In a paper recently presented at the United Jewish Communities Summit conference in Miami, the authors discussed the shift their organization made through branding–from a “money asking organization” to an organization that helped “people find their connection to the Jewish community.” This shift has resulted in many practices, including a change who they nominate for the board, the creation of a Jewish Community Forum, a brand-filter-based budgeting process and changes in major campaign events to eliminate minimum donation amounts. The total amount donated in 2007 far outstripped 2006.

How did they get there? By analyzing their brand assets; building on strengths and reducing the impact of liabilities.

-Lynn Parker