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Counting The Money from page 1
Annual campaign
Challenge Fund
Total
Total
Donors
New Gifts
2010
$29,000,000
$4,450,000
$33.5 million
9,600
1,680
2009
$33,000,000 *
$6,300,000
$39.3 million
9,347
1,529
2008
$34,000,000
$8,220,000
$42.2 million
9,681
1,557
2007
$33,000,000
$15,270,000
$48.2 million
9,808
1,314
2006
$32,600,000
$4,600,000
$37.2 million
10,357
1,488
* 2009 total includes $1.4 million from Federation reserves
To arrive at its fundraising total,
Detroit combines its Annual Campaign
with funds raised through its annual
Challenge Fund. The Challenge Fund
matches one-time gifts specially desig-
nated for local needs.
Combining the $29 million in 2010
Annual Campaign dollars with $4.45
million raised through the Jennifer
and Dan Gilbert Challenge Fund, the
Federation was able to raise the $33.5
million in 2010 it had projected. The
Federation allocated that amount last
spring to support its 19 local social ser-
vice agencies and schools as well as corn-
munity interests in Israel and in Jewish
communities in 60 countries around the
world.
While the achievement was a major
accomplishment, the dollars aren't what
they used to be.
The 2010 Annual Campaign portion
took its first serious hit in years, declin-
ing by $4 million from 2009. It had
stayed relatively stable over the past five
years, raising about $33 million each
year (though in 2009, $1.4 million from
the Federation's reserves were used to
reach the Campaign total). Pledges to
the annual Challenge Fund have fluctu-
ated significantly during the same time
period, but 2010 saw an almost $2 mil-
lion fall-off from 2009.
Taken together, the declines reached
almost $6 million: $39.5 million raised
in 2009 vs. $33.5 million in 2010. The
Federation made sizeable cuts in its allo-
cations last spring as well as restructured
its own operations, including staff reduc-
tions. The bottom line was helped by
anonymous donors, who stepped up to
help meet urgent needs.
Though the Federation hasn't yet
set its 2011 Annual Campaign goal,
Federation CEO Scott Kaufman doesn't
anticipate this spring anything near the
sizeable cuts made last year.
"We seem to be off to a good start,"
16
2011
iN
Kaufman said. "We're going back to par-
lor meetings and have about 30 sched-
uled, where people invite friends into
their home to talk about the Federation,
the Jewish community and our future.
"We need to meet the current needs
while building a vibrant future," he said.
"And we have to be great at both."
The 2010 Campaign co-chairs, Terri
Farber Roth and Ron Klein, credited the
volunteers, contributors and staff who,
they say, make the Campaign and our
community what it is.
"Through the efforts of so many peo-
ple, our community is a major force in
keeping Jews safe and cared for here and
around the world:' said Roth. She and
Klein have stayed on to chair the 2011
Campaign. "We are a strong community
and the Federation helps us come togeth-
er to do remarkable things," Roth said.
Detroit has been doing well, com-
pared to other Jewish community cam-
paigns during the economic downturn.
According to the Jewish Federations of
North America (JFNA), which represents
157 Jewish federations and more than
300 independent Jewish communities, in
2009 its members saw an average 11.9
percent decline in total dollars raised,
with a 11.1 percent, decline among
Detroit's peers in the "large city" category.
In contrast, Detroit experienced a much
lower 6.8 percent decline.
"We are extremely pleased with the
fact that 1,700 new donors helped to
grow our base of nearly 10,000 donors','
said Michael Benghiat, Federation's for-
mer director of community marketing,
who spoke to the Jewish News before
leaving the Federation for a new position
last month. "This is the first net increase
in the last decade and in a non-war [in
Israel] year. New donors are coming from
across the board — people who knew
Federation before and are now choos-
ing to give because they understand the
needs better as well as donors learning
14 Campaign event featuring Daniel
about Federation for the first time."
Kurtzer, a former U.S. ambassador to
While heartening, and evidence of the
Israel and Egypt — also raise awareness
vibrancy of the Campaign and its out-
and exposure.
reach efforts, the Federation categorizes
The Federation's Young Adult Division
new gifts" as not just first-time gifts,
(YAD) — which involves those in their
but also gifts from past donors who had
20s, 30s and early 40s – saw a 33 percent
not given the previous year. Measured
that way, the number of new gifts has not increase in the number of donors, ris-
ing to 1,000 donors from 747 in 2009.
changed appreciably over the past five
"It's all about outreach, engagement and
years.
leadership development with YAD," said
Detroit has had to deal with a declin-
its director, Jennifer Levine.
ing donor base for more than a decade
To reinforce the community's
due to the aging of the Jewish popula-
tion and the
out-migration of
f'We seem to be off
younger adults.
According to the
to a good start ...
JFNA, from 1999-
2008 the donor
We need to meet the
loss in its large-
city category was
current needs while
23.4 percent. In
Metro Detroit it
was 40.9 percent. building a vibrant
That is why it
future. And we have
was especially
Scott Kaufman,
encouraging to
Federation CEO
to be great at both."
Federation that
2010 saw the
first increase in
donors in the
understanding of its role in collecting
past 13 years. Though modest — from
and allocating communal funds, the
9,347 to 9,600 — the Federation is
Federation launched JewishDetroit Votes
intent on continuing to grow the donor
last
month.
base by spreading its message widely,
All
community members, not just
empowering a younger generation of
Federation
contributors, can vote online
leaders and reaching out to young adults,
to determine how $100,000 is distributed
while cementing its connections with its
among six competing community needs
base of donors and Jewish institutions
— emergency assistance, employment
throughout the community.
assistance, summer camp scholarships,
To spread the message, the Federation
will continue its "I am JewishDetroit" ini- older adult needs, Detroit brain drain
and Israeli children at risk.
tiative through 2011.
The Federation intends to follow this
The message is being delivered
first-time effort with additional initia-
through the traditional print and broad-
tives that seek to educate and engage the
cast media as well as online and social
community through enhanced use of
media platforms. Parlor meetings and
technology. Li
community events — such as an April
CC