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Join us at the second NJ Corporate Philanthropy Network meeting of the year which will focus on what specific information you should zero in on when searching for any red flags in non-profit 990’s and financial statements. Seasoned Accountants, Sherise D, Ritter and Lovepreet Buttar, from The Mercadien Group will guide us. We’ll also touch on vetting sponsorship requests and hold our traditional round robin where meeting participants can share their burning questions/issues and lessons learned.
Lovepreet Buttar, Managing Director with Mercadien’s Nonprofit and Human Services Group, has extensive experience performing and overseeing audit engagements for various nonprofit organizations, including associations, schools, private foundations, and health and human services organizations. She is passionate about helping these organizations support their constituents and achieve their mission. She is also head of the firm’s Audit and Assurance practice and is responsible for both firm-wide and engagement-specific quality control matters and overseeing training for various for-profit, not-forprofit and government/public entities. In this role, she helps ensure the firm is using best practices that are compliant with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Sherise (Sherry) Ritter is Managing Director and Co-Chair of the The Mercadien Group’s Nonprofit and Human Services Group, as well as the Advisory Services Group. Serving as a trusted advisor, she meets with all of her clients at least once a year to advise them on topics such as tax planning and preparation, identifying risk areas and formulating solutions, strategy to meet growth goals, and multi-state and unrelated business income taxation and filing exposures. Additionally, she helps her clients with strategic planning, process efficiency and improvement studies, and mergers and acquisitions. She also specializes in the areas of cash flow management, accounting systems design, and board governance training.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
Webinar Video
Resources
Blank 990 Form
990 Forms and their Schedules
The Overhead Myth: Crash Course to Fundraising Transparency
Charity Navigator's Assessment of Finances
Join your peers to learn more about the Disability & Philanthropy Forum and the Disability Inclusion Pledge in a session facilitated by Sarah Napoli, Learning Services Director for the Forum. Current signatories will share their progress as pledge signatories and how the Disability & Philanthropy Forum can support your journey to implement accessibility in your work. This is a great opportunity to come with questions if you are interested in becoming a pledge signatory or are a current pledge member. This will also offer some informal learning on disability fundamentals and allow space for Q&A.
This session is a part of our Grantmaker Toolkit Series in collaboration with The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, New York Funders Alliance, Florida Philanthropic Network, Wisconsin Philanthropy Network, Maryland Philanthropy Network, Philanthropy West Virginia, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia, and the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers.
The Disability & Philanthropy Forum mobilizes philanthropy to dismantle ableism by increasing funding for disability inclusion, rights, and justice; amplifying the leadership of disabled people in the philanthropic sector; and educating philanthropy to build a culture of inclusion.
Speaker: Sarah Napoli is the learning services director at the Disability and Philanthropy Forum. From 2019-2023, she acted as the lead disability inclusion project officer within the people and culture Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity team at Open Society Foundations (OSF), where she developed and facilitated disability inclusion learning and embedded proactive disability inclusive practices throughout the global network. In addition to OSF, she has over 20 years of experience teaching and conducting training on social justice and advocacy in higher education and nonprofits, most recently as the director for the inaugural Center for Inclusion at Manhattanville College and as the assistant head of Goodricke College at the University of York, England. She specializes in facilitating engaging workshops and designing curriculum that challenge and encourage participants to foster a culture of inclusion.
She holds two MA degrees, one in social justice in intercultural relations from the SIT graduate institute and one in applied human rights from the University of York. She identifies as a proud disabled person and enjoys chatting about Geek culture—all things fantasy and sci/fi and her former life as a hip hop researcher and dancer. Her research on how hip hop creates human rights identities was recently published in the University of Michigan press text, For the Culture: Hip Hop and the Fight for Social Justice.
She has conducted workshops and training all over the USA and in the world, including Japan, Guatemala, throughout Europe, South Africa, and Canada. Click here to read Sarah’s story, “The Disabled Mindset: Embracing My Disability Identity.”
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
Multi-year Grants
Affirmation: Multi-year funds provided both reliability and breathing room for nonprofits.
Making fundamental and long-lasting change comes with the promise of reliable investments. Longer grant terms create an environment where collaborative partnerships can flourish, and trust and transparency break down power dynamics. The result is that nonprofits have the “breathing room” and financial stability to focus activities where they are most needed.
Although many funders award grants to the same nonprofits year after year, they often require submission of annual applications that request information they already have and are complex and needlessly lengthy. These processes can heighten mutual distrust. From a practical standpoint, multi-year awards reduce paperwork for both funder and nonprofit and open communication channels promoting shared goals, mutual trust, and increased overall impact.
Activities
• For funders that historically award repeat annual grants to the same nonprofit partners, shift from an annual grant/proposal cycle to a long-term, multi-year commitment with an annual outcomes/progress report in lieu of a full application.
• Tailor grant terms to suit grantee timelines and needs (negotiated outcomes and milestones).
• If data collection is required solely to meet a funder’s compliance requirements, the funder should assume this responsibility or provide sufficient funding and/or capacity for the nonprofit to meet the requirement.
Short-term Outcomes
• The number of funders making multi-year grants increases by 50% over the previous years.
Long-term Outcomes
• More funders convert an annual application process for repeat grantee partners to a multi-year commitment with an annual outcomes report at the most, instead of full proposals each year.
• Funders assume responsibility for data collection or provide sufficient funding and/or capacity for the nonprofit to meet the requirement.
• Grant terms are suited to grantee timelines and needs (negotiated outcomes and milestones).
How to Begin Doing Good Better on Reliability
Learning opportunities
• What barriers keep funders from making long-term commitments to repeat grantee partners? Are any of these barriers legal?
• What are the minimum data requirements for funders to collect from repeat grantee partners?
Pre-Work
• Address the barriers to awarding multi-year grants through tested tools.
• Learn about how multi-year grants strengthen grantee partners and improve philanthropic, nonprofit, and community impact.
• Research mechanisms funders can use to meet legal compliance requirements while gaining trust in their grantee partners.
FAQs for Benefit Survey
What is the New Jersey Foundation Benefits & Salary Summary Report?
Developed exclusively for CNJG members, the New Jersey Foundation Benefits & Salary Summary Report presents comprehensive benefits data specific to New Jersey's grantmaking community, alongside data from the Council on Foundations' annual salary survey. The last report, produced in 2017, can be found on our website.
Given increased scrutiny in the areas of compensation and benefits, the need to benchmark this information within the field has become even more important. The 2020 New Jersey Foundation Benefits & Salary Summary Report will make available critical information needed to determine fair compensation and benefits in the state across multiple organizational levels.
Who is eligible to participate in this survey?
To be eligible to participate in the survey, your organization must have at least one PAID (full-time or part-time) employee. The beginning of the survey will help respondents determine if they are eligible to participate. Even if you are NOT eligible to participate, please complete the first four questions of the survey. You will then be directed to the last page of the survey where you will be asked to submit your data. You do not need to be a CNJG member to participate. If you do participate, but are not a CNJG member, you will receive a copy of the report.
Where do I complete the survey?
The survey may be completed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020CNJGBenefitsSurvey.
When does the survey need to be completed?
The deadline for submitting completed surveys is August 10, 2020.
I'm not the right person to complete this survey, can I email it to someone else to complete?
You may forward the email that contains the survey link to someone else in your organization. The recipient will be able to click on the survey link to access the survey.
How long will it take to complete the survey?
It is estimated that entering in the data should take around one hour (not including the time it will take to research your organization’s information). If you offer more benefits, it may take more time; if you offer less, the less time it will take to complete. Logic is built into the online survey, enabling you to skip questions or entire sections depending on what your organization offers. CNJG suggests looking through the questions first (available in PDF form) and compiling your answers to then enter in the data all at once online.
How do I submit our information to the survey?
CNJG developed the survey using SurveyMonkey, so that you may enter all of your data online. The prompts at the bottom of each page guide you as you enter your information.
Can I see all of the questions first?
Yes! The survey in its entirety can be found below. Feel free to use this document to gather your benefits data, and then enter the information all at once online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020CNJGBenefitsSurvey.
For which year/time period should I provide compensation and benefits data?
The Benefits Survey should be based on benefits data for the 2020 calendar year. Please complete the survey questions by indicating the benefits that your organization is currently offering to employees in 2020.
Help! The way that this question is structured is difficult (or impossible) for me to answer.
We understand organizations provide different kinds of benefits and have developed novel benefit packages. And, often, benefit packages differ within an organization. Please complete the survey questions by indicating the benefits that are offered to the majority of employees in your organization, and please use the comment boxes after some of the questions and at the end of the survey to further explain/clarify your responses. Please also note that, while many questions are required (indicated with an asterisk) some questions in the survey are optional and can be skipped.
Once I've started the survey, can I save it and complete it another time?
Yes! You may leave the survey at any time by clicking on "Exit this survey" on the upper right hand corner of the page. Note: if you have just entered a page of data, proceed to the next page before you exit, otherwise the data just entered for the current page will not be saved. To reopen the survey, click on the link in the survey email that was sent to you.
Once I've completed the survey, how do I submit my input?
To submit your input, go to the last page of the survey and click on "Submit Survey." Your input will automatically be submitted.
I clicked on "Submit Survey," but I wasn't finished completing the survey - what should I do?
To make changes in a survey that has already been submitted, please contact Craig Weinrich. It will be possible for you to make changes to your survey input until the survey is officially closed on August 10, 2020.
What topics will be covered?
The following topics will be covered in the survey:
• Survey Eligibility
• Organization Information
• Employment
• Leave Benefits
• Insurance Benefits
• Retirement
• Other Benefits
• Retiree Benefits
• Benefits Cost
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Craig Weinrich.
CNJG thanks you in advance for your time and assistance with this endeavor. The report that we create becomes an important tool for you to benchmark your salaries and benefits plans for the coming years, so the time and effort will be incredibly valuable to your organization and other CNJG members.
Foundations are systems. They have their own cultures and related assumptions, norms, standards, and practices. All of these personal, social, and structural factors affect our ability to learn.
This tool is to help foundations take stock of their learning needs and opportunities with a dispassionate (evaluative) look at themselves as systems and how people work within them.
The tool is based on the work of systems theorist Donella Meadows. Her work resonates because it recognizes both systemic constraints and possible leverage points for addressing them. Meadows identifies a series of leverage points for changing a system, ordered from least to most powerful. We adapted her work to show how each lever can reinforce learning in an organization or system.
Use the tool to examine the list of 12 leverage points, ordered in terms of their power for shifting a system to support learning, from weakest (1) to strongest (12). Higher leverage points produce stronger, broader, more durable change.
According to Meadows, we often are disappointed in the results of systems change efforts because we tend to tweak the least powerful levers in the system — such as skill building or the flow of resources or information. We find this can be true with learning in philanthropy, where many foundations support learning with tools and training alone.
Which leverage points are you currently using to support learning in philanthropy? Where else can you push to make that support stronger?
PolicyWorks for Philanthropy is a multi-year initiative that seeks to build the capacity of regional associations of grantmakers’ staff, board and volunteer leaders to engage policymakers. Our vision is that policymakers will recognize regional associations of grantmakers as among the most valued voices and expert resources on issues critical to philanthropy and society. There are 28 regional associations participating in this initiative.
Our commitment is based on the belief that:
- Policy work is essential to achieving our missions and helping our more than 3,000 foundation members
- As a network serving foundations in 39 states, the PolicyWorks community offers the best and only coordinated national system for building effective relationships with elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.
Building and maintaining relationships with policymakers is essential to the philanthropic sector
Building and maintaining relationships with policymakers is essential to the philanthropic sector’s ability to: educate policymakers about the work, value and impact of foundations; advise policymakers about potential legislation or regulation that could harm the sector and decrease much needed philanthropic dollars; gain policymakers’ support for legislation that could support the growth and effectiveness of philanthropy; and build partnerships with policymakers to achieve policy reforms that improve the quality of life for those foundations seek to serve.
For questions about PolicyWorks, please contact CNJG’s liaisons, Theresa Jacks and Policy Committee CoChair Bill Engel.
We are pleased to share Strengthening Philanthropy in Newark - Report to the Field 2015 from the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison. First established in 2007, the Liaison office represents one of the nation’s first formal partnerships between a city and the philanthropic community. The initiative began as a partnership between the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers in collaboration with then Mayor Cory A. Booker. We are proud this unique partnership continues with Mayor Ras Baraka and his new administration.
This report provides a brief summary of some of the substantial activities and impact the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison facilitated throughout 2015. The strategy of collective impact is thriving throughout Newark thanks in large part to the work of the Liaison, and the funding community’s support of and robust engagement with the Office of the Mayor and anchor institutions across the city continue to reap positive outcomes. The Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison is supported by: Bank of America, The Foundation for Newark’s Future, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The MCJ Amelior Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation, Panasonic Corporation of North America, The Prudential Foundation, Schumann Foundation for New Jersey, Turrell Fund, Victoria Foundation, and PSEG Foundation providing in-kind support and meeting space.
At a time when nonprofits and philanthropy were needed the most, the pandemic forced most social sector organizations to go fully or partially remote. As we enter 2021, it seems that many organizations will continue to operate virtually for some time, and others are even considering what it would be like to make this transition permanently.
During this informative webinar session, Christine Michelle Duffy, Director of the New Jersey Program at Pro Bono Partnership, and Christopher Petermann, Partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, will share practical suggestions, policies, and procedures that nonprofits and foundations should consider when some or all of their workforce is working remotely. We’ll also discuss the major challenges that nonprofits have faced when adapting to this new virtual world, and how philanthropy can help its grantee partners moving forward.
Anyone interested in providing a remote work option for employees, going fully virtual for the long-term, or supporting nonprofit operations in the current context will want to attend this webinar.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Nonmember Grantmakers
Webinar Video
More than 20 years ago, the Garden State’s philanthropic community began meeting informally to discuss issues of importance to grantmakers. In the late 1980s, fueled by the observation that philanthropy is more effective when grantmakers have a forum to communicate, exchange information, and take part in continuing education, CNJG was born.
By 1998, CNJG was an independent 501(c)(3) organization with a full-time executive director and approximately 80 members. In the years since, membership has grown to include more than 130 foundations, corporate giving programs, government and other public grantmaking organizations. Informal gatherings of likeminded individuals and organizations have been replaced by robust, highly valued seminars, convenings, workshops and conferences.
Extending Philanthropy's Contribution
Over the years, CNJG also actively engaged in a number of landmark initiatives including commissioning the first study of giving in the Garden State, NJ Gives, the first study of nonprofit health insurance provider conversions to for profit corporations, New Jersey Together (a major funder collaborative centered on youth development), a landmark effort looking at the systemic, long term fiscal challenges facing all levels of government in New Jersey entitled Facing Our Future, the creation of the Community Foundation of South Jersey, and creation of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison position within our state’s largest city administration.
View our CNJG Through the Years pictorial.
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
Join funders for a discussion on the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund.
First Lady Tammy Murphy launched the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), hosted by the Community Foundation of New Jersey, to fight against the ongoing pandemic by directing funds to local organizations providing “on the ground” services to our state’s most vulnerable populations.
On this webinar, we will hear from Executive Director of NJPRF, Josh Weinreich and President of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Hans Dekker. Together, they will discuss how funds are being collected and distributed, how NJPRF will help fill gaps in services across the state, and the importance of coordinated efforts between government and the private sector.
