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We’re thrilled to announce the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ 2024 Spring Colloquium – a timely conversation exploring the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data in the social sector.
Empowering the Future: Harnessing AI and Data for Philanthropic Social Impact will take place on Tuesday, June 18th, 2024, at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center opening at 9:30 AM with networking and check-in, Resource Marketplace, and continental breakfast.
The main event begins at 10:30 AM and will feature a distinguished panel discussion moderated by Jean Westrick, Executive Director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers, (TAG). Our esteemed panelists will delve into critical topics such as:
- Optimizing Problem-Solving: How can AI enhance our ability to address social issues without sacrificing human connection?
- Equity in Action: How can we ensure AI is used ethically and fairly to promote a more equitable society?
- Funding for the Future: How are foundations leveraging AI for strategic grantmaking initiatives?
- Gen Z and AI: What role will AI play in shaping the future generations of philanthropic leaders?
Following lunch and conversation, we’ll have 2 afternoon sessions focused on the practical side of AI usage for foundations and nonprofits. The Spring Colloquium is your chance to gain valuable insights from leading experts, network with fellow New Jersey grantmakers and nonprofit leaders, and discover innovative strategies for using AI to maximize your own social impact.
Registration is now open! We’re opening registration exclusively to CNJG members until Friday, April 26, so please secure your spot for this essential event by registering today.
As this is such an important topic for our sector, I invite you to consider sponsorship of the event. Sponsorship 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. Please reach out to 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: Connector Sponsors - Campbell Soup Company, Sixers Youth Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In the coming weeks, we’ll share more details about the 2024 Spring Colloquium, including the full panel line-up. Stay tuned for further updates in the newsletter and on our website.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Directors & Officers liability insurance provides financial protection for a foundation and its directors, officers, employees, and volunteers in the event of a lawsuit. CNJG offers its members the D&O liability insurance program provided through Aon Association Services, underwritten by The Hartford and endorsed by the United Philanthropy Forum. A discount is available to foundations with current membership with CNJG.
Fiduciary Liability and other coverage is also available to members at a discounted rate. Coverage is available in all states. Brokers can access the Forum’s D&O program through Aon Association Services.
Learn more using the documents below, on the Aon website or by contacting Jason Tharpe, program administrator at Aon Affinity, at 202-429-8561. To obtain the discount, foundations should let Aon know they are a member of CNJG, a member of the United Philanthropy Forum.
In 2003, with member support, CNJG commissioned a report on the impact a potential conversion of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield to a for-profit might have on access to health care in New Jersey. Research from the Center for State Health Policy (CSHP) at Rutgers University, provided details about the law governing such conversions in New Jersey and the experience of other states with conversions. The report identified questions raised in other states when such conversions occur, especially about the valuation of assets, the impact on low-income families, and the operation of the philanthropic foundations that have been established as stewards of the assets generated by the conversions. CNJG’s purpose was to seek answers to critical questions relevant to the availability of healthcare coverage for New Jersey’s citizens and to discuss models of best practice for healthcare conversion foundations across the United States.
The Bridgespan Group collaborated with ABFE to co-author "Guiding a Giving Response to Anti-Black Injustice," with additional input from proximate leaders. This memo offers philanthropy potential paths to invest in organizations and movements within the Black-led racial justice ecosystem. It provides principles for giving that can help funders make investments with sustained change in mind, and highlights priority investment areas and example organizations within those areas that represent tangible opportunities. Our list is not exhaustive, but rather a starting place for funders who seek to support Black-led organizations and movements committed to anti-racist social change.
In a 2013 survey, funders were asked about the biggest transparency challenges they faced. The highest response was “not enough clarity around practical steps for being transparent.” This guide from GrantCraft & Glasspockets is helping foundations open up with clear action steps. Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency explores how transparency can strengthen credibility, improve grantee relationships, facilitate greater collaboration, increase public trust, reduce duplication of effort, and build communities of shared learning. It is organized into five topical chapters so that you can focus on exploring one approach to transparency at a time.
Excellence in Giving
In 2005, CNJG adopted Guiding Beliefs & Principles to offer a thoughtful source of direction and inspiration to help guide our state’s philanthropic sector into the future. CNJG first launched its Excellence in Giving initiative in 2007 with the goal is to provide grantmakers the practical tools necessary to ensure best practice in their operations and grantmaking.
The first booklet, Guiding Beliefs & Principles for New Jersey Grantmakers includes a wealth of insights and tips related to board governance, legal compliance, grantee communications, fiscal responsibility, public disclosure, and many other key areas of foundation governance and operations. It contains wisdom provided by leaders of all types of giving organizations within the CNJG’s membership, and is intended to serve as a practical resource to assist New Jersey foundations in their grantmaking. CNJG’s board is in the process of updating these beliefs and principles in 2023/2024. For more information on the updating process, please contact Theresa Jacks.
In 2010 CNJG released a second, comprehensive resource to help the state’s philanthropic community understand their ethical, legal, and fiduciary requirements and obligations - What Every Grantmaker Should Know and Frequently Asked Legal Questions. These two booklets are key publications in CNJG’s Excellence In Giving Series. While the Guiding Beliefs & Principles is available publically, members will need to log into access the legal guide for download.
Members can request additional copies of the booklets mentioned on this page by contacting Theresa Jacks.
In the third session of Putting Racism on the Table (2016), Julie Nelson, Director of the Government Alliance on Race & Equity, Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, focused on implicit bias. We encourage check out the viewing guide and discussion guide to be used with the video.
Watch the video
The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook, a comprehensive resource of best practices and innovative approaches to guide the philanthropic community in responding to future disasters, is now available for use at www.disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster-philanthropy-playbook/.
Designed as a multimedia, interactive website, the Playbook will be an “evergreen” resource designed for continued updates and knowledge-building. Community planning, civic rebuilding, legal services, housing, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, working with local, state and federal government, mitigation and preparedness are some of the common issues faced by communities post disaster that are covered in detail in the Playbook.
The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook is a joint project of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Council of New Jersey Grantmakers in association with the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers.
The Provident Bank Foundation (PBF) on May 11 announced Major Grant recipients for its first cycle of 2021.
The Foundation awarded $400,000 of total funding – its largest Major Grant cycle to date – to 26 nonprofit organizations within the Foundation’s three priority areas: Community Enrichment, Education and Health, and Youth & Families.
Grants provide funding between $5,000 and $25,000 to organizations across the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania communities served by Provident Bank.
“The Provident Bank Foundation remains focused on funding valuable programs, projects, and initiatives that address immediate needs, create meaningful impact, and lead to sustainable community enhancement,” said the foundation’s executive director, Samantha Plotino. “We are committed to supporting organizations that are helping our communities remain vibrant, healthy and safe.”
The PSEG Foundation has awarded more than $1 million to 301 community organizations, 39 of which are first-time recipients, the group announced this week.
The grants range from $500 to $21,000 for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, many of which are supported by Public Service Electric & Gas and PSEG Long Island employee-volunteers year-round. The PSEG Foundation, a separate legal entity from Public Service Enterprise Group, is a 501(c)(3) organization.
The funding responds to a record number of applications for the annual Neighborhood Partners Program and nearly doubles the number of organizations awarded funding since 2020. Founded in 2014, the NPP provides grant funding for organizations based on demonstrated program effectiveness, depth and overall alignment with the PSEG Foundation’s strategic pillars: environmental sustainability, social justice and equity and economic empowerment.
A CNJG corporate member asked for help with the scenario in which a corporate policy of not supporting religious organizations in their grantmaking, causes problems helping during a disaster in an urban or rural area, when the program that is delivering the disaster relief is based within a church. They want to work with those programs (a church serves as the program’s fiscal sponsor) who support efforts for hunger, homelessness, substance abuse recovery, racial equity, etc. as long as they do not discriminate and do no limit it to their own congregations. The request for policy samples to work around this religious organization hurdle as long as there is no discrimination or funding the actual church’s worship, was compelled by CNJG staff and is listed here.
Five stories showcase disability solidarity in efforts from Black liberation, participatory grantmaking, art funding, community foundations, and much more. Collectively, each story demonstrates that when we unite as a community in solidarity, we can effectively dismantle ableism and advance all social justice movements.
NJ Center for Nonprofits annual survey of the nonprofit community, shows that economic uncertainty, staffing shortages, tightening funding streams are among the top concerns nonprofits are navigating. New Jersey’s 41,000 charitable nonprofits are a major part of the economy, employing nearly 10% of the state’s private workforce.
How has place-based family philanthropy evolved over time? Rather than look first to comparing the contrasting decisions—why a place or issue basis for giving—this study is designed to examine how family foundations and funds committed to place are sustaining (or not sustaining) that commitment over generations.