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Grantmakers occupy a powerful space of privilege in the social change sector. As such, they have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to work proactively toward equity and inclusivity. Increasingly, grantmaking institutions are challenging themselves to live their values through their grantmaking practices.
For philanthropy to advance equity in all communities, especially low-income communities and communities of color, it needs to be able to understand the demographics of the organizations being funded (and declined), the people being served, and the communities impacted. That data should be used to assess practices and drive decision making.
PEAK Grantmaking is working to better understand and build the capacity of grantmakers for collecting and utilizing demographic data as part of their grantmaking.
Traditionally, funders have asked grantees to report on compliance with grant requirements. But these reports don't show the difference a grantee is making with a funder's money.
This report looks at how leading grantmakers are tackling the transition from compliance reporting to performance management. Representatives from the Blue Sky Funders Forum, James Irvine Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Tipping Point Community:
- identify barriers to data-driven funding;
- describe how their organizations are using technology to overcome these obstacles;
- and suggest how other funders can follow their lead.
Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy 2014: Data to Drive Decisions is the most comprehensive analysis to date on disaster-focused philanthropy. Published by Foundation Center and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the report provides a snapshot of funding for disasters by the largest U.S. foundations. This analysis focuses on 2012 data to establish a baseline and is the beginning of a longer- term effort to collect and aggregate data—from multiple streams—in order to track disaster giving globally. As these data collection efforts move forward, subsequent reports will feature more current and comprehensive trends on disaster-related giving.
The effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt all around New Jersey. In order to dig deeper into the impact of the pandemic on certain communities and stay connected during this difficult time, CNJG worked with our affinity group chairs and other members to develop programming that supplemented our COVID-19 Funders Briefing Series and Newark COVID-19 Series. These virtual affinity and interest group meetings were designed for colleagues to update each other on coronavirus response efforts, hear about the greatest needs in their funding area, and share what they have learned. CNJG members can access the recordings of these past meetings to hear what was said.
In the second quarter of 2021, the Westfield Foundation distributed $68,544.00 in grants to 10 different agencies: CancerCare Inc., CASA of Union County, Caring Contact, Family Promise, Greater Somerset County YMCA, More Than Bootstraps, Our House Foundation, Patriots’ Path Council – Boy Scouts, Presbyterian Church - Agape Community Kitchen and the Westfield Service League.
These funds will be used for such items as face masks for summer day campers, supplemental groceries for families in need, replacement of inoperable windows, training for family advocates re substance abuse and a healthy food initiative to address food insufficiency.
In their most recent round of funding, the Dodge Foundation made two major, multimillion-dollar grants to projects focused on power building and economic resilience. These grants, to the Racial Justice Alignment Group of Black, Indigenous, and Brown leaders and the Paterson “One Square Mile” initiative from Montclair State University, strengthen our work towards a just and equitable New Jersey. In addition to these grants, we provided support to 27 additional organizations, representing our purposeful efforts to support partners and institutions contributing to the vibrancy of our state.
The Montclair Foundation has awarded $62,000 in grant funding to nineteen diverse nonprofits dedicated to making a positive difference in the Montclair community and its environs.
“There is no greater honor than partnering with these exemplary nonprofits as they continue to nurture growth in our community,” said Peggy Deehan, Trustee and Grants Committee Chair. “This Spring, we once again had the most applications that we have ever received; this made the grant review process particularly difficult, and we supported as many organizations as we could.”
The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF-NJ), recently awarded $125,000 in grants to five local organizations that will put the money to work benefitting women and girls across the region.
“Each of these grants for 2024-25 represents our dedication to the Jewish value of ‘Tikkun Olam’ (repairing our world) and to fostering environments where all women can thrive,” Greenwood said.
The foundation said the round of grant funding is part of an ongoing effort to make a difference in the lives of women and girls by “addressing their unique challenges through philanthropy.”
Join us for this Health & Aging Affinity Group meeting, a unique opportunity for New Jersey-based funders to connect and share insights on initiatives and strategies related to health and aging. This engaging event will provide a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and fostering potential partnerships among organizations dedicated to improving the well-being and quality of life for families in our communities. Let's come together to explore innovative solutions, share best practices, and build a stronger, more impactful funding network in the realm of health and aging.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
The Westfield Foundation is proud to announce the allocation of $52,000 in Q3 grants, raising its total year-to-date funding to $278,000. This quarter’s grants reflect the Foundation’s ongoing dedication to improving community well-being, focusing on inclusivity, accessibility, mental health support and elder care.
