Birthright Israel Foundation

Overview

Mission

Birthright Israel Foundation raises funds in the United States to support Birthright Israel—an educational trip to Israel that helps eligible young Jewish adults build strong and proud Jewish identities and connections to Israel. In 1999, Birthright Israel began with a bold mission: Offer Jewish young adults the gift of an educational and experiential trip to Israel in order to help build connections to Israel, nurture strong and proud Jewish identities, and strengthen the Jewish future. In 2004, Birthright Israel Foundation was founded with the mission to support Birthright Israel by raising vital funds in the United States. Our vision and hope is that, through the continued support of our donors, Jewish young adults will continue to receive this transformational gift—but we need your help to make it happen.

What it reported doing in 2024

Birthright israel seeks to ensure that every eligible young jewish adult around the world, especially the less connected, is given the opportunity to visit israel on this educational journey. Birthright israel foundation raises funds in the united states to support birthright israel, a program which currently provides young jewish adults from the ages of 18 to 32 the gift of an extraordinary educational trip to israel.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
134092050
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
New York, NY, United States
Phone
(212) 457-0036
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Exchange, N.E.C.
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 57
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 63.4%; rating input score 63
  • Program expense ratio: 70.3%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.35 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Pass
    • Conducts field audits: Pass
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Pass
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.2%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.08; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.21; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.9%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -3.1% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 1 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 63.4% of revenue deployed · 70.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $45.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $717K · 35 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.3M reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

35 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ELIAS SARATOVSKY (PRESIDENT/CEO): $717,417 total reported compensation
  • S DAVID SHAPIRO (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER): $543,235 total reported compensation
  • MARGOT ETTLINGER (NATIONAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR): $426,427 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.