You are here

Home » drive » Site Search

Site Search

 - resource provided by the Forum Network Knowledgebase.

Search Tip: Search with " " to find exact matches.
CNJG'S 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering
... sector can help nonprofit and government organizations drive impact in New Jersey communities.. On Day 1, the Annual ...
Event Type: Signature Events
Audience: All Funders
Unlocking Systems Thinking: Tools for Transformation

Join this virtual session introducing systems thinking principles and their vital role in driving meaningful change. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, this session will equip you with the knowledge to unlock transformative solutions for your organization and community.

The webinar will explore—and show participants how to apply—a systems change framework that adapts and expands the approach forged by New Jersey grantmaker, The Nicholson Foundation. This approach embodied collaboration with government, foundations, and community nonprofits to promote sustainable change in New Jersey. State leaders in government, nonprofits, and philanthropy will reflect on how they use systems thinking principles in New Jersey and their crucial role in getting to outcomes in health and early childhood education using community-based approaches. In addition to a deep dive on systems change in New Jersey, participants will gain insights from foundation leaders in Texas who are transforming complex systems, including education and behavioral health.

Key Takeaways
· Understand the Systems Change Framework: Analyze the systems affecting your work.
· Practical Tools: Acquire actionable insights to implement complex change.
· Interactive Learning: Engage in discussions, expert presentations, and real-world reflections.

Moderator and Panelists Focused on New Jersey
Kimberly Boller, PhD, former Executive Director of The Nicholson Foundation and CNJG Board member
Denise Anderson, PhD, Inaugural Executive Director of The Center for Health Equity & Wellbeing, New Jersey's Public Health Institute; and former Managing Director for the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health at the New Jersey Department of Health
Wendy McWeeney, MPA, Co-Director, Community Health Acceleration Partnership
Atiya Weiss, MPH, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation and former CNJG Board member

The Nicholson Foundation is sponsoring the webinar in partnership with the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Cost: $99. Please register by May 12. 

Contact Kimberly Boller with questions and requests for group pricing.
Event Type: Partner
Permissible Activity During an Election Cycle
Publication Date: June, 2014

Nonprofits can and should play an active role during elections, particularly by educating and activating voters. However, with important local, state and federal elections coming up this fall, nonprofits should take the time to remind their staff about appropriate activity during a political campaign or at any other time. This overview developed by Donors Forum provides important tips and examples of activities that are permissible for nonprofits during an election cycle.
Resource Type: Best Practice
Audience: All FundersCorporate GivingPolicy Makers
Topic: Public Policy
CNJG 2016 Spring Colloquium Marks 5th Anniversary

This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ biennial Spring Colloquium – A Conversation for the Social Sector - being held on May 24 at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. A CNJG signature event since 2006, the Colloquium brings together foundations and non-profits with national thought leaders to explore topics of critical interest to foundations and non-profits whose work impacts our state’s quality of life.

“The Colloquium is a natural outgrowth of our role as a central force in amplifying the voice of philanthropy in New Jersey,” said Nina Stack, President of the Council. “This special event gives foundation and non-profit leaders the benefit of hearing from our country’s leading social sector experts and the opportunity to apply what they learn to the important work they do to improve the lives of those they serve in New Jersey.”

The 2016 Spring Colloquium conversation will focus on how privatization and de-funding of many services once provided by the public sector has led to the expectation that grantmakers and their non-profit partners will increasingly assume responsibility for these services, despite dramatically diminished resources. The social sector is responding to this challenge with innovative funding initiatives. Detroit’s foundations, for example, devised the “Grand Bargain” to help solve that city’s pension crisis. Likewise, the use of social impact bonds is rising as a means of underwriting safety net programs. “This change in the ‘public contract’ necessitates thoughtful planning on the part of foundation and nonprofit leaders who must be prepared to meet this significant paradigm shift,” said Emily Tow Jackson, Executive Director and President of the Tow Foundation, and a 2016 Colloquium panelist.

Other panelists at this year’s Colloquium include moderator Robert S. Collier, the President and CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations; Elizabeth T. Boris, Founding Director of the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute; and Michael McAfee, Vice President for Programs at PolicyLink.

Over the years, the Colloquium has considered a diverse range of topics including philanthropy’s role in restoring civility to society; strategies to ensure community and nonprofit sustainability; philanthrocapitalism; and driving change by being fearless. The event has featured such prominent speakers as former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean; Idealist founder Ami Dar; U.S. editor of The Economist Matthew Bishop; and Philadelphia Federal Reserve Board Chairman, Jeremy Nowak, among many others.

In addition to serving New Jersey’s social sector, the Spring Colloquium will be viewed by CNJG regional philanthropy association members across the country via simulcast-hosted gatherings.

“PSE&G strongly believes in the power of the social sector’s collective impact and the leadership that CNJG has exhibited over the years by providing New Jersey’s foundations and non-profits with access to our counterparts from across the country,” said Ellen Lambert, Chief Diversity Officer, Senior Director Corporate Citizenship and President, PSEG Foundation, a sponsor of the 2016 CNJG Spring Colloquium. For more details about the Colloquium please visit www.cnjg.org/investmentforum.

The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers works to strengthen and promote effective philanthropy throughout New Jersey. The leading resource for networking and information for New Jersey's philanthropic community, CNJG provides representatives of all types of grantmaking organizations access to valuable services and meaningful activities to advance their work.
News Type: CNJG News
2023 CNJG Annual Meeting Wrap Up
... highlighted the importance of committee participation to drive CNJG’s work. Committees focus on a specific function ...
News Type: CNJG News
AI is Changing our World
...  outlines four critical concepts for philanthropy: drive sector-level vision, fund the back-end, develop ...
Philanthropy's Role in the 2020 Census

The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers joins the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation’s Funders Census Initiative, the United Philanthropy Forum, and philanthropy-serving organizations around the country in asking our members to commit to supporting and encouraging a fair and accurate census.

“Census Day,” April 1, 2020, is here and the time to act is now.

More than $800 billion annually in federal assistance to states, localities and families is distributed based on census data; yet historically, the census has missed disproportionate numbers of people of color, young children and the rural and urban poor, leading to inequality in political power and inaccessibility to public funding and private investment for these communities. Going into 2020, additional communities, including immigrants, refugees, unmarried women and the LGBTQ community are at risk of being missed.

Of that $800 billion, $17.56 billion distributed to our state is based on census data. Furthermore, in the 2010 census, return rates for New Jersey’s cities were very low: 55% in Newark, 50% in Irvington, 55% in Orange, 55% in Atlantic City, 56% in New Brunswick, 59% in Trenton, 60% in Paterson, and 61% in Camden. These communities are among those labeled Hard-to-Count (HTC). Being hard-to-count can lead to unequal political representation and unequal access to vital public and private resources for these groups and their communities. Our state has so much at stake, and we need to ensure a full, fair and accurate census. Without accurate census data, the communities you care about could see less investment in their vital public and private resources.

The Fund for New Jersey has created a website, which includes interactive maps to find Hard to Count areas, resources, and news. The Fund reminds us that almost everything we know about our communities comes from information collected during the census and its related surveys. Read The Fund for New Jersey’s policy paper, Toward a Fair and Accurate Census 2020 and a Timeline for Philanthropy, and download their checklist for outlining a number of ways philanthropy can support Census 2020.

The 2020 Census is facing unprecedented challenges, including years of underfunding, a climate of fear, and the challenges of the first “high tech” census.

Ways to Help

  1. Review the Funder Menu of Options created in partnership by United Philanthropy Forum and the Funders Census Initiative (FCI 2020) to help funders identify what they can to do.
  2. Join the Funders Census Initiative Working Group. As a working group member, you’ll have access to the core listserv for funders to connect on their work at the national, state and local levels. There is no cost, and you don’t need to be a FCCP member to join.
  3. Sign up to get ongoing updates from the Census Bureau, including America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers, the latest news, Tip sheets, and Stats for Stories. You can also partner with our Census Regional Office.
  4. Talk to your grantees about the importance of a full and accurate 2020 Census, and what it means for their community and their work. Encourage them to get involved by sending them this message, and sharing this write up for use in their e-communications.
  5. Advocate for a fair and accurate census, and for the resources to support a complete count in your community and statewide.
  6. Share information on your website; via mailings, e-blasts and social media; and at your board and staff meetings to inform people why the census matters to your community and your grantees.
  7. Join the Census 2020 NJ Coalition, a statewide outreach and awareness campaign to coordinate nonprofit and community-based efforts to ensure an accurate 2020 Census count in New Jersey. The Coalition is working together with the State of New Jersey Complete Count Commission and the U.S. Census Bureau to make sure the public has clear, accurate information about the importance of the upcoming Census.
  8. Keep the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers up to date on what you are doing. Please contact Theresa Jacks, Deputy Director for more information.  

