Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation

What Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation does

Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation (CUJF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1929 and headquartered at 503 E. John St., Champaign, Illinois. It serves as the central coordinating body for the local Jewish community, with formal board representation from Sinai Temple, Chabad, Illini Hillel, and the University of Illinois Program in Jewish Culture & Society, and is affiliated with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). CUJF delivers a portfolio of community programs spanning the life cycle: PJ Library (Jewish children's books for ages birth-12, in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation), Jewish Family Services (resource navigation and wellness support), the Holocaust Education Center (curriculum, teacher training, and Yom HaShoah commemoration for grades 5-12), CHAI Seniors, Chevra Kadisha burial society, the Committee Against Antisemitism, and camp scholarships.

The organization's technology stack is modest and commodity-based: a FEDWEB content management system for the public website, Bloomerang CRM for online donation processing, email marketing, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). There are no proprietary technology products, AI/ML capabilities, or API platforms. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: the Annual Campaign (targeting $250,000 by June 2026), PACE (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowments) with an $18,000 minimum contribution effective January 2024, designated endowments (Harry Nelson, Jack and Sadye Marco, Lilly and David Gingold, Guttenberg), and modest fee-for-service revenue from JFS training programs. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on volunteer committees, email and direct-mail fundraising appeals, community events, and partnerships with local synagogues and the university rather than any sales motion.

Name

Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation

Legal name

Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation

Website

https://cujf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1929 that coordinates Jewish community life in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, delivering programs spanning youth education, family services, senior support, and Holocaust education across denominations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAF

Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Sponsors

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Jewish community services
• Holocaust education
• Community fundraising
• Nonprofit federation
• Social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Champaign, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Annual Campaign Donations: Annual fundraising campaign supporting local educational programs, humanitarian services, and international Jewish causes. The 2025-2026 campaign targets $250,000 by June 2026.
2. PACE (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowments): Planned giving vehicles that endow annual campaign gifts in perpetuity. Established through various estate planning mechanisms including bequests, trusts, life insurance, IRA distributions, and charitable remainder trusts. Minimum contribution $18,000 starting January 2024.
3. Designated Endowments: Donor-established endowment funds supporting specific purposes including Holocaust education (Harry Nelson Memorial Award, Jack and Sadye Marco Fund, Lilly and David Gingold Fund), with annual distributions to support programming.
4. Guttenberg Fund Donations: Contributions to the Guttenberg Fund (Mariella M. Guttenberg Fund) that sustains the Human Services Committee of CUJF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation (CUJF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1929 that serves as the central coordinating body for the Jewish community in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. It delivers community programs (Jewish Family Services, CHAI Seniors, PJ Library, Chevra Kadisha, Committee Against Antisemitism, Holocaust Education Center) and acts as the primary fundraising mechanism that allocates donor contributions to local Jewish organizations and global Jewish causes.

