Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta

What it reported doing in 2024

Summer Camp: The MJCCA believes that summer camp is a powerful catalyst for cultivating confident, capable, and values-driven community leaders. Through MJCCA Day Camps and its overnight camp, Camp Barney Medintz, the MJCCA serves more than 3,200 campers and counselors annually in safe, engaging, and developmentally rich environments. Guided by the principles of the Center for Experiential Jewish Education, these programs intentionally integrate Jewish values, traditions, and culture into daily experiences-strengthening Jewish identity, fostering belonging, and encouraging responsibility to self and community. Each summer, campers build lifelong friendships, gain independence and self-confidence, develop new skills, and grow as compassionate leaders. MJCCA Day Camps is one of the largest and most respected Jewish day camps in North America, offering more than 100 camp options for campers from rising kindergarten through 8th grade. In addition to its flagship traditional day camp, offerings include theme camps such as STEAM and cooking, as well as specialty camps in sports, performing arts, and leadership development. These programs provide campers with meaningful opportunities to explore interests, build teamwork and leadership skills, and engage in Jewish life in age-appropriate and experiential ways. A defining strength of the MJCCA's camping model is the intentional continuity between its day and overnight camp experiences. Many campers begin their journey at MJCCA Day Camps and later transition to Camp Barney Medintz, creating a natural and aspirational pathway rooted in shared values and educational philosophy. This progression allows campers to deepen relationships, increase independence, and expand leadership skills over time, reinforcing a cohesive, values-driven approach to youth development across programs and stages of growth. Camp Barney Medintz, located on 530 acres in the North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains, offers a fully immersive, 24/7 Jewish environment where campers and counselors develop resilience, empathy, accountability, and independence. Through exceptional staff, innovative programming, and meaningful Jewish experiences, overnight camp builds upon the foundation established at day camp and strengthens campers' long-term connection to Jewish community and identity. Inclusion is central to the MJCCA's summer camp philosophy. Both MJCCA Day Camps and Camp Barney Medintz are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and are committed to ensuring that campers of all abilities can thrive. Through a range of inclusive support models-including individualized accommodations, small-group supports, trained specialists, and collaboration with families-campers with diverse needs are supported in ways that honor their strengths and promote success. By creating environments where children of all abilities learn, play, and grow together, the MJCCA's summer camps reflect core Jewish values of dignity, equity, and belonging, ensuring that every camper has the opportunity to flourish.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.7%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 84%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4.3%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.14; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.3%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings