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JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO

SAN DIEGO, CA · EIN 952504044 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE T700 · Philanthropy & Grantmaking · Very Large (>$50M) · www.jcfsandiego.org
revenue
$250.4M
expenses
$103.1M
net assets
$491.2M
employees
16
volunteers
18
program ratio
96%
filing since
2019
mission · from form 990

TO INCREASE CURRENT AND FUTURE SUPPORT FOR A VIBRANT AND SECURE JEWISH COMMUNITY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego is a public charity that sponsors donor advised funds (DAFs), enabling individuals to make charitable contributions, receive immediate tax benefits, and recommend grants to nonprofit organizations over time. The foundation provides philanthropic advising, investment management, and administrative services for donors who support causes in the Jewish and general communities locally, nationally, and globally. It also promotes strategic giving through education and community research.

named programs · 7 · from sources

what they call their work

Book of Life
Community program supported by DAF fees; promotes legacy planning and engagement within the Jewish community
Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
A personal charitable account allowing donors to make contributions, receive immediate tax deductions, and recommend grants over time to IRS-qualified nonprofits in the Jewish and general communities
Donor Education
Offers in-person and online educational sessions, site visits, and webinars to help donors deepen their philanthropic impact.
Endowment Leadership Institute
Training and support program for local Jewish nonprofits focused on endowment development and financial sustainability
Governance Leadership Institute
Capacity-building program for local Jewish nonprofits to strengthen board governance and organizational leadership
Youth Philanthropy Initiatives
Programs supported by DAF administrative fees that engage young people in charitable giving and community leadership
giv4 Homelessness Fund
A collective giving fund that channels donations to 12 vetted San Diego nonprofits working on homelessness prevention, intervention, and systems change.
activities · 5

what they do

direct service · 2
  • Administers donor-advised and endowment funds with structured grant distribution Local Community Grantmaking
    Processes donor-recommended grants weekly and mails checks the following week; makes annual distributions of 5% of endowment fund value to designated organizations once the fund balance reaches $50,000.
  • Grants significant funding to Jewish and general charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally Local Community Grantmaking
    Has granted over $2 billion to charitable causes since 1967 through donor-supported funds, with 60% of awarded grants ranging between $100 and $1,000.
capacity building · 3
  • Curates issue-specific funds and provides donor education on social issues Fiscal Sponsorship and Targeted Grantmaking
    Curates funds that direct 100% of donor contributions to nonprofits addressing specific community issues; provides educational content on complex social issues to improve philanthropic decision-making.
  • Operates the Jewish Teen Foundation for youth leadership and philanthropy education Jewish Youth Leadership Development
    Runs a leadership development program that teaches philanthropy, tikkun olam, and tzedakah through a foundation model, engaging teens in hands-on grantmaking and communal responsibility.
  • Supports nonprofits addressing basic needs and maintains expertise in key focus areas Jewish Community Support Services
    Identifies and supports organizations providing food, shelter, and healthcare in San Diego based on the Jewish value of arevut; maintains subject matter expertise in focus areas including Israel, foster youth, climate, Jewish education, antisemitism, and animal welfare.
strategies · 9

how they think

Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any approach shared with other orgs to see the full field.

  • Advance values-driven, intergenerational giving rooted in Jewish ethical principles tzedakah_and_gemilut_chasadim unique to this org
    Guides philanthropy through core Jewish values such as arevut (mutual responsibility), tzedakah (righteous giving), and gemilut chasadim (acts of loving-kindness), fostering compassionate, ethical, and enduring charitable engagement across generations.
  • Align financial and social returns through impact investing impact_investing unique to this org
    Offers impact investing options that allow donors to pursue measurable social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns, integrating philanthropic goals with investment strategies.
  • Build long-term community impact through permanent endowment and sustainable distribution perpetual_endowment_model unique to this org
    Employs a perpetual endowment model in which principal is permanently invested and only earnings are distributed annually, ensuring enduring financial support for designated causes and institutions across generations.
  • Enable legacy and tax-advantaged giving through estate and retirement assets tax-advantaged_legacy_giving unique to this org
    Encourages donors to use Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs and other legacy vehicles to establish or contribute to endowment funds, facilitating tax-efficient, long-term support for charitable causes.
  • Enhance donor impact through strategic philanthropy education and personalized consulting strategic_philanthropy_support unique to this org
    Provides donor education, cause exploration, research, and gift agreement development to help individuals and families align their giving with values and goals, increasing intentionality and effectiveness of philanthropy.
  • Expand philanthropic reach through collaboration with professional advisors and networks trusted_charitable_advisor_program unique to this org
    Partners with financial, legal, and estate planning professionals through the Trusted Charitable Advisor program and other initiatives to integrate strategic philanthropy into client advising, broadening access and impact.
  • Facilitate tax-efficient and personalized giving through donor-advised funds and charitable vehicles donor_advised_funds unique to this org
    Uses donor-advised funds and other tax-advantaged vehicles to enable donors to give in a personalized, tax-efficient manner, allowing for strategic, long-term philanthropy while maximizing impact through tax-free investment growth and flexible grantmaking.
  • Identify and fund high-impact nonprofits through expert-curated grantmaking expert_curated_grantmaking unique to this org
    Partners with subject matter experts to assess and direct funding to high-impact nonprofits in targeted issue areas, ensuring grants are informed by deep field knowledge and maximize community benefit.
  • Strengthen nonprofit capacity through expert support and investment management capacity_building_support unique to this org
    Supports nonprofit organizations with education, consulting, and professional investment management to enhance organizational sustainability and effectiveness, thereby increasing the overall impact of the philanthropic ecosystem.
financials · form 990 · fy2021

