MJF changes annual campaign timing, duration

          For years September has marked the start of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s annual campaign to support our community.

          This September will be noteworthy for what’s missing: no campaign kick-off event, no phone solicitations and no ads asking the community to give generously. This year is different because the MJF is changing the timing and the duration of its annual campaign.

          “We learned through Reimagining that Milwaukee Jews want us to focus on two issues: raising sufficient funds to meet the community’s needs and engaging with people to strengthen our community,” said Marlene Lauwasser, MJF board chair. “Changing the campaign timing and duration will enable us to focus more on both goals.”

          In the past the campaign has aligned with the Federation’s fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) and lasted nine months (September to April). The 2014 annual campaign will align with the 2014 calendar year (January to December) and will last for four months (January to April).

          Andrea Schneider, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Annual Campaign Chair, said, “Aligning the campaign with the calendar year will help us avoid unnecessary confusion.”

          Schneider illustrated her point with the 2013 annual campaign, which straddled two years, beginning in 2012 and ending in 2013. “Donors were unsure if they were making a pledge — or paying off a pledge — for the 2012 or 2013 campaign,” Schneider said.

          In addition to changing the timing, the duration of the campaign is being shortened to allow staff and volunteers more time and opportunities to connect with donors.

          “It’s counter-intuitive, but shortening the campaign from nine to four months will actually help us raise more money to support our agencies, programs and services,” said Hannah Rosenthal, the MJF president and chief executive officer, who initiated the change in timing and duration after studying the results of the Reimagining process.

          The shortened campaign will allow the Federation to inform the community about its work and the work of its agencies.

          “Our organization is more than 100 years old, but many people do not know what we do,” said Stephanie Wagner, the MJF vice president of communications and strategy. “We are a fundraising organization, but we will be more successful spending less time asking for money and more time telling our story.”

          Following a strategy that arose from Reimagining, the Federation plans to complement its annual campaign with funds generated by a more robust endowment.

          “In order for this strategy to succeed, we must inform donors about the work of the Federation but also about the opportunities provided through the Jewish Community Foundation,” according to Caren Goldberg, JCF executive director. The Jewish Community Foundation is the endowment development arm of the Federation.

          “We partner with donors to help them identify and achieve their philanthropic goals,” said Goldberg. “Through these partnerships, we help donors focus their charitable gifts on what’s important to them, such as providing support for a day school or underwriting a particular program in support of Israel.”

          Goldberg added that the JCF helps donors identify ways to maximize tax benefits associated with their gifts.

          The decision to choose January through April (instead of September through December, for example) was made after consultation with other Jewish federations and much deliberation.

          Ultimately the first four months of the year were selected to avoid issues related to end-of-year solicitations while still enabling donors to make end-of-year gifts.

          “We face competition for charitable dollars during the traditional fundraising period of September through December,” said Rosenthal. “It’s also a challenging time because we are all focused on the High Holidays.”

          The Federation explored issues surrounding December giving when donors are thinking about tax deductions. The new timing will still allow donors who want to pay their gifts in December to do so.

          “Donors who make a pledge during the 2014 campaign can wait until December 31, 2014, to pay off their pledges,” said Schneider.

          Another benefit of selecting the January to April time period is the elimination of competition with MJF partner agencies. In the past, the Federation has asked the agencies to refrain from fundraising during the last quarter of the calendar year.

          “We are here to support our agencies, not to limit their ability to raise funds themselves,” said Rosenthal. “Everyone will benefit from the new plan. We have listened to the community, and we are responding.”