JCF Highlights Fiscal Year 2025 Results

Following each fiscal year, the Jewish Community Foundation, Inc. (JCF) takes stock of various metrics to gauge how the hundreds of donor advised funds (DAFs) and endowment funds under JCF management positively impacted our South Jersey Jewish community and beyond.

(Of note, DAFs are accounts that streamline tzedakah for individual donors, while endowment funds annually distribute 5% of the fund’s value and last for many generations.)

The JCF’s most recent fiscal year concluded on September 30, 2025, and here are some highlights:

• $4.29 million granted, in total: This amount encapsulates JCF’s grant distributions from all DAFs and endowments, and it marks a 21% increase from the prior fiscal year.

  
  

• $2.21 million in JCF endowment fund grants: Thanks to strong investment returns and the start of new funds, the JCF provided 43% more via endowment grants to benefit charitable causes year-over-year.

  
  

• $2.08 million granted from JCF DAFs: Though this is a 21% decrease from last year’s DAF giving total, it reflects that JCF DAF donors paid out roughly 33% of the fiscal year’s beginning DAF value total ($6.2 million). According to Philanthropy Roundtable, payout rates from other DAF providers range from approximately 17% to 25%, which reflects that JCF donors generously provided more annual support this year from their DAFs than the national averages.

  
  

• $3.3 million to the SNJ Jewish community: Representing a 30% increase over the amount granted last fiscal year, JCF funds primarily support local Jewish organizations at a rate of 77% of all grants made. This is up from last year, when 72% of all JCF grants supported the South Jersey Jewish community.

  
  

• $2.48 million to the Federation system: JCF funds provided 22% more this past fiscal year than last to the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey & its family of agencies. This also accounts for 82% of all grants to the SNJ Jewish community.

  
  

• $49,000 in JCF Scholarship Awards: Last fiscal year saw an increase of $11,000 in financial support for post-high school education and experiential travel for local residents, a 28% boost year-over-year and a new JCF record.

  
  

• $95,473 in JCF Grants: Another JCF record occurred as $8,000 more in JCF Grants were provided than the year prior for new programs and services in SNJ; plus, private donors added over $20,000 in further support of JCF Grant-funded initiatives.

  
  

• 12.7% investment increase: The JCF’s endowment fund portfolio, which is invested with SEI, rose for the third straight calendar year. Over the past 10 years, JCF’s investments have returned over 9% annually, resulting in more charitable dollars available.

For questions about the JCF’s fiscal year 2025 performance, please contact Executive Director David Snyder at 856-673-2571 or dsnyder@jfedsnj.org.