JCA raises $12 million

THE JCA has announced that it raised $12 million in last year’s ­campaign.

“The campaign stayed flat from the previous year and we expect allocations will be basically the same as well,” JCA chief executive Ian Sandler said.

He said that although that money won’t cover all of the allocation requests, the JCA’s coffers would cover the shortfall.

“Our biggest concern is the declining interest rates because we are conservative in our investments.

“It’s not sensible to risk the community’s money.

“As a result, we have low investment returns, but there is still money to top up allocations because we were sensible when times were good and we didn’t distribute all of the excessive investment returns.”

As well as nearly $7 million that was put away when fundraising was higher before the global financial crisis, the JCA also has more than $10 million in bequests that pay a return each year.

Sandler said that the JCA has had to tighten its belt.

“This year we have gone from big communal functions to smaller functions because the set-up costs are far lower.

“If you budget for 1000 people and then you only get 600, then your costs per head are exorbitant and we need to curtail expenses.”

And he said communal organisation will need to follow, but not frontline service.

“I would hope the constituents look for efficiency in the back office, not in the service delivery.

“That is where you look to save the money and that is what everyone is doing.”

Sandler said he is realistic about the prospect of raising more money next year.

“The reality is that we do not have a buoyant market because we live in a stream of the economy without mining magnates.

“We have investment bankers and that part of the world isn’t doing as well.”

He said that although actual funding won’t decrease, due to inflationary pressures, if fundraising doesn’t increase in the next two years the programs are at risk.

“If we can’t get the campaign to grow then the reality is that those cuts may come.”

JOSHUA LEVI

JCA chief executive Ian Sandler