JCA NSW/ACT

What JCA NSW/ACT does

JCA NSW/ACT (Jewish Communal Appeal) is the unified fundraising appeal and communal planning body for the NSW and ACT Jewish communities in Australia, founded in 1967 in response to the Six Day War. Operating as an ACNC-registered charity (ABN 29 920 168 287) from its Sydney office with 11-50 staff, JCA coordinates donations and allocates funds across 24-25 member organisations spanning Aged and Community Care, Engagement, Culture and Outreach, History and Holocaust, Jewish Education, and Security and Advocacy. Founding members included JewishCare, Montefiore, Moriah College, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, NSW Board of Jewish Education, Wolper Jewish Hospital, and others; the 2025 allocation to Security and Advocacy alone exceeds $6.2M (Community Security Group and NSW Jewish Board of Deputies combined).

JCA's revenue model is exclusively donation-based, encompassing monthly giving (Team Tzedakah), one-off donations, direct deposit, e-cards (digital greeting cards with embedded donations for occasions such as bar/bat mitzvah and weddings), event-driven fundraising (Shark Tank, campaign events, One Community Dinners), and bequests/legacy giving under the Generations program. A $10M endowment from the Richard and Jacqui Scheinberg Family supports general campaign, capital appeal, and onboarding new member organisations, with all gifts tax-deductible. Programs include Jumpstart (under-40s engagement via Shark Tank, 10x10 peer-to-peer fundraising, Giving Circle, Jumpstart Juniors), JET (Jewish Educators of Tomorrow), Y2i (Year 10 Israel education subsidies), The Observership Program (NFP board leadership training), the Choice Foundation (disability-focused grants), and the JCA/UIA Philanthropy Fellowship delivered with Australian Jewish Funders.

The organisation's technology footprint is minimal and not a differentiator: a donation portal, e-cards platform, basic website, and standard social/event channels (newsletter, podcast, video, gallery) constitute its digital surface. Distribution of funds occurs via an annual Allocations Committee process approved by the Board of Governors, with member organisations operating independently in their respective service delivery. JCA positions itself as the central connector and strategic planner, not as a direct service provider, and competes only in the sense of capturing donor mindshare within a specific communal demographic.

Name

JCA NSW/ACT

Legal name

The NSW Jewish Communal Appeal

Website

https://jca.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JCA NSW/ACT is the unified fundraising and communal planning body for the NSW and ACT Jewish communities, coordinating donations across 24-25 member organisations in aged care, education, security, culture, and heritage since 1967.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Communal Fundraising and Charitable Appeal Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Communal fundraising
• Charity appeal
• Planned giving
• Donor cultivation
• Community philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: JCA relies on generosity of community supporters through various fundraising initiatives including monthly donations (Team Tzedakah), one-off donations, direct deposits, event-based giving, and bequests. Funds are allocated to 24 supported organisations covering aged care, education, security, culture, and heritage programs.
2. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Enduring gifts through wills and estates to secure the long-term future of the Jewish community. The JCA Generations program encourages community members to leave modest percentage of their estate to JCA.
3. Endowment Income: Richard and Jacqui Scheinberg Family endowed $10M to JCA, with portions for general campaign, capital appeal, and assisting new organisations to join JCA. Annual giving converted to perpetual giving through endowments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

JCA NSW/ACT is a not-for-profit communal fundraising and planning organisation that collects donations from Jewish community members in NSW and ACT and allocates funds to 24 member organisations across aged care, education, security, culture, and heritage. It runs programs including Jumpstart (youth engagement), Team Tzedakah (monthly giving), E-cards (digital greetings with donations), JET (educator development), Shark Tank (social entrepreneurship seed funding), and Legacy Giving (bequests). It also facilitates planning, communication and shared resourcing across its member network.

Product overview

JCA NSW/ACT operates as a unified community hub and fundraising organisation supporting 24 member organisations across five core service sectors: Aged & Community Care, Culture & Engagement, Jewish Education, Holocaust & Heritage, and Security & Advocacy. Rather than a single product, JCA's portfolio consists of multiple interconnected programs including Jumpstart (youth engagement via Shark Tank and peer-to-peer fundraising), JET (Jewish Educators of Tomorrow for teacher development), Team Tzedakah (monthly giving), E-cards (digital celebration donations), and Legacy Giving (planned bequests). The organisation also facilitates direct donations and corporate sponsorships to fund communal organisations providing aged care, disability services, mental health support, Jewish education, cultural programs, Holocaust remembrance, and community security.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jumpstart: Jumpstart (powered by JCA) was established in 2015, focusing on initiatives that engage young adults and the next generation in the local Jewish community. It comprises four key initiatives: Jumpstart Juniors, Jumpstart Shark Tank, Jumpstart 10x10, and Giving Circle.
• JCA The Choice Foundation
• JET (Jewish Educators of Tomorrow)

Products and services

• Jumpstart A young adult engagement and philanthropy program powered by JCA, focused on connecting and nurturing the under-40s demographic through bespoke events, social entrepreneurship initiatives, and educational programs to ensure JCA's long-term sustainability. Includes the annual Shark Tank competition ($60,000 seed funding), Jumpstart 10x10 peer-to-peer fundraising, Giving Circle collective giving, and Jumpstart Juniors children's program.
• Team Tzedakah Monthly recurring donation program enabling regular donors to support the 24 member organisations providing services across aged care, culture, education, heritage, and security sectors.
• E-cards
• Legacy Giving / Bequests (JCA Generations)
• Jewish Educators of Tomorrow (JET)
• The Observership Program A not-for-profit board leadership training program founded in 2014, providing practical experience and networking opportunities for emerging community leaders through placement on communal boards.
• Y2i (Youth 2 Israel) Year 10 Israel education program endowment launched as a JCA endowment fund in 2015, providing discretionary subsidies of up to $5,000 to eligible students from NSW, ACT, and QLD for transformational five-week-plus Israel programs.
• JCA and UIA Philanthropy Fellowship

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Giving ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Group of local major donors established in 2015 who inspire philanthropy on large scale and provide enduring funding platform for Jewish community's financial security. Kickstarter for JCA's Jumpstart division.
• Youth 2 Israel (Y2i)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Established in 2014, launched as Endowment Fund of JCA in 2015 to maximise Year 10 students participating in Israel education programs. Provides discretionary subsidies of up to $5,000 to eligible students from NSW, ACT and QLD.
• The Observership ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founded in 2014, modelled on US program, provides training in not-for-profit board leadership and networking to create next generation of communal leaders. Places young professionals on communal boards through JCA partnership.
• The Choice FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Choice Foundation provides grants for organisations creating innovative projects for people with disabilities. Funded programs include Upskill, A Weekend Away, J-Jobs through JewishCare, surfing and dance programs through Maccabi NSW, and school support programs.
• Australian Jewish Funders (AJF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAJF inspires effective philanthropy and strengthens community using innovation, collaboration and Jewish values. Partnered with UIA to launch JCA and UIA Philanthropy Fellowship delivered by AJF, expanding philanthropic leadership among emerging philanthropists.
• UIA (United Israel Appeal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with JCA and Australian Jewish Funders to launch the JCA and UIA Philanthropy Fellowship, expanding philanthropic leadership in NSW Jewish community.
• Maccabi NSWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaccabi NSW receives funding through The Choice Foundation for disability programs including All Abilities sports and dance programs. 20 affiliated clubs with 2,500-3,000 members.
• Shalom CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported through Choice Foundation for disability programs and PJ Library program. Creates contemporary Jewish experiences through Adamama Farm, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, and other cultural programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Australian Jewish Funders (AJF): Australian Jewish philanthropic infrastructure body that JCA partners with on the Philanthropy Fellowship. Functions more as a funders' network than a direct fundraising appeal, but overlaps in donor cultivation and Jewish philanthropy leadership.

Direct peers

• Jewish Federation of Greater Washington: Another North American Jewish federation that pools donations and distributes to beneficiary organisations spanning social services, education, Israel and security — structurally analogous to JCA's five-sector allocation framework.
• The Giving Forum: Group of local major donors established in 2015, originating as the 'kickstarter' for JCA's Jumpstart division. Highly comparable as an organised donor-collaboration model within the same Australian Jewish community.
• Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund (San Francisco): Bay Area Jewish federation with substantial managed endowment assets supporting multi-sector community allocations. Directly comparable on the endowment-and-annual-campaign dual model JCA is building toward.
• Combined Jewish Philanthropies: Boston-area Jewish federation that pools donations and allocates to dozens of beneficiary organisations across education, social services, Israel and overseas. Closely mirrors JCA's pooled-funding, multi-sector allocation model.
• UIA (United Israel Appeal) Australia: Australia's Jewish federated fundraising body for Israel-related causes; JCA explicitly partners with UIA on the JCA and UIA Philanthropy Fellowship. Operates an adjacent but parallel federated-giving structure in the same Australian Jewish market.
• Jewish Federations of North America: The umbrella body for North American Jewish federated giving organisations, operating the same unified-appeal model as JCA across 146 federations. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and multi-sector community allocation.
• Jewish National Fund of Australia (JNF Australia): Australian Jewish fundraising body focused on Israel land/environment projects. Shares the Australian Jewish donor pool with JCA and runs similar annual campaigns, bequest programs and major-donor cultivation.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Australia: Australian affiliate of the global federated-giving network; pools workplace donations and allocates to multiple community organisations. Comparable on the federated-fundraising mechanics, though operating at much larger scale and without ethnic/religious specificity.

Regional players

• Sydney Community Foundation: Australian community foundation operating a pooled-grantmaking model for Sydney. Compares on fund-allocation mechanics and donor advised giving, though serving general rather than Jewish-specific causes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwVdSjgUM4_9eIB-xU1R5nQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/jcanswact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jca-nsw

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 JCA NSW/ACT