The Jewish Federations of North America Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FEDERATION MOVEMENT PROTECTS AND ENHANCES THE WELL-BEING OF JEWS WORLDWIDE THROUGH THE VALUES OF TIKKUN OLAM (REPAIRING THE WORLD), TZEDAKAH (CHARITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE) AND TORAH (JEWISH LEARNING). THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA LEADS A CONTINENTAL FEDERATION MOVEMENT TO MOBILIZE FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL RESOURCES THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC ENDEAVORS, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES THAT STRENGTHEN THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
- Income
- $435.2 million
- Spending
- $511.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 98%
- Reserves
- 1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 190
- Volunteers
- 180
- Highest pay
- $852,662, president & chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 49% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 38% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1598% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 25141 of 141 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (10)
- $218.5 million spent. ISRAEL EMERGENCY CRISIS: IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE BRUTAL ATTACK BY HAMAS ON ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7, 2024, JFNA LAUNCHED AN ISRAEL EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE VICTIMS OF TERROR AND EVACUEES, AND PROVIDE TRAUMA SUPPORT, PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. PROGRAMS HAVE ALSO BEEN DEVELOPED FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY, COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR IMPACTED YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE QUICKLY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF EVACUEES AND VICTIMS. THE CAMPAIGN HAS TOUCHED PEOPLE FAR AND WIDE, PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY 14,000 LOANS TO INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES, TRAINING 5,480 MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND DISTRIBUTING OVER 510,000 FOOD PACKAGES. THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS COMMUNITY'S PHILANTHROPHY HAS HELPED SHELTER OVER 115,000 ISRAELI EVACUEES AND PROVIDED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO 44 HOSPITALS. (Expenses $ 18,028,302 including grants of $ 4,104,888)(Revenue $ 4,051,261) FUNDRAISING INFRASTRUCTURE (Expenses $ 9,582,173 including grants of $ 7,556,373)(Revenue $ 70,889) HOLOCAUST (Expenses $ 7,048,315 including grants of $ 7,516,355)(Revenue $ 0) THE UKRAINE CRISIS (Expenses $ 5,508,559 including grants of $ 4,538,001)(Revenue $ 67,475) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (Expenses $ 3,584,835 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 32,500) TALENT (Expenses $ 2,881,039 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 483,628) OVERSEAS PARTNERS
- $190.8 million spent. GRANTS TO UNITED ISRAEL APPEAL, INC.: THE AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE AND WORLD ORT PROVIDING IMMIGRATION AND ABSORPTION SERVICES FOR JEWISH IDENTITY PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, RELIEF AND WELFARE PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
- $43.4 million spent. POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE: JFNA HELPS FEDERATIONS BUILD FLOURISHING JEWISH COMMUNITIES. IN THE FIELDS OF CAREGIVING, AGING, PHILANTHROPY, DISABILITY, FOREIGN POLICY, HOMELAND SECURITY AND HEALTH CARE, WE ARE THOUGHT LEADERS AND ADVOCATES. (Expenses $ 18,028,302 including grants of $ 4,104,888)(Revenue $ 4,051,261) FUNDRAISING INFRASTRUCTURE (Expenses $ 9,582,173 including grants of $ 7,556,373)(Revenue $ 70,889) HOLOCAUST (Expenses $ 7,048,315 including grants of $ 7,516,355)(Revenue $ 0) THE UKRAINE CRISIS (Expenses $ 5,508,559 including grants of $ 4,538,001)(Revenue $ 67,475) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (Expenses $ 3,584,835 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 32,500) TALENT (Expenses $ 2,881,039 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 483,628) OVERSEAS PARTNERS
- $18.0 million spent. FUNDRAISING INFRASTRUCTURE
- $9.6 million spent. HOLOCAUST
- $7.0 million spent. THE UKRAINE CRISIS
- $5.5 million spent. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
- $3.6 million spent. TALENT
- $2.9 million spent. OVERSEAS PARTNERS
- OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA HAS AWARDED GRANTS TO AGENCIES FOR HUMANITARIAN PURPOSES IN THE FACE OF DISASTERS INCLUDING THE HAWAII WILDFIRES. THESE EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA DISASTER RELIEF COMMITTEE. SINCE 1989, THE FEDERATION MOVEMENT HAS RAISED ABOUT $50 MILLION FOR CRISIS RELIEF. ISRAEL AND OVERSEAS - JFNA WORKS CLOSELY WITH OUR OVERSEAS PARTNERS TO CARE FOR JEWS IN NEED AND BUILD COMMUNITY IN ISRAEL AND 60-PLUS NATIONS WORLDWIDE. JFNA ISRAEL ALSO ASSESSES FEDERATION-FUNDED SOCIAL SERVICE EFFORTS IN ISRAEL AND HELPS ENSURE FEDERATION FUNDS ARE USED EFFECTIVELY. JFNA ISRAEL WORKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL ON ISSUES OF PUBLIC POLICY AND DIPLOMACY AND HELPS CONNECT THE ISRAEL PUBLIC TO JEWISH FEDERATION WORK. U.S. GOVERNMENT GRANT - IN RECOGNITION OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA'S EXPERTISE IN SERVING HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING HAS AWARDED A GRANT TO JFNA TO EXPAND THE AGING NETWORK'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE PERSON-CENTERED, TRAUMA-INFORMED (PCTI) CARE FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, OLDER ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMA, AND THEIR FAMILY CAREGIVERS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH TWO GOALS-1) INCREASE THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF INNOVATIONS IN PCTI CARE AVAILABLE FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, OLDER ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMA, AND THEIR FAMILY CAREGIVERS. THIS GOAL IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE AWARDING OF SUB-GRANTS TO AGENCIES TO IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE INNOVATIONS IN PCTI CARE SUCH AS INITIATIVES FOR SOCIALIZATION, MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, COGNITIVE HEALTH, FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT, AND PCTI TRAINING. 2) BUILD THE CAPACITY OF AGING SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PROVIDE PCTI CARE TO HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, OLDER ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF TRAUMA, AND THEIR FAMILY CAREGIVERS. THIS GOAL IS ACHIEVED THROUGH PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, WEBINARS, TRAINING WORKSHOPS, AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON AGING, TRAUMA, AND PCTI CARE. IN ADDITION TO THE FEDERAL GRANT, THE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA RAISES MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE GOALS. TALENT: JFNA IS DEVOTED TO ENSURING THAT JEWISH FEDERATIONS CONNECT WITH THE TOP PROFESSIONAL AND VOLUNTEER TALENT IN THE COMMUNITY. JFNA'S MANDEL CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE WORKS WITH FEDERATIONS TO PROVIDE THE TOOLS THEY REQUIRE TO IDENTIFY, RECRUIT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN TALENTED PROFESSIONALS AND TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH TOP VOLUNTEERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1936.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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