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In 2001, the Schumann Fund for New Jersey and 10 private and corporate foundations agreed to collaborate on the multi-year Newark Lighthouse Initiative. The Initiative, led by two state nonprofit partners, the Association for Children of New Jersey and New Jersey Community Capital, had program and policy goals: to help three Newark-based early childhood programs move from good to exemplary, and to identify policy changes that would be necessary to enable other early-childhood programs to engage in similar efforts.
Funders over the initiative’s six-year life included the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Schumann Fund for New Jersey, Prudential Foundation, Lucent Technologies Foundation, Bank of America, Grable Foundation, Sagner Family Fund, Victoria Foundation, Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund, Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, BEA Foundation, United Way of Essex and West Hudson, MCJ Foundation, and Rosie’s For All Kids Foundation. Many funders agreed to make multi-year grants or to consider proposals for renewal of support over the life of the project.
The money was used first to support a needs assessment for each center, and then to help the centers attract and retain the most qualified teachers, implement the best teaching methods, and obtain or renovate to improve facilities. A portion of the funds was set aside for an independent evaluation of the initiative. The three centers chosen – Friendly Fuld Neighborhood Child Care, Ironbound Children’s Center, and Vailsburg Child Development Center – already had strong programs and recognized leadership. The funders believed that the extra support would enable them to improve the quality of their programs, serve as exemplars for other programs in the city, and provide teachers and parents tangible evidence of what quality looks like.
The Schumann Fund participated in the collaborative for a number of reasons. First, we understood the value of high-quality early-childhood education to children’s later success in school and in the workforce. We knew that many of the community-based programs in Newark had been operating for years with insufficient resources. We viewed the Abbott decision, which requires that the state’s 31 poorest school districts make “high-quality, well-planned preschool” available to every three-and four-year-old in those districts, as an opportunity to expand access to preschool and improve it significantly. We recognized that our investment in quality improvement could be sustained by the operating funds that the state and districts were providing to the preschool programs.
Second, each collaborating funder brought different strengths: knowledge of early-childhood policy and evaluation, expertise in community economic development, and long-term commitment to community service organizations in Newark. Third, we believed that by working together, we could more effectively use our finite resources. We could make it possible for grantees to focus on quality improvement rather than raising monies from separate funders. Participating grantmakers helped to develop the project’s framework and encouraged their colleagues to consider supporting it. Finally, we believed that by modeling collaboration among ourselves, we could encourage greater collaboration among our grantees.
There were challenges, of course. Each grantmaker had different guidelines, reporting requirements, and timetables and processes for reviewing proposals. Some were able to make multi-year grants; others were not. Several changed their guidelines or operating approach during the course of the project and were not able to continue funding it for the entire six years. During its initial phase, some elements of the original proposal changed, including the evaluation process and timeline. It took longer for the project to get off the ground than we originally anticipated. But ultimately, the trust that was established between all of the involved parties enabled us to approve the changes in the operations and timeline.
The Lighthouse project achieved its original goals of supporting quality improvements in all of the participating programs. The Association for Children of New Jersey and New Jersey Community Capital provided excellent technical assistance and planning support and identified obstacles to quality improvement that needed to be addressed through policy advocacy. In addition, the directors of two of the three programs have become effective leaders in Newark’s early-childhood community, and have presented their experiences with this project to national audiences.
This effort required us to commit time and expertise, in addition to money. It takes more effort to collaborate than it does to work in our conventional way, but it is worth it. We came away with a new appreciation for the work of our grantees; an understanding of the need for flexibility amid changing conditions on the ground; and the satisfaction – backed up by a dynamic evaluation – that our efforts contributed to tangible improvements in life-opportunities for the children and families that the centers serve.
Would we do it again? We are. This year, several New Jersey funders joined with six nonprofits, including three community organizing groups, to respond to a national request for proposal for support of education organizing. We were awarded the grant, the only statewide effort of the four that were awarded. We anticipate that the effort will engage parents and community members in local and statewide efforts to improve schools. And, we have brought national attention and national money to our work.
A sample conflict of interest form for independent private foundations.
This report highlights three philanthropic efforts to build the capacity of local communities in the West - The Ford Family Foundation’s Ford Institute Leadership Program, the Northwest Area Foundation’s Horizons Program, and the Orton Family Foundation’s Heart and Soul Community Planning Program.
CNJG's 2018 Annual Meeting & Holiday Luncheon pre-meeting workshop with Michelle Greanias from PEAK Grantmaking focused on how foundation CEO’s, program officers, staff, and trustees could engage internally to put values-based grantmaking into practice.
Walk the Talk Video
ADOPTED: 10/20/2023
APPROACH
CNJG takes an active role in championing the vital role New Jersey’s nonprofit sector plays in the state. We advocate for public policies that support a strong and fair economy, the economic and social well-being of New Jersey’s residents, a healthy environment, and civically engaged and educated communities. In keeping with our vision, we seek to advance equity and inclusive public policies. We promote participatory philanthropy, which seeks to include a diversity of voices in public policy development and implementation and ensure that those most affected are included in the public policymaking process. We advance trust-based philanthropy, which seeks to foster equitable relationships within the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors by redistributing power — systemically, organizationally, and interpersonally — in service of a healthier and more equitable nonprofit sector. We focus our public policy efforts on issues that affect or impact the nonprofit and/or philanthropic sectors, that potentially have long-term, systemic impact, and where the involvement of CNJG could positively shape the outcome of an issue. We encourage policymakers to engage with us and think of us as a resource as we advocate for strong policies to strengthen New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and recognize the sector for the valuable and essential role that it plays.
POLICY PRIORITIES
ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE. Philanthropy has a critical role to play in dismantling structural racism by advancing equitable public policy. We seek to analyze and support public policies that further racial equity, eliminate persistent racial disparities, and promote equitable outcomes across issue areas including health and well-being, education, economy, housing, and the environment.
A WELL-RESOURCED NONPROFIT SECTOR. A resilient and well-resourced New Jersey nonprofit sector is essential to a healthy and equitable New Jersey and a resilient economy that works for all. Too often, the nonprofit sector is under-resourced and under-valued for the critical role that it plays. We support policies that eliminate barriers to effective nonprofit operations, enable long-term fiscal planning, and encourage all New Jersey residents to support and engage with the nonprofit sector. Examples of policies we support include:
- state contracts that adequately compensate staff.
- multi-year investments in the nonprofit sector.
- government policies that support nonprofit innovation.
- reductions of “red tape.”
- increased government transparency.
- incentives for New Jersey residents to engage in charitable giving.
A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT TO SUPPORT INNOVATION. We seek to foster collaboration and enhanced coordination among the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and government at all levels. We support public policy initiatives and innovative efforts that further this aim.
SUPPORTING NONPROFITS’ ADVOCACY ROLE. We work to protect the vital ability of the nonprofit sector to advocate and engage in public policy, recognizing that the nonprofit sector plays an essential role in strengthening New Jersey’s economy, improving the lives of New Jersey residents, and advancing equity.
INVESTING IN PREVENTION, RESPONDING TO CRISIS AND SUPPORTING LONG-TERM RECOVERY. The philanthropic sector is often called upon to respond in times of crisis. We support public policies that make necessary investments to prevent such crises, including health, climate and natural disasters.
We also advocate for policies and investments to adequately respond to such crises and invest in long-term recovery, with a focus on prioritizing the needs of those communities that are most at-risk and hardest hit.
A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY & ENGAGED COMMUNITIES/CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. We support public policies that foster a healthy democracy, an engaged and educated populace, and the right of New Jersey residents to freely exercise their right to vote. We seek to advance efforts that remove barriers to civic engagement and voting.
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ABOUT THE COUNCIL OF NEW JERSEY GRANTMAKERS
VISION
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers envisions a healthy, thriving, and civically engaged New Jersey where people of all places, racial and ethnic identities, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, and identity expressions are valued for their gifts and talents, and we all can reach our full potential and participate generously in the common good.
MISSION
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers supports and elevates New Jersey’s philanthropic community through shared learning, collaborative and trusting relationships, network building, and leadership.
CORE VALUES
CNJG values shared power and leadership to advance our mission and vision. We look for opportunities for individual members, member institutions, and allied organizations across the social sector to engage in a common cause of supporting and elevating New Jersey's philanthropic community.
From expanding access to programs to exploring the inequitable origins of wealth, CNJG values equity as an organizing principle and lens for looking at our structure, business model, programs, and communications.
CNJG values trusting cross-sector relationships grounded in inclusion that seek out diverse voices, contributions, and participation from across the social sector. We are a network that works to form new alliances and broad coalitions to advance our mission and vision.
CNJG values learning and dialogue across our community as we explore, engage, and identify new ways of organizing ourselves and redefining philanthropy in broader ways.
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
More than a decade ago, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Philanthropy New York spearheaded a project to develop common application and report forms to help streamline the grant application process and ease the often time-consuming grant preparation process.
This application is a four-page form, which includes directions for use, a sample cover sheet, and the common grant proposal guidelines.
The separate Common Report Form follows closely the format of the New York/New Jersey Area Common Application Form.
Information for Grantmakers:
One of the core values at the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project (with whom CNJG partnered on a trust-based grantmaking learning series in the summer of 2021 – read about Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3) encourages funders to streamline their requirements for paperwork from nonprofits. Accepting the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Report Form is one way. Another is to accept reports from nonprofits that they submitted to a different funder.
Recent articles from Vu Le at NonprofitAF.com (We need to have a serious talk about character limits on grant applications and Trust-based grantmaking: What it is and why it’s critical to our sector), Joan Garry in the Chronicle of Philanthropy (A Plea from Community Nonprofits for Investment Equity and less Bureaucracy), and the research project by the Technology Association of Grantmakers (Grant Applications Share 39% Similarity According to New Research by TAG) in the summer of 2021 have re-focused attention on the concept of a common grant application.
CNJG encourages our members to review the application and report form, and consider accepting these forms (or using these questions on your online application / report form) from your current or potential grantees.
CNJG surveyed our members in August 2021 asking if they accepted the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Application and report form. CNJG members can download that report (link forthcoming).
Information for Grantseekers:
Before sending this (or any) application to any funder, be sure to check their specific funding guidelines and application requirements. Some funders require preliminary, additional, or supplementary information. Some funders only accept their own application form. CNJG members are under no obligation to accept either the common grant application or common grant report form.
Additional notes when using the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Application Form:
- Please check with each individual funder if they accept only their own form, the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Application form, or some other form.
- Funding area guidelines still apply. Research each organization’s funding areas to be sure your proposal fits within their guidelines before submitting your application.
- Any funder that has agreed to accept the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Application may request additional information at any stage in their application process.
- Every funder has different deadlines and timetables. Refer to each organization's funding and/or reporting guidelines.
- Do not submit the NY/NJ Area Common Grant Application or report form to the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. Submit your application directly to the organization from which you are requesting support.
- Questions should be directed to the organization from which you are requesting support.