JCC Implementation of Federation Strategic Plan

JCC Implementation of Federation Strategic Plan

Six years seems like a lifetime ago. In 2016, our Federation began a strategic planning process to meet the challenges of declining demographics and shifting needs of the community. This process resulted in approval of a Strategic Action Renaissance Plan in September 2016, with a new mission statement:  

“Through a culture of excellence, tzedakah, and tikkun olam, the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation brings learning, caring, and boundless passion to the communities it serves supporting engagement in Jewish life; fostering meaningful connections with the Jewish community, the broader Youngstown community, and with the community of Israel; and attracting individuals and families to our communities.” 

The core of the Plan consists of three strategies: the Federation’s role as the primary convener for the regional Jewish community; the imperative for the Federation to engage with the general community locally and in Israel; and for the Federation to establish and maintain excellence in governance and operations. In the coming months, I will focus on how other Federation agencies have implemented strategies outlined in the Strategic Plan. This column will primarily address our most visible agency, the Jewish Community Center.

The JCC has restructured its governance structure and re-established a new committee process focusing on its three major revenue sources, Membership, the Early Learning Center, and Camp. Over the past six years, membership income (including health & wellness activities) has increased by $.5 million, to an estimated $1.4 million at the end of 2022. Early Learning Center income (including infants/toddlers, pre-school, and before and after school) has increased from $717,000 to an estimated $1,006,500 at the end of 2022. And Day Camp income has more than doubled in six years, and now stands at $334,000. 

These numbers illustrate just how much the JCC has seen its operations grow over the past six years from $2.9 million to $3.7 million, an increase of 30%, while the Federation’s allocation from the Annual Campaign to the JCC has been reduced from 11.5% to 8.7% of its budget. So how is this possible? 

The JCC’s lay and professional leadership understands that excellence in operations is critical to serving its members and the community. In regard to membership, the JCC offers so much more than six years ago, including our Logan Campus; the Paul and Yetta Gluck School of Visual Arts; new schools of music, dance, and theatre, Esports, pickleball courts, a new outdoor pavilion, new fitness equipment and wellness classes, aging well classes (in conjunction with Jewish Family & Community Services), rentals, new/refurbished classrooms in our 5 star Early Learning Center, and our JCC Day Camp (one of the few American Camping Association certified camps locally). And, all of this in a WELCOMING and SECURE campus with 24/7 security. 

Finally, the JCC and ALL OF OUR AGENCIES are benefitting by the Federation’s new approach to grant writing, which has resulted in over $3.2 million in grants and donations raised over the past two and a half years, exclusive of the annual Campaign, in connection with the hiring of our new Development and Community Relations Manager, Nic Bush in February 2020. Nic, in collaboration with Federation agency directors and professional staff, works hard to match Federation programming needs with potential local, state, and national funding sources. 

In summary, our Federation does not have the luxury of relying on the Annual Campaign and Federation Reserves to fund its operations. We must continue to seek additional grant funding sources, as well as new and creative ways to conduct our operations Federation-wide. 

On behalf of our Board of Directors and professional staff, best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Andy
Andrew Lipkin, Federation CEO