How can we prove that a nonprofit is doing its job? In the old days of behemoth organizations with institutionalized foundation grants, it didn’t really matter as long as the gala banquet was a success. This didn’t serve the Jewish community well, and fortunately today things have changed. People often tell me that they hesitate before donating to a Jewish nonprofit unless the results are data-driven. Does their formula for Jewish continuity actually work?

At JGSI, we have once again put our formula for being the Jewish lifeline for graduate students and alumni across North America to the test--and as they say, the proof is in the pudding.

Over Summer 2021, we conducted another comprehensive third party independent study of all JGSI students and alumni to determine our programs’ long-term impact on Jewish engagement and identity, administered by the highly respected University of Chicago Survey Lab. The results are in, and to slightly misquote Sally Field at the 1985 Oscars: “They like us! They really like us!”

Some key takeaways:

• Following JGSI involvement, active participants are 3X more likely to view Judaism as ‘Very Important’ compared to American Jews overall (64% vs. 21%)
• Similarly, 74% of active participants post-JGSI feel that raising their children Jewish is 'very important', compared to 34% of American Jews overall
• For 68% of participants, JGSI was the only Jewish organization they were involved with in grad school
• 59% of active participants annually donate to Jewish nonprofits; an increase of 40% compared to pre-JGSI
• 90% of active participants in our online programing attributed a more positive pandemic experience to JGSI

and...

• 97% of participants either preserved or increased Jewish identity, religious participation, and pride
  

This data, gathered from a sample of 508 respondents at 95% confidence, is proof in the pudding that our nonprofit is doing its job and that our formula is working. Just ask our students:

“JGSI brought me back to Judaism. It has sparked my involvement in different Jewish organizations and has inspired me to start volunteering to organizations that help fight against antisemitism. It also helped me stay grounded during the pandemic. I am very grateful.”

“JGSI has made a significant effort to include those of us who are returning and trying to figure out how we want to embrace Judaism in our lives.”

“[JGSI] helped me keep a consistent thread of Judaism and Jewish thinking in my life, in a way that feels authentic to me and not pushed onto me by my family.”‍

We feel awesome about these results and more inspired than ever to carry out our mission: connecting every Jewish grad student and alumnus in North America to their heritage and community. Thank you for always believing in us and cheering us on.

Check out the rest of the impact survey results here.