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The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan reimagines the future for CNJG. As a result of the extensive strategy development process, the plan includes a renewed vision, mission, core values, and goals. The work is informed by previous efforts, and current issues and trends impacting philanthropy and society.
The 2023 - 2027 Strategic Plan is a roadmap for the next five years, built upon CNJG's past strategic plans and learnings. We look forward to executing this plan, the additional learnings and opportunities it will bring, and delivering on these goals to move us into the future.
This weekly conference call series welcomed New Jersey-based grantmakers along with national funders and provided an opportunity for grantmakers to hear from a wide range of experts in the field of disaster philanthropy. This series started on September 9, 2013 and concluded on November 4, 2013. The written summaries of each recording are listed below.
Deepening Philanthropic and Nonprofit Partnerships in New Jersey
Doing Good Better, a partnership of the Council for New Jersey Grantmakers and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, is a community of funders and nonprofits taking action against the power imbalances and racial inequities in philanthropy, nonprofits and government. Accessible, equitable, and mutually accountable relationships are primary and indisputable building blocks for a stronger society and thriving communities. Our goal is to shift the culture of the New Jersey philanthropic and nonprofit ecosystem by encouraging funders, nonprofits, and government to create shared power rooted in collaboration, mutual trust, and respect.
Doing Good Better Goals: A Framework for Change
The Doing Good Better Steering Committee encourages funders to focus on and advocate for four changes that can make an immediate difference in addressing power dynamics between nonprofits and funders and maximizing nonprofit impact.
Why now?
For many years, but particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and the heightened outcry for racial equity and social justice, funders have been urged to embrace more flexibility and transparency in their grantmaking. Practices such as general operating support, simplified application and reporting procedures, multi-year funding and others have been shown to level the power imbalance, advance greater equity, strengthen partnerships between funders and their nonprofit partners, and thereby improve community impact.
Many grantmakers temporarily embraced flexible practices in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and during the height of the pandemic, and these structural changes empowered nonprofits to become more resilient and have a greater impact in their communities. But while some funders have retained the flexible practices, others have reinstated previous restrictions.
In New Jersey and across the country, there is a renewed urgency to NOT return to business as usual. It’s long past time.
Doing Good Better invites all of us to reflect on how power is distributed in our partnerships, learn from our peers, and make adjustments that position all community partners for transformative, equitable change in New Jersey.
How?
Guided and informed by 50+ advisors from New Jersey who represent a broad range of perspectives from nonprofits, philanthropy, and beyond, we are approaching this work through the lens of systems change – the recognition that transformative change can only occur after power structures have been addressed collectively. Specifically, Doing Good Better encourages funders to consider the power dynamics that underpin their policies, practices, and resource flows. To do this, we provide resources and a space for dialogue centered on changes in key practices and culture shifts.
Quick practice changes you can make now.
The road to systems change begins with changing practices that impede nonprofits’ pursuit of their missions, and implement practices that demonstrate respect for and trust in the expertise and experience of nonprofits and the communities they serve. Several key practices have consistently been shown to be particularly effective. Many of these have been requested by nonprofits for quite some time, and are reflected in the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy and Community-Centric Fundraising, among others. Here are a few practice changes you can make now:
Type of Funding
● Give multiyear and unrestricted funding, especially for grantee partners with which you’ve had long term relationships.
Access to Funding
● Create alternative processes for organizations too small to submit audits to reduce barriers to obtaining grants.
● Set aside funding pools for BIPOC-led organizations that may not have access to traditional funding sources.
Simplifying the Process
● Simplify and streamline application and reporting processes.
● Eliminate annual requests for organizational information that does not change from year to year.
Learning
● Engage with the community through participatory grantmaking that aligns with the community’s goals.
● Open dialogues with nonprofits by soliciting and acting on feedback
How do we know?
We’ve asked the experts: nonprofits, foundations, and community members who are working directly in our community as well as peers from across the country who are eliminating power imbalances in their own communities.
● Feedback from over 50+ Advisors
● The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers survey
● The Center for New Jersey Nonprofit’s survey
● The Trust Based Philanthropy Project
● The Community-Centric Fundraising movement
● Thought leaders and advocates throughout the nonprofit community
● Case studies from across the US
We are pleased to share links to organizations and other resources that assist nonprofit with development, volunteer recruitment, and other key aspects of their work.
New Jersey Center for Nonprofits
The New Jersey Center for Nonprofits is the only umbrella organization for all New Jersey 501(c)(3)s. Since 1982, the Center has provided advocacy, resources, training and information to strengthen non-profits and help them thrive. The Center offers an active list of funding opportunities for NJ-based nonprofits. CNJG is partnering with the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits by sending any and all funding opportunities from our members and other funders to add to this page. Our goal is to make this page one of the first places New Jersey non-profits visit to find funding opportunities.
NJ Division of Consumer Affairs: Charities Registration Section
The CR & I Section administers and enforces the provisions of the Charitable Registration & Investigation Act (CRI Act) which regulates the fund raising activities of most charitable organizations and all professional fund raisers, fund raising counsels, commercial co-ventures and solicitors conducting business within the State of New Jersey.
Foundation Directory Online
The Foundation Center, now Candid.org, has launched Foundation Directory Online, a website you can use to search the basic profiles and IRS Forms 990-PF of nearly 90,000 grantmakers, giving them access to contact information, fields of interest, financial data, and program priorities. Registration is required. They offer a free version that gives basic information, or one can subscribe for a fee to access more detailed information.
Those seeking funds can also access a paid version of the Foundation Directory Online through Candid’s Funding Information Network access locations. There are several in New Jersey and in neighboring states.
Also from the Foundation Center, Foundation Funding for U.S. Democracy, a new nonpartisan resource that provides data about foundations and their democracy-related grantmaking in a structured, contextualized, and visual format. The project documents foundation support across several key areas: campaign and election processes, governing institutions and processes, information and media, and public engagement and voting.
Pro Bono Partnership
Pro Bono Partnership provides business and transactional legal services to nonprofit organizations serving the disadvantaged or enhancing the quality of life in neighborhoods in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Association of Fundraising Professionals, New Jersey Chapter
The Association of Fundraising Professionals fosters the professional development of fundraising professionals and promotes ethical standards in the fundraising profession. The New Jersey Chapter is an individual member association that advances philanthropy through education, training, and advocacy across the state, basing its programs and services on research, experience and the highest code of ethical principles and standards of professional practice.
Association of Fundraising Professionals, Southern Jersey Chapter
The Association of Fundraising Professionals NJ, Southern Chapter serves Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties in the southern-most region of the state.
Grant Professionals Association
The Grant Professionals Association helps grant professionals seek to continually improve their professional knowledge and skills in grant research, proposal development, and post-award grant management. They provide a consultant directory to find assistance with preparing grant applications and proposals.
NJ Chapter of Grants Professional Association
The statewide chapter of the Grants Professional Association..
Resources
The Philanthropic Infrastructure landscape
The Council on Foundations put together this list of philanthropy-supporting organizations (PSOs) that engage philanthropy, share resources, increase trust in philanthropy, and improve our local communities.
Exploring the Social Sector Infrastructure
The Urban Institute created this microsite that details the infrastructure organizations that support the social sector.
Common Grant Application and Report Form
More than a decade ago, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Philanthropy New York spearheaded a project to develop common application and report forms to help streamline the grant application process and ease the often time-consuming grant preparation process.
The Common Grant Application is a four-page form, which includes directions for use, a sample cover sheet, and the common grant proposal guidelines. The separate Common Report Form is accepted by many funders and helps to streamline the grant-app/report process. Please check with funders to see if they accept this documentation before sending.
If you know of other resources that you feel would be valuable to feature in this area, contact Theresa Jacks.
Get on the map and give smarter
Get on the Map is an exciting data-