The three founders emphasized that the funds needed to support Jews in Europe and Israel would be triple to quadruple the amount raised in the previous year.

While the organizations would raise funds together, the Joint Distribution Committee would assist Jews in Europe, the United Israel Appeal would aid the Jewish community in Israel, including refugees from Europe arriving there and the National Coordinating Committee Fund would assist refugees arriving in the United States.

The balance of power would shift to the federations, which would select about two-thirds of the 120 members on the board of trustees of the new organization.

Businessman and philanthropist Charles Bronfman was chosen as the volunteer chairman of the combined entity, responsible for planning the group's strategic direction.

[3] In the Woody Allen film Bananas, the dictatorial president of the fictional country of San Marcos accidentally calls upon the UJA, instead of the CIA, to help prevent a coup.