JCC Rochester

What it reported doing in 2024

Cultural arts and theater arts and culture (25,000+ visits/year)arts and cultural programming at the jcc reflects our community's values and commitment to using the arts to educate, entertain and enrich the lives of everyone in the rochester area. Our dedicated staff work in conjunction with volunteers and community leaders to deliver arts and jewish cultural programs at the jcc and other venues throughout the community.the ames-amzalak rochester jewish film festival is the largest jewish cultural event in western New York. In 2025 we celebrate 25 years of screening the finest new films by, for and about jewish life and history at the jcc and the historic dryden theatre at george eastman house.the jcc lane dworkin authors and innovators festival has been showcasing jewish authors and books of jewish content since 1993. Each year we offer a mixture of light and serious fare, local authors, well-known figures and notable writers. Notable figures in the sport, business and entertainment world.formed in 1977, centerstage theatre is the local, professional theatre program of the louis s. Wolk rochester jewish community center. Centerstage produces a subscription season of plays and musicals and other special events. Centerstage has been at the forefront of new play development including multiple world premiere plays and musicals. Notable new works include jason odell williams' church & state (off broadway 2017, off broadway alliance nomination best new play), kasha davis' there's always time for a cocktail (off-broadway premiere 2015), david hein/irene sankoff's my mother's lesbian jewish wiccan wedding, jason odell williams' handle with care (off broadway 2013), and rise, a new musical about women resistance fighters during the holocaust.survivors is a play by wendy kout, commissioned and produced by the rochester jcc and based on the words and lives of 10 local holocaust survivors. The play tours to area schools and community groups and is currently being licensed for productions in cities throughout north america. A new filmed version of the play will soon be available to schools, community groups, film festivals and streaming services.tykes (theatre young kids enjoy) is rochester's premier professional children's theater company. A program of the jcc since 2004, tykes captivates families with beloved plays and musicals brought to life on stage by adult professional actors. Tykes strives to inspire an appreciation of the arts, literary awareness, and social skills while teaching key life lessons. Performances, school field trips, after-school classes and summer camp take place in the jcc hart theatre.the jewish life department intersects with all departments to ensure that jewish culture, heritage and values are core to the jcc experience. Our work is guided by our 5 jewish values: kehillah/community, hachnasat orchim/welcoming & belonging, chesed/compassion, kavod/honor & respect, shmirat haguf / being our best selves. Throughout the course of the year, we provide large scale holiday-based programs; smaller social gatherings for different age cohorts; a variety of adult learning programs; curricular and content guidance to the jcc camps and the wolk children's center; and work with our local shinshinim israeli teen emissaries - who help infuse our jcc with israeli culture.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 72.7%; rating input score 73
• Program expense ratio: 72.4%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $25.6 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 63; 63rd 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: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • 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: 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: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 1.3%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.46; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.41; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -1.9% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings