We Share Your Values
JCFW is your community foundation and our board is made up of people you know that share your values. The funds are managed by professional investment advisors with oversight from the JCFW Investment Committee and the JCFW Board of Directors to ensure that funds are maintained according to specific investment management strategies and policies. The current investment policy with available fund portfolios is available here. The Investment Committee along with the professional advisors work diligently to obtain competitive returns on our investments while adhering to the Investment Policy. The JCFW conducts an annual audit with a reputable audit firm knowledgeable in foundations. The annual audit has generated a “clean opinion” annually from the accounting firm.
We maintain strict adherence to donor confidentiality. When you make your grant recommendations you have the ability to request the donation be made anonymously, avoiding further solicitations from the grantee. We accept appreciated assets and IRA rollover funds (in IRS-compatible funds). We have a low minimum contribution level, we neither charge to open a fund, or make a grant nor do we charge an administrative fee to add money to any fund we hold at the JCFW.
Grants initiated by our fundholders, from their donor-advised funds and supporting foundations, make up the majority of JCFW grantmaking. These grants support charitable organizations ranging from our local Federation, synagogues, and partner organizations, to programs in Israel and overseas Jewish communities, to secular organizations around the country and globally. Fund holders may request grants from their Donor Advised Fund twice a month and distributions are approved by JCFW’s confirmation process before being mailed to their respective organizations.
The Foundation works with hundreds of donors of all ages, backgrounds, affiliations and walks of life to maximize their impact on our community. Here’s why individuals, families and organizations partner with us.
Expertise and Service
The JCFW staff are experts in creating meaningful, strategic giving plans that are tax-efficient and cost-effective. We will research any cause or organization that interests you. We anticipate and address your giving needs, regardless of your giving level.
Convenience
Our online portal is user-friendly and you can recommend a grant starting at $100 to any qualified nonprofit organization. Very little paperwork and no administrative hassle means you can focus on the more important aspects of giving. Our JCFW’s Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor will be available to provide an extensive explanation of the JCFW portfolios when a Donor Advised Fund, Organizational Endowment, or personal Endowment is established.
Innovation
The JCFW is consistently on the leading edge in social impact, for individuals, families, and organizations.
- The Foundation was one of the first community foundations in the country to provide donors with a fully automated online portal with donor access to up-to-the-minute gift and grant history, investment performance, asset allocation, and daily balances.
- JCFW's investments provide market-rate financial performance while generating measurable social and environmental impact.
- Nonprofit organizations can take advantage of our organizational-owned funds for the top-notch investment management of endowments and cash reserves. JCFW provides organizational-owned fund holders a yearly spendable balance.