In a year when charitable giving nationwide has decreased, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh reported increases in donations and grant making to support a thriving, vibrant and engaged Jewish Community in Pittsburgh and around the world.

The Federation Board of Directors approved Community Campaign and Foundation distributions totaling $12.2 million, which when combined with donor supplemental gifts and government grants secured with Federation assistance throughout the year totals $20.4 million, a more than $500,000 increase over last year. These included a projected increase of $10,000 in the Federation Campaign; $110,000 in Foundation grants, $180,000 in donor supplemental funding and $240,000 in government funds.

All 10 of the Federation’s beneficiary agencies saw increases from at least one of these four funding sources; most saw increases from three or four.

The funding included continued strong corporate support through the Pennsylvania Education Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC).  The EITC provides scholarship support for educational programs that are provided through a variety of schools including synagogues, the Jewish Community Center and the community’s three Day Schools.

Programs that foster strengthening Jewish identity, particularly among teens and college-age students, were a significant focus of this year’s funding. The distributions this year included the first allocations from the Federation Foundation’s Fund for a Jewish Future, launched this past year to create a transformational funding mechanism to foster Jewish identity.  The inaugural Fund for a Jewish Future grant provided $1,000 incentive grants to 70 area youth to experience Jewish overnight camping for the first time. 

Israel travel programs also saw a boost in funding, as they have proven to significantly influence the formation of strong Jewish identity among teens and college-aged young adults. "Studies show that young adults who participate in Israel Travel programs deepen their personal Jewish identity and are more active in Jewish life" according to Judy Wein, Chair of Federation's Israel & World Jewry Commission. In addition, as a result of increased funding, Federation will increase the amount of scholarships provided to local families that send their children on educational programs to Israel.

Also emphasized in funding this year were services and inclusion efforts for people with special needs, programs that keep seniors living safely and independently in the community through AgeWell Pittsburgh and scholarship to help people access other services that include daycare and after school care.  These and other health and human service needs are supported in part by a $900,000 block grant from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.

The distributions, approved by the Federation Board Trustees come as recommendations from a number of committees made up of more than 160 volunteers representing diverse perspectives and interests from across the community who participated in more than 120 meetings of more than 20 committees throughout the year. These committees work closely with beneficiary and non-beneficiary agencies to examine changing community needs, identify opportunities for partnership, ensure that agency programs and business operations are sound and follow best practices, and ultimately recommend the distribution of funds.

This year, through a planned reallocation process, Federation reallocated about 3.5% of Campaign funds among community priorities. "This year's allocations reflect ongoing effort to make sure limited community dollars go where they are needed for maximum impact on clearly defined community priorities," said Gerri Kay, Chair of Federation's Funding Committee. Also this year, Federation took steps to further integrate and align various funding sources to accomplish these priorities.