- By Jeffrey Lasday

In July 2021, shortly after Michael Balaban assumed the role of president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia,  “The Forward” published a headline that captured a moment of intense scrutiny for the organization:

“After scandal, can the Philadelphia Federation’s new CEO turn it around?”

At the time, the Jewish Federation faced significant challenges related to leadership, trust, and organizational alignment. Like many legacy institutions navigating change, it was clear that meaningful transformation would require both honest self-assessment and disciplined action. Four years later, and the story is markedly different. Through an intentional strategic planning process paired with rigorous implementation, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has stabilized, strengthened, and positioned itself as a model for effective, accountable Jewish communal leadership.

This is the story of how a clear plan, shared ownership by lay leaders and professionals, and sustained execution drove transformational change.

Seven Steps to Transformational Strategic Plan Implementation

Step 1: Start with a Plan

In spring 2022, the Jewish Federation convened a Strategic Plan Task Force to address organizational challenges and chart a path forward. Its mandate was clear:

To deliver a strategic plan with defined goals, improved structures, and measurable benchmarks across six areas: fundraising, governance, marketing and branding, allocations, agency partner relations, and adjacent services.

The plan would serve as the Jewish Federation’s operational roadmap, guiding priorities and decision-making over multiple years.

Under the guidance of outside consultants the task force:

• Collected data through stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys, and benchmarking against peer Federations.
• Committed to transparency and accountability, operating with a shared understanding that no issue was off limits.
• Identified the central organizational challenge: a loss of communal trust among donors, board members, partners, and staff.
• Clarified the Jewish Federation’s purpose: “Enrich Jewish Lives” and its operational mission: “Inspire philanthropic investments.”
• Affirmed donors as the Jewish Federation’s primary customers
• Established five strategic priorities, each with clear timelines, benchmarks, and implementation strategies:
  
  

Strategic Priorities:

1. Create a premier philanthropic investor experience to impact the Jewish world.
2. Deliver impactful opportunities demonstrating social return on investment.
3. Implement best-in-class governance.
4. Build a high-performing professional infrastructure and operating system.
5. Launch an endowment campaign to raise $300 million over 3–5 years.
   

Step 2: Build Buy-In

Before the plan was brought for approval, the task force members engaged key stakeholders through a series of small-group conversations. These sessions prioritized transparency, surfaced concerns, and created space for meaningful dialogue.

It was especially important to engage the Board of Trustees, which held final authority over the plan since the strategy included a recommendation to disband the Board of Trustees in favor of a more streamlined governance structure. After extensive discussion, the Board approved the plan, signaling shared commitment to change.

Step 3: Assign Psychological Responsibility

To ensure the plan would not remain aspirational, the Jewish Federation’s executive team assumed direct responsibility for implementation.

Each strategic priority was assigned to a member of the executive team, with one senior leader designated to oversee overall execution. This structure reinforced accountability and ensured that progress remained visible and measurable.

Step 4: Create Accountability

A Strategic Plan Audit Committee was established to monitor progress, identify challenges, and report regularly to the Board.

This structure provided clear oversight, reinforced expectations for follow-through, and created a formal mechanism for course correction when needed.

Step 5: Integrate the Work

The plan was not treated as a parallel initiative. It became the Jewish Federation’s operating system.

Departmental goals, individual performance metrics, and organizational language were aligned with the plan’s priorities. Decisions were evaluated through the lens of whether they advanced the strategy, ensuring consistency across the organization.

Step 6: Communicate Relentlessly

Progress was communicated consistently to internal and external stakeholders.

Strategic plan updates became a standing agenda item at board meetings, staff gatherings, and community forums. In fall 2025, the plan was integrated into board orientation and staff training. More than 200 lay leaders, including committee chairs, agency boards, and congregational leaders, participated in sessions outlining progress, challenges, and next steps.

Step 7: Adapt to Reality

The strategic plan was approved just four months before Oct. 7, 2023. As a result, it did not include a focus on either Israel advocacy or combating antisemitism.

The events of Oct. 7 required the Jewish Federation to adapt quickly. In some cases, planned initiatives were intentionally delayed, including the rollout of the endowment strategy, to allow the organization to focus on urgent communal needs.

At the same time, the crisis accelerated other aspects of the plan. When tragedy struck, the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community turned to the Jewish Federation for leadership, coordination, and a unified voice.

The Jewish Federation launched an Israel Emergency Campaign with a $10 million goal. More than $16 million was ultimately raised.

The Jewish Federation also:

• Sent weekly Israel Emergency emails providing updates, context, and transparency.
• Created a dedicated website page tracking fund allocations, detailing recipient organizations and causes.

These actions addressed immediate needs while strengthening trust through clarity, responsiveness, and accountability.

Four Years Later

Since 2021, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has made measurable progress across multiple dimensions:

• Fundraising: Both unrestricted and restricted giving have grown for four consecutive years.
• Transparency: Grant allocation processes have been streamlined and made more accessible.
• Governance: New bylaws reduced a structure of 240 board members and trustees to a focused board of up to 29 directors.
• Culture: Leading Edge survey data show significant gains in staff engagement and trust. In December, Federation’s HR team earned HR Department of the Year and HR Excellence Award for Employee Relations by the Delaware Valley HR Department Awards.
• Endowment: The first $100 million toward the $300 million goal has been secured.
  
  

Looking Ahead

Guided by the strategic plan, we operate with a sense of responsibility and momentum. The focus in the coming year will be on strengthening agency relations and building the ecosystem needed for sustained communal success.

Philanthropist Dan Gilbert often says, “Innovation is rewarded. Execution is worshiped.”

Too often, organizations create thoughtful strategic plans without the structures needed to carry them forward. By committing to execution, accountability, and adaptations, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia planned the work and worked its plan. The results reflect that commitment.

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Jeffrey Lasday serves as the Senior Chief of External Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.