Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

Mission:
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF)
is the American partner of the Association for
the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers, established by
David Ben-Gurion in 1942. The FIDF initiates
and helps support social, educational, cultural
and recreational programs and facilities for the
young men and women soldiers of Israel who
defend the Jewish homeland. The FIDF also provides
support for widows and orphans of fallen soldiers.
Today's support includes building, maintaining, and
operating 17 modern and sophisticated facilities;
establishing and renovating hundreds of clubrooms
and fitness rooms on IDF bases; and the constant
caring for each and every IDF soldier.

The Wounded Soldiers Program assists hospitalized
soldiers wounded during terrorists' attacks,
operational activities and other circumstances.
There are between 14,000-20,000 hospitalized
soldiers every year in 15 hospitals in Israel . The
FIDF and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel
Soldiers in Israel are committed to helping and
improving the welfare of these deserving soldiers.
The soldiers are being cared for with assistance
such as: personal kits, laptops, cable television,
personal and hygiene items, access to armored
ambulances, medical simulators, medical
transportation vehicles and respiratory devises.

Recent News:
Amit Hasdai was a combat soldier in the Artillery
Corps. In 2002, when he was only 19, Amit
endured serious head injuries that left him
paralyzed on his right side. He is lucky to be alive
and credits much of that luck to his physical
therapy with horses. Now Amit can walk with
crutches and is training to represent Israel in the
2012 Disabled Olympics. In order to compete
however, Amit needs a horse of his own and the
funds for maintenance and veterinarian care.
The FIDF has decided to help Amit raise the
$65,000 necessary for him to train and
participate in the Disabled Olympics.

Financial Efficiency Evalution:
According to Charity Navigator
(http://www.charitynavigator.org)/
America’s leading charity evaluator, the
FIDF has an overall rating of four stars
(four starts is the highest rating.) Charity
Navigator provides the following breakdown
of the FIDF based on 990 tax returns
through 2006:

Overall Rating ****

Organizational Efficiency
Program Expenses 81.7%
Administrative Expenses 2.9%
Fundraising Expenses 15.3%
Fundraising Efficiency $0.11
(FIDF spends $0.11 to raise $1.)
Efficiency Rating **

Organizational Capacity
Program Revenue Growth 39.6%
Program Expenses Growth 52.2%
Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.27
(FIDF can sustain itself for 1.27
years without generating new revenue.)
Capacity Rating ****

Organizational Capacity refers to an organization’s
ability to sustain itself over time. Charities that
exhibit consistent revenue and expenses growth
are more likely to sustain its programs and services
over the long haul.

The FIDF has net assets of $43,332,745.
Compensation for its national director, Yehiel Gozal,
was $243,200 which is 0.71% of expenses.

For comparison purposes, Charity Navigator has
given an overall rating of two stars to the Paralyzed
Veterans of America with offices in Washington D.C.
Its mission is to maximize the quality of life for
American veterans and for all people with spinal cord
injuries or disease.


Conclusion:
The FIDF is a financially efficient non-profit
organization in that a large portion of its expenses
reach its target – Israeli soldiers. It can, however,
improve its efficiency by reducing its fundraising
expenses in half. It has demonstrated a consistent
rate of revenue and expenses growth. Thus, it is
likely that the FIDF will be able to sustain its
programs and services over the long haul.
It would be beneficial for the FIDF to publicize its
four star rating from Charity Navigator.