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Recent Supreme Court affirmative action rulings and sweeping government executive actions are targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and access initiatives in the public and private sectors. Please join us for this web briefing, the first in a series, which will cover the latest legal developments and offer suggestions for nonprofits to chart a course in this landscape, remaining true to their missions and the people and communities they serve, while mitigating risk to their organization.
Presenter: Lloyd Freeman, Esq., Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Buchanan Ingersoll
Cost: Free for all funders
Note: this session will not be recorded.
This program is co-presented by the Council of New Grantmakers, New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, Gathering Ground, Grunin Foundation, Pro Bono Partnership, Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective, and Support Center.
Join Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) for a conversation with Norma on visionary strategy, collective practice, and what leaps we need to make in a time of maximum fear.
In her book, When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, Shared Purpose, and Leadership in the Timeplace of Collapse, Zen master and Indigenous Hawaiian leader Norma Wong describes this time as an era of collective acceleration, where the swiftly moving current, fed and shaped by human actions, sweeps us toward ever uncertain futures. In her book and in her work, Norma invites us not only to imagine, but to live into, a story beyond crisis and collapse.
Registration:
There is no cost for this webinar.
You will need to log in or create an account on GCIR's website to register for this program.
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
You will have an opportunity to learn about the collaborative process that resulted in this first version of the framework. In addition, you will hear from peers and practitioners who contributed to the development of the framework. Don't miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the framework's design principles and how they foster equity, transparency, and responsible AI adoption.
Speakers
Jean Westrick, Executive Director, TAG
Gozi Egbuonu, Director of Programs, TAG
Who Should Attend
Grantmaking Executives
Philanthropy Tech Professionals
Program Managers
Technology Leaders
AI for Good Enthusiasts and Advocates
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
Jean Westrick, Executive Director
Technology Association of Grantmakers
Jean Westrick is the Executive Director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers, a nonprofit organization that cultivates the strategic, equitable, and innovative use of technology in philanthropy. Westrick brings two decades of experience building communities, leveraging technology, and leading innovative and programmatic strategies. Prior to being named Executive Director of TAG, Westrick was the Director of IT Strategy and Communications at The Chicago Community Trust where she led change management efforts for the foundation’s $6M digital transformation initiative. Also, while at The Trust, Westrick directed On the Table, an award-winning engagement model designed to inspire resident action that was replicated in 30 cities nationwide. A longtime advocate for equity in STEM education, expanding technology access and increasing science literacy, Westrick holds a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and a Master of Science from DePaul University.
Gozi Egbuonu, Director of Programs
Technology Association of Grantmakers
Gozi Egbuonu is the Director of Programs at the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), a nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate the strategic, equitable, and innovative use of technology in philanthropy. Prior to TAG, Gozi was an Impact Officer at Network for Good’s (now Bonterra) capacity-building program called Jumpstart. Through her advocacy for philanthropic investments in the technological capacity of talented nonprofit leaders and organizations throughout the United States, Gozi helped generate more than $500,000 in capacity-building funds to help nonprofits become more sustainable. In addition to helping generate lasting impact for nonprofits, Gozi created meaningful content and events aimed at educating philanthropic communities on the power of trust-based partnerships between grantmakers and nonprofits. Committed to using technology to improve lives and advance social change, Gozi is researching the use of medical technology to improve healthcare delivery while earning her doctorate in behavioral health from Cummings Graduate Institute. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Washington and Lee University, a Master of Arts from Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and a Master of Science from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
By now you’ve heard the sad news. One of New Jersey’s most recognized, accomplished, and beloved leaders in the philanthropic sector passed away on Sunday, January 28.
Jeffrey Vega, President and CEO, Princeton Area Community Foundation, CNJG Board Chair from 2021 to 2023, and Board Trustee from 2016 to 2023, succumbed to an especially rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Jeff joined the CNJG Board of Trustees in 2016. As Board Chair, he led and guided CNJG through the pandemic years, a leadership transition, and strategic planning process. His legacy of leadership includes the 2023 - 2025 Strategic Plan, the creation of a Racial Equity Taskforce, now a committee of the Board, strengthening and improving our governance practices and policies, our first policy agenda, and adoption of the New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy, our equity principles.
It was with great pleasure that we celebrated Jeff at the Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering on December 14, as he rotated off the Board, and presented him with a framed gift highlighting and praising his leadership and work with the Council. Jeff shared with me that the event was one of the best days of his life. He told me how grateful he was for the love and friendship he felt in the room. Angie, his wife, accompanied him to the gathering, and recorded the business portion of the meeting. Jeff said, when he and Angie went home, they watched the event with Nico, his son. Jeff was truly happy and touched. It meant so much to him. I’m grateful that we were able to give him that special day.
The CNJG Board and team are discussing how we can honor Jeff. Once we have a better idea, we’ll share with you. In the meantime, the Princeton Area Community Foundation has created a beautiful tribute – Remembering Jeffrey M. Vega.
On a more personal note, it was an absolute joy to work so closely with Jeff in his role as Board Chair. When Jeff and I were planning the Board agendas and Board discussions, he always wanted to focus on the positive. He always wanted Board members to walk away feeling uplifted, valued, and inspired. He spoke many times about how much he appreciated his Board colleagues, and all the CNJG members. There was a certain kind of harmony that surrounded Jeff. One felt enveloped in that harmony in talking and sharing space with Jeff.
Like all of us, I can’t believe he’s gone, and I miss him. We all miss him. Rest in peace, dear friend, and colleague. Thank you for inspiring us, Jeff. You truly made a difference in the lives of so many. I can truly say that I am a better person for just knowing you. I’ve heard countless others say the same. Your legacy lives on.
Warmly,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
One year from now the 2020 Census will be in full swing. This nationwide, constitutionally-mandated count, conducted once every ten years, is our opportunity to ensure that New Jersey residents are accurately counted to secure the resources needed to support our communities. Nationally, more than $800 billion in federal funding as well as fair, proportional voting representation are at stake. In New Jersey, allocations from 16 federal programs including Medicaid, education grants, and even highway planning and construction are allotted based on the census count. This totaled over $17 billion in 2015.
But the 2020 Census is facing unprecedented challenges, including years of underfunding, a climate of fear, the challenges of the first “high tech” census, and the potential addition of an untested citizenship question. That means we will all have to work together to overcome these challenges and help achieve a fair and accurate census to ensure that the hardest-to-count communities—like people of color, low-income folks, LGBTQ people, immigrant communities, rural communities, and young children—aren’t missed. Based on the latest census estimates, approximately 22% of New Jersey’s population lives in hard-to-count areas.
CNJG joins the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation’s Funders Census Initiative, 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.
The Census is one of our nation’s most important and consequential civic obligations. Getting it right and counting everyone ensures people and communities can thrive.
Please feel free to reach out to me or Deputy Director Theresa Jacks for information about the Council’s work on behalf of a full, fair and accurate 2020 Census.
Sincerely,
Maria Vizcarrondo, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Culture Workers often face inconsistent income and undervaluation of their work. Traditional budgeting models leave many without (or lack adequate support of) fair compensation using the belief that mission-motivation and passion for the work replaces the need for competitive salaries. The Solidarity Economy is an innovative and inclusive economic framework that prioritizes social justice, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. Join us for a compelling conversation about funding practices that use a solidarity-based approach and find out what New Jersey funders are learning about local compensation trends from the ArtsPay NJ report. Together we will explore ways to advocate and take action around worker pay equity and beyond.
Panelists:
John McEwen, Executive Director – New Jersey Theatre Alliance
Erica Nagel, Deputy Director – New Jersey Theatre Alliance
Eddie Torres, President & CEO – Grantmakers in the Arts
Moderator:
Diane Felcyn, Program Officer – New Jersey State Council on the Arts
Webinar Video
Resources
Solidarity Not Charity: Arts & Culture Grantmaking in the Solidarity Economy - Grantmakers in the Arts
Solidarity Economy Resources - Grantmakers in the Arts
Grants to Worker Cooperatives & Small Businesses — The Reader - Grantmakers in the Arts
Grantmakers’ Changes in Practice 2023 — The Reader - Grantmakers in the Arts
Support for Individual Artists’ Committee - Grantmakers in the Arts
ArtsPay NJ - New Jersey Theatre Alliance
ArtsPay NJ - Information, Reports, and Dashboard
ArtsPay NJ - Interactive Dashboard
ArtsPay NJ - Full Report
ArtsPay NJ - Summary Report
Webinars
Upcoming: Wednesday, October 23
Move the Money: Nuts & Bolts: Making Grants to Cooperatively Owned Small Businesses
Previous
Move the Money: Grantmakers in the Arts & Art.Coop Solidarity Economy Discussion Series
Move the Money Series: Guaranteed Income
Move the Money: The Richness of Southern Soils: Supporting Black Farming and Food
As society grapples with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, the "Responsible AI Adoption in Philanthropy" guide provides pragmatic guidance and a holistic evaluation framework for grantmakers to adopt AI in alignment with their core values. The framework emphasizes the responsibility of philanthropic organizations to ensure that the usage of AI enables human flourishing, minimizes risk, and maximizes benefit.
The framework includes considerations for AI adoption in three key areas – Organizational, Ethical, and Technical – each essential for grantmakers considering the use of AI.
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
In the fifth session in WRAG's Putting Racism on the Table series (2016), Manuel Pastor, Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, discussed the experience of nonblack racial minorities in America, the implications of demographic change, and the urgent need to invest in equity.
Watch the video
Nina Stack, CNJG's President, is interviewed on "One on One with Steve Adubato" about the Council's work, including our 20th anniversary, the Newark Philanthropic Liaison, and our work after Superstorm Sandy.
One on One with Steve Adubato
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has announced that its Emergency Services Pavilion will be named in honor of The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey upon completion of a massive and historic renovation set to begin shortly.
“Newark Beth Israel’s relationship with The Healthcare Foundation is special, and we are pleased and proud to celebrate their support in this manner,” said Darrell K. Terry, Sr., MHA, MPH, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.
“The future is certainly bright at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center as we prepare to embark on this $100 million expansion of our facility. With a generous new commitment of $5 million toward this project, and over $25 million of additional programmatic and capital support over the past twenty-five years, we felt it would be incredibly appropriate to have the Foundation’s name on such an important and visible aspect of the way we care for the communities we serve,” added Terry.
The new $5 million grant is the largest single commitment in the hospital’s one hundred-and-twenty-one year history and will help support the renovation of the hospital’s emergency department.
“Amy Schechner, HFNJ Chair, and I are extremely pleased and proud that the Foundation has made this commitment to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and, by extension, to the people of Newark, who deserve access to the very best medical care available”, said Marsha Atkind, Executive Director/CEO of the Foundation. “We are confident that this major renovation of the hospital will enhance that care and contribute to the revitalization of Newark’s South Ward.”
Impact100 South Jersey, a local women’s collective giving initiative, awarded $200,000 in grants to three South Jersey nonprofits, the group said this week.
The grants come from the simple model that is Impact100: Around the world, individual members contribute $1,000 toward large, transformative grants for nonprofits in their communities.
The Fund for Women and Girls of the Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded a record $325,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations.
This funding is the largest amount awarded in any cycle of the Fund’s more than 20-year history and includes a first-time award for the Liz Gray Erickson Memorial Grant, a 3-year grant given in memory of the Princeton resident who served as the chair of the Fund from 2012 to 2014.
“Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our Fund for Women and Girls members, we’ve awarded more than $1 million in grants to more than three dozen nonprofits in the last five years,” said Jenifer Morack, Fund Co-Chair.
Fund members pool their donations, then recommend grants to be awarded annually to local nonprofits. Isabel Zisk, Fund Co-Chair, said making a gift to the Fund is incredibly effective. Individual donations create a leveraged pool of funding that greatly benefits nonprofits working to impact the well-being of women, girls and communities in our region.
“We do what no individual donor has the expertise, time or access to do,” she said, explaining that the Fund’s Grants Committee members read dozens of applications and conduct site visits with nonprofits. “Because of some very generous gifts, this year, we have the honor of awarding the Liz Gray Erickson Memorial Grant. With her visionary leadership, Liz planted the seeds of our grantmaking focus.”
In New Jersey, an estimated 762,530 people are facing hunger, according to Feeding America. As the pandemic continues, hunger relief organizations in New Jersey and across the country are facing ongoing challenges such as increased demand for their services and rising food prices.
To that end, Bank of America announced a $700,000 investment to Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Fulfill and Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to address food insecurity in the region. The investment is expected to provide approximately 1.75 million meals.
Earlier this year, Bank of America announced it would make a $100 donation to local hunger relief organizations and food banks for each employee in New Jersey who received a COVID-19 booster shot or vaccine and notified the bank before the end of January.
The company made an additional contribution to address the increased need experienced by hunger relief organizations across the country. Since the onset of the pandemic, Bank of America has provided $2.29 million in funding to Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Fulfill and TASK in support of local hunger relief efforts.
“As the pandemic continues to impact our New Jersey communities, food banks and hunger relief organizations are experiencing increased demand and higher costs to meet the needs of individuals and families,” said Alberto Garofalo, president, Bank of America New Jersey. “Our commitment to help strengthen the communities we live in and serve is unwavering, which is why we are investing in the health, safety and well-being of our teammates, while also providing funds to help our longtime nonprofit partners that are tirelessly working to fight food insecurity and ensure each of our neighbors has access to a meal.”
I Am Trenton Community Foundation announces awards totaling more than $50,000 to 19 grassroots community programs building resilience, challenging structural inequality and enhancing the lives of Trenton residents through its Citywide grant program.
I Am Trenton Community Foundation is an all-volunteer nonprofit putting resources where they matter most—in local projects run by residents. Since 2010, IAT has invested more than $400,000 in more than 200 projects.
SparkNJ, a newly created New Jersey philanthropic organization whose mission is to support small, Black-led nonprofits, has announced the recipients of its six inaugural grants.
The six recipients are from three New Jersey counties and fulfill a variety of needs in their communities from education to food insecurity to maternal and childcare.
Recognizing that small businesses and entrepreneurs generate jobs, create diverse communities and are vital to prosperous cities, JPMorgan Chase announced this week that it is providing more than $1.5 million to four nonprofit organizations in New Jersey.
The goal, JPMorgan Chase officials said, is to help support diverse entrepreneurs and increase their access to capital, mentorship, technical assistance and other critical resources needed for business growth and scale.
The Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded a total of $250,000 in grants to local nonprofits for summer initiatives that reach children and teens, including many whose families would not otherwise have access to affordable, high-quality programs when school is not in session.
The grants, funded through the Community Foundation’s Community Impact program, will support 26 summer programs that provide a wide variety of ac
tivities for young people, including arts instruction, academic enrichment, social-emotional learning opportunities, swimming and sports lessons. Many programs also provide transportation and meals. Some initiatives include bilingual instruction. Some are geared toward populations that may be difficult to reach, such as tweens and teens.
For many families, summer programs serve as safety nets that help working parents. But for many families, the programs are often out of reach, because of affordability or accessibility.
“Summer programs help reduce learning loss and provide much needed support for many working families who otherwise would not be able to enroll their children in quality, summer activities during the summer months,” Nelida Valentin, Community Foundation vice president of grants and programs, said. “These grants help nonprofit partners sustain terrific initiatives that serve some of our most vulnerable children, particularly teens and tweens in this region. We also want to thank our generous donors, whose support of our Community Impact grants program helps make these grants possible.”
The Morris County Funders Group, a coalition of 10 grantmaking organizations, pooled $325,000 to support mental health in the region. With funding from this newly formed collaboration, the Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) will facilitate mental health first aid training for up to 45 Morris County organizations. This first initiative of the funders group aims to address the growing mental health crisis in young people and adults.
Supporters of this initiative include the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation, Fannie E. Rippel Foundation, Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Six Talents Foundation, F. M. Kirby Foundation, MCJ Amelior Foundation, and the Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation.
Moderated by Justin Kiczek, F. M. Kirby Foundation, you’ll hear from panelists Bernie Moriarty, Hyde & Watson Foundation and Aaron Turner, Community Foundation of New Jersey, Bob Kley from MHANJ and a partner nonprofit. The panel will share how the funders came together to support this important and urgent issue, and how they worked in collaboration with MHANJ. Following the panel discussion, participants will have time for Q & A.
Webinar Video
Resources
Mental Health Association in New Jersey
Jersey Gives a Damn Podcast