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Empowering the Future: Harnessing AI and Data for Philanthropic Social Impact
Date: Tuesday, June 18
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center
Arthur Laurents Theater
11 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Directions and Parking
On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers held the Spring Colloquium – A Conversation on the Social Sector at the New Brunswick Performing Arts center. This year, we explored the impact of AI and data on philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. Our panel discussion will brought together multiple perspectives to explore how AI can enhance problem-solving without losing human connections, how it affects equity, and how philanthropy has engaged with AI for funding initiatives.
The Technology Association of Grantmakers’ new Executive Director, Jean Westrick, moderated our esteemed panel that included Don Chen, President, Surdna Foundation; Rachel Kimber, Full Circle Solutions; and Dave Cole, State pf New Jersey’s Chief Innovation Officer.
After the panel, Jean Westrick, TAG, facilitated an afternoon session on an AI Framework for Philanthropy. Additionally, the Community Resource Exchange presented an afternoon session on an AI Guide for Nonprofits facilitated by their CEO, Tiloma Jayasinghe, CEO and Jared Carroll, Senior Consultant.
CNJG’s spring colloquium brought together New Jersey grantmakers and nonprofits to connect with each other, Increase their knowledge, learn best practices, find opportunities for collaboration, and to be introduced to new ideas.
Conference Photos
A CNJG member queried our listserves for sample questions (not included in the grant application) you might ask grantees or potential grantees during site visits. CNJG compiled these responses, and other documents members use.
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.
From the Commonfund, these white papers on investment policy statements, spending policy, board governance and risk tolerance, together with their most recent studies of investments at private and community foundations, operating charities and nonprofit healthcare organizations are made available though CNJG's Investment Forum for Foundations and Endowments.
A working glossary of terms to help shape a common language for work in Community Capacity. This glossary is intended to help promote philanthropy's roles in building community capacity by defining core concepts and closely related terms.
What comes after “strategic...?” If you said, “planning,” you’re not alone. And for many leaders of community foundations, especially small ones who don’t have the time or money for a big process, anxiety is the feeling that follows. If that’s the case, this guide is for you.
It invites you to test-drive some activities to bring your current program, operations and community leadership strategies into focus before you decide whether to create a plan or not. It helps you discover ongoing strategic practices and decide whether to keep them or not. If you already have done a strategic plan, and it is languishing on a shelf, this guide will help you refresh it.
PART A: Good Strategy Takes Practice (Not Just Planning)
PART B: Do Your Discovery
PART C: Jumpstart Your Strategy Narrative
PART D: Bring It Together
Looking To What’s Next
The COVID-19 public health and economic crisis has changed our world as we know it. As employers moved to remote work, schools shifted to distance learning, and businesses closed completely, it became clear that the impact on residents, nonprofits, and businesses was far greater than anyone could have ever imagined.
In response to the growing and evolving needs of our region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to raise and rapidly deploy funding to local nonprofits providing food, shelter, educational supports, and other critical services.
From the beginning our goal was clear: to address the immediate needs and reach adversely affected communities, particularly low-income households and communities of color. We know all too well that in a crisis like this, these marginalized communities are hit the hardest, and often take the longest to recover.
In times of crises, The Community Foundation is our region’s philanthropic first responder, bringing together individuals and families, philanthropic peers, corporate partners, and local government advisors to address community issues. Building on our rich history of emergency response work, we grounded our COVID-19 response efforts in a similar coordinated approach.
This report chronicles the steps taken, under immense pressure, to develop a coordinated emergency response effort to support a broad range of needs across the region. Once again this effort has demonstrated that working in partnership and close collaboration with our philanthropic peers and local government advisors is an effective way to manage a response to both urgent and longer-term needs.
CNJG is tracking philanthropy’s response to the coronavirus pandemic by elevating our “Get on the Map” Campaign partnership with Candid (formerly Foundation Center). Candid recently launched their new coronavirus map, as a part of their coronavirus webpage. Now, we need your help to share funding efforts related to the coronavirus pandemic, so your COVID-19 grants can get on this new map. The more data that they can gather to complete the map, the more useful this resource will be for your organization.
Learn how you can share your data with Candid in this webinar as Kati Neiheisel, EReporting Liaison will walk us through the why and how of sharing data, and how sharing grants data informs the sector, locally, regionally, and globally. It is critical to be transparent and share this information with philanthropy in the coming weeks and months. Tracking this data will help coordinate and inform all of NJ Grantmakers' efforts for COVID-19 response and relief.
After this demonstration, we will hear from Linda Czipo, President and CEO at the Center for Non-Profits for an update on the results of the 2nd Rapid Response Coronavirus Nonprofit Survey conducted from April 3 to April 7. Linda will share information on nonprofits most urgent needs to better inform your grantmaking during this crisis. For results from the first survey, visit here.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and NonMember Grantmakers
This program is only open to Grantmakers.
Webinar Video
The 4th goal of CNJG’s strategic plan calls for CNJG to expand partnerships and collaborations to create more value for our members. One of our long-standing partnerships is with the Council on Foundations to collect salary data, which we will include in our upcoming triennial 2023 New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report.
We are now partnering with YOU to collect your data on the benefits that your organization provides to your staff and/or trustees. The CNJG benefits survey is open for you to complete.
The New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report is often cited as one of the most valuable benefits of membership, and the more data we collect from a variety of philanthropic organizations, the more valuable the report becomes! As we did in 2020, we’re also pleased to ask demographic information about your board and staff within this survey. Even if you do not have any paid staff, you will be able to add your board demographic information to the survey.
We aim to publish the 2023 New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report in late 2023. The report is the premiere benchmarking tool for our members and the philanthropy sector in New Jersey.
The survey closes on August 4, 2023. We encourage every CNJG member organization to complete the survey. While the survey is long – taking about 45 minutes to complete – it allows us to create a truly comprehensive report to inform your decision making. We encourage you to review the questions in advance to gather the information you will need to make it easier for you to complete the survey in one sitting. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Director of Member Services, Craig Weinrich. I hope that one person from your organization will complete the survey before August 4.
A couple more summer notes – we will not publish CNJG News in August, but will resume in September. And, to recognize and show appreciation for our hard-working staff, the CNJG office will be closed on Fridays throughout the summer. This is one benefit that we offer our staff. It will be fascinating to see how many others offer this same benefit, so please complete our survey before the end of the July!
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing summer. For many, summer offers a time to move at a slower pace, and perhaps take some time for reflection and recharging. I hope you were able to do some of that at least during your official “away-from-the-office” vacation time.
As summer wanes and we come back to our offices, Governance Committee co-chairs, Craig Drinkard and Justin Kiczek, have extended an invitation – if you are interested in serving on the CNJG Board of Trustees, or know someone who would make a good trustee, please complete the application form, and email it to Office Manager Dana Schwartz, along with a brief biography, no later than September 13, 2023. Read Craig and Justin’s full letter.
The Board will present a slate of candidates to CNJG members at the annual meeting of members. Please save the date - the CNJG Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering is on Thursday, December 14 at the Crowne Plaza Edison. Registration will be available soon.
In reviewing the nominations for board service, the Governance Committee considers participation and engagement in at least one CNJG committee, and/or serving as co-chair of a Council affinity group. Standing committees of the board include Audit, Finance, Governance, Member Engagement, Leadership and Policy, Racial Equity, Signature Programs, and Strategic Plan Implementation. Most committees meet at least twice a year. Committees focus on a specific issue or task, and ensures the board’s overall work is divided into manageable tasks. Committee participation is open to all CNJG members. If you are interested in learning more and/or serving on a committee, please let me know. Committee work allows you to expand your personal network and build relationships with colleagues, demonstrate and develop your own leadership, and gain new knowledge and skills that you might not regularly use in your day-to-day role. You’ll also be contributing to the success and future of CNJG, as well as helping to move forward the 2023 - 2025 Strategic Plan.
If you are already chairing a committee or affinity group, or serving on a committee – thank you for your leadership! We’re so grateful for your dedication and support. If you are interested in joining a committee, please reach out to me. Thank you!
Welcome back from the summer – I hope to see you at an upcoming CNJG program, and at the CNJG 2023 Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering on December 14.
Sincerely,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers