Donors to the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation will have greater choice in designating where their annual campaign dollars go, the result of significant changes made by the federation.
But Jewish agencies supported by the JCF are still pondering what the restructuring will mean to them.
“This is a huge deal,” said federation CEO Jennifer Gorovitz, “because it’s a fundamental shift in the way this organization raises money, makes grants and carries out its roles in the community.”
The gist of the new system is a matrix of three “focused roles” of the federation mission, and the creation of four funds designed to cover the major areas of interest to Jewish philanthropists.
The first focused role is “investing strategically,” which covers core areas from social service agencies to Jewish summer camps. The second, “building capacity,” refers to drawing on expertise in the Jewish community and pairing individual experts with organizations in need of help on a pro bono basis. The third role is developing the next generation of Jewish philanthropists and leaders.
The four funds are as follows: the Community Core Fund, which supports traditional federation beneficiaries, from JCCs to social service agencies; the Israel and Global Fund, which supports Jews around the world, especially in Israel; the Bay Area Initiatives Fund, which aims to find solutions to challenges faced by the local Jewish community; and the Innovation Fund, which provides seed money for innovative community projects.
New donors now may opt to target 25 percent of their gift to one or more of the funds. Repeat donors may designate 25 percent of the previous year’s gift and 100 percent of year-to-year increases to one or more of the funds.
While the funds covering community and global needs continue longstanding funding priorities, the other two funds are new concepts that JCF leaders hope will spur growth. For example, in the realm of special-needs children, the initiatives fund will help the federation convene key players from the field to find ways to better serve this population.
“Donors want not just choice,” Gorovitz said, “they want systemic change, big impact and big goals. Donors in our area are results-driven. We want to give [them] the opportunity to marry individual passions with one or more of the projects we’re doing.”
Adin Miller, the senior director of community impact and innovations, said the emphasis on strategic grantmaking means his organization will shift from single-year grants to more multiyear grants.
He also said that though some grantees may face cuts in funding, they may apply for additional dollars through the Innovation Fund and/or the Initiatives Fund.
Major federation grantees are studying the changes, and so far the reviews appear to be mostly positive.
Barry Finestone, executive director of the JCC of San Francisco, said he didn’t know how the changes would affect him, but he welcomes the focus on “high-impact, strategic grants that support community collaboration.”
According to the federation website, the JCCSF received more than $700,000 for general operating support and specific programs for 2011-2012.
“I applaud the effort to engage donors more fully in the work that their philanthropic dollars are doing,” Finestone said.
Abby Snay, executive director of Jewish Vocational Service, which received more than $600,000 in combined federation funding for 2011-2012, noted that “philanthropy is moving in the direction of donors wanting to have a closer connection to where their dollars are going.”
Many local Jewish agencies have counted on continuous federation support from year to year.
Naomi Tucker is founder and director of Shalom Bayit, which works to end domestic violence. For several years, the JCF has provided 25 percent of Shalom Bayit’s operating budget (grants total $66,000).
Tucker hopes that doesn’t change once the federation’s new system is in place.
“Now a beneficiary agency receives an annual allocation, and that amount is fairly stable from year to year,” she said. “You receive multiyear core funding, and you can apply for specific programmatic grants. I’m hoping that whatever the new configuration is, we can hold onto that.”
Tucker worries about the impact of funding changes. “I fear cuts are coming down the pike for us,” she said.
Gorovitz believes federation beneficiaries will like and adapt to the changes.
“Grantees will continue to work with us very closely on a variety of issues and in creating grant proposals,” she said. “We strive for close individualized attention, and that’s not going to change.”