UJC/The Jewish Federations of North America has released a survey of Federation endowment development showing that foundations continue to record the strongest growth despite the economic downturn, reflecting the increasing significance of planned giving as part of overall Federation fundraising.
The survey, drawn from responses by 60 communities, is the most comprehensive data available about endowment and foundation giving in the Jewish Federation system.
This year’s survey showed that in 2008, planned giving contributions totaled $1.4 billion – 58 percent of the $2.4 billion total contributed to Federations and foundations. Gifts to planned giving programs have grown at a compound rate of five percent over the past 10 years, resulting in planned gifts exceeding – and in some years even doubling – those of the Annual Campaign.
In 2008, a record $1.7 billion in grants were made from planned giving programs. The compound growth rate of grants from these programs has reached over nine percent for the decade, growing from $749 million in 1999. Many grants from planned gifts are directed to the Annual Campaign and represent 14-16 percent of the total Annual Campaign contributions over the past decade.
The survey also includes community performance reports, investment allocations and returns, fee schedules, staff levels, and details of Federation assets and grants by each planned giving vehicle.
For more information about the survey results contact the UJC Planned Giving Department at endowments@ujc.org.
Jewish organizations — generally — have been VERY slow to wake up to the importance of planned giving. Perhaps UJC and many Federations have been in the forefront but with that being said the statistics reveal a slower than expected embracing and understanding of planned giving and the impact it can have on nonprofit efforts. As the American Jewish community ages, every nonprofit needs to re-evaluate how planned giving is addressed. Note, too, that more dollars from planned gifts came to US nonprofits in 2008 than all dollars given by corporate and business donors. Watch for some further discussions about this next week in a piece we have prepared for eJewishphilanthropy.
The Jewish nonprofit community has always focused on annual campaigns – Super Sundays – special emergencies – “renewal calling”, etc. Yet, all of these campaigns are often augmented with the planned gifts made “yesterday” which are currently maturing.
Almost all planned gifts are major gifts, usually more than would be given during an annual campaign and often these planned gift donors increase their regular giving and volunteerism during the year so that even current campaigns improve.
It is much more likely that the endowments that were victim to Bernie Madoff and the securities markets will regrow more efficiently and quickly through planned gift donations than any market recovery.