N.Y. Federation Leads Jewish Fund-Raising Effort

United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York led all other North American federations in fund-raising for 2007, bringing in $155 million, or 16.7% of the total estimated $900 million raised for the annual campaign.

In all, $2.4 billion was raised by the federation system in the 2007 calendar year when giving to endowments. The Israel Emergency Campaign, and Operation Promise, which sends money overseas, is included.

The year-end totals were announced Friday by the umbrella organization for the 155 Jewish federations and the more than 400 non-federated Jewish communities, United Jewish Communities.

Annual campaign growth across North America was sluggish, at 0.2% versus the previous year, but the New York federation, covering the metropolitan region, had a 4% increase versus the previous year, and is reporting a strong start to its 2008 campaign, with a 7% increase in funds raised at its October kickoff event at the home of a former Bear Stearns chief, Alan Greenberg. The annual campaigns operate on a fiscal year ending June 30.

The funds support humanitarian, educational, social, and community-building services locally and abroad, for Jews and non-Jews.

"New York Federation should be applauded for being able to move philanthropy forward when many others are stuck," the president of the Institute for Jewish and Community Research, Gary Tobin, said.

"New York is the biggest partner we have," the president and chief executive of United Jewish Communities, Howard Rieger, said, noting efforts to build infrastructure in growth areas such as Phoenix and Las Vegas.

United Jewish Communities is conducting two studies to help with fund-raising, one addressing the mobility of the Jewish population, and one on branding federations in the philanthropy marketplace.

United Jewish Communities has also deployed consultants to study and disseminate best practices in local federations and evaluate investments to increase fund-raising capacity.

In recent years, American Jews have created and supported many new efforts in Jewish philanthropy. They are also major participants in cultural and health care philanthropy. Yet the federation system remains the dominant channel for Jewish giving.

"It's the single largest fund-raising effort in American Jewish life — nothing else comes even close," Mr. Tobin said. Earlier this month the institute released a study on "Mega-Gifts in Jewish Philanthropy," which found that 95% of gifts of $10 million or more by Jewish individuals and foundations went to secular causes.

By comparison, the Jewish Communal Fund, based in New York, raised $226 million in 2007, and Hadassah, the women's Zionist organization, also based in New York, raised $114 million, as reported by the Chronicle of Philanthropy in its annual Philanthropy 400 list.

Asked how the recent economic downturn would affect fund-raising efforts, Mr. Rieger said federations will have to work harder, but the system is buffered by $13 billion in endowment funds.