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The Provident Bank Foundation awarded more than $620,000 in grants to 43 nonprofit organizations during its first cycle of giving in 2022.
The awardees were located in 13 counties in New Jersey as well as three in Pennsylvania and one in New York.
The foundation’s awards went to its three priority areas: community enrichment, education and health, and youth and families. The amount of the grants ranged from $5,000 to $25,000.
Executive Director Samantha Plotino said the foundation appreciates the impact these organizations have on their communities.
“A number of organizations focused on creating meaningful and enriching change within their communities have received support from the foundation’s Major Grants,” she said. “We look forward to seeing the impact that this next cycle of grants has on recipients, the communities they serve and the nonprofit landscape.”
The Fund for Women and Girls (FWG) at the Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded $215,000 in grants, including support for five local nonprofits that are working to help new mothers, mothers in recovery, single parents, families with young children and children who have been removed from their homes.
More than 20 years ago, the FWG was created as a fund of the Community Foundation to focus its funding on organizations that work to improve the lives of vulnerable women and children in the region. With a philosophy of collective philanthropy, members donate to the Fund, and then meet annually to recommend grants to support nonprofits aligned with the fund’s goals.
“These nonprofits are doing incredibly important work in our communities, and this funding will make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and children,” said Carolyn Sanderson, Chair of The Fund. “Thanks to the generosity of our members, we have awarded more than $1 million in grants to more than two dozen nonprofits over the last six years. We can do so much more together than any of us can do individually.”
The Princeton Area Community Foundation awarded about $2 million in Community Impact and COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund grants to local nonprofits.
More than 60 organizations working on a broad variety of needs in the community, including arts education, community building, education, food insecurity, health, supporting senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, and youth development received this funding, made possible by generous community contributions.
Funding was mainly unrestricted, giving organizations an opportunity to address the challenges of economic uncertainty due to the pandemic and inflation. Unrestricted grants in this round provide the flexibility organizations need to use the funding where it is most needed, which will help them build financial and programmatic resiliency.
“These nonprofits are doing impactful work in region, helping the most vulnerable among us,” Jeffrey Vega, CEO and president of the Community Foundation, said. “We are able to award these grants thanks to generous donors who have created funds over the last 30 years to support our community grantmaking and leadership.”
As we witness the initial impact of Hurricane Dorian, we are reminded that many of our communities are still targets for further devastation from this storm over the next few days.
While we recognize that many of us have survived recent hurricanes like Sandy and Maria, we also know that the struggle continues, and we need to do our best to help meet the needs of current victims caught in the wake of the storm.
In light of this situation, we are providing our membership with the latest information to help you determine how your organization might engage in response and recovery efforts.
Resources
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has created a Hurricane Dorian disaster profile, which provides updates on the storm as well as information on the areas of greatest need
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has also launched the CDP 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund to support communities that will be affected by Hurricane Dorian. This fund focuses on medium- and long-term recovery, with the understanding that individuals and communities will need the support of private philanthropy for months and years to come as they navigate the road to recovery.
- The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook is a comprehensive handbook outlining best practices and innovative approaches that the philanthropic community can adopt in addressing recovery after natural disasters. CNJG’s lessons learned in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy helped lead the creation of this Playbook.
- Locally in Florida, the Miami Foundation for a Greater Miami created a Hurricane Dorian resource page.
- The Jessie Ball duPont Fund resource Creating Order from Chaos: Roles for Philanthropy in Disaster Planning and Response provides a framework for steps that can be taken for philanthropy to respond to disasters.
- The New York Times has released an article sharing multiple ways to help Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas.
- Charity Navigator has created a list of high-rated organizations providing aid and relief for Hurricane Dorian for both short-term and long-term relief.
- Sadly, CNJG’s post Sandy work and the briefings hosted and compiled by CNJG still hold lessons for today. You can review the briefings from Series 1 and Series 2 in either audio or written format. The briefings provide timely, relevant information about how grantmakers can help in the aftermath of a major storm.
Finally, if you think it would be useful, we’ll convene an open-forum conference call for CNJG members to share how your organization might be thinking about your own response efforts. If you’re interested in connecting with your colleagues for this kind of discussion, please contact me, and we will set up a call.
Yours in solidarity,
Maria Vizcarrondo, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
The Regional Foundation announced $2,000,000 in Neighborhood Planning and Implementation Grants to 11 organizations throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.
After several years, the foundation returned to investing in neighborhood revitalization that centers a resident-led planning process. Structured between 12 and 18 months in length, Neighborhood Planning Grants support the creation of neighborhood plans that address root causes of inequality and community development priorities including but not limited to affordable housing, workforce development, human services, commercial corridor initiatives, environmental justice, transportation, and education.
The Neighborhood Implementation Grants support comprehensive community development plans that target specific neighborhoods, are resident-driven, and equity-focused. The multi-year funding is designed to assist the foundation’s grantee partners to start or sustain momentum in their comprehensive neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
“The pressing needs of our community continue to exist and weigh down those who need it most from changing their lives from one of despair to one of hope. We are excited that the investments we are announcing today are a small part of creating the change needed to ensure individuals, families, and whole communities have the resiliency to continue along a path of success,” stated Kevin Dow, Executive Director of the foundation.
The WSFS CARES Foundation, the charitable giving arm of WSFS Bank (Nasdaq: WSFS), announced it has provided grants to four organizations as part of its continuing series of philanthropic activities by WSFS and the Foundation. The grants were approved in the fourth quarter by the WSFS CARES Foundation board.
n addition, WSFS Bank provided $5,000 to Literacy Delaware in a year-end grant at the recommendation of WSFS’ Board of Directors. WSFS Bank also provided $5,000 grants to the Chester County Food Bank and Family Support Line, and $2,500 to Mother’s Home at the recommendation of WSFS’ Pennsylvania and New Jersey Advisory Boards.
“We are deeply committed to creating meaningful impacts in our communities by supporting programs that promote economic development, advance education, and encourage leadership," said Patrick J. Ward, Executive Vice President, Pennsylvania Market President at WSFS Bank and Chairman of the WSFS CARES Foundation. "It’s a privilege to join forces with such inspiring organizations, and we look forward to expanding our efforts together."
As The Westfield Foundation marks its 50th anniversary, the organization is proud to announce the recipients of its Golden Impact Grants—an initiative that reflects five decades of commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive community through strategic philanthropy.
“It’s truly an honor to celebrate 50 years of service, partnership, and impact,” said Katie Darcy, executive director of The Westfield Foundation. “When the Foundation was established in 1975, it began with just $2,000 and a shared belief in building a better future through philanthropy. Today, we distribute over $1 million annually, thanks to the vision and generosity of the very community we serve.”
The Golden Impact Grants were created to mark this milestone by amplifying the Foundation’s investment in Westfield — the place where it all began. This special initiative invited a select group of local organizations to submit proposals for bold, visionary projects that address urgent community needs and will leave a lasting legacy.
The Montclair Foundation is proud to announce the awarding of $90,000 in grants to 17 local nonprofit organizations through its Spring 2025 grant cycle. These grants will support critical initiatives in the areas of Education, Community Service and Cultural Arts — continuing the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to nurturing and strengthening the greater Montclair community.
Thanks to the success of the Foundation’s recent capital campaign, this grant cycle includes several larger awards and a multi-year grant, reflecting an exciting new chapter of expanded community investment.
“We are incredibly grateful to our donors and supporters whose generosity through our capital campaign has allowed us to increase both the scope and impact of our grantmaking,” said Peggy Deehan, chair of the grants committee. “Montclair is home to so many extraordinary organizations making a meaningful difference every day. It’s a privilege to partner with them in creating a more vibrant, inclusive, and compassionate community.”
The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC) is pleased to announce over $1 million granted to 12 news and information organizations across the state. This announcement comes on the heels of a major victory for local news: New Jersey lawmakers and Governor Phil Murphy recently approved a $2.5 million investment for the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium in the FY26 State budget — ensuring our support for trusted, community-rooted journalism continues into the next fiscal year.
These renewal grants support important work in newsrooms and civic media outlets already making a difference — from amplifying underrepresented voices to training the next generation of media professionals. Together, these projects serve a diverse range of communities, addressing information gaps and creating lasting infrastructure for local reporting, media training, and civic leadership.
“By supporting these grantees for another year, we’re investing in long-term impact,” said Chris Dagget, Board Chair and Interim Executive Director of the Consortium. “The organizations in this group are already embedded in the communities they serve. With this support, they’ll be able to deepen that work.”
The NextGen Giving Circle of the Princeton Area Community Foundation awarded $27,500 in grants to three local nonprofits for a children’s school day breakfast initiative, a workforce program for high school boys, and job training for teens and adults.
At Every Child Valued’s breakfast program, the grant will be used in part to help offset the cost of groceries. At the Father Center, the grant will help pay for field trips and test fees for boys enrolled in an employment and credentialing program. At RISE, the grant will help fund workforce training for its thrift store staff.
“I founded NextGen with the goal of inspiring and developing the next generation of philanthropic leaders in our community,” said Jeremy Perlman, who created the fund in 2017. “The giving circle brings together like-minded young professionals to learn how nonprofits are addressing key issues facing individuals and families in the greater Trenton area, and to make a bigger impact than any one of us could on our own.”
Any and all staff and/or trustees from new CNJG members and any new staff or trustees of veteran CNJG members are invited to this in-person meeting prior to the Annual Meeting and Holiday Luncheon Pre-Meeting Workshop to meet fellow new members and a few CNJG staff, hear about each other’s funding strategies, and learn about the programs and services CNJG offers.
This is a great chance to meet fellow funders in a casual, yet professional setting, and build your personal network within the CNJG network. You’ll see these familiar faces throughout the rest of the day’s events..
There is no cost to attend for CNJG members. A light breakfast, and coffee, tea, beverages will be available..
If you have any questions about who can or should attend, please contact Craig Weinrich, Director of Member Services at 609-414-7110 x802.
“It was so great to meet everyone at the New Members Orientation. Thank you for creating the space; I learned a lot more about NJ funders, the amazing work they're doing, and all the impactful programs CNJG has to offer and how to stay involved.” -Verinda Sood; Rippel
This advocacy and civic engagement toolkit is designed for private foundations that want to educate and encourage their grantees about getting involved in civic and policy activities to increase organizational capacity and impact. While its primary focus is on the grantmaking activity of foundations, the toolkit also addresses rules and guidance for policy involvement by foundation officials acting on behalf of their foundations.