UJA Federation New York

MISSION:
UJA-Federation of New York (http://www.ujafedny.org)
"cares for those in need, rescues those in harm's way,
and renews and strengthens the Jewish people in New York,
in Israel, and around the world. We reach out to the poor,
the elderly, and people in need, providing social and
humanitarian services in New York and around the world;
connect communities worldwide by aiding Jews in distress
and by strengthening and sustaining Jewish communities
from Belarus to Buenos Aires; and we support programs
to make Jewish education more meaningful, to deepen
Jewish identity, and to recruit and train dynamic
professionals to serve the community."

RECENT NEWS:
In 2002, the UJA Federation established and funded the
Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC.) The ITC is an alliance of
trauma-related service providers working to improve the
trauma-response capacity of the Israeli mental health system.
The ITC runs a workshop entitled Helping the Helpers.
The workshop provides essential psychological support and
training for professionals who serve trauma victims in Israel.
It recently ran a special Helping the Helpers workshop for first
responders who had responded to the terrorist attack at the
Mercaz Harav Kook Yeshiva. The attack had left many of the
first responders with severe psychological distress preventing
many of them from being able to return to their daily routines.

FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY EVALUATION:
According to Charity Navigator,
(http://www.charitynavigator.org)/
America’s leadingcharity evaluator, UJAFNY has an overall rating
of two stars (four stars is the highest rating.) Charity Navigator
provides the following breakdown of UJAFNY based on
990 tax returns through 2006:


Overall Rating **

Organizational Efficiency:Program Expenses 78.0%
Administrative Expenses 6.9%
Fundraising Expenses 15.0%
Fundraising Efficiency $0.15
(UJAFNY spends $0.15to raise $1.)
Efficiency Rating **

Organizational Capacity:
Program Revenue Growth 5.2%
Program Expenses Growth 0.5%
Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.99
(UJAFNY can sustain itself for 1.99 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 growthare more likely
to sustain its programs and servicesover the long haul.

UJAFNY has net assets of $907,989,000. Compensation
for its Executive Vice President and CEO, John Ruskay
was $455,00 which was 0.22% of expenses. Percentage wise,
the 0.22% is a very low figure.

RECOMMENDATION:
UJAFNY had total revenue of $334,335,000. It gave
$156,925,000 to program expenses (78% of expenses.) It
operated with an excess of $133,305,000 which explains the
large working capital ratio. In order to improve its financial
efficiency rating with Charity Navigator, UJAFNY would
need to reduce its operating excess and devote more of its
revenue to its targeted programs.

For comparison purposes, Charity Navigator gave an overall
rating of four stars to both the Combined Jewish Philanthropies
of Massachusetts and tothe Jewish Federation of Palm Beach
County (Florida.)

Next week’s blog: Jewish Communal Fund