Product overview

Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation operates primarily as a community service organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offering is a community website platform that serves as a central hub for the local Jewish community, providing information about programs, services, and resources. The organization's service portfolio includes Jewish Family Services (providing social support and mental health resources), the Holocaust Education Center (offering educational programming for schools), PJ Library (distributing Jewish children's books), CHAI Seniors Program, Chevra Kadisha, Committee Against Antisemitism, and various financial endowment funds for Holocaust education and community support. The Federation also maintains a community calendar, Jewish directory, and Jewish Wellness Today content resource. All services are delivered through a traditional nonprofit organizational structure rather than a software-as-a-service model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jewish Family Services (JFS) Provides vital support for seniors, families, and individuals in the Jewish community, including resource navigation, trauma-informed care, mental health support, and financial assistance during times of need.
• Holocaust Education Center (HEC) Provides Holocaust education programming for students in grades 5-12, supports teacher training, maintains a speaker's bureau, and organizes community commemorations including Yom HaShoah events.
• PJ Library Program providing Jewish children's books monthly to families with children from birth through age 12, sponsored in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
• CHAI Seniors Program Program designed to support and engage senior members of the Jewish community with activities, resources, and services tailored to their needs.
• Chevra Kadisha (Jewish Burial Society) Provides traditional Jewish burial practices and support to community members and their families.
• Committee Against Antisemitism Committee dedicated to monitoring and responding to antisemitic incidents in the community and educating the broader community about Jewish identity.
• PACE Funds (Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowments) Planned giving vehicles allowing donors to endow annual campaign gifts in perpetuity through bequests, trusts, life insurance, IRA distributions, and charitable remainder trusts; minimum contribution $18,000.
• Guttenberg Fund Perpetual Annual Giving Endowment established in honor of Mariella M. Guttenberg providing ongoing support to the Human Services Committee of the Federation.
• Camp Scholarship Program Provides financial assistance to help families send children to Jewish summer camps, with subsidies coordinated with Sinai Temple.
• Community Calendar Online calendar listing Jewish community events, religious services, programs, and activities throughout Champaign-Urbana.
• Customized Training Programs Customized training for organizations, schools, synagogues, and community groups covering trauma-informed care, mental health, aging with dignity, and community resource navigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 children served through PJ Library program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUJF is a member organization of JFNA. Through this affiliation, CUJF connects local community efforts to global Jewish causes and receives support for Federation initiatives. JFNA coordinates the annual General Assembly bringing together Jewish leaders worldwide.
• Harold Grinspoon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership enables PJ Library program providing Jewish children's books to families with children from birth through 12 years. The foundation sponsors PJ Library nationally with local Jewish organizations like CUJF serving as community partners.
• Sinai TemplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSinai Temple is the only community synagogue in Champaign-Urbana. CUJF co-sponsors children's holiday events with Sinai and supports Jewish life in C-U. Sinai has representation at CUJF Board meetings.
• Chabad Center for Jewish LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChabad provides Orthodox religious services and kosher food options in the community. Has representation at CUJF Board meetings. CUJF funded activities at Chabad as part of joint campaigns.
• Illini Hillel (Cohen Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHillel serves University of Illinois Jewish students with Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox services. CUJF funds activities at Hillel and co-sponsors community events. Hillel has representation at CUJF Board meetings.
• University of Illinois Program in Jewish Culture & SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic program offering lectures, concerts, and film showings. Most events are free and open to the public. Has representation at CUJF Board meetings.
• Chapman UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest in partnership with The 1939 Society. CUJF's Holocaust Education Center mentors local students who compete in this national contest.
• The 1939 SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization for Holocaust survivors, their friends, and families that co-sponsors the annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest with Chapman University. CUJF HEC volunteers mentor student contestants.
• Champaign-Urbana Jewish Endowment Foundation (CUJEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUJEF is the endowment arm of the Jewish community, dedicated to enhancing quality of Jewish life through sponsored programs. CUJEF subsidizes trips to Israel and works with CUJF on leadership development initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA): National umbrella organization of which CUJF is a member federation. JFNA coordinates General Assembly, collective fundraising, and global Jewish-cause allocations across 146+ local federations, making it the closest structural and operational analogue for CUJF's federation model.
• Champaign County Community Foundation: The general-purpose community foundation serving the same Champaign County geography. Operates an analogous donor-advised fund, endowment, and grantmaking model — directly comparable as a local philanthropic peer for CUJF's fundraising and grant-allocation function.

Direct peers

• PJ Library: National Jewish children's book program operated through local partner organizations including CUJF. Direct operational peer for the federation's flagship family-engagement programming.
• Harold Grinspoon Foundation: Founder and national sponsor of the PJ Library program that CUJF delivers locally. HGF operates with a community-foundation model funding Jewish life and education, and is directly comparable as a programmatic funder and PJ Library operator.
• Sinai Temple (Champaign, IL): The only community synagogue in Champaign-Urbana and a board-represented CUJF partner. Sinai co-sponsors children's holiday events and camp scholarships with CUJF, making it the closest operating peer for shared-program coordination in the same micro-market.
• Champaign-Urbana Jewish Endowment Foundation (CUJEF): The endowment arm of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish community, formally partnered with CUJF on leadership development and Israel trip subsidies. CUJEF operates a near-identical model of Jewish community grantmaking and endowment stewardship.
• Illini Hillel (University of Illinois): The University of Illinois Jewish student organization serving Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox students. Hillel receives CUJF funding, sits on the federation board, and co-sponsors events — making it a directly comparable local Jewish community partner.
• Chabad Center for Jewish Life (Champaign): Provides Orthodox religious services and kosher dining on the Illinois campus, with board representation at CUJF. Operates in the same micro-market as CUJF delivering parallel community programming and is a directly comparable Jewish community peer.

Emerging players

• Jewish Family Services (Metropolitan Detroit): A Jewish Family Services agency operating under JFS network standards — trauma-informed care, mental health, aging services, community-resource navigation — directly comparable to CUJF's JFS coordinator program and training-service offering.

Regional players

• Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis: A peer small-to-mid-sized Midwest Jewish federation operating a near-identical model of annual campaign, agency allocations, Holocaust education, and PJ Library delivery. Comparable as a like-sized federation benchmark for CUJF's structure and scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChampaignUrbanaJewishFederation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cujf
• Instagraminstagram.com/cujewishfederation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Champaign Urbana Jewish Federation