The various funds being set up by New Jersey foundations and philanthropic leaders can help ensure funding is directed to areas of greatest need, encourage greater collaboration among grantmaking, nonprofit, and government partners, and create a stronger, more resilient state. Register now to hear about how the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund is providing essential support for our communities.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Nonmember Grantmakers
This program is open to Grantmakers only.
Webinar Video
CNJG’s Finance and Investment Affinity Group exists to keep foundation executives informed as they manage the investment of their corpus. Growth of foundation assets and the active exchange of sound investment strategies is the focus of each program.
We are pleased to welcome Ethan Harris, head of Global Economics Research at Bank of America Global Research to lead our breakfast that kicks off the new year with a Market Outlook for 2023. Mr. Harris will give us his insights on:
- Inflation
- Potential for continued interest rate hikes and where might they pause
- Labor market impact on the Fed’s direction
- Impact of Fed moves
- Expectations for US economy and other economies around the world
- Growth and recession risks, and
- Some discussion of the big global issues
Agenda
8:30 a.m. - Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - Program begins
10:00 a.m. - Meeting concludes
Cost: $35 for CNJG Members; $70 for Non Member Grantmakers (includes full breakfast)
COVID-19 Safety and Information
CNJG will follow all health and safety guidelines and recommendations outlined in our COVID-19 Liability Waiver for in-person programs and events.
Please do not attend the program if you are ill, exposed to the COVID-19 virus within 14 days prior to the program, or exhibit any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus prior to the program.
These are the protocols as of June 6, 2022. We will continue to monitor the health and safety protocols and will be sure to communicate if these change prior to the program.
The last few years have certainly been turbulent on many different fronts here in New Jersey, across the country, and around the globe. Life as we knew it has changed for us personally and professionally. Because of this, many of the conversations in philanthropy have changed as well. One thing that remains a constant is that funders in Monmouth and Ocean Counties continue striving to make impact with partners in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. But how do we come together as a philanthropic sector to create even more impact? This can be done in many different ways – knowledge sharing, partnerships, collective giving, shifting the way we do our work, and so much more.
In collaboration with the Grunin Foundation, CNJG invites you to join us for breakfast with an engaging discussion about what funders can to do together to create greater impact in Ocean and Monmouth communities.
Cost: This meeting is free and open to any funder that grants funds in Ocean and/or Monmouth County.
You do not need to be a CNJG member to register, however, if you do not have a website account with CNJG, you will need to create one in order to register. If you have any trouble with the registration process, please contact CNJG.
Please register before April 30.
CNJG thanks the Grunin Foundation for underwriting the costs of the meeting.
From February 26-28, 2023, members of the NLC’s Mayoral Network on Community Safety and Violence Prevention, city representatives and resource guests were welcomed by Mayor Ras J. Baraka in Newark, New Jersey. Attendees saw firsthand the strides made by Mayor Baraka, Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery Director Lakeesha Eure, and the rest of the Newark team. Alongside community partners, the city team members are advancing new safety strategies alongside longstanding ones. This collaborative, people-centered approach to addressing violence and promoting safety led to 60-year lows in homicides for the city.
The philanthropic community in Newark is an instrumental part of the city’s transformation of its public safety ecosystem over the past nine years. Several local foundations supported the development and implementation of a new public health centered strategy from its infancy by providing the resources for two public safety retreats, multiple community-based violence prevention and interruption organizations, new data tools and collaboratives, and trauma training for community and police.
Lisa Block, Senior Program Officer with the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, shared her thoughts on the work in this article for Grantmakers in Health.
Shifting Narratives to Change Systems
Wednesday, December 14, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Luncheon & Keynote Presentation
Location: The Sheraton, Edison, 125 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison, NJ 08837
Friday, December 16, 11:00 – 12:15 pm
Virtual Workshop via Zoom
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers thanks everyone who attended our 2022 Annual Meeting & Holiday Luncheon and the Virtual Workshop! We were delighted to see so many familiar faces, and meet many new staff and trustees of our members.
At the business meeting, members elected the new class of trustees, and heard reports about the state of the organization. After lunch and time to reconnect with each other, we heard from our keynote, Bridgit Antoinette Evans, who explained the narrative ocean in which philanthropy swims, and gave examples of how Pop Culture Collaborative is funding organizations to reframe their narratives in which they operate.
During the virtual workshop, members learned about the changemaker experience, how it affects the relationships between funders and their nonprofit partners and even grantseekers. Attendees were led through an exercise to create a journey map, and think through strategies how to examine the experiences that nonprofits have with their organizations.
CNJG members can view recordings and additional resources from the event on the resources tab, when logged in.
Philanthropic Collaboratives:
Driving Impact and Opportunity
Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 9:00am to 3:00pm
Luncheon, Keynote Presentation & Workshop
Location: Crowne Plaza Edison, 2055 Lincoln Highway, Edison, NJ 08817
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers thanks everyone who attended our 2023 Annual Meeting & Holiday Luncheon and the Pre-Meeting Workshop that explored Philanthropic Collaboratives: Driving Impact and Opportunity. We were thrilled to reconnect with friends and colleagues and meet new members.
At the Business meeting, the membership elected the new class of Trustees. We also honored our outgoing Board Chair, Jeff Vega, for all the incredible work he accomplished during his term. After lunch and networking time, we listened attentively to Nidhi Sahni, Partner and Head of US Advisory Group, New York, Bridgespan, and Lucy Vandenberg, Executive Director of the Schumann Fund for New Jersey in conversation about the nuances and benefits of collaboration.
At the pre-meeting workshop, Tools for Funder Collaboration, presented by John Harper, Chirlie Felix, and Waheera Mardah of FSG, members were presented multiple models of collaboration and examples of collective impact followed by an opportunity to engage in dynamic discussion to further explore the concepts.
CNJG members can view the FSG PowerPoint and additional resources from the event on the resources tab, when logged in.
CNJG is pleased to offer the 2024 Virtual Budget and Tax Briefing Series, hosted by our partners at Economic Opportunity Funders, to our members.
Learn about key trends, battles and opportunities, and what’s at stake and in play in 2024. Panelists will share insights on the recent historic state tax credit expansions, consequential state races and ballot initiatives, and efforts to support the equitable implementation of federal investments, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Kamolika Das, Associate Director, Local Taxes, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Chris Melody Fields Figuredo, Executive Director, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
Justin Maxson, Executive Director, BuildUS (invited, pending confirmation)
Cost: Free for CNJG Grantmakers and Non Member Grantmakers.
Note: This program is for funders and philanthropic advisors whose primary activity is grantmaking.
This program will be livestreamed via YouTube, starting at 1:40 pm. Registrants will receive a link to the livestream prior to the program. Please register by noon on March 18 to receive the link. If you cannot watch during this time, you can use the same link to access the recording and watch at a later time.
For questions, please contact Chanika Svetvilas, Manager of Programs and Learning.
CNJG is pleased to re-convene the South Jersey Funders Consortium for a lunch meeting at La Scala Fire in Glassboro. Join your fellow South Jersey funders for lunch and a round robin discussion on what your organization is funding, and any new initiatives that you are working on.
When the Pascale Sykes Foundation sunset their operations, including gathering this group together on a periodic basis, the Consortium agreed to have CNJG take on the management and stewardship of the group.
Any funder located in or funding in the eight southern counties of New Jersey is welcome to attend (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, Cape May, Atlantic, and Ocean). Although Camden city is located in south Jersey, and because we already have a Camden funders affinity group, the topics of discussion of the South Jersey Funders Consortium should focus on south Jersey, outside of the city of Camden.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
For 2023, CNJG will cover the cost of the South Jersey Funders Consortium lunch thanks to a grant from the Pascale Sykes Foundation.
Parking is available in a garage behind the restaurant and is free for two hours.