1 Cummings Square (5151 Côte Ste. Catherine Rd.)
Montreal, QC H3W 1M6
President: Gail Adelson-Marcovitz
CEO: Yair Szlak

Charitable Reg. #:10670 2251 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 4/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

B+

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

n/r

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

89%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 89 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Federation CJA:

Federation CJA is a 4-star charity. The charity is financially transparent, has above average results reporting, reasonable overhead costs and low funding reserves.

Founded in 1917, Federation CJA raises money to support the Jewish community in Montreal, Israel, and globally. Federation CJA works in four priority areas: strengthening Jewish life and continuity, caring for the vulnerable, advancing communal interests (advocacy), and supporting Israel and the global Jewish community. As a public foundation, Federation CJA’s major activity is distributing grants to Canadian charities, but it also spends money on in-house programs. 

In F2021, Strengthening Jewish Identity programs made up 31% of Federation CJA's total program spending. The charity runs programs to support and raise awareness of Jewish Disability Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) and Good Deeds Day.

In F2021, Fighting Poverty & Improving Well-Being programs made up 29% of the charity's total program spending. According to the charity, 21% of the Montreal Jewish community experiences food insecurity. Federation CJA's food program, in partnership with The Jewish Community Foundation (JCF), provides smaller organizations and synagogues with grants to provide food around the holidays. The charity also provides financial assistance to Montreal’s Holocaust survivors who are living in poverty.

In F2021, the charity distributed 21% of program spending to Strengthening Jewish Education programs. Federation CJA provides financial assistance to Jewish day schools and tuition assistance to families in need.

In F2021, the remaining 19% of the charity's program spending was distributed to support the global Jewish community. Federation CJA’s Community Security Network provides vital information, security training, and physical security upgrades to its participating organizations, aiming to enhance the safety and security of the Montreal Jewish community. The charity also supports Hillel, the largest Jewish student organization in the world, to empower students to live Jewish life to its fullest.

 

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Results and Impact

In F2021, the charity allocated $2.6m among 50 organizations to support the provision of emergency food aid for people living in poverty, which increased by 120% since the pandemic began. Federation CJA also distributed $332,500 to 43 small business owners through the Jewish community small business emergency loan program. In F2021, the charity allocated financial aid totalling $791,250 to 1,573 Montreal’s Holocaust survivors to support their basic needs. In F2021, Federation CJA distributed $2.4m to support 13 Jewish day schools. The charity also provided $1.5m in tuition assistance to Jewish families in need. The total funding distributed to Jewish day schools increased by 44% in F2021.

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Finances

Federation CJA received $110.7m in donations in F2021. In F2021, the charity had an investment income of $6.3m, including a special one-time donation of $45m of equity shares, which increased its annual donation by 127% compared to F2020. 88% of the charity’s investments are held in equities, 8% in bonds and the remainder in shares of private companies. 

Administrative costs are 7% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 3% of donations. This means overhead costs are 11%. For every dollar donated, 89 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Federation CJA holds $72m in funding reserves, of which $6.1m is donor-endowed. Excluding endowments, the Federation’s reserves can cover annual programs and grant spending at the F2021 level for just over nine months.

This report is an update that has been sent to Federation CJA for review. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 30, 2022 by Lin Zhu.

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending March
202120202019
Administrative costs as % of revenues 7.3%19.4%16.3%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 3.2%9.4%8.0%
Total overhead spending 10.5%28.8%24.3%
Program cost coverage (%) 78.3%38.8%115.5%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202120202019
Donations 110,74748,86255,901
Investment income 6,269(324)1,791
Other income 01,7660
Total revenues 117,01550,30557,691
Program costs 39,07739,52742,602
Grants 45,42000
Administrative costs 8,0729,8139,095
Fundraising costs 3,5894,6014,486
Other costs 3,990902,755
Total spending 100,14854,03058,938
Cash flow from operations 16,867(3,725)(1,246)
Capital spending 461153435
Funding reserves 72,00620,85354,531

Note: The audited financial statements do not report fundraising costs. As such, Ci used the charity’s T3010 filing with CRA for expense breakdowns. Amortization has been backed out of program costs pro rata.

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 115

Avg. compensation: $77,623

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
1
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
1
$200k - $250k
2
$160k - $200k
2
$120k - $160k
4
$80k - $120k
0
$40k - $80k
0
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2021

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

Charity Contact

Website: www.federationcja.org
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 514-735-3541

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