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Join funders for a discussion on the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund.

First Lady Tammy Murphy launched the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), hosted by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, to fight against the ongoing pandemic by directing funds to local organizations providing “on the ground” services to our state’s most vulnerable populations.

On this webinar, we will hear from Executive Director of NJPRF, Josh Weinreich and President of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Hans Dekker. Together, they will discuss how funds are being collected and distributed, how NJPRF will help fill gaps in services across the state, and the importance of coordinated efforts between government and the private sector.

The various funds being set up by New Jersey foundations and philanthropic leaders can help ensure funding is directed to areas of greatest need, encourage greater collaboration among grantmaking, nonprofit, and government partners, and create a stronger, more resilient state. Register now to hear about how the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund is providing essential support for our communities.

Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Nonmember Grantmakers
This program is open to Grantmakers only.

Webinar Video

CNJG is pleased to offer the 2024 Virtual Budget and Tax Briefing Series, hosted by our partners at Economic Opportunity Funders, to our members.

This year presents opportunities to get ready for transitions both politically and with the expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2025. Learn more about key battles and opportunities and what’s at stake and in play in 2024 and beyond.

Part 1 (35 minutes): Noted tax and budget policy expert Sharon Parrott will provide an overview of the key provisions in the federal budget, discuss current and upcoming budget and tax debates, and offer insights on the potential impact on struggling families, workers, and communities.
Sharon Parrott, President, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Part 2 (55 minutes): A panel of experts will share how funders and the field are working together to build long-term power and achieve a racially and economically just tax system.
Amy Matsui, Director of Income Security and Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center (invited, pending confirmation)
Sarah Pray, Executive Director, Better Taxes for a Better America
Amber Wallin, Senior Policy and Outreach Director, State Revenue Alliance

Cost: Free for CNJG Grantmakers and Non Member Grantmakers.
Note: This program is for funders and philanthropic advisors whose primary activity is grantmaking.

This program will be livestreamed via YouTube, starting at 10:55 am. Registrants will receive a link to the livestream prior to the program. Please register by noon on March 18 to receive the link. If you cannot watch during this time, you can use the same link to access the recording on YouTube.

For questions, please contact Chanika Svetvilas, Manager of Programs and Learning.

The COVID-19 public health and economic crisis has changed our world as we know it. As employers moved to remote work, schools shifted to distance learning, and businesses closed completely, it became clear that the impact on residents, nonprofits, and businesses was far greater than anyone could have ever imagined.

In response to the growing and evolving needs of our region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to raise and rapidly deploy funding to local nonprofits providing food, shelter, educational supports, and other critical services.

From the beginning our goal was clear: to address the immediate needs and reach adversely affected communities, particularly low-income households and communities of color. We know all too well that in a crisis like this, these marginalized communities are hit the hardest, and often take the longest to recover.

In times of crises, The Community Foundation is our region’s philanthropic first responder, bringing together individuals and families, philanthropic peers, corporate partners, and local government advisors to address community issues. Building on our rich history of emergency response work, we grounded our COVID-19 response efforts in a similar coordinated approach.

This report chronicles the steps taken, under immense pressure, to develop a coordinated emergency response effort to support a broad range of needs across the region. Once again this effort has demonstrated that working in partnership and close collaboration with our philanthropic peers and local government advisors is an effective way to manage a response to both urgent and longer-term needs.

• 6 Practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy
• Trust-Based Philanthropy Resources
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations: Systems Grantmaking Resource Guide
• Solving the World’s Biggest Problems: Better Philanthropy Through Systems Change
• Trust-Based Philanthropy News
• The Holy Grail of Funding: Why and how foundations give unrestricted funding
• The Casey Foundation’s Journey to Equitable Grant-making
• Community-Centric Fundraising
• Vu Le, Nonprofitaf.com
• To Support Shifts in Philanthropic Practices, Foundations Must Reimagine Their Internal Structures and Processes

Doing Good Better, a partnership of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, is a community of funders and nonprofits taking action against the power imbalances and racial inequities in philanthropy, nonprofits, and government.

"Co-Creation" is a case study about the Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a project of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. The case study, written by Patricia Bowie, examines co-creation, an emerging systems change collaboration model which grew out of a funder-and-state partnership. This unique partnership led to the creation by executive order of a new and independent Office of Early Childhood, which was formally approved by the Connecticut State Legislature in 2013. The companion piece, "Taking on New Roles to Address 21st Century Problems," looks at co-creation from the perspective of a regional association of grantmakers.

The Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative comprises 14 funders from around the state who bring many years of experience in supporting and operating programs that serve the needs of children and families.

The Funders Collaborative was an innovative partnership supported by 14 local and national foundations. The collaborative supplemented the programs and grantmaking of its member foundations by working with community organizations, the business sector and public agencies to encourage collaboration, planning and investment “beyond the rail.”

The Green Line opened in June 2014, and the Funders Collaborative concluded its work two years later in June 2016 as planned.

The Funders Collaborative was founded with a belief in light rail’s potential for benefiting the people and places closest to the line. The collaborative envisioned stable, thriving neighborhoods throughout the corridor that reflect community identities and link all people to regional opportunities and local amenities.

The Funders Collaborative concluded its work in June 2016 as planned. The final report and archives document the accomplishments and learnings of this innovative partnership have been archieved for learning purposes.

It’s Jan. 1 and I am thinking about 2015, as many of us are. Thinking about plans, what must be accomplished, what new projects and ideas we’ll explore, and so on. But I realize the building blocks for our 2015 plans are embedded in 2014, and even 2013, and 2012 and before.

As Deputy Director at the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, part of my role is building our public policy work on behalf of New Jersey’s philanthropic sector and our members.

I believe the best definition of public policy that engages all of us — citizens, the community, nonprofits, for-profits, and philanthropy is: Government programs and decisions that impact the economy, people and our society. Such a basic, thoughtful, and powerful definition that speaks to everyone at our core. I would even say the definition is elegant in its simplicity.

Key to our work is the profound realization of the power of partnerships — not that we didn’t already know that. We’ve been fortunate and proud over the last few years to have developed a strategic and planned relationship with the Center for Non-Profits.

In 2014, this partnership added another milestone. The Center for Non-Profits and Council of New Jersey Grantmakers on Nov. 9 co-presented a two-hour briefing for New Jersey Legislative staff on “Understanding New Jersey’s Non-Profit Community: Role, Impact, Myths & Facts.” The session was a great success. Legislative staff from some key sections and committees that need to understand the work of the nonprofit and the philanthropic sectors attended the briefing. Attendees were quite engaged and asked a number of insightful questions.

We’re confident everyone came away with a heightened understanding of the many nuances of the nonprofit, charitable and philanthropic communities. We also encouraged each attendee to reach out to our organizations when they have questions about the sectors, as well as for information and assistance. We’re scheduled to provide another briefing to the Office of Legislative Services in 2015.

Another initiative of critical importance to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors that launched in 2014 is the Stand for Your Mission campaign. A joint partnership of the National Council of Nonprofits, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, BoardSource, Alliance for Justice, the Campion Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the campaign “seeks to unleash the full potential of the nonprofit sector to create positive impact by engaging board leaders more directly in the advocacy work of their organizations.”

This means encouraging board members and social sector decision-makers to actively represent their organization’s mission and values. This is basic advocacy and honors the elegant definition of public policy noted above.

For these reasons (and frankly more) 2015 looms with abundant promise. Can’t wait to see what comes next. How will you and your organization engage in public policy to further the missions so dear to your work and to make a positive impact on our communities?

Theresa Jacks, Deputy Director, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers.