsizing effort? There has already been a devastating one with 30 people let go, many of whom were the smartest people at JFNA. This just shows how many of you have no idea what is going on. Maybe it’s JFNA’s fault - they didn’t want to broadcast the bloodbath that took place a few months ago, with no regard to what it would do to people’s lives. Was it really necessary? What has been gained? Perhaps just fewer people to disagree with the ones who can never be disagreed with and get out unscathed.
Say whatever you want about JFNA, but don’t disrespect the people who have the added burden of unemployment during this awful time. They did nothing wrong , except perhaps, to have independent thought and expertise. The latest casualty in an already cataclysmic time.
To Yid Pro Quo, it is pathetic that it took a pandemic and economic crisis to cause JFNA to downsize. I don't think anyone would disagree with you about that. The real issue is why JFNA did not downsize under normal circumstances 10 or 12 years ago and where was the "leadership" that never addressed this or forced the hands of the organization to justify its bloated payroll, especially in Israel. Where were the federations, like yours, that never demanded it by stopping to pay the dues that they are paying.
Folks being let go is unfortunate but JFNA has become so bloated that it cannot go on as it now knows itself. The minor downsizing that was implemented due to Corona was far from enough to lower the budget to the level it should be lowered - much less than 50% of current size. They talked about zero-based budgeting not too long ago and now is the time to really do it.
The federations don't need JFNA's permission to lower their dues payments. They should just do it and thereby force JFNA to do what it should have done long ago - adjust its budget to what is left of its functions. It is now nothing more than a coordinating umbrella organization for the federations with any and all of its "operational" elements beyond that a total waste of valuable financial resources.
JFNA has "merged itself to death" over the years and adjusting its budget to its current diminished bandwidth and limited value is long overdue.
Perhaps what its "leadership" ignored for so long will now be forced upon it by the COVID-19 crisis and the new reality of lacking financial resources.
UJC and JFNA have had a good number of purges over the past 10-15 years.
Often those most are affected are mid-level managers and administrative assistants just short of receiving proper retirement benefits.
The folks at the top there make out just fine, though.
It's a corporate shanda.
The fruits of an oppressed worker are treif.
On the other hand reading some of the posts here would lead one to believe that our Jewish not for profit world exists to provide good paying jobs to Jewish Professionals.
It doesn’t.h
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