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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

I’m absolutely thrilled about the upcoming 2025 CNJG Conference for the Social Sector on June 18. Planning for the event has given us ample opportunity to consider and explore the many different ways that people participate in civic engagement. 

It’s also broadened our definition. One definition comes from our colleagues at Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement: 

Civic engagement is the process of helping people be active participants in building and strengthening their communities, whether defined as a place or a shared identity or interest. It’s a spectrum of ways people can participate in self-governance, from interactions with government to voluntary associations, and everything in between.

This past Memorial Day, my husband and I visited our fathers’ gravesites at Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Both of our dads served in the Air Force. We grew up with a sense of civic engagement. I share this because — EVERYONE — has, or is currently, partaking in civic engagement. If you were a girl scout — civic engagement. If you’ve ever written a letter to a government official — civic engagement. If you’ve volunteered for a community cleanup — civic engagement. If you collect data as part of a citizen scientist project — civic engagement. If you serve on your local school or a nonprofit board — civic engagement. If you voted — civic engagement. 

Civic engagement is undeniably crucial for a healthy democracy. By participating in civic activities, individuals contribute to a more vibrant and equitable society.

Democracy in action IS civic engagement. We’re partnering with our friends at the
New Jersey Council for the Humanities to collect conference attendees’ thoughts on our democracy and reflect on their role in civic society. During the opening session, we’ll have a prompt card at each table asking attendees to answer a question related to civic engagement. This will add our voices — New Jersey’s philanthropic and nonprofit sector leaders – to our national story and underscore that the actions we take in our own communities absolutely matter. 

We have an exciting and packed conference agenda, vibrant and brimming with examples and stories of civic engagement! The opening Spark! Civic Pulse session will hear from six dynamic New Jersey social sector leaders who will share their definition of civic engagement through the lens of their organizations’ missions and work. The morning sessions will foster inspiration and conversation about civic engagement, while the afternoon sessions will focus on mobilization and action. Keynote speaker Dale Anglin, Press Forward, will tackle the vital role that local news plays in fueling strong communities. 

I’m immensely proud of the range of topics our spring conferences have elevated over the years. The 2019 New Jersey Conference for the Social Sector: Census 2020 – Defining the Next 10 Years was a clear and explicit call to support a full and accurate census. During COVID, our 2021 Virtual Conference dove into the future of work. The information and insights shared during the event still resonate today. The 2023 Conference challenged us to understand and embed Doing Good Better in our philanthropic discussions and grantmaking protocols. Lifting up these topics feels like civic engagement to me.  

CNJG has added our support to several sign-on letters - another act of civic engagement. I hope you will consider adding your foundation’s name to the National Letter to Protect and Strengthen Nonprofit Organizations in the Tax Package. As you know, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by the House and is now in the hands of the Senate. While it does include a time-limited universal charitable deduction for non-itemizers, the bill also includes several provisions that will adversely affect the philanthropic and nonprofit sector, among them: 

• Tiered Tax Increase on Private Foundation Investment Income: The proposal to impose substantially higher excise tax rates on the net investment income of private foundations based on their asset size remains in the bill. This could still significantly reduce funds available for grantmaking and charitable programs.
   
• 1% Floor for Corporate Charitable Contributions: The bill retains the 1% floor, meaning corporations could only deduct charitable contributions exceeding 1% of their taxable income. This could lead to a decrease in corporate philanthropy.

The letter urges lawmakers not to use the nonprofit sector “as a revenue source to pay for other unrelated policies.” Thank you to our national partners, United Philanthropy Forum, the Council on Foundations, the National Council of Nonprofits, and Independent Sector for coordinating the sign-on letter and continuing to advocate on behalf of the sector. The deadline to sign the letter is Friday, June 6, at 9 a.m.

And finally, in case you missed it, the Community Foundation of New Jersey has created a rapid-response fund; the NJ Strong: Emergency Fund aims to provide a safety net for nonprofits, help them weather this funding crisis, and minimize service disruptions in our communities. Other funds include the New Jersey Sustainability and Resiliency Fund and EQUIP NJ’s fund.

I look forward to seeing you at the 2025 CNJG Conference for the Social Sector: Stronger Together — Philanthropy and Civic Engagement on June 18! The opportunities for civic engagement are boundless. Whether your organization’s mission clearly states a commitment to civic engagement or works behind the scenes to move forward strong communities, I hope you will leave the gathering inspired and energized!

And in the spirit of participation — early voting has already started. I encourage you to make your voice heard!

Best,

Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers

How the government can partner with impact investors to unleash new capital, talent and energy for maximum impact.

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Despite a field replete with research, analysis, recommended policies and practices — not to mention an abundance of educational programs and frameworks for grantmaking to diverse communities — philanthropic leaders have been slow to advance these values in their foundations. Philanthropy Northwest (PNW) wondered: what is getting in the way? Why are good intentions, buttressed with theory and practical advice, not achieving better results on measures of diversity, equity and inclusion?

With the support of the D5 Coalition, PNW began a year-long study to explore these questions. The study was divided into two parts. They began with personal interviews of 23 philanthropic leaders in the Pacific Northwest. In order to better understand how these organizations incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion into their work and workplaces, they collected baseline information about their staff composition, leadership styles, and organizational practices/policies.

This report details their findings. It includes an in-depth look at the peer cohort model, in which ten foundation leaders met regularly to discuss these issues and support each other in advancing their own leadership. It also includes practical lessons about shifting organizational cultures towards greater diversity, equity and inclusion — lessons drawn directly from the experiences of peer cohort leaders.

PNW presented this work in a webinar hosted by the D5 Coalition. The webinar recording and slides are below.

Foundations Facilitate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Partnering with Community and Nonprofits, a new report by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, confirms that foundations can, in fact, facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through their grantmaking processes and their partnerships with nonprofits—and identifies eight specific practices for foundations to emulate.

The report takes a deep dive into the work of nine foundations that represent a diverse cross-section of types and sizes, and offers useful lessons about how foundations can better partner with nonprofits to be more effective in their work.