Bender Jcc of Greater Washington

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN: 530205921
IRS 990 coverage: 2009–2024
Forms available: Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location: Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 3018810100
Rating: 76
Verdict: SUPPORTED
Rating confidence: Moderate
Sector: Neighborhood Centers
Affiliation: Judaism

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue: $14,122,907
Expenses: $14,768,351
Assets: $30,054,762
Liabilities: $9,212,997

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

33 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

JOSH BENDER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

Highest reported compensation

JOSH BENDER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $329,304 total reported compensation
SARAH FEINBERG CHIEF FINANCIAL (& ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER): $195,285 total reported compensation
RACHEL OSSMAN (CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER): $164,458 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The bender jcc embraces and welcomes the diversity of our community and encourages everyone to seek meaning and fulfillment by participating in our rich programming inspired by our jewish heritage. We open our doors to everyone, including people of all backgrounds, religions, abilities, and sexual orientations, and interfaith couples and families.

What it reported doing in 2024

Camp lessans camp jcc provides a seven-week summer day camp program serving children and young adults ages 4-21. The program serves more than 450 campers daily and offers structured activities that promote personal growth, skill development, and social engagement. Activities include visual and performing arts, swimming, stem education, music, dance, athletics, nature programming, and rock wall climbing.after school enrichment programming: bender jcc's after school enrichment program provides a fun and flexible after-school experience for children ages 5-12 designed to match each child's unique interests. Families can select options that align with their child's passions, whether that's arts, sports, dance, karate, swimming, or others. We provide a safe, energetic, and inclusive environment where kids can thrive while doing what they enjoy. The camp serves campers of all abilities and is committed to ensuring access to quality summer programming for a diverse population. Through its inclusion and kochavim programs, the camp provides individualized supports and accommodations to campers with diverse developmental, cognitive, and physical needs to ensure meaningful participation in all aspects of camp life.after school enrichment programming: bender jcc's after school enrichment program provides a fun and flexible after-school experience for children ages 5-12 designed to match each child's unique interests. Families can select options that align with their child's passions, whether that's arts, sports, dance, karate, swimming, or others. We provide a safe, energetic, and inclusive environment where kids can thrive while doing what they enjoy. After school enrichment programming: bender jcc's after school enrichment program provides a fun and flexible after-school experience for children ages 5-12 designed to match each child's unique interests. Families can select options that align with their child's passions, whether that's arts, sports, dance, karate, swimming, or others. We provide a safe, energetic, and inclusive environment where kids can thrive while doing what they enjoy.

Operating model

Revenue model: Earned-program. 61% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model: Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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 program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

Financial Efficiency: 65
Transparency & Controls: 83
Accountability: 100
Sustainability: 35
Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

Mission deployment rate: 71.2%; rating input score 71
Program expense ratio: 67%; rating input score 67
Fundraising efficiency: $8.37 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Missing
- Board or committee approval: Pass
Foreign activity oversight: Limited
Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd 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; 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: -4.6%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.04; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

Program expense growth: -1.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
Revenue growth: 1.3% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
Asset growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Details

Where the money goes: 71.2% of revenue deployed · 67% of spending went to programs
Governance: 25 of 25 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
Programs: 5 filed program accomplishments · $9.9M in reported program spending
Leadership: top reported pay $329K · 33 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.8M reported
Consistency: 39 of 39 current checks pass
Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
Contacts: How to reach this organization
Money network: 8 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.
Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 33/100.
High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 17/100.
High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 27/100.
Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.