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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!
The Summit Foundation board of trustees approved $369,946 in grants to 28 local organizations on June 3, 2025. These grants support a range of initiatives and programs that positively impact public spaces, healthcare, education, the arts, youth development, housing, food distribution and people with disabilities.
“As a community foundation, our goal is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our neighbors,” said Dana Turk, president of The Summit Foundation. “We address local challenges and open doors to new opportunities for people to thrive. These grants reflect our ongoing commitment to do good by enhancing the well-being and dignity of people living in the Summit area."
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts held a public meeting on March 16, where nearly $750,000 was awarded to 50 New Jersey nonprofit organizations through a recovery program that will help the arts sector prepare for a full-scale recovery.
The COVID Critical Needs Program (CCN) is a single year grant program that provides support for COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) and safeguarding needs for arts nonprofits. The CCN Program will financially assist New Jersey organizations with their efforts to ensure their venues are compliant with all safety standards as they welcome the public back inside.
The grant recipients include American Repertory Ballet, Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus, Arts Council of Princeton, Asbury Park Music Foundation, Bergen Performing Arts Center, Cape May Stage, Eagle Theatre, Farmstead Arts, Frontline Arts, George Street Playhouse, GlassRoots, Grounds for Sculpture, Growing Stage - The Children's Theatre of NJ, Guttenberg Arts, Hopewell Valley Children’s Theatre, Hunterdon Art Museum, Institute of Music for Children, Jazz House Kids, Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Luna Stage Company, Mainstage Center for the Arts, Matheny Medical & Educational Center, Mayo Performing Arts Center, McCarter Theatre Center, Monmouth Arts, Monmouth Museum & Cultural Center, Montclair Art Museum, and Montclair Film.
"The arts and entertainment industry has been among the hardest hit by the COVID pandemic," said Secretary of State Tahesha Way. "And yet, over the past year, New Jersey’s arts community has adapted to continue reaching people throughout the state and across the globe at a time when the power of the arts has been needed most. I am proud to work closely with the Arts Council to help ensure our state’s arts organizations can reopen and welcome audiences in a safe environment."
Following a recent meeting of the Board of Directors, the F. M. Kirby Foundation announces 87 grants totaling $7.7 million were made in the first four months of 2021 to nonprofit organizations working to foster self-reliance and create strong, healthy communities throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, as well as national nonprofits largely based in Washington D.C. and New York City.
Early 2021 grantmaking includes grants in support of COVID-19 relief, as well as increased contributions to nonprofit organizations in the arts and humanities, education, environment, health and medicine, human services, public policy, and religion. As part of its Diversity and Justice Initiative, the Foundation has invested $1.8 million during the first four months of 2021 in support for current and new grantee partners led by people of color or directly serving communities of color. Most of these grants will provide general operating support, giving these organizations flexibility to meet immediate and shifting needs.
“The mission of this Foundation is to invest in opportunities that foster self-reliance or otherwise create strong, healthy communities,” stated Justin Kiczek, Executive Vice President. “Our grants within the Diversity and Justice Initiative reflect the belief that strong and healthy communities are inclusive and equitable. Over the past year, in the face of incredible challenges, our grantee partners have led the way in finding new and bold ways to create stronger communities. The first four months of 2021 provided us several opportunities to make extraordinarily impactful investments.”
Strengthening its ongoing commitment to addressing the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic while advancing its core mission to raise awareness of the state’s unique and diverse historical legacy, the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC) has approved approximately $4.9 million in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 22) grant funding to over 100 historical organizations, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, individuals, and county re-grant agencies across the state.
The $4.9 million in FY 22 funding will support the New Jersey Historical Commission’s General Operating Support (GOS) program, which covers an array of operational expenses for qualified history organizations; Projects and Co-Sponsored Projects, which includes New Jersey-based historical research, exhibits, programs, and archival work; and the County History Partnership Program (CHPP), which provides all 21 counties with funding for local history groups statewide. FY 22 funding will also be dedicated to planning, coordinating, and implementing initiatives to promote best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion ahead of the NJHC’s new, three-year funding cycle in FY 2023.
“This marks another chapter in the Department of State’s continuing efforts to aid New Jersey’s history community in navigating the unprecedented financial challenges brought about by the pandemic,” noted Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “Funding for history organizations has increased considerably over the past two years, support that will not only secure the future of essential jobs, civics education, and programming across diverse disciplines, but serve to maximize the sector’s growth in the years to come.”
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (HFNJ) is pleased to announce that it has awarded $1,116,928 to eight New Jersey non-profit organizations in the second quarter of 2022.
The two largest awards given this quarter are a $222,383 grant to the Jewish Community Housing Corporation to support the renovation and expansion of their Lester Senior Housing Medical Suite, and a $193,923 award to Caldwell University to upgrade the equipment, staff capacity, and professional training opportunities at their School of Nursing.
Nearly all the other grants awarded in this cycle address behavioral health – highlighting the urgent need for treatment laid bare by the “second pandemic” of mental health concerns exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The requests The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey received this quarter demonstrate that nonprofit organizations in greater Newark and the Jewish Greater MetroWest community have an urgent need for qualified mental health clinicians to help them address their communities’ increasing and ever-more complex health needs,” said Michael Schmidt, Executive Director and CEO of the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. “We are particularly pleased to support several organizations serving children, whose mental health has been particularly impacted throughout the pandemic by school closures and loss of learning time, loss of routines, social isolation, and family stress.”
The WSFS CARES Foundation recently announced it awarded grants to five organizations as part of its continuing series of philanthropic activities. The grants, approved in the first quarter by the WSFS CARES Foundation board, will support the following organizations:
Delaware Prosperity Partnership: $150,000 grant to be paid over three years;
Distance Learning Center: $55,000 grant;
FinServ Foundation: $78,000 grant to be paid over three years;
New Jersey Community Capital: $25,000 grant;
Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank: $100,000 Grant to be paid over three years.
WSFS CARES Foundation is the charitable giving arm of WSFS Bank, which is headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia and Delaware region and operates 114 offices, 88 of which are banking offices, located in Pennsylvania (57), Delaware (40), New Jersey (14), Florida (1), Nevada (1) and Virginia (1).
“The mission of the WSFS CARES Foundation is to support nonprofits that are invested in improving communities and fostering a spirit of inclusion and diversity,” Patrick Ward, executive vice president, Pennsylvania market president, at WSFS Bank and chairman of the WSFS CARES Foundation, said. “We’re proud to support each of these great organizations, which share our focus on investing in and strengthening their communities through revitalization, business economic empowerment, education, leadership development and affordable housing.”
The program supports community-based projects that foster neighborhood stability and growth by providing grants to residents and organizations in Newark.
On May 21, Prudential Financial announced the recipients of the second annual Prudential Community Grants Program during a ceremony at Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey.
The program, launched in 2023, was created to support neighborhood-based solutions that foster community vitality through grants to residents and organizations in Newark. Among this year’s recipients are a variety of inspiring projects supporting community health and wellness, arts, education, beautification and development.
“Through the Community Grants program, Prudential is proud to continue our support of the residents and projects that are driving growth and quality of life in our hometown city,” said Lata Reddy, senior vice president of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial and chair of The Prudential Foundation. “Thriving neighborhoods are the heartbeat of a strong city, and we designed this program to directly support residents as they work to solve challenges in their community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this next group of grantees has across all five wards of Newark.”
With a $300,000 grant to the Community Foundation of New Jersey, Prudential will support neighborhood-based solutions that increase community vitality. The program received 400 applications this year, up from 225 applications in 2023 (a 78% increase), from a combination of individuals, 501(c)(3) organizations, and small business owners. Of the 66 community-based projects chosen, 19 are repeat recipients.
The PSEG Foundation celebrated a decade of community impact through its Neighborhood Partners Program (NPP), hosting a special event to honor more than 400 nonprofit organizations that have received nearly $8 million in grants since the program’s inception. This year, the program set new records, with an 11% increase in applications and $1.2 million in total giving—a 20% rise from last year’s $1 million.
Representatives from more than 100 nonprofits that have benefited from the program attended the event, sharing testimonials about its impact on their communities. The NPP provides grant funding to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that demonstrate effective programming aligned with the PSEG Foundation’s three strategic pillars: environmental sustainability, social justice, and equity and economic empowerment.
“In 10 years, the Neighborhood Partners Program has not only awarded millions in grants but has stood alongside hundreds of community-led organizations to create lasting change throughout New Jersey. NPP now serves as a role model for other funders who also seek to be catalysts for progress at the neighborhood level,” said Calvin Ledford Jr., president of the PSEG Foundation. “We are proud to support these transformative partnerships, which embody our unwavering commitment to empowering communities, tackling critical environmental and socio-economic challenges, and advancing equity—especially for those with the greatest need—so that all communities can thrive in a more sustainable and just New Jersey.”
Let’s look back on 2024 and ahead to 2025. Our guest speaker will share an insight on philanthropic trends and what might be on the horizon as the New Year progresses. We would like to have a candid discussion about how we envision we might shift gears and perhaps see programs sunset or create new ones, share budget impacts or maybe creative responses to address the needs of those served by the nonprofits we support. We hope you will join us for our journey.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
Elizabeth A. Barnette is a Managing Director and Senior Philanthropic Strategist with the National Consulting and Advisory Practice at Bank of America Private Bank. In this role, Elizabeth provides customized consulting to endowment and foundation clients’ boards of directors and senior leaders in areas including mission advancement, leadership development, nonprofit governance, and board dynamics. Elizabeth has over 25 years of experience working with nonprofits. Prior to joining the National Consulting and Advisory Practice, Elizabeth was a National Fiduciary Philanthropic Manager at Bank of America Private Bank, managing a team of philanthropic professionals who provided planned giving, administrative, and fiduciary oversight services to more than 500 nonprofit clients including colleges and universities, churches and other religious organizations, community foundations, hospital systems, and arts and culture organizations. Elizabeth has specialized expertise in planned giving, sub fund accounting, donor advised fund administration, and board governance.
Join funder colleagues to learn about two newly created funds to help address the challenging environment many nonprofits are experiencing today. United Way organizations in New Jersey have a long history of strengthening local communities by providing direct support and fostering collaboration across sectors. In response to the evolving needs of nonprofits and the communities they serve, six United Ways have partnered to establish the New Jersey Sustainability and Resiliency Fund. Learn about how the this newly created fund can help nonprofits recover, adapt, and thrive in the face of ongoing challenges. Equip NJ is also working to establish a fund to assist nonprofits focused on policy and systems change. To set the stage for this introduction, we’ll hear from our colleagues at the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits about how the upheaval of critical supports and systems nationally are posing grave threats to New Jersey’s nonprofit organizations and the people and communities they serve.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
Webinar Video
The Montclair Foundation is proud to announce the awarding of $90,000 in grants to 17 local nonprofit organizations through its Spring 2025 grant cycle. These grants will support critical initiatives in the areas of Education, Community Service and Cultural Arts — continuing the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to nurturing and strengthening the greater Montclair community.
Thanks to the success of the Foundation’s recent capital campaign, this grant cycle includes several larger awards and a multi-year grant, reflecting an exciting new chapter of expanded community investment.
“We are incredibly grateful to our donors and supporters whose generosity through our capital campaign has allowed us to increase both the scope and impact of our grantmaking,” said Peggy Deehan, Chair of the Grants Committee. “Montclair is home to so many extraordinary organizations making a meaningful difference every day. It’s a privilege to partner with them in creating a more vibrant, inclusive, and compassionate community.”
This season’s recipients include organizations providing emergency medical services, youth tutoring and mentoring, early childhood care, community wellness, arts education, and cultural programming. Among the highlights is a multi-year grant to Imani — the inaugural recipient of the newly established Emer Featherstone Education Grant, named in honor of our esteemed past Board Chair - and a $15,000 grant to the Montclair Ambulance Unit to support a critical outreach campaign. The Foundation extends its sincere appreciation to all applicants for their dedication and invaluable work in the community.
- 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.
These articles have a philanthropic focus. We encourage grantmakers to read, share, and use strategies detailed here.
5/13/22 - ABC News: Two New Jersey towns illustrate the race gap in the COVID pandemic
NJTV: LIVE UPDATES: Tracking the Coronavirus in New Jersey
3/16/21 – Denver Post: On Philanthropy: Pandemic puts nonprofits in peril – what donors can do
8/26 – Center for Disaster Philanthropy: $12 Billion Pledged Worldwide to Fight COVID-19 through June 2020
8/25 – Generocity: Changing Metrics for Impact: The Emergence of a New Donor-Grantee Business Model
8/19 – Good News Network: Generous American Are Giving More to Charities Through The Pandemic, Survey Says
6/8 – Chronicle of Philanthropy: How Foundations Can Make Covid Research Grants More Equitable
6/5 – Governing Magazine: The America Ethos and the Betrayal of Expertise
5/19 – Nonprofit Quarterly: COVID-19 Calls for Philanthropy to Redefine Urgency
5/13 – Nonprofit Quarterly: Will Philanthropy Stand Up for Black America?
5/11 – Nonprofit Quarterly: Deer Eyes, Circle Mind: Reflections on Pandemic & Philanthropy
5/8 – Inside Philanthropy: Pandemic Philanthropy: Moving From Relief to Power
5/5 – NY Times: In Philanthropy, Race Is Still a Factor in Who Gets What, Study Shows
5/5 – Funders Together to End Homelessness: COVID-19 Response and Recovery: Recommendations for Philanthropy to Support Immediate Needs and Long-Term Solutions to End Homelessness
5/5 – Chronicle of Philanthropy: Op-Ed: Flexibility for Grantees Is Not Enough. Let Them Decide Where the Money Goes
5/5 – Chronicle of Philanthropy: Op-Ed: Change Is Too Rapid in Covid-19 Era to Tie Nonprofits’ Hands With Old Rules
5/4 – Bridgespan Group: Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table
5/4 – Stanford Social Innovation Review: Overcoming the Racial Bias in Philanthropic Funding
5/1 – Stanford Social Innovation Review: For a More Equitable America, Understand Race and Racism as Actions We Do and Can Undo
4/30 – National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy: Large Funder Quadruples its giving in response to COVID-19
4/30 – Chronicle of Philanthropy: How the 25 Biggest Grantmakers are Responding to the COVID Crisis
4/30 – Chronicle of Philanthropy: In Covid-19 Crisis, Philanthropy’s Attention Must Focus on People With Disabilities
4/30 – Inside Philanthropy: A Time for Reform: Philanthropy and the Push for Better State Policymaking
4/28 – Newsweek: Why the Coronavirus Pandemic is Philanthropy's Big Moment
4/23 – Bridgespan Group: Want to Support Your Community’s Equitable Recovery from COVID-19? Invest in Child Care
4/21 – Center for Effective Philanthropy: Essential Questions for Foundation Boards in a Time of Crisis
4/20 – LA Times: Charity is off the charts amid the coronavirus. Is that a sign of America’s strength or weakness?
4/20 - Nonprofit Times: Foundations Paying Out, Expect Deep Recession (quotes from Community Foundation of New Jersey)
4/17 - Nonprofit Quarterly: Why Grantmakers Need to Break Their Restriction Habit—Permanently
4/16 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Philanthropy’s Stimulus Plan Must Bolster Democracy
4/16 - Nonprofit Quarterly: How Philanthropy Can Support Black Workers
4/15 - Candid.org: A Call for COVID-19 Grants Data
4/15 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: In This Crisis, Philanthropy Must Tackle 3 Existential Challenges All At Once
4/14 - Bridgespan Group: Four Ways for Community-Focused Philanthropy to Confront the Coronavirus Crisis
4/9 - Inside Philanthropy: COVID and the Count: Funders Confront New Challenges to the 2020 Census
4/9 - Forbes: COVID-19 And Aging: What Can Philanthropy Do?
4/7 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: The Coronavirus Crisis Has Changed How I View What Matters in Philanthropy
4/7 - App.com: Coronavirus: 10 ways to avoid becoming victim of a scam
4/7 - Washington Post: Coronavirus is a Totally Different Disaster for Philanthropies to Handle
4/6 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Small Nonprofits Struggle to Get Payroll Loans in New Federal Program
4/6 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Foundations and Nonprofits See Crisis as Opportunity to Advance Equity
4/3 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: What Philanthropy Can Do Now to Promote Education Equity After the Pandemic
4/2 - Inside Philanthropy: The Hardest Hit: Who is Supporting Communities of Color During COVID-19?
4/2 - Nonprofit Quarterly: Philanthropy, Meet Our Matrix Moment: Which Pill Will You Choose?
4/1 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Grant Maker Dilemma: Spend More Now or Protect Shrinking Endowments?
4/1 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Foundations Adopt Policies to Move More Money Faster, and With Fewer Restrictions
4/1 - NJ Spotlight: A Coronavirus Checklist to Help Keep NJ Residents Informed
3/30 - Nonprofit Quarterly: COVID-19: Using a Racial Justice Lens Now to Transform Our Future
3/26 - NJ.com: City of Newark Creates $6 million fund for Non-Profits, arts organizations, resident, businesses, and homeowners
3/23 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Federal Aid Plan for Nonprofits Needs More Input From Black-Led Organizations
3/20 - Nonprofit Quarterly: A Growing Group of Foundations Pledge ‘No Business as Usual’
3/20 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Senate Bill would create ‘Universal Deduction’ & Expand Loans for Nonprofits
3/20 - Asbury Park Press: Digital Divide in Schools Will Affect Web-Only Lessons
3/17 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Grantmaker Responses for Nonprofits in Need Vary Widely
3/17 - Trust-based Philanthropy Project: Philanthropy Needs To Trust Nonprofits Now More Than Ever
3/16 - Exponent Philanthropy: Market Volatility in the Face of COVID-19
3/16 - Philadelphia Inquirer: Free Wifi from Comcast
3/16 - Inside Philanthropy: Philanthropy Has a Duty to Respond Quickly to the COVID-19 Outbreak. Here’s How We Can Do It
3/16 - NJBiz.com: NJ Government recommendations on March 16, 2020
3/13 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: As Disasters Go, Coronavirus Impact on Philanthropy Unprecedented and ‘Crazy’
3/13 - Bloomberg: Nonprofits Prepare for Worst with Wealthy Losing Billions
3/12 - Forbes: Philanthropy: COVID19 Doesn’t Need to Slow You Down
3/12 - Inside Philanthropy: On the Frontlines of a Pandemic, Local Philanthropy Scrambles to Respond
3/12 - NorthJersey.com: Many seniors face coronavirus fears while cut off from activities and social networks
3/12 - Independent Sector/Chronicle of Philanthropy: A Novel Opportunity to Strengthen Public Trust in the Nonprofit World
3/12 - NJ Spotlight: Sick Leave in NJ, What the Law Provides
3/12 - NJ Spotlight: Experience with Virtual Snow Days Helps NJ School Prepare for COVID-19 Closures
3/12 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Coronavirus ‘Rapid Response’ Funds Proliferate as Threat Grows
3/11 - NJ.com: NJ schools feed 500K kids for free. What happens if coronavirus closes them?
3/11 - Daily Beast: Will Coronavirus make America finally care about the homeless
3/11 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Coronavirus Is Hard on Nonprofits That Rely on Events
3/11 - Nonprofit Quarterly: Nonprofits Who Can’t Cancel: The Ones that Serve Those at Greater Risk of COVID-19
3/10 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: As Coronavirus Threat Continues, Experts Tell Nonprofits to Shore Up Reserves
3/9 - Nonprofit Times: Lessening the Risk of Coronavirus at Nonprofits
3/9 - Nonprofit Quarterly: Community Healthcare Centers Funding at Risk at Time of Health Peril
3/9 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: 6 Steps for Grant Makers to Take Now to Ensure Nonprofits Recover From Coronavirus Spread
3/8 - ROI-NJ: NJ Insurers Announce Coverage Related to Coronavirus
3/8 - Nonprofit AF: A few things for nonprofits and foundations to consider in light of the Coronavirus
3/5 - Washington Post: RWJF CEO Pens Opinion Piece on Coronavirus
3/5 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Coronavirus Giving Tops $1 Billion Worldwide
3/4 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nonprofits Work to Protect Employees and Volunteers as Coronavirus Threat Grows
3/3 - Candid.org: Funders Respond to Coronavirus
3/3 - CDNet: Tech Tools Offered for Free During Outbreak
3/2 - FSG: COVID-19 – Seven Things Philanthropy Can Do by Lauren Smith, MD, MPH
3/2 - Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nonprofit Conference Attendees Worry About Coronavirus
2/18 - Professional Convention Management Association: Is Your Event (if cancelled) Covered by Insurance?
CNJG provides this information free to the philanthropic community. If you are not a CNJG member, please join so you can take full advantage of the many benefits of membership and help underwrite the cost of services like this.