“Our goal is to support all segments of our Community," said Katie Curran Darcy, Executive Director of the Westfield Foundation. "These investments in critical areas, provide children with inclusive play spaces, offer essential care for our seniors, and mental health support for our youth. We believe these projects will have a lasting impact.”
In light of the many recent executive orders and policy shifts, and the impact they’re having on our nonprofit community, the Grunin Foundation is organizing a virtual Monmouth-Ocean Roundtable of Funders (MORF) call. This will be an informal space to discuss what we’re hearing from our partners on the ground, share information about emergency funding foundations may be setting up, and highlight some potential state-wide initiatives in the works. It’s crucial that we all stay in touch, share insights, and continue supporting our partners in Monmouth & Ocean counties (and beyond). We hope you can join us!
CNJG is pleased to offer a new member benefit: ValuesAdvisor. Many foundations now recognize that the investments made from their corpus have the power to support their mission, but don’t know how to take the first step: finding a trusted financial advisor with the right expertise. We now offer you free access to ValuesAdvisor, a nonprofit, online, searchable database of peer-recommended financial advisors who have the expertise you need. You can learn more about the platform by watching this short, 3 minute video. In this webinar with ValuesAdvisor Co-Founder Kate Simpson, you will learn about how the platform can be used to further your mission (climate, DEI, place based, etc.).
This webinar pairs nicely with CNJG’s Impact Investing Bootcamp series.
COST: Free for CNJG Members
Webinar Video
In this webinar presented by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, funders will learn from experts on the ground about their efforts to champion universal representation and how philanthropy can resource and support their work.
Universal Representation–as a principle and policy objective–ensures that every person, regardless of immigration status, has access to due process. Having access to legal representation makes a sizeable difference in an individual’s case. For example, asylum seekers are five times more likely to win their case for asylum if they have legal counsel. Yet there continue to be systemic inequities, with upwards of 70% of immigration cases lacking legal representation.
Not having an attorney has also been shown to have significant negative effects on the health and well-being of immigrants and their families. Areas of impact can include loss of income, degradation of mental health, and loss of access to medical care. Although having legal representation does not guarantee the outcome of a case, it can reduce harm and ensure that the dignity of individuals is protected.
Across the nation, organizations at the local and state levels are using a variety of tools and approaches to advance the goal of universal representation. In this webinar, funders will learn from experts on the ground about their efforts to champion universal representation and how philanthropy can resource and support their work.
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) is pleased to announce that we have awarded $402,514 in grant funding to 33 organizations across the state for Spring 2022. These awards cap off a banner grant cycle which saw the largest-ever response to an NJCH call for applications, with 83 Letters of Intent submitted earlier this year. The high demand for funding reflects both the robust activity of the cultural sector and the need for ongoing support in that sector, as we emerge from the COVID-related challenges of the last few years.
The grantees’ projects reflect the creativity, excellence, and lifelong learning that public humanities programming contributes to New Jersey’s cultural and civic life. NJCH’s awards include Incubation Grants, which help organizations plan, research, develop, and prototype public humanities projects and events; Action Grants, which help organizations implement a wide array of humanities-based projects, including public programs, exhibitions, installations, tours, and discussion groups; and Seed Funding, a brand-new award type that recognizes promising applicants from the Action and Incubation award pools and supports them in building greater capacity to do high-impact public humanities projects.
“From telling underrepresented stories to exploring new modes of audience engagement as we emerge from the pandemic, the new grantees’ projects speak to the astonishing breadth and depth of public humanities work in the state,” said NJCH Executive Director Carin Berkowitz. “NJCH’s grantmaking not only highlights those who are already doing exemplary work in the field, but also supports those organizations and communities that traditionally have less access to the public humanities. This approach ensures that New Jersey’s cultural sector will continue to thrive—now and well into the future.”
Nonprofits can and should play an active role during elections, particularly by educating and activating voters. However, with important local, state and federal elections coming up this fall, nonprofits should take the time to remind their staff about appropriate activity during a political campaign or at any other time. This overview developed by Donors Forum provides important tips and examples of activities that are permissible for nonprofits during an election cycle.
- Frequent moves are the most significant barrier to academic success, as they disrupt both students and teachers. Students on the move need extra time and attention to get caught up, requiring teachers to spend more time with those students.
- Students who are unable to find stable shelter have difficulty meeting state or district mandates regarding the number of days they must attend school to stay enrolled.
- Often, the slow transfer of student records, along with differing course requirements from school to school, complicates the accrual of sufficient credits for homeless students to be promoted and receive a high school diploma.