It is difficult to overstate the importance of a fair census count. When census information is not accurate, it threatens to muffle the voices of undercounted groups and regions, and undermine the basic political equality that is central to our democracy. Institutions across the country, including local and state governments, businesses, nonprofits and foundations, routinely rely on data from the census to allocate funding, define where services are delivered, and promote economic development. Thank you for your commitment to making sure that everyone counts!

Websites to Visit

  • The Census Project
    A broad-based network of national, state, and local organizations that supports a fair and accurate 2020 Census and comprehensive American Community Survey (ACS — the modern version of the census “long form”). Participating stakeholders represent a diverse range of American sectors that rely on objective data for decision-making and promote civic engagement: business and industry; civil rights advocates; state and local governments; social service agencies; researchers and scientific associations; planners; foundations; and nonprofits focused on housing, child and family welfare, education, transportation, and other vital services.
  • Funders Census Initiative
    A project of the Funders Committee for Civic Participation, a philanthropy-serving organization spearheading Census-related work and information for funders.
  • United Philanthropy Forum
    The largest network serving philanthropy in America, consisting of regional and national philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs). Through the Census 2020 Project, the Forum is working with members to mobilize regional funders to advocate for policy improvements for the 2020 census, and to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of a fair and accurate census count to philanthropy. CNJG is a member of the Forum.
  • United States Census Bureau
    The Bureau's mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy and is the federal government’s largest statistical agency. The Decennial Census is the once-a-decade population and housing count of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas as required by the U.S. Constitution. The results of the decennial census determine the number of seats for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts and to distribute more than $675 billion in federal funds each year.
  • NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
    NJ's governmental department that works with the Census Bureau to conduct the census in New Jersey.
  • Advocates for Children of New Jersey – Census 2020 NJ
  • The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights – 2020 Census

Resources to Use

Webinars to Watch

Articles to Read
CNJG Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering

I can’t believe October began last weekend. I honestly don’t know where the time goes. Before you know it, the new year will be here.

Before that, I’m looking forward to our annual gathering of members – the CNJG 2023 Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering.

On Thursday, December 14, over 150 Council members and special guests will gather at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Edison to celebrate the holiday season, welcome new CNJG members, convene a brief business meeting to elect new trustees, feature a dynamic discussion related to the vital work of philanthropy, and provide an excellent opportunity to connect with your colleagues and friends – both old and new.

This year’s overall theme is Philanthropic Collaboratives: Driving Impact and Opportunity.

Together we’ll explore the collaborative process, surface opportunities and challenges, and uncover how to create sustainable partnerships for lasting impact. We’re thrilled to have FSG lead the morning workshop, Tools for Funder Collaboration. The morning workshop will share real life examples of how funders have actively engaged in collaborative efforts, used data for continuous learning, and ensured momentum and buy-in among partners.

Thank you to the Signature Programs Committee, led by co-chairs Christine Healey, President of the Healey Education Foundation, and Atiya Weiss, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation, for their commitment to bring this important topic to CNJG members. The 2023 - 2025 Strategic Plan uplifts collaborations as a way to create more value for member-organizations and the social sector, and catalyze other partnerships in support of all our communities.

The Annual Meeting is the one time per year when many CNJG members come together in one place, at one time, to convene, connect, and celebrate together. And as the “annual meeting of members,” I invite you to consider sponsorship of the event. Even if you’ve never sponsored this gathering before, this is an excellent opportunity to support our work, while also increasing visibility for your own organization and philanthropic efforts. We have a number of outstanding sponsorship opportunities for this event - all outlined here.

We hope you’ll consider supporting the Annual Meeting this year with a sponsorship.

Please call me at (609) 414-7110 extension 805, or email me if you need more information or require an online application to secure your sponsorship. We can also customize a sponsorship package for you.

Thank you to our sponsors to date – we could not do this without you: Signature Sponsor – Prudential, and Contributing Sponsors - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Devils Youth Foundation.

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the CNJG Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering. In the meantime, happy fall.

With all good wishes,

Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Reflect on the Impact We've Made and the Exciting Possibilities Ahead
... Impact , is about how we can use leadership to drive meaningful and lasting change. I'm excited to share ...
Spring Conference Update

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the CNJG’s 2025 Conference for the Social Sector — Stronger Together: Philanthropy & Civic Engagement on June 18! If you haven’t registered yet, please take a moment and register today for this important event. I also encourage you to invite your trustees, nonprofit partners, and colleagues to register.

Our spring Signature Convening brings together New Jersey’s philanthropic and nonprofit leaders for a day of shared learning, exchange, and community building. We’re deeply proud of the topics we’ve showcased over the years, and this year is no exception. We tackled the 2020 Census in 2019, and why it counts for the people of our state and the well-being of our communities. We uplifted the future of work and the role of philanthropy in 2021, with visionary conversations about equitable labor practices and new ways of working. The 2023 conference widely introduced Doing Good Better — a systems change initiative in partnership with the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits to reimagine how philanthropy and nonprofit partners work together.

We’ll open the day with our Spark: Civic Pulse session featuring a range of dynamic New Jersey leaders driving civic engagement across our state. The morning breakout sessions will accentuate the future of civic engagement: innovation, inclusion, and collective action; while the afternoon sessions are aimed at mobilization with civic tools, voices, and pathways to change. Our keynote speaker, Dale Anglin, Director of Press Forward, will explore and reinforce how civic engagement and democracy starts at the local level, and builds thriving, informed, and engaged communities. 

This year, we’re absolutely thrilled to highlight the important issue of civic engagement and what it looks like in practice throughout our communities and across multiple disciplines. We stand in extraordinary times, and these discussions are more crucial than ever. CNJG is well positioned to elevate and amplify these conversations for, and on behalf of, New Jersey’s social sector.

I hope you’re intrigued and excited by the topic as well, and I invite you to join us as a sponsor for this very special convening of sector leaders. We have four categories of sponsorship available:

  • Champion Sponsor - $8,000 – 2 available
  • Collaborator Sponsor - $6,000 – 3 Available
  • Connector Sponsor - $5,000 - 3 Available
  • Colleague Sponsor - $3,000 – 2 available

Click here for the full sponsorship package. 

Please feel free to reach out to me or my colleague, Development Associate Fortunata Cuomo via e-mail if you have questions or want to learn more about how you can support this exceptional gathering. We can also customize a sponsorship package for you, and if you’re not able to sponsor, we hope you can underwrite the event with a contribution.

Thank you to our sponsors to date: PSEG, Sixers Youth Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kearny Bank, the Stone Foundation for New Jersey, PKF O’Connor Davies, and The Palace at Somerset Park. Thank you also to NJM Insurance Group for a donation in support of the event.

Your support makes all the difference.

Warmly, 

Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
2023 Conference for the Social Sector: Doing Good Better

Date: Tuesday, May 23
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location
The Palace at Somerset Park
 333 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ

The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is pleased to present our 2023 Conference for the Social Sector on May 23, 2023. The conference theme will focus on our initiative: Doing Good Better, a partnership between the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits. This long-term initiative aims to shift the culture of the New Jersey philanthropic and nonprofit ecosystem by encouraging funders, nonprofits, and government to create shared power rooted in collaboration, mutual trust, and respect.

The 2023 Spring Conference for the Social Sector: Doing Good Better will explore how funders and nonprofits can address philanthropy’s power imbalances, rethink traditional grantmaking practices to better serve New Jersey communities, and position equity as a driving force. For many years, but particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and the heightened outcry for racial equity and social justice, funders have been urged to embrace more flexibility and transparency in their grantmaking. Practices such as general operating support, simplified application and reporting procedures, multi-year funding and others have been shown to level the power imbalance, advance greater equity, strengthen partnerships between funders and their nonprofit partners, and thereby improve community impact. The conference will present strategies and tools including trust-based philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, power redistribution, and others that we can all employ to inform and realign processes, systems, and culture in the social sector. Join foundation, philanthropic, government, and nonprofit colleagues to learn about and leverage these tools. Together, we will discover and strategize how we collectively can "do good better”.

Agenda  
 8:00 -  9:00 am Registration/Breakfast/Networking/Resource Marketplace
 9:00   10:00 am Opening Plenary
10:00 - 10:15 am Networking & Resource Marketplace
10:15 - 11:30 am Breakout Sessions
11:30 - 11:45 am Networking & Resource Marketplace
11:45 - 1:00 pm Luncheon Plenary
1:00 - 1:30 pm Table Discussions
1:30 - 1:45 pm Networking & Resource Marketplace
1:45 - 3:00 pm Breakout Sessions
3:00 - 4:00 pm Ice Cream reception/Networking/Resource Marketplace
Event Type: Signature Events
NJ Philanthropy Hub
... nonprofits, and policymakers to strengthen communities, drive innovation, and build a more equitable future for all ...
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, with Impala, Announces Upcoming Launch of Groundbreaking New Jersey Philanthropy Hub
... exist, and where new opportunities for collaboration can drive greater impact. “The New Jersey Philanthropy Hub will ...
News Type: CNJG News
Job Bank/Virtual Marketplace
... CPA , Partner Private Foundation Practice 20 Commerce Drive, Suite 301 Cranford, NJ  07016 (908) 272-6200 ... landscapes, SAX provides strategic solutions that drive growth, compliance, and long-term success. Founded in ...
Inclusive Growth Score Overview
Publication Date: December, 2020

The Inclusive Growth ScoreTM provides local planners, governments and impact investors with a clear, simple view of social and economic indicators for any census tract in the United States.
Resource Type: Website
Virtual Volunteering/Employee Volunteering During COVID-19 Query
Publication Date: June, 2020

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.
Resource Type: Case StudyCNJG Documents/Reports
Disaster Recovery Plans for Foundations
Publication Date: January, 2011

Sample disaster preparedness and recovery plans for foundations.
Resource Type: Sample Document/Template
Audience: All Funders
Topic: Administration
Funding Area: Disaster Response/Relief
2020 Virtual Annual Meeting Resources
Publication Date: December, 2020
Resource Type: CNJG Documents/Reports
5 Ways That Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Has Engaged Philanthropy in New Jersey’s Largest City

by Tai Cooper and Jeremy Johnson

“When I Become Mayor, We All Become Mayor”
When Ras J. Baraka won the mayoral election for New Jersey’s largest city last year, expectations were high. The former South Ward councilman, one-time principal of Central High School and son of the famed poet-activist Amiri Baraka championed a populist vision. During the campaign, he famously told residents, “When I become Mayor, we all become Mayor!”

In the days leading up to, and following the election, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers recognized an opportunity to work intensively with the incoming mayor. CNJG had previously established a nonpartisan, City Hall-based Newark Philanthropic Liaison office, in collaboration with then Mayor Cory Booker in 2007.

Following the transition, Mayor Baraka and CNJG built exciting new bridges.

For example, the Mayor included the grantmakers’ recommendations for collaboration as an appendix to his strategic plan, The Blueprint for a New Newark.

“We felt this transition was a time for funders to ‘lean in,’” said Nina Stack, President of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers.   “The grantmaking community spent seven years organizing ourselves to work collectively with the City of Newark.  Under Mayor Baraka, we saw an opportunity to build on old investments and create new ones.”

Prioritizing Five Pillars
It’s impossible for philanthropy to be a panacea for all of Newark’s challenges.  But the Mayor’s team appreciated the value that philanthropic partners brought to the table. Fueled with support from CNJG members, including the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Newark Philanthropic Liaison office, in concert with the Mayor’s Chief Policy Advisor, set about to convene, connect, and leverage partnerships and resources for Mayor-identified pillars.

Among dozens of issues, the Mayor has cited five initiatives as worthy of philanthropic engagement and top of mind attention.  So far in 2015, $3 million in private support is helping seed strategies that show promise for Newark residents.

1. Public Safety

Mayor Baraka has long understood violence to be a public health issue.  He has won praise for a constant rhythm of neighborhood events, summits, and youth presentations to address violence.  Local funders have rallied around several prongs of the Mayor’s initiatives.   For example, CNJG members funded a cross-sector retreat to coalesce multiple public safety partners working in the city.  That retreat has led to the creation of the Safer Newark Council, committed to inter-connected solutions to reduce violent crime and improve perceptions of safety.

An accompanying funder-supported initiative is the Newark Community Street Team.  The team comprises 15 outreach workers in the South Ward Model Neighborhood Initiative.  They are assisting approximately 100 individuals to stabilize their lives and turn away from a life of crime, through mentoring, life skills, and case management.

2. Education – Communities Schools/Read and Believe

As a former principal, Mayor Baraka has been outspoken on the critical role of education in Newarkers’ lives.  His appointment of Dr. Lauren Wells as Chief Education Officer in the Office of Comprehensive Community Education has helped inaugurate long-term and short-term public-private efforts.

Dr. Wells has written how “community schools” help mitigate the impacts of poverty on students and provide an environment that can greatly improve schools.  Launching community schools will necessitate early support from the funding community. Encouraging discussions are underway among neighborhood residents, funders, and education leaders.

Read and Believe, a literacy-focused initiative, imagines a city that takes on literacy as a communal cause. The umbrella campaign includes, among several programs,My Very Own Library.  CNJG members, including the Foundation for Newark’s Future, as well as Rutgers, individual donors and Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge, enabled MVOL to serve 27,000 Newark Public School students in grades K-8 students.  Each child selected four free books to take home for summer break.

3. Centers of Hope

The Centers of Hope are nine community-based centers in all five of Newark’s wards that allow access to City services, wellness and enrichment opportunities where people live and work.  Four centers have opened thus far, some focusing on young women, special needs, entrepreneurship, and municipal ID access.  All offer a variety of after school, athletic, arts and culture, educational, environmental, healthy living, free WiFi and recreation programming to engage children and families.

4. My Brother’s Keeper Newark

The Mayor’s My Brother’s Keeper Newark initiative is part of a nationwide, White House-led campaign to empower boys and men of color and strengthen the systems that ensure their success.  MBKN’s goals are dependent on cross-sector partnerships, data-mining, and a combination of policy and direct-service projects.  CNJG members have provided seed funding for the MBKN’s initial roundtables, forums, and on-ramping initiatives.  Most notable was a “Young Men of Color and Law Enforcement” forum at Central High School, designed to address issues that damage the relationship between African-American and Latino youth and law enforcement.  The White House has recognized MBKN as a leader among the national communities that are building greater supports for young men of color.

5. Summer Youth Employment Program and Postsecondary Access

One of the biggest success stories of the year was the dramatic increase in the number of teenagers employed in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program.  Newark went from 1,500 last summer to over 2,600 youth who got jobs.  The growth was prompted by a partnership between the Mayor’s office, funders, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC).  One thousand of the teens were enrolled in jobs that provided not only a paycheck but also learning opportunities for coding, urban landscaping, and an NCLC Summer Learning Institute on the campus of Essex County College.  Financial empowerment and banking support for these first time workers, made possible from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, was an added bonus.

The New York Times recently praised Mayor Baraka for defying expectations. Working collaboratively with residents, institutions, and funders, the Mayor is driving the change that makes Newark a city we all can believe in.

Tai Cooper is Chief Policy Advisor to Mayor Ras J. Baraka.  Jeremy Johnson is the Newark Philanthropic Liaison, a position funded by the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers as a joint venture with the Mayor.
News Type: Newark Liaison
Membership

What CNJG Can Do for You

Foundations of all types and sizes are engaging in grantmaking efforts with a complexity that often calls for input from colleagues. CNJG is the go-to center for information, connection, and leadership among a growing network of grantmakers throughout New Jersey.

We are connectors, conveners, knowledge brokers, facilitators and collaborators. We are a network serving Family Foundations, Private Foundations, Corporate Grantmakers, Public/Government Grantmakers, Giving Circles, Federated Funds, Trusts, and Family Office Advisors. CNJG's membership works toward the shared goals of improved practice, expanded impact through collective action, and most importantly, stronger communities.

98% of CNJG members with an opinion say CNJG 

  • Provides access to programming they wouldn’t find elsewhere
  • Makes them better philanthropy practioners
  • Has high quality programming
  • Provides access to relationships and collaborations they wouldn’t have established otherwise.
  • Meets or exceeds their expectations for membership 

Corporate Foundations

Corporate Foundations and Giving programs work smarter and extend the reach of their philanthropic dollars through CNJG. We provide:

  • Benchmarking tools and data to help you set goals and measure impact.
  • Broad access to peer funders, influential leaders and legislative decision-makers throughout New Jersey.
  • Cost-effective, local, high-quality knowledge-building programs that will boost your operational effectiveness – available online and in person.
  • The latest news and information that impacts and drives corporate philanthropy locally and around the world.
  • Affinity groups that deepen your understanding of needs and opportunities in areas that align with your corporate giving mission, including our newest affinity group – the New Jersey Corporate Network.
  • Listserves that enable you to connect to not only other corporate funders, but other grantmaking colleagues on different issues and/or geographic areas.

“The Council provides a network where I can tap into colleagues who may have valuable experience with an issue, grantee or vendor. In addition, Council research can prove extremely useful for any number of decisions, large or small.” -Etta Denk, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Bank of America

“The programs and seminars that CNJG produces are always substantive.  From a professional development point of view Council membership is extremely cost effective.“ –Marion O’Neill, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, PSEG

Family Foundations

Family foundations represent approximately one-third of the membership of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. Join CNJG and you will:

  • Have the opportunity to participate in monthly  interactive webinars featuring presentations and Q&A sessions with nationally recognized experts in different areas of family philanthropy. Presented in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy, these webinars take place on the second Thursday of each month.
  • Have complimentary access to Family Philanthropy Online — a web-based knowledge center that provides practical advice and knowledge on a variety of relevant topics. Continually updated, the site provides members with access to the latest resources to inform their philanthropic efforts. Logged in CNJG members may access Family Philanthropy Online directly from our website through our members-only portal.
  • Participate in Affinity Groups that deepen your understanding of needs and opportunities in areas within your foundation’s giving mission.
  • Connect to the experience, knowledge and best practices of other grantmakers throughout the country.
  • Get access to discounts on board liability insurance, technology and industry publications.
  • Take advantage of CNJG’s vast library of how-to resources.
  • Attend cost-effective, local, high-quality knowledge-building programs that will boost your operational effectiveness – online, by phone and in person. 
  • Save on CNJG’s signature events featuring national experts, workshops focused on skill-building and best practices, and networking opportunities.
  • Meet influential leaders and legislative decision-makers throughout New Jersey.

“One of the greatest benefits has been the opportunity to meet people who are working in much larger foundations...people who are doing things on a different scale, and to be able to hear what they’re doing and learn from them.” -Sharon Karmazin, President, The Karma Foundation

“Our CNJG membership has helped us to be more effective and efficient grantmakers, and allows us to tap into the expertise of the broader philanthropic community.” -Bill Gibson, Trustee, Leavens Foundation

“Access to the Family Foundation teleconferences has been helpful. What we have listened to has been good, engaged  discussion germane to family foundations, in particular issues around multi-generational family philanthropy and the dynamics on such Boards.” - Dillard Kirby, President & Director, F.M. Kirby Foundation

Out of State Funders

Organizations and individuals (as defined on the Eligibility & Criteria page) headquartered outside of New Jersey that provide charitable funding in New Jersey can stay informed of the latest news and important information regarding New Jersey’s philanthropic community through membership in CNJG. As membership is organization-based, any of your representatives, including staff and trustees located in or near New Jersey, are welcome to attend our programs.

Please note that dues for out-of-state funders are based only on your giving in New Jersey.

Private Donors

Private donors who are unaffiliated with a private or family foundation, or whose giving assets might be held with a Community Foundation or other donor advised funds, may join CNJG and engage with other grantmakers to enhance their personal giving.

 

To learn more about CNJG membership, contact Craig Weinrich at (609) 414-7110 x802

Pages