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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: January 2024 Expires: January 2026

T'ruah

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
1 14 16 18
(212) 845-5201
266 West 37th Street, Suite 803
New York, NY, 10018
https://truah.org/
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Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

T'ruah does not meet the following 4 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 1 (Oversight of Operations and Staff)
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

T'ruah does not meet this Standard because its board of directors does not:

  • Review the performance of the Chief Executive Officer at least once every two years.
  • Receive information about the financial arrangements made with outside fundraising firms and/or consultants hired during the year ended September 30, 2022.

Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.

T'ruah does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided 2024 budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.

Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

T'ruah does not meet this Standard because the 2022 annual report did not include:

  • Total income.
  • Total program service expenses.
  • Total fundraising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.

Standard 18 (Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy)
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.

T'ruah does not meet this Standard because:

  • Although the organization shares personal information about its donors with others, it does not provide a means (such as a check off box) in its direct mail appeals for donors to opt out of having their information shared.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability: 15

T'ruah meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to bring the Torah’s ideals of human dignity, equality, and justice to life by empowering rabbis and cantors to be moral voices and to lead Jewish communities in advancing democracy and human rights for all people in the United States, Canada, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories."

Year, State Incorporated:
2002, NY

Also Known As:
T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights

T'ruah reports that it trains and organizes rabbis, cantors, and their communities to advance human rights. In 2022, the organization states that it trained and partnered with more than 2,373 rabbis and cantors, published 52 editions of its human rights series, d'var Torah, and launched, Emor, the Institute for Bold Jewish Thought.

For the year ended September 30, 2022, T'ruah's program expenses were:

Program services $1,960,319
Total Program Expenses $1,960,319

Chief Executive
Jill Jacobs, Executive Director

Compensation*
$167,893

Chair of the Board
Sara Moore Litt, JD

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Retired, Lawyer

Board Size
19

Paid Staff Size
23

*2021 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Professor, William Plevan, PhD, serves as Truah's co-chair.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Telemarketing, Print advertisements

Fundraising costs were 20% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $2,547,936, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on T'ruah's audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2022.

Source of Funds
Miscellaneous income $1,779
Program service fees $3,670
Honoraria and other income $20,254
In-kind contributions $24,019
Rental income $30,000
Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness $201,357
Special events, net $255,596
Grants and contracts $911,900
Contributions $1,155,064
Total Income $2,603,639

Programs: 72% Fundraising: 18% Administrative: 10%

Total Income $2,603,639
Total expenses: $2,728,839
  Program expenses $1,960,319
  Fundraising expenses $502,878
  Administrative expenses $265,642
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-125,200
Beginning Net Assets $1,115,676
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $990,476
Total Liabilities $141,880
Total Assets $1,132,356

Note: According to T'ruah's audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2022, the organization received $24,019 in donated legal services.

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance