The changing world of
Jewish philanthropy

Federation tweaks its role as foundation giving grows

By Andrea Waxman
of The Chronicle staff

Not long ago, the Jewish community depended primarily on the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s annual campaign. But, the growth of Jewish community and private foundations has changed that model.

Now, “there are three legs to the philanthropy stool,” said Richard H. Meyer, executive vice president of the federation.

“If [that stool] is to be stable and stand strong, it must have a strong annual campaign, endowment funds and supplemental funds (for emergencies, and one-time and emerging needs).”

The good news is that there is more money being directed to Jewish needs than before. But that money is now invested and allocated differently.

“There are some generational changes,” said Bruce A. Arbit, federation president.

“There is more designated giving and supplemental giving. Rather than grow their annual gift, [some active donors] maintain it and then set up a foundation fund or some other supplemental giving.

“That money is going to the federation — the total is growing but not the amount going to the annual campaign,” Arbit said.

That is a challenge for the campaign, which is now in full swing and has raised some $8 million for several years.

In anticipation of Super Sunday, the federation’s largest community outreach event of the year, The Chronicle spoke with several professional and volunteer leaders about the changing roles of the annual campaign and community and private foundations.

Super Sunday will take place on Sunday, Dec. 2, at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.

“The role of foundations in general is more project-oriented while federation provides operational support,” said Dan Bader, president of the Helen Bader Foundation, which has distributed $163 million since 1992. “The community needs both.”

Arbit agreed. “The annual campaign remains the single most important engine driving our community.”

It has always provided support for the basic operations of the federation’s beneficiaries, its constituent agencies, overseas partners and others, said Meyer.

“If the annual campaign disappeared, it would be very difficult for the agencies to come up with $8 million to replace those funds,” said Jane Gellman, general chair of the annual campaign.

Besides providing a solid foundation of support, the annual campaign is an important way of building community, Arbit said.

It involves community organizations coming together and discussing their needs, according to Mark E. Brickman, chair of the board of trustees of the Jewish Community Foundation, the federation’s endowment development program.

“We raise the money together and take care of our needs together,” Arbit added.

And while raising millions of dollars for the annual campaign “is not easy and for some, it’s not very exciting, it’s essential to maintain the Jewish community that we have here. We have every bit as much obligation as those who came before us,” Gellman noted. “We have to earn the right to inherit the community they left us.”

Another important aspect of the annual campaign is its support of Jews in need around the world. While some may see Israel as economically healthy enough now to need less financial support from the U.S. communities, there is no question that there are Jews in need in the former Soviet Union and elsewhere.

“It’s about what our role in the process is [in the world Jewish community],” Arbit said. “Is it just Israel’s role to take care of the Jews who are oppressed around the world?”

Following their dollars

Bert L. Bilsky, executive director of the foundation and associate executive vice president of the federation said that he did not anticipate such large-scale growth in foundation assets when he took the position as its first director in 1980.

But he is proud of that growth — the JCF’s assets in total are about $144 million, having grown by $39 million in the last four years — and said that it reflects a long history of endowment and foundation work in the community, “as is shown by the $1 million gift to the Jewish Museum Milwaukee just this month.”

Bilsky and the others explained that while the annual campaign is primarily allocated to core operations, providing infrastructure, security and stability, the JCF supports innovation, collaboration between agencies and all sorts of programming that donors care about.

There is a trend among the younger community members, here and around the country, to “follow their dollars and make more specific, versus broader donations,” Meyer said.

While some see this trend of narrowing contributions as self-centered and less communal, it is also seen as an opportunity for federations to adapt and respond to changing needs, he said.

“Two things are at play,” Meyer said. The foundation is designed to let [donors direct their money to specific causes], while encouraging them to support the broader community. And the annual campaign is looking at new ways to be more focused. It’s a balancing act.”

Meyer is confident, he said, that the federation system of giving is responsive enough and has a big enough tent for all of [its] donors’ desires and intents to be satisfied.”

“Also, the annual campaign allows every member of the community, regardless of political persuasion, religious intent or economic capacity, to participate and be counted as a part of the Jewish community.”

The success of the Community Capital Campaign that concluded last year after raising more than $45 million “shows that when we come together and have the right leadership we can accomplish so much.” And Meyer concluded, “Only the federation can convene the whole community in the broadest way.”

The 2008 Annual Campaign Super Sunday phone-a-thon is chaired by Brad Dallet and Rebecca Guralnick. Volunteers are needed for six 1 1/2 hour sessions beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m.

Babysitting is available. To sign up, contact Margie Stein at 414-390-5700 or margies@milwaukeejewish.org.