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Eastside High School in Paterson sits in the middle of a struggling neighborhood, in a city where 25% of the residents are living below the poverty line, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Paterson’s poverty rate is more than twice the state average of 10%, which makes the school, built in 1926, a refuge — and now a resource.
On Thursday, Montclair State University president Jonathan Koppell came to Eastside with a $1 million grant and a vision: to make the school into a community hub, offering free meals, health care, and mental health counseling, not just to the 2,000 students, but to their families as well.
The initiative is called One Square Mile, and it is being seeded with a $1 million grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. The program was developed by Koppell during his tenure as Dean of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University, which worked with the Phoenix-area community of Maryvale to address poverty.
The New Jersey Bankers Association will be donating $5,000, through its charitable foundation, to the American Bankers Association’s Disaster Relief Program to help aid relief efforts in Mississippi after a series of deadly tornados swept through the region in late March.
All funds will be directed to the Heart of the Delta Foundation, which is supporting rural communities in the Delta region, and the CREATE Foundation, which is aiding relief efforts in Northeast Mississippi.
John Mangini, treasurer and secretary of the New Jersey Bankers Charitable Foundation, said the group always is eager to lend a hand when it can.
“The banking community extends beyond state borders, and, during difficult times, like what we’re seeing in Mississippi, the role banks play in their communities becomes paramount,” he said. “We hope this donation can help ensure people affected by this disaster can get access to the assistance and services they need.”
Schools are uniquely positioned to support student wellbeing and promote a positive learning environment, but often lack the resources to do so. The Foundation for Educational Administration (FEA) is giving schools the tools needed to help students succeed through two initiatives: Transforming Early Childhood Leadership Institute and the Healing Centered Engagement program.
As New Jersey continues to expand full-day preschool, principals and school leaders face the challenge of creating a high-quality experience for early learners. The Transforming Early Childhood Leadership Institute supports this endeavor by training and coaching leaders from schools offering PreK-3 instruction. Through the Institute, participating schools send leadership teams of principals, teacher leaders, and central office staff to learn best practices on strengthening early childhood education and creating a strong learning foundation. The Institute is supported by The Nicholson Foundation (now sunsetted) and The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation.
Launched in response to unprecedented levels of youth mental health concerns, the Healing Centered Engagement program offers interactive trainings and tailored coaching to school staff on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma informed practices, healing centered engagement, and Youth Mental Health First Aid. The model takes a whole-school approach – reaching community partners, teachers, administrators, school staff, and families across regions and grade-levels. Since the program’s launch, FEA has trained over 3,400 New Jersey school staff and partners. The Burke Foundation supports the project with the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Princeton Area Community Foundation, and the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (now sunsetted).
Join our speakers from the NJ Office of Resilience, NJ Department of Education, and the Foundation for Educational Administration to:
- Understand the importance of alignment in early childhood education
- Learn the role of positive childhood experiences in promoting student wellbeing
- Find out more about the Healing Centered Engagement program and Transforming Early Childhood Leadership Institute
- Discuss opportunities to get involved in this work and support the initiatives in your community
Speakers:
Mary M. Reece, Ed.D; Director of Special Projects, NJ Principals & Supervisors Association/Foundation for Educational Administration
Rebecca Bryan, DNP; Executive Director of the Office of Resilience, NJ Department of Children and Families
Dottie Specht, M.S. Ed, Director, K-3 Office of Education/Division of Early Childhood Services, NJ Department of Education
Monica Carmichael, Director of Early Childhood, Trenton (TECLI)
Samantha Lott-Velez, Assistant Superintendent, Newark (TECLI)
Dr. Bobbi Downs, Director of CST, Burlington County Special Services School District (HCE)
Thomas Barclay, retired Assistant Superintendent and current consultant (TECLI & HCE)
Webinar Video
Articles
Rethinking Our Approach to Youth Mental Healthcare
The Surgeon General’s New Mission: Adolescent Mental Health
8-Year-Olds in Despair: The Mental Health Crisis Is Getting Younger
The United Way of Passaic County (UWPC) has announced a $295,984 investment in emergency food and shelter providers in the community. The program, funded by FEMA and administered by the United Way of Passaic County, is especially critical given the high rate of inflation and the end of federal emergency SNAP benefits.
The funds will go to local organizations such as CUMAC, Oasis, St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation, Center for Family Resources, Catholic Charities, New Hope Ministries, Paterson Salvation Army, Passaic Salvation Army, Paterson Task Force and Eva’s Village.
"We partner with organizations in the community to provide needed and impactful services to the community. These organizations stepped up during COVID and are continuing to step up as residents face increased rates of food and housing insecurity," United Way of Passaic County CEO and President Mary Celis said. "We are grateful for the great work these agencies do in Passaic County, and we are so thankful for the thousands of United Way donors whose ongoing support makes our community impact work possible."
TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank has awarded a total of $7 million to 37 non-profits across the bank’s footprint through the 17th annual Housing for Everyone grant program. Grants ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 will support organizations that work to deliver rental assistance, rehabilitate affordable rental housing properties, and build organizational capacity to address resident sustainability for the long-term.
As individuals and families across the country struggle with inflation and an exponential rise in rental costs, affordable housing providers face increased hardship given the growing demand for affordable rental units and emergency rental assistance.
“The affordable housing crisis continues to burden the most vulnerable members of our communities and the organizations committed to supporting them,” said Paige Carlson-Heim, Director of the TD Charitable Foundation. “At TD, we’re committed to doing our part to help create a more sustainable and inclusive future for everyone, and that includes providing access to safe, affordable homes. This year’s grant recipients are mission-critical to that work, and the TD Charitable Foundation is proud to support them in their efforts to create a positive impact and a pathway to housing stability in the communities we serve.”
The Devils Youth Foundation, which serves as the charitable arm for the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, recently awarded a $100,000 grant to United Community Corp. to support the agency’s community refrigerator initiative and ongoing nutritional programming.
The foundation also raised an additional $80,000 through the first round of the NHL playoffs for another community refrigerator and $60,000 through the second round of the playoffs for a food delivery truck. These efforts brought a total of $240,000 in funding to back UCC’s efforts in mitigating hunger in Greater Newark.
UCC Executive Director Craig Mainor obviously was thrilled.
“We could not be more grateful for the generous grant award, funds raised and support from the Devils Youth Foundation that will allow UCC to create greater accessibility for fresh, nutritional food in Newark for thousands of people,” he said.
“Whether it’s installing another community refrigerator or educating youth about proper nutrition and health and wellness, we want to ensure that we uplift community members through this award to transform each ward of the city.”
From Denver to D.C., cities across the country continue to welcome asylum seekers being bussed and flown in from Texas and Florida. Local governments, nonprofit providers, and philanthropic partners are all playing key roles in responding to urgent needs while building the infrastructure needed to receive these migrants and prepare for possible future arrivals.
Join Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) for this peer-to-peer discussion session to learn about the challenges local leaders are encountering while addressing the needs of these newly arriving migrants. We will also explore the strategies currently being developed and refined for building strong response networks. It has become clear that - in addition to resources - communication, coordination, and adaptability are essential to a successful response. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to share their experiences and ask questions about strategies for welcoming and supporting new arrivals.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
This program is presented by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.
Advancing its ongoing commitment to ensuring a stable and healthy cultural industry, the New Jersey Cultural Trust Board approved a total of $798,395 in grants supporting capital projects at 21 nonprofit cultural organizations during an open public meeting held virtually Dec. 15. The nearly $800,000 in awards represents the largest total dollar amount the board has approved in grant awards in a single fiscal year since 2011.
With the FY2024 grant awards, the Cultural Trust has now awarded over $10.4 million in funding for historic preservation and financial stabilization projects across New Jersey to date.
“These grants are investments in the sustainability and longevity of sites significant to our state’s rich and diverse history,” Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who oversees the Cultural Trust in her capacity as secretary of state, said. “New Jersey’s historic places are essential to our state’s identity and culture, and the Cultural Trust’s Capital Historic Preservation program helps safeguard them for future generations.”
Funding nonprofit endowments can be a tool to ensure the stability of an organization, as well as to advance equity and shift power to frontline organizations. However, according to new, forthcoming CEP research, endowment giving represents only a small slice of foundation funding.
The webinar will explore the how and why of endowment funding from both funder and nonprofit perspectives, including U.S. foundation practices in endowment giving, how funding endowments can foster nonprofit sustainability and advance equitable social change, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s approach to endowment funding as a tool to advance equity.
The panel includes:
Maisha E. Simmons, Assistant Vice President, Equity and Culture, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (moderator)
Darren Isom, Partner, The Bridgespan Group
Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Vice President of Research, Center for Effective Philanthropy
John Jackson, President and CEO, Schott Foundation for Public Education
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar after the event.
This program is presented by CEP and The Bridgespan Group and co-hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
This one-hour webinar will offer a high-level overview of recent trends and best practices for foundation governance. Attorneys from the Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations group of Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm, will present practical tips for governance and legal compliance, focused on small to mid-size foundations. Drawing from both national trends in the industry and the impact of the pandemic and social change, topics will include:
- Considerations for revising bylaws and conflict of interest policies;
- Foundation political activity, including lobbying and advocacy;
- Issues to consider when funding a project with a fiscal sponsor; and
- Updating grant agreements.
Speakers
| Jeffrey Fromknecht Counsel Dentons Cohen & Grigsby |
Hayley Haldeman Counsel Dentons Cohen & Grigsby |
This program is for members of the following philanthropy-serving organizations: Maryland Philanthropy Network, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, Florida Philanthropic Network, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, Philanthropy Wisconsin, NY Funders Alliance, and North Carolina Grantmakers.
We are witnessing an unprecedented transfer of wealth from one generation to the next. Historically, people lived their entire lives close to their birthplace and as wealth passed from one generation to the next, most stayed in the same community. This is no longer true, and once the wealth leaves our communities, it may never return. The Transfer of Wealth study provides a research-based estimate of your region’s assets – homes, businesses, investments – that will transfer between generations within the next 10 and 40/50 years. This wealth when combined with active donor or legislative engagement, makes available charitable giving and enhances philanthropic investing opportunities to improve the quality of life for our communities into the future. Join Ben Winchester, a Rural Sociologist with the University of Minnesota Extension to learn more about trends in transfer of wealth research across the country.
COST: Free and open to all funders.
This program is made possible by support from the following Philanthropy Support Organizations: Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, Florida Philanthropic Network, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, Maryland Philanthropy Network, North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, NY Funders Alliance, Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia, Philanthropy West Virginia, Wisconsin Philanthropy Network.