Jewish Federation Los Angeles

Legal name: Jewish Federation Council of Greater La

Overview

Mission

JFEDLA acts on shared values to create safe, joyful, and connected Jewish life in Los Angeles, Israel, and around the world. We care for our vulnerable by fighting poverty and combating antisemitism. We inspire by fostering Jewish journeys, building bridges, and developing leaders.

What it reported doing in 2024

Caring for jews in need: the federation leverages the strength of its community to provide aid for jews in need. The well-being of jewish seniors is also a core priority, especially when a senior is a holocaust survivor. Our work also includes seeing to daily necessities of those in need, connecting people to the skills and services necessary to be self-sufficient, and ensuring children with special needs and other at-risk cases have their needs met and can participate in jewish life. The federation is able to care for our own community by working with partners in los angeles, israel, and around the world.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 90% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 68% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
951643388
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2020
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
323.761.8013
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Federated Giving Programs
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

The verdict

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

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 76
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 33
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 87.2%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 74.3%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.91 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 20; 20th 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: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 42nd 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: 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: -16.5%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.99; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.2; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.2%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.3% per year; rating input score 100; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 10 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 87.2% of revenue deployed · 74.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 51 of 51 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $49.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $646K · 66 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.7M reported
  • Consistency: 43 of 43 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 11 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 159 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 146 filed related-organization links
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

66 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • NOAH FARKAS (CEO/PRESIDENT): $646,195 total reported compensation
  • REBECCA SOBELMAN-STERN (CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER): $360,173 total reported compensation
  • ROBERT GOLDENBERG (CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER): $309,920 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.