Federation CJA

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
980183709
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Montreal, Quebec, CA
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public Foundations
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$48,612,502
Expenses
$52,391,141
Assets
$89,906,977
Liabilities
$20,625,386

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

Leadership & pay

32 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Yair Szlak (President and Chief Executive Officer)

Highest reported compensation

  • Yair Szlak (President and Chief Executive Officer): $393,521 total reported compensation
  • Osnat Suissa (Chief Development Officer): $242,672 total reported compensation
  • Jonathan Kuczer (Chief Financial and Operating Officer): $236,917 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

FEDERATION CJA leads in promoting a vibrant inclusive and thriving Montreal Jewish community. Our mission is to preserve and strengthen the quality of Jewish life and engagement in Montreal Israel and the world. FCJA is committed to securing and mobilizing human and financial resources promoting Jewish values and exercising leadership in service of our mission and as an investment in our future. FCJA upholds the fundamental values of accountability transparence and accessibility ever aspiring for greater inclusivity innovation and excellence.

What it reported doing in 2024

Delivering Community Care with Compassion: Federation CJA is dedicated to expanding and enhancing our social services addressing diverse and evolving community needs. We provide targeted support uplifting vulnerable populations families in crisis and individuals facing challenges. Federation CJA collaborates with experts to develop accessible mental health resources and initiatives for individuals and families prioritizing well-being across our community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 72% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • 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. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 36
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 86.6%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 80.1%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.31 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 17th 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: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Fail
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • 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: 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -7.8%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.72; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.23; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.9%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -10.4% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -13.2% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -10.5% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 86.6% of revenue deployed · 80.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 5 filed program accomplishments · $42M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $394K · 32 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.4M reported
  • Consistency: 47 of 48 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 16 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 8 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 13/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 56/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 55/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.