Jewish Community Legacy Project

What Jewish Community Legacy Project does

Jewish Community Legacy Project (JCLP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2016 (EIN 81-1708125) that provides planning, consulting, and peer-network support exclusively to small Jewish congregations in the United States and Canada. Founded by David I. Sarnat in 2010 with primary funding from The Marcus Foundation since 2008, JCLP is the only organization focused solely on this segment, which faces demographic decline, aging memberships, and financial pressure. Its core service line, Congregation Continuity, delivers individualized one-on-one consulting for sustainability, while Congregation Connections operates facilitated regional peer cohorts (Central PA, Western PA, Greater Mississippi, Ohio, Texas) and the JCLP Presidents Forum for synagogue leadership networking. Supporting offerings include legacy planning, historic preservation, artifact donation services (with 80+ Torah scrolls re-homed to congregations and communities worldwide), cemetery perpetual care, legacy endowments, engagement support, leadership succession planning, outreach consulting, fundraising advisory, and clergy support.

JCLP's business model is grant-funded philanthropy rather than fee-for-service: all consulting services are provided free of charge to qualifying congregations, with operational funding sourced from The Marcus Foundation (primary funder since inception), individual donations, and Jewish Federation grants. There is no proprietary technology platform; the value proposition rests on a bench of senior consultants and a board featuring former CEOs of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, JFNA, Hillel International, and multiple regional Jewish Federations, plus partnerships with URJ, USCJ, JFNA, American Jewish Archives, JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, and Kulanu that channel referrals into the organization. Distribution is multi-channel (website, monthly newsletter, YouTube/webinars, earned media in outlets including The Forward and St. Louis Jewish Light, partner referrals, and the Presidents Forum), and JCLP has earned a Charity Navigator 4-star rating and Candid Silver Transparency badge as credibility markers with donor and federation audiences. The organization is headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, operates with 1–10 employees, and reports working with approximately 300 small Jewish congregations across North America.

Name

Jewish Community Legacy Project

Legal name

Jewish Community Legacy Project

Website

https://jclproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jewish Community Legacy Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free planning, consulting, and peer-network support exclusively to approximately 300 small Jewish congregations across the United States and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Congregational Planning and Consulting

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Jewish congregational planning
• Legacy planning services
• Nonprofit management consulting
• Leadership succession planning
• Peer cohort facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Primary operational funding provided by foundation grants, with The Marcus Foundation noted as the primary funder since JCLP's inception in 2008.
2. Individual Donations: Individual gifts from donors support JCLP operations. Congregations are invited to consider allocations to JCLP in their legacy plans to fund outreach to other congregations.
3. Jewish Federation Support: Jewish Federations provide funding and support as partners in helping small congregations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Jewish Community Legacy Project provides small Jewish congregations in the United States and Canada with individualized planning and consulting, including long-range legacy planning, operational sustainability, leadership and fundraising support, and preservation or placement of congregational assets. It also facilitates regional peer cohorts and leadership forums. Services are provided free of charge to qualifying congregations, with congregations covering out-of-pocket expenses.

Product overview

Jewish Community Legacy Project (JCLP) is a non-profit organization offering a unified service model centered on two core programs: Congregation Continuity (individualized, one-on-one planning collaboration) and Congregation Connections (facilitated peer congregation networks). These are supported by specialized advisory services including Legacy Planning, Historic Preservation, Artifact Donation Services, Cemetery Support, Legacy Endowments, Engagement Support, Leadership Succession, Outreach Consulting, Fundraising Advisory, and Clergy Support. JCLP also facilitates Regional Congregational Cohorts and the JCLP Presidents Forum for networking and knowledge sharing. All services are provided free of charge to qualifying small Jewish congregations in the US and Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Congregation Continuity Individualized, one-on-one collaboration with small Jewish congregations to address short- and long-term needs related to operational growth, sustainability, or decline.
• Congregation Connections Facilitated regional peer networks for small Jewish congregations, providing networking opportunities, operational resources, collaborative problem-solving support, and shared learning.
• Legacy Planning A comprehensive planning process that creates communal legacy plans addressing current congregational activity, perpetual cemetery maintenance, placement of religious artifacts, historic preservation, and continuation of philanthropy.
• Historic Preservation Services Assistance with oral histories, archives, and memorial-plaque preservation to maintain congregational history and cultural heritage.
• Artifact Donation Services Facilitation of donations of Sifrei Torah, Judaica, and other ritual objects to other congregations, camps, schools, and Jewish communities worldwide.
• Cemetery Support Financial and administrative oversight services for Jewish cemetery maintenance and perpetual care.
• Legacy Endowments Establishment of endowments to perpetuate synagogue heritage and direct congregational assets toward Jewish causes.
• Engagement Support Consulting to help small congregations increase participation and volunteer involvement.
• Leadership Succession Planning Board training and a range of succession models to support leadership transitions in congregations.
• Outreach Consulting Strategies for finding and engaging prospective new members in small Jewish communities.
• Fundraising Advisory Guidance on capital campaigns, annual campaigns, and financial forecasting for congregations.
• Clergy Support A network of partner resources intended to support clergy in small Jewish congregations.
• JCLP Presidents Forum A national forum for congregational presidents to collaborate around programming and planning through educational and networking opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• JCLP has helped small Jewish congregations re-home close to 80 Torahs to other congregations, Hillels, camps, and Jewish communities worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner recommending JCLP services to affiliated congregations facing challenges. URJ provides historic designation for closed synagogues and collaborates on Torah/ritual object donations to camps and programs.
• United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner collaborating on legacy planning for Conservative-affiliated congregations. USCJ works with JCLP to identify organizations to receive Torah scrolls and ritual objects from closing congregations.
• Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner collaborating on small congregation surveys and research initiatives. JFNA provides access to Federation network and supports JCLP's Network of Independent Jewish Communities partnership.
• American Jewish ArchivesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner receiving historical documents and archives from closing congregations. Collaborates with JCLP on oral history projects and archival best practices guidance for legacy planning.
• Jewish Federations of Greater PittsburghmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner collaborating on legacy endowments, Fund for the Future, and connecting congregations with cemetery and preservation services.
• Beth El Congregation (Pittsburgh)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived Temple Beth Israel's sacred space and artifacts following Steubenville congregation's closure. Provides room to house Beth Israel's cherished artifacts and ritual objects.
• JWB Jewish Chaplains CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting closed synagogues with military chapels for Torah and ritual object donations. JWB Jewish Chaplains Council facilitates placement of sacred objects in military communities worldwide.
• KulanumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization supporting isolated, emerging, and returning Jewish communities. JCLP partners with Kulanu to facilitate donations of Torahs and ritual objects to underserved Jewish communities globally.
• Southern Jewish Cemetery Association (SJCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJCLP was instrumental in creating the plan to preserve rural Southern cemeteries. JCLP Senior Vice-President Noah Levine serves as ex-officio member of SJCA board.
• Jewish Community Foundation of Central PennsylvaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in organizing Central Pennsylvania Small Congregation Initiative, helping organize regional cohort of 15 synagogues for dynamic group programming.
• Network of Independent Jewish CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFNA-affiliated network partnering with JCLP on small congregation initiatives, including Ohio cohort seminars on antisemitism and Israel topics.
• Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association of Greater PittsburghminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner connected through JCLP to provide cemetery perpetual care services for Temple Hadar Israel and other congregations in the Pittsburgh area.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ): National congregational body for Conservative Judaism. Partners with JCLP on legacy planning for affiliated congregations and identifies recipient organizations for Torah scrolls and ritual objects from closing congregations.
• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ): North American congregational body for Reform Judaism, representing a large network that includes many of the small congregations JCLP serves. URJ refers affiliated congregations in distress to JCLP and collaborates on artifact re-homing.
• Hillel International: Largest Jewish student organization in North America operating across hundreds of campuses. Receives Torah re-homing from JCLP and shares the broader mission of Jewish community continuity, though targeting younger demographics.
• Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA): National umbrella for the Jewish Federation system in North America. Operates broadly across Jewish communal services and collaborates with JCLP on small congregation initiatives through its Network of Independent Jewish Communities partnership.

Others

• JWB Jewish Chaplains Council: Organization supporting Jewish military chaplains and communities. Partners with JCLP to place Torahs and ritual objects from closed congregations into military communities worldwide — an adjacent recipient ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
• American Jewish Archives: Major repository for American Jewish historical records, partnered with JCLP to receive historical documents, oral histories, and archival materials from closing congregations. An enabling/adjacent organization rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh: Major regional Jewish Federation serving the Pittsburgh area. Partner of JCLP on legacy endowments, cemetery preservation, and Fund for the Future initiatives; serves as a regional parallel model for how local federations intersect with JCLP's mission.

Emerging players

• Network of Independent Jewish Communities: JFNA-affiliated network supporting small and geographically isolated Jewish communities. Partners with JCLP on cohort seminars and small congregation initiatives, operating in a closely overlapping niche.
• Southern Jewish Cemetery Association (SJCA): Newer organization focused on preserving rural Southern Jewish cemeteries; JCLP was instrumental in creating the plan to form SJCA, and JCLP's Senior VP sits on its board. Operates in an adjacent preservation niche.

Direct peers

• Kulanu: International Jewish organization supporting isolated, emerging, and returning Jewish communities. Like JCLP, Kulanu facilitates Torah and ritual object donations to underserved Jewish communities globally — a closely aligned mission in Jewish continuity and community preservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jclpyoutubechannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheJCLP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jewish-community-legacy-project-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Jewish Community Legacy Project