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The nonprofit and philanthropic communities are important contributors to well informed policies for all residents of our state. Nonprofits and philanthropy are essential partners with the government in ensuring a strong quality of life for everyone, and our voices in public policy are more vital than ever.
Opening Speaker:
The Honorable Britnee Timberlake, New Jersey Senator, District 34
Panel Discussion
Outlook 2026: Navigating What's Next
As New Jersey prepares to elect a new governor and Assembly members this November, nonprofits and funders are navigating a moment of transition — and opportunity. In addition, national trends around democracy, the economy, philanthropy, and nonprofits are also reshaping the environment we work in. This session takes a wide-angle, grassroots-informed look at what’s ahead: the political shifts, social currents, and structural changes likely to impact our missions, our communities, and our ability to create change. Panelists will explore how we can stay grounded, work together, and move forward with purpose in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Panelists:
Kiran Gaudioso, Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Northern New Jersey
Paul DiLorenzo, Executive Director, Salem Health and Wellness Foundation
Brandon McKoy, President, The Fund for New Jersey
Moderator: Doug Schoenberger, Government Affairs Specialist, NJ Center for Nonprofits
Additional panelists to be announced.
Panel Discussion
Power in Participation: Voter Engagement for a Stronger New Jersey
In a critical election year, voter engagement is more than a civic duty — it’s a pathway to equity, representation, and lasting change. This panel brings together voices from across the field to explore how nonprofits and funders can help strengthen democracy by supporting inclusive, community-driven voter outreach. From youth organizing to culturally grounded strategies and nonpartisan education, our speakers will highlight what’s working, what’s needed, and how we can all play a role in building power at the ballot box.
Panelists:
Claire Abernathy, Associate Professor of Political Science, Stockton University
Jesse Burns, Executive Director, League of Women Voters New Jersey
Danielle Iwata, Director of Organizing, AAPI New Jersey
Moderator: Michele Tuck-Ponder, CEO, Destination Imagination
Open Space Discussion: Strategizing for Impact in the Next Administration
Join this focused Open Space session to tackle a critical question:
What priorities should the next governor focus on in the first 90 days, and how can nonprofits and philanthropy advocate and partner with the new administration on the advancement of those priorities?
Get the complete 2025 Joint Policy Forum Resource List including a printable Agenda on the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits website.
This co-created forum empowers participants to surface priority policy issues, identify strategic opportunities, and explore cross-sector collaborations essential for systemic change. Facilitated by Gathering Ground, known for convening diverse groups to generate equitable, community-rooted solutions, this session offers a unique space to build actionable momentum for New Jersey’s social sector in the months ahead.
Presented by the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits and the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Sample board committee descriptions, including roles and responsibilities of committee members
Foundations Facilitate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Partnering with Community and Nonprofits, a new report by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, confirms that foundations can, in fact, facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through their grantmaking processes and their partnerships with nonprofits—and identifies eight specific practices for foundations to emulate.
The report takes a deep dive into the work of nine foundations that represent a diverse cross-section of types and sizes, and offers useful lessons about how foundations can better partner with nonprofits to be more effective in their work.
Summer always brings to mind those great “summer reads.” This has been an “occasional series” of CNJG eNews during the summer, over the years. In addition to this year’s curated list – I’m thrilled to share recommendations from a few CNJG Board members and the CNJG team!
CNJG Board of Trustees’ Secretary, Maisha Simmons, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, recommends Heather McGhee’s The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How we can Prosper Together. There’s also a podcast series, and the book has been adapted for young readers.
The Work: My Search for a Life that Matters by Wes Moore is the top pick from Board member, Jasmyne Beckford, The Prudential Foundation. Jasmyne reflects, this book helped her think about how she can live a life that creates impact for generations both personally and professionally.
CNJG Board member Justin Kiczek, F. M. Kirby Foundation, recently read Getting Beyond Better: How Social Entrepreneurship Works. “As our foundation holds both stewardship and entrepreneurship as core values, it helps me understand how social entrepreneurs start their journey and scale their solutions.”
In honor of Black Philanthropy Month this August, I’m excited to feature a few great reads created to inspire and inform your philanthropic journey. Thank you to Manager of Communications Shakirat Odunsi for curating this list:
- Madam C. J. Walker's Gospel of Giving: Black Women's Philanthropy during Jim Crow highlights Walker’s visionary approach to philanthropy and community-building, emphasizing the vital role of Black women’s giving in advancing social justice. Freeman’s work sheds light on how Walker’s philanthropy was an extension of her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to racial and gender equality.
- Ford Foundation’s Darren Walker reimagines Andrew Carnegie’s vision of philanthropy for the modern era in From Generosity to Justice: A New Gospel of Wealth, urging philanthropists to go beyond charity and address systemic inequalities to foster justice and lasting change.
- Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds encourages readers to embrace adaptability and resilience by using emergent strategies – small-scale actions that create large-scale impact. Author adrienne maree brown challenges traditional models of organizing and invites us to envision a more just and equitable world through collaboration, creativity, and deep connections with others. It’s a guidebook for those seeking to shape the future and navigate the complexities of change.
- Isabel Wilkerson explores how entrenched hierarchies based on race and class impact every aspect of our lives in Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Through compelling narratives and meticulous research, she reveals how this hidden system continues to perpetuate inequality and injustice, challenging us to confront these deeply rooted structures and work toward true equality.
From the CNJG team, Director of Member Services Craig Weinrich is currently reading How We Give Now: A Philanthropic Guide for the Rest of Us by Lucy Bernholz. This book demonstrates that philanthropy is about much more than money. Bernholz posits that even giving our data willingly to companies is an act of philanthropy. This is a great intersection to the Spring Colloquium conversation around AI, and ongoing discussions about how we can expand our definition of philanthropy as guided by our Strategic Plan.
Chanika Svetvilas, Manager of Programs and Learning recommends Against Technoableism by Ashley Shew and Imagination A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin. Not too long ago I read Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, which prompted me to really consider what each of us should focus on in our day-to-day work, and what we need to let go. It’s a practical, insightful guide that led to several “aha” moments. All three books challenge us to think very differently about our world and what’s possible.
And finally, a recently discovered read I’ve gifted to family and friends, All the Colors of Life by renowned artist Lisa Aisato; this will lift your spirits as you find yourself paging through it and experiencing it over and over again.
Happy Summer Reading!
On a different note, I hope you will join us at the Summer Joint Policy Forum – Nonprofit and Philanthropic Champions for New Jersey on August 13, at The Heldrich in New Brunswick. I look forward to seeing you there, and hearing what’s on your summer reading list!
Sincerely,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
We invite you to join our next virtual meeting of the NJ Corporate Philanthropy Network where we will learn how non-profits are responding to the changing Federal landscape from the perspective of four different stakeholders and how they’re dealing with these challenges and the impact this climate is having on future planning. Our speakers include: Linda Czipo, New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, who will share with us a broad brushstroke of the impact and the Center’s advocacy efforts to respond;. Sandra Toussaint, United Way of Greater Mercer County, who will review the findings of a recent study in the region; Elizabeth McCarthy, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, who will discuss the impact on the already overly stressed issue of food insecurity in the state; and Peter Rosario, La Casa de Don Pedro (in Newark), will share how a large multi-service organization’s constituents have been directly impacted and how La Casa has responded and adapted.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
Linda Czipo is President & CEO of the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, New Jersey's statewide champion and network for the charitable community. Through advocacy, education, professional training, management and compliance assistance, and membership services, the Center strengthens charities so that they can do their vital work in our communities. Linda’s nonprofit sector experience spans over 30 years, and includes expertise in public policy, analysis, research, compliance and management. She speaks frequently to the media, nonprofit, philanthropic and business leaders, and government officials regarding the size, strength, economic and social contributions of New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and current and emerging trends facing the nonprofit community; and has successfully mobilized broad-based coalitions of nonprofits around numerous advocacy issues. She is a public policy committee member and former board treasurer of the National Council of Nonprofits, and also serves on the New Jersey Commission on National and Community Service, and the Policy Committee of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University
Elizabeth McCarthy, President and CEO, Community Foodbank of New Jersey, has been a leader in shaping and implementing programs that address immediate critical needs, as well as providing the tools and support to effect long-term positive impacts on communities. Elizabeth joined The Community FoodBank of New Jersey in July of 2023, CFBNJ distributes enough food for more than 90 million meals annually and addresses the root causes of food insecurity with programs that provide job training, nutrition education, and more. From 2011 to 2023 Elizabeth served as the CEO of Sheltering Arms, which addressed the effects of social inequity for children and families in the most challenged New York City communities. The organization provided wraparound services for families living in poverty, including education, mental health, and violence prevention programs. She chaired the Board of Directors of the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA),was the Treasurer of The Developmental Disabilities Services/Child Welfare Collaborative, LLC, and was a Board member of The Children’s Collaborative, Inc.
Peter T. Rosario is the President and CEO of La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc., New Jersey’s largest Latinx-led community development corporation, celebrating over 50 years of mission-driven service. Under his leadership since August 2021, La Casa has implemented a comprehensive service delivery model focused on three central pillars: Early Childhood, Healthy Homes, and Community Empowerment. Peter has led a strategic transformation of the organization, overhauling its strategic plan, strengthening its brand around the core values of Justice, Love, Solidarity, Excellence, and Belonging, and securing major new funding from leading institutions including the Devils Youth Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Pershing Square Foundation, and Bank of America. A passionate and transformative advocate for equity, Peter has played a key role in advancing critical state policy reforms such as expanding NJ FamilyCare to undocumented children, eliminating barriers to early childhood education, and improving access to child care and nutrition programs. His work continues to elevate the voices and needs of New Jersey’s hardest-working families and communities.
Sandra Toussaint-Burgher serves as the President & CEO of United Way of Greater Mercer County, a role she’s had since 2016. Sandra provides executive leadership and vision to the organization. Prior to that Sandra held the position of Vice President of Resource Development & Strategic Partnerships. Sandra also serves as Chair of the statewide association of Unted Ways of New Jersey. Sandra has 20+ experience in fund development, strategic partnerships, community relations, and marketing. She’s held senior positions at local and national organizations including Youth Communication, Inc., Special Olympics, and Twenty-First Century Foundation. Before coming into the non-profit sector, Sandra worked in the insurance industry. Sandra is a sought-after speaker on a variety of topics such as creating and motivating teams, corporate engagement, board development, cultivating donors and finding your passion - transitioning from for-profit to non-profit. She has presented at the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association forum, New Jersey Center for Nonprofit Conference, Princeton Community Works, Association for Fundraising Professionals Conference, Nonprofit Connect and many others. Sandra is very active with the nonprofit community. She serves on the Board of Directors of Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, NJ Center for Nonprofit, Foundation Academies Leadership Council and Advisory Board Member for Kidsbridge Tolerance Center. She also served on the YWCA of Princeton Board of Directors and on the Advisory Committee for Single Stop USA, a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce poverty and promote economic mobility. Sandra is a 2021 Lead New Jersey fellow and a recipient of the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce Champion for Business Award. This award recognizes outstanding business leaders for growing their business and demonstrating the values of being a good corporate citizen.
Webinar Video
This case study of the Council of Michigan Foundations' Peer Action Learning Network (PALN) is one of six examined in a report from New York University's Wagner Research Center for Leadership in Action, commissioned by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. The PALN case study, along with the other five, explores the power of learning communities to build connections and knowledge to increase organizations’ community impact. It explains ways grantmakers can strategically support these efforts as well as key elements for designing learning communities, executing for success and extending the learning.
How the government can partner with impact investors to unleash new capital, talent and energy for maximum impact.