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Anchor institutions can play a vital role in strengthening and connecting local economies, and can serve as powerful drivers for building inclusive and equitable communities. This report by the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities as part of its Anchors Institution Funders’ Group examines the potential these deeply rooted local enterprises hold to create lasting and sustainable change—and illustrates how funders are working with anchor institutions to create healthier, more equitable, and economically vibrant places to live and work.
The report offers recommendations for funders looking to deepen and refine their strategies for working with anchors. In each of the profiled communities—Albuquerque, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver and the Twin Cities—the report shares stories of how funders are extending beyond traditional grantmaking roles to embrace their roles as conveners and leaders in their communities.
M&T Bank has donated $75,000 in seed money to help the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at Rutgers University launch a new fund to help Black entrepreneurs recover from the effects of the pandemic.
CUEED, based at the Rutgers Business School in Newark, will leverage the money from M&T to raise additional funding from other private and philanthropic sources. The center’s goal is to raise $250,000 to pilot its NJ BEST Patient Capital Fund, which will make low-cost, non-dilutive capital, recoverable grants of $25,000 to $50,000 available to selected Black-owned High-Impact Vital Enterprises — retail and service businesses essential to the viability of their communities.
Tom Comiskey, M&T Bank president for New Jersey, said the bank was excited to contribute to such a worthy aim.
“The pandemic has exacerbated challenges for Black entrepreneurs, making it increasingly difficult to secure capital for their businesses,” he said. “Essential to the foundation of New Jersey’s economy, M&T Bank is proud to support these business owners through the NJ BEST Patient Capital Fund.”
Community foundations are beginning to deepen and shift how they work, adopting an anchor mission that seeks to fully deploy all resources to build community wealth. Moving into territory relatively uncharted for community foundations, they are taking up impact investing and economic development — some in advanced ways, others with small steps. This report offers an overview of how 30 representative community foundations — including The Seattle Foundation, the Vermont Community Foundation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation — are working toward adopting this new anchor mission.
This Democracy Collaborative report was written by Marjorie Kelly, Senior Fellow and Director of Special Projects and Violeta Duncan, Community Development Associate.
When considering how to improve health outcomes for low-income individuals, most people think about providing access to good medical care and keeping the cost of that care as low as possible. What people rarely think about is the connection between good health and quality affordable housing.
A CNJG member queried the corporate listserve on strategies or resources for virtual volunteering. CNJG compiled these responses, and listed the different opportunities that members are offering for employee volunteerism.
Novartis benchmarked Employee Crisis Programs, and asked fellow corporate funders via the corporate funders listserve to answer the questions below.
- If you have an Employee Crisis Program, what is the name
- Do you manage the program internally or thru a 3rd party? If you use a 3rd party, can you share their name/website and any good/bad experiences.
- Do you only support disasters or other hardships as well?
- What is the average percentage of your employees that apply for aid?
- What is your minimum and maximum funding?
- What is the average amount of aid?
- Do you provide aid directly to the employee and/or vendors?
- Do you allow employees to donate to your fund? If so, how do you promote awareness and what is the employee donation participation rate? Do you match these donations?
- Where does the program reside (CSR, Foundation, HR)?
- Please share guidelines and applications, if possible.
- Please share any other insights.
How the government can partner with impact investors to unleash new capital, talent and energy for maximum impact.
This weekly conference call series welcomed New Jersey-based grantmakers along with national funders and provided an opportunity for grantmakers to hear from a wide range of experts in the field of disaster philanthropy. This series started on November 5, 2012, one week after Sandy struck New Jersey, and continued through March 25, 2013. The written summaries of each recording are listed below.
Sample bylaws for Community Foundations.
This new report from CNJG and partners examines the response of foundations, corporations, and other institutional donors to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Numbering nearly 600, these funders have so far committed more than $380 million for relief, recovery and building efforts. The hard data and reflective observations in the report contribute to the growing body of knowledge that helps foundations and corporations be strategic and effective with their giving when disaster strikes.
Two years after the historic storm, Philanthropy & Hurricane Sandy: A Report on the Foundation & Corporate Response breaks down the allocation of dollars contributed thus far and offers perspective on the role of private giving in disaster response and lessons to be taken from this one. The report was published by the Foundation Center in partnership with the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Philanthropy New York, and with support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
“Throughout the past two years, our exceptional nonprofit and funder community has taken on challenges they never imagined,” said Nina Stack, president of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. “These organizations continue to develop innovative solutions that other communities will learn from and build upon in future disasters.”
In addition to the report’s numerous funders, CNJG wishes to thank the PSEG Foundation for supporting this project.
This weekly conference call series welcomed New Jersey-based grantmakers along with national funders and provided an opportunity for grantmakers to hear from a wide range of experts in the field of disaster philanthropy. Series 1 started on November 5, 2012, one week after Sandy struck New Jersey, and continued through March 25, 2013. Series 2 started on September 9, 2013 and concluded on November 4, 2013. The written compendium of the recordings is listed below.
An overview on the self-dealing law, including definitions, common problem areas, exceptions, penalties, and resources.
The National Center for Family Philanthropy and Youth Philanthropy Connect, a program of the Frieda C. Fox Foundation, have joined together to bring new resources to the field of philanthropy focused on engaging the next generation of donors and family members. Igniting the Spark: Creating Effective Next Gen Boards is the first publication of its kind, offering a comprehensive overview of the growing practice among family foundations and donor advised fund holders of using next generation boards.
The issue brief outlines creative options for involving children as young as 8 in family philanthropy. It is supplemented by case studies of seven foundations using next gen boards and other approaches for engaging youth in philanthropy. Throughout both resources, the voices of next gen donors describe what works — and what doesn’t — providing family members and staff with guidance and insights new to the field.
The Newark Philanthropic Liaison is a unique partnership between the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and the City of Newark, supported by several foundations. Read more about the Liaison’s work In these reports. Due to several transitions, there were no written reports between 2015 and 2022.
Native Voices Rising is a joint research and re-granting project of Native Americans in Philanthropy and Common Counsel Foundation. This report focuses on the practices and challenges of community organizing and advocacy, focusing on the need for increased investment in and sustained support for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities.
This paper explores community democracy as a cultural choice and a potential organizing system for philanthropy using stories that demonstrate its principles and practices, primarily growing from the experience of northern California communities. This experience offers a framework of principles and a beginning set of conclusions about how philanthropy can develop productive partnerships from the perspective of a place-based, community democracy.
Developed in partnership with United Philanthropy Forum and Northern California Grantmakers, this guide shares seven practices and 12 tools for Philanthropy-Serving Organizations who seek effective ways to mobilize resources to sustain their organization’s work. The guide features perspectives from dozens of leaders of national and regional PSOs and examples from our work with these organizations. Much of the content is based on conversations and strategy work with PSO leaders, staff and board members.