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Learn how to support a disability-inclusive COVID-19 response.
COVID-19 disproportionately threatens the physical, financial, and emotional health of people with disabilities. Individuals with pre-existing health issues are at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus, many in the disability community still lack access to healthcare, and -- according to the National Trends in Disability report from the Kessler Foundation and University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability -- nearly one million working-age people with disabilities lost their jobs.
In this webinar, we’ll hear from Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC/SLP, Senior Vice President Grants and Communication at the Kessler Foundation and Audrey Winkler, Executive Director of JESPY House.
Speakers will explore:
· Unique challenges facing people with disabilities during COVID-19.
· How philanthropy can support workforce opportunities for people with disabilities.
· Efforts to address ableism and create more inclusive policies and practices, on a national and local level.
For a truly equitable recovery that centers the experience of people facing multiple forms of systemic discrimination, we must address the ableism embedded in our systems, institutions, and culture. Join us for this important conversation on how your organization can address ableism in your fight for social justice, and support a more disability-inclusive response to COVID-19.
Cost: Free for CNJG Grantmakers. $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
Webinar Video
As the year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about the conversations I have had with many of you over the years, in meetings, at programs, and sometimes in those unplanned moments before a convening. Time, and time again, I hear a version of the same reflection: we can do so much more if we work together.
That idea has stayed with me as we prepare for our Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering on December 10. If you haven’t registered, please register today as online registration closes today at 5 PM. Once online registration closes, you can still register by calling or emailing Office Manager Dana Schwartz at (609) 414-7110, extension 801.
Our Annual Meeting is a time not only to celebrate, but to take stock of what we’ve learned, to reconnect with colleagues who understand the nuances of this work, and to imagine what the impact could look like when we sharpen our focus on the collaborative possibilities ahead.
Our theme this year, Catalyzing New Jersey Communities: Building Local Coalitions, is about how funders can move beyond traditional grantmaking to become impactful coalition builders. Across the state, funders, government agencies, nonprofits, and community organizers continue to find new ways to align efforts, share responsibility, and strengthen local ecosystems. These efforts don’t just expand reach, they deepen trust, and lead to more durable change.
We’ll explore this in depth during our luncheon panel with Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer, New Jersey Department of Children and Families; Atiya Weiss, Executive Director of The Burke Foundation; Edwin “Chino” Ortiz, co-founder of Returning Citizens Support Group; Alma García, Director of Equity Ahora New Jersey, and moderated by Craig Drinkard, CNJG Board Chair and Executive Officer, Victoria Foundation.
Before the Annual Meeting begins, I encourage you to join our hands-on workshop featuring the New Jersey Philanthropy Hub, a partnership initiative of CNJG and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, powered by Impala. This powerful data platform brings together a clear, comprehensive view of giving across our state. It’s designed to help funders identify nonprofit partners, understand who else funds in your areas of interest, and conduct due diligence with confidence. It also helps grantees see where funding is flowing and find useful information about funders and other nonprofits. It’s simple, helpful, and designed to support your coalition-building efforts well beyond this convening.
My personal hope is that every attendee leaves with at least one new, meaningful partnership and one concrete strategy for breaking down silos in their funding and grantmaking approach.
Congratulations are in order as several of our members has been tapped to serve on Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill’s transition actions teams and interdisciplinary advisor task force members; this clearly reinforces the immediate significance of the Annual Meeting’s theme. It also ensures that New Jersey’s philanthropic sector will have a meaningful voice in shaping policy priorities and community strategies at the highest levels of the incoming administration.
This representation underscores something important - philanthropy plays a critical role not only in funding solutions, but in lifting and aligning community issues, advancing collaborative approaches that government alone cannot achieve, and advocating for the deep and varied expertise that the social sector brings to the table.
To ensure our sector’s perspective is fully represented in the new administration, I encourage all members to take a moment to complete Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill's Public Input Survey. Please share the survey with your grantees to ensure their perspectives are represented and voiced as well.
Reminder that online registration for the Annual Meeting closes today at 5 PM. Register now to be part of the conversation.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our generous sponsors, whose partnership makes this gathering possible: Signature Sponsor – Prudential; Collaborating Sponsor – Devils Youth Foundation; Contributing Sponsors – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pincus Family Foundation, and The Campbell's Company; Supporting Sponsors – Grunin Foundation and WSFS CARES Foundation. Also, thank you to NJM Insurance Group for their donation.
I look forward to seeing you on December 10.
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Novartis benchmarked Employee Crisis Programs, and asked fellow corporate funders via the corporate funders listserve to answer the questions below.
- If you have an Employee Crisis Program, what is the name
- Do you manage the program internally or thru a 3rd party? If you use a 3rd party, can you share their name/website and any good/bad experiences.
- Do you only support disasters or other hardships as well?
- What is the average percentage of your employees that apply for aid?
- What is your minimum and maximum funding?
- What is the average amount of aid?
- Do you provide aid directly to the employee and/or vendors?
- Do you allow employees to donate to your fund? If so, how do you promote awareness and what is the employee donation participation rate? Do you match these donations?
- Where does the program reside (CSR, Foundation, HR)?
- Please share guidelines and applications, if possible.
- Please share any other insights.
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
CNJG’s first-ever Policy Agenda that includes our approach to the policy work, and five policy priorities.
A CNJG member queried the Health & Aging listserves asking for sample letters of inquiry. This document includes a few responses from fellow members. If you would like to add yours to this list, please email us.
Nonprofit Finance Fund's Annual Survey chronicles the challenges facing the nonprofit sector and calls out some of the targeted investments we can start to agree on as a society to salvage the investment we have collectively made in our social infrastructure. We believe that a coordinated intervention now will not only better prepare us for inevitable future economic crises; it can lead to a happier, healthier community for us all.
Membership in the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers offers foundation leaders and grantmakers the opportunity to deepen their experience with the organization by serving on a Board committee. Committee members lead, recommend, and develop policies that help shape our organization. The commitment level for each committee varies and includes an expectation that members will participate in regularly scheduled meetings either in person or via Zoom, and other planning calls as needed, as well as be willing to participate in independent projects as they arise. Members usually join those committees best suited to their professional strengths. Individual members of the CNJG staff team are assigned to each committee.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee advises the Board of Trustees in overseeing the selection and performance of the Council’s independent auditors, conducting periodic RFPs for auditor services, the quality and integrity of the Council’s financial reporting, its fiscal controls and tax and regulatory compliance, and compliance with legal and accepted standards. An audit or finance background/experience is desirable for some of the members of this Committee.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee advises the Board of Trustees with all financial policies and strategies, including but not limited to: consultation and review of the annual budget(s), reviewing and monitoring financial reporting, approving and monitoring investments, and developing and approving significant financial policies. A background in finance and financial operations is desirable for some of the members of this group.
Governance Committee
The Governance Committee acts as a nominating committee for vacant board seats and board officers, develops a board slate each year, recommends by-law changes, develops board membership criteria on an annual basis, recommends and develops best practices and expectations for trustees and the board chair, and undertakes any other board governance-related issues.
Member Engagement Committee
The Member Engagement Committee works with the staff to recruit, retain and engage members. Committee members assist in identifying new prospects, setting up and participating in introductory meetings, and keeping prospective members informed of upcoming CNJG programs. It also collaborates with staff members to develop the structure and strategy of membership recruitment and retention activities, as well as recommending changes and/or updates to criteria for membership in CNJG to the Board.
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee advises the Board and Council on public policy matters as appropriate, develops recommendations on specific legislation or proposed regulatory activity, implements the Council’s policy agenda, engages in government relations activities, and actively collaborates with partners to move forward the CNJG’s policy agenda and favorable legislation and regulations to support the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.
Racial Equity Committee
The Racial Equity Committee was first formed as a taskforce in 2020 as a reaction to systemic and structural racism embedded within the United States, and CNJG’s commitment to raising awareness and instigating change in New Jersey’s philanthropic community. In June 2023 the taskforce was designated a committee of the Board by the Board, and is committed to infusing racial equity throughout CNJG’s programming and structures. In 2024 and 2025, the committee will focus efforts on creating tools and resources to move forward the New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy, CNJG’s equity principles.
Signature Programs Committee
The Signature Programs Committee helps plan and recommend topics, speakers, etc. for CNJG's Signature events including the Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering, and Spring Colloquium or Spring Conference. When called upon, its members may assist with other (non-affinity group) meetings or events throughout the year.
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) is hosting a discussion with three nonprofit newsrooms, moderated by a foundation actively investing in racial equity in journalism. You will have the opportunity to learn about the critical role independent media plays in supporting our multiracial democracy and how philanthropy can help undergird the sector.
As the United States grapples with rising authoritarianism and anti-immigrant sentiment within both government and the general population, the fourth estate remains a critical bulwark in the defense of our democracy. While it is undeniable that journalism and independent media have suffered significant setbacks in recent decades, the power of robust, rigorous, and accessible media can help inoculate communities from mis- and disinformation, and can elevate important perspectives that might otherwise not be heard.
For many immigrants and refugees, nonprofit media outlets led by and for their communities, such as Futuro Media Group, Radio Campesina and El Tocolote, exist as culturally competent and linguistically accessible news sources covering relevant issues such as immigration policy, community events and resources, and local politics. These outlets also serve as an important counterweight to toxic and sensationalized mainstream media narratives about the role of immigrants in our society.
Join GCIR for a discussion with three nonprofit newsrooms, moderated by a foundation actively investing in racial equity in journalism. In this session, we will learn about the critical role independent media plays in supporting our multiracial democracy while exploring how philanthropy can help support and strengthen the sector.
SPEAKERS
Nissa Rhee, Executive Director, Borderless Magazine
Chao Xiong, Director of Editorial, Sahan Journal
Mazin Sidahmed, Co-Executive Director, Documented NY
MODERATOR
Alicia Bell, Director of Racial Equity in Journalism Fund, Borealis Philanthropy
Cost: Free for Members and Non Members
You will need to register for a free web account on GCIR’s website before being able to register (much like the process to register for an account on CNJG’s website).
Please join us for our next Newark Funder Affinity Group Meeting at a special location. We will meet at the Courage in Care: Community Doulas and Joyful Revolution in Birth exhibit at the new Newark ArtsSpace (more information below). Our discussion will focus on local implementing partners in Newark and Essex County committed to improving black maternal health. We will also use the second part of the meeting to update each other on the response to the federal funding environment.
Joining us will be these dynamic speakers representing philanthropy, direct service, systems change, and training backgrounds:
Jazmin Rivera, Vice President of Holistic Support, BRICK Education Network
Nastassia K. Harris, Founder & Executive Director, Perinatal Health Equity Initiative
Julie Blumenfeld, Program Director, Nurse-Midwifery and Dual Women's Health, Rutgers University School of Nursing
Lisa Block, Senior Prorgram Officer, Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey
Atiya Weiss, Executive Director, The Burke Foundation
Please plan to stay after the meeting to interact with the exhibit.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Nonprofits; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
About Courage in Care
The Courage in Care was developed under the guidance and leadership of a statewide advisory council of community doulas and maternal health advocates across New Jersey. With support from Narrative Initiative and In Good Company, these birth workers shaped the stories, themes, and vision that bring The Courage in Care to life.
Supported by the Burke Foundation, Ascend at the Aspen Institute, MERCK for Mothers, Community Health Acceleration Partnership, Turrell Fund, MCJ Amelior Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Bristol Myers Squibb, The Courage in Care is part of a larger effort to reimagine maternal health in New Jersey and beyond. Events associated with the exhibit are produced by NJPAC Arts & Well-Being.