|
|
June 9, 2000/6 Sivan I 5760, Vol. 52, No.40
UJC budget aims for new efficiencies
JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
NEW YORK - It's hard to develop a budget when you don't know exactly what you'll be doing with the money.
But without a budget, it's impossible to do anything.
That's the Catch-22 the new national umbrella organization for Jewish federations - the product of the merger between the United Jewish Appeal and the Council of Jewish Federations - faces as it struggles to get off the ground. Last year's creation of the United Jewish Communities was spurred by a desire by federations to get services delivered more efficiently and to have a greater say in national decision-making.
Now, many in the system are viewing the UJC's newly unveiled $41.7 million budget proposal for operating expenses as a first indicator of just how successful the new entity will be at balancing the larger federations' desires for reduced costs with the smaller federations' anxiety about losing services.
The proposed budget, which will be voted on by the UJC's Board of Trustees and Board of Delegates on June 15 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, represents a $4.4 million cut from what the UJC's predecessor organizations were spending before the merger.
It trims slightly under $1 million from what the UJC itself spent in the 1999-2000 fiscal year, cutting some departments heavily while substantially increasing resources for others.
Among the largest proposed changes from this year's budget:
Regional offices would be allocated $5.4 million, a 19 percent cut from this year's $6.7 million. These offices assist federations with fund-raising and personnel issues.
Campaign /Financial Resource Development, the major fund- raising part of the UJC, would be cut by $1.6 million, or approximately 14 percent. The largest cuts would be to eliminate a $500,000 direct marketing center and to cut subsidies for missions, a way of enticing donors on fund-raising trips, by 10 percent.
The Community Planning Department budget would more than double in size, from $415,902 to $1.1 million. The department involves among other things, strategic planning and research, including oversight of the upcoming National Jewish Population Survey.
The Israel/Overseas Department would be cut from $8.35 million to just under $8 million.
Art Paikowsky, federation executive vice president, praised the changes that are taking place. He said that contributions will be used more effectively and efficiently. "By reducing overhead, we will get more money to the customer," he added.
Concerning how the budget changes will effect local programming, he said, "The more money we raise, the more money we will have to provide for services here."
|