the money

revenue
Total revenue$250.41M
Contributions & grants$233.68M93%
Program service revenue$611K0%
Investment income$16.04M6%
Other revenue$84K
expenses
Total expenses$103.09M
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$2.56M
Grants paid out$98.41M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$651.90M
Cash$340K
Investments$649.97M
Liabilities$160.73M
Net assets$491.17M
Liquid reserves75.7 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +143.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BETH SIRULL PRESIDENT & CEO 40 $419K
JEREMY PEARL CFO & EVP 40 $349K
SHARLEEN WOLLACH CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER 40 $219K
ELI LANDAU DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 40 $206K
OLLIE BENN DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY & SOCIAL IMPACT 40 $143K
TRACI SERRANO DIRECTOR OF ADMINSTRATION & HR 40 $135K
board members · 17
  • ALAN VITERBI — VICE CHAIR, DIRECTOR
  • ALLAN SALTZ — DIRECTOR
  • ANDY RATNER — ASSISTANT TREASURER, DIRECTOR
  • CRAIG MISRACH — DIRECTOR
  • DEBBY CUSHMAN-PARRISH — DIRECTOR
  • GRAEME GABRIEL — VICE CHAIR & CHAIR ELECT, DIRECTOR
  • JACK MAIZEL — JEWISH FEDERATION OF SD REPRESENTATIVE
  • JANET ACHEATEL — CHAIR, DIRECTOR
  • JERRY GUMPELL — DIRECTOR
  • KAREN FOSTER SILBERMAN — DIRECTOR
  • KEVIN WECHTER — DIRECTOR
  • PAUL DATNOW — DIRECTOR
  • RON FRIEDMAN — TREASURER, DIRECTOR
  • SHAI KALANSKY — DIRECTOR
  • STEVE HOCHBERG — SECRETARY, DIRECTOR
  • THERESA DUPUIS — DIRECTOR
  • TINA BERANBAUM — DIRECTOR
relationships · 11

who they work with

  • Coastal Roots Farm Partner — Partner organization providing farm-fresh organic produce to individuals through its weekly Farm Stand.
  • Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego Partner — Partner organization providing interest- and cost-free loans to Jewish individuals facing financial challenges.
  • Impact Cubed Partner — Collaborated with JCF and Leichtag Foundation on a community announcement.
  • Jewish Family Service Partner — Partner organization offering nutrition, financial assistance, case management, homelessness prevention, and older adult care in San Diego.
  • Kindness Initiative Partner — Partner organization connecting low-income Jewish households with essential goods through its Gift Closet program.
  • Leichtag Foundation Partner — Collaborated with Leichtag Foundation and Impact Cubed on a community announcement.
  • Mercer Partner — Investment Consultant working with JCF’s Investment Committee to oversee donor advised fund investment pools.
  • Sharleen Wollach Partner — Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer serving as contact for endowment fund inquiries
  • giv4 Homelessness Fund Partner — Partner initiative supporting 12 San Diego-area nonprofits addressing homelessness through prevention, intervention, and systems change.
  • giv4 Initiative Partner — Collaborative giving group for donors to learn and give together on pressing issues.
  • giv4.org Partner — Platform partner for the giv4 Initiative, providing additional information and resources.