Federation of Jewish Communities of the Cis Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
133970940
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2122623688
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Community Foundations
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$54,900,512
Expenses
$54,491,663
Assets
$65,608,569
Liabilities
$162,838

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAVID MONDSHINE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & TREASURER)

People named in this filing

  • DAVID MONDSHINE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & TREASURER)
  • SHLOMO PELES (SECRETARY)
  • BEREL LAZAR (DIRECTOR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

To provide humanitarian aid and jewish education, organize and provide cultural events and religious services, and help develop jewish communities and rebuild jewish institutions, in russia, the former soviet union, and elsewhere. Delivering on that mission, the federation of jewish communities promotes the rebirth of jewish culture by sponsoring programs and institutions in 15 countries, creating an incubator for the first post-soviet generation of jewish artists, performers, composers, and writers. This cultural archipelago includes libraries, computer centers, museums, chess tournaments, athletics, art exhibitions, poetry readings, concerts, theatrical productions, dance groups, adult education, and hobby clubs.

What it reported doing in 2024

Culture & community centers - cultural activities often take place at federation-sponsored jewish community centers. A successful jcc is a second home, where jews of all affiliations and ages join educational and many other activities in a nurturing communal setting. Jccs host women's clubs, sports clubs, book clubs, chess clubs, singles' clubs, family clubs, business clubs, and yiddish clubs. They offer hebrew classes and discussion groups on jewish topics, such as talmud, kabbalah, medical ethics, and family law. The jccs also serve as information and education centers, including arranging holiday events and life cycle ceremonies. In many communities they are the sole supplier of judaica. The federation currently supports more than 100 community centers across the former soviet union. Its goal is to open a jcc in every city and town with a substantial jewish population, each with its own fitness center, multi-function halls and classrooms, theater, library, soup kitchen, and even medical facilities. The federation also helps rebuild synagogues and mikvas, refurbishes cemeteries and assists the needy. Through a strategic partnership with chabad lubavitch, the federation supports more than 200 permanent rabbis serving over 90 communities in 15 countries. Many rabbis serve in remote locations and inhospitable climates. In addition to leading prayer services and performing weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and funerals, they partner with local jewish leaders in rebuilding the entire community infrastructure and leading the remarkable revival of jewish life throughout the former soviet union.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 98% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 78
  • Accountability: 71
  • Sustainability: 53
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 99%; rating input score 99
  • Program expense ratio: 98.1%; rating input score 98
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Limited
    • Conducts field audits: Limited
    • May suspend future funding: Limited
    • Requires financial reports: Limited
    • Conducts site visits: Limited
    • Requires grant agreements: Limited
    • May require repayment: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 93.6%; rating input score 94; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 50%; rating input score 50; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.7%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.2; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.5% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 99% of revenue deployed · 98.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 2 of 4 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $53.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 30 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 14 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 16 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 50/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 36/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 46/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.