For nearly 100 years, MJF’s annual Community Campaign has been the power behind the infrastructure, sustainability and innovation of the Jewish community.
These are the basics— for more details, see our FAQ at the bottom of this page.
Each year, we raise funds through community-driven efforts, where professionals and volunteers engage peers, family, and friends in meaningful conversations about key priorities in local and global Jewish life.
After the annual Campaign closes, our Community Impact Steering Committee allocates and aligns funding requests from Jewish organizations with community and Board identified priorities and needs.
In 2024, Minneapolis raised over $11.64 million, which supported over 60 organizations and programs locally and globally.
For a detailed breakdown, check our 2024 Annual Impact Report.
To speak with an MJF professional about the Community Campaign, please contact Grace Kaplan, Director of Annual Giving at gkaplan@jewishminneapolis.org or 952.417.2306.
MJF’s Board of Directors provides high level strategy and direction in alignment with our Strategic Plan goals and objectives. These are then passed down to our Community Impact Steering Committee which digs in deeper to set overall priorities for allocation funding. Each year, four allocation committees learn about and discuss the needs and challenges among specific areas: Jewish Identity & Engagement, Jewish Education, Caring Community (Human & Social Services), and Israel & Overseas. After the previous year’s Campaign has ended and we know the amount that is able to be distributed, each Committee reviews requests from Jewish organizations that fall within each area, and align what they’ve learned throughout the year with funding amounts. The Committees then make recommendations to the Community Impact Steering Committee, which in turn makes recommendations to the Board of Directors for funding over the next year.
There are three types of allocations that organizations can receive:
For a detailed report of current and previous allocations, please click here to view our Impact Reports. In addition, as part of the Impact Focused Funding pilot project, we are reviewing the eligibility to become and remain Community Campaign allocation partners.
The Community Campaign runs on the calendar year, from January 1st through December 31. Our volunteer allocation committees then spend the next 2-3 months determining the needs and how to distribute the funds raised from the previous year for the year ahead.
Sample timeline:
Giving directly to organizations near and dear to your heart is important, and you should continue to do so! However, since the dawn of Judaism, giving to a community cup is a noble expression of devotion to the entire Jewish people – to help those in need and support a vibrant Jewish life for the entire community, whether we utilize a given service or have a specific need ourselves. Giving to the Community Campaign demonstrates a love of community — it’s a proud statement of commitment to every individual Jew and the whole of Jewish life. The beautiful thing about a gift to Federation is that it will support the entire Jewish community, touching organizations you utilize regularly, as well as investing in those you may need in the future and are important to others in our community.
In addition, distributions from the Community Campaign still make up most of the largest single donations to each individual organization within our community, helping to keep the lights on and allowing organizations to innovate and invest in their own professionals and programs.
Minneapolis Jewish Federation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. To claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes, please keep your email donation receipt as your official record. We’ll send it to you upon successful completion of your donation.
Yes, gifts can be pledged in a given year and paid over the next. Click here to view all the ways you can pay. We do ask that pledges get paid as quickly as possible, as Federation distributes funds to partner organizations on a monthly basis, and will need to draw on a line of credit if pledges are not paid.
As noted above, volunteers help us raise funds from and for each other. Dozens of volunteer Campaigners contact peers, family members, and anonymous community members to have Jewish conversations and share the priorities that are important for our community to support today. We can’t do it without you! We can train you and many of our volunteer Campaigners find this work incredibly meaningful and enjoyable!
In addition, many of our Committees – such as Women’s Philanthropy, Cardozo, YALA, and more – all have philanthropic components to “give and get” funds for the Community Campaign.
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Grace Kaplan, Director of Annual Giving at gkaplan@jewishminneapolis.org or 952.417.2306.
Tragedies in our backyard and halfway across the globe have been widely reported and are at the forefront of our minds. Please consider donating to have an immediate impact. 100% of the proceeds go directly to Rehovot to various organizations who will use it well, including JAFI’s Fund for Victims of Terror, United Hatzalah, JDC, and the Municipality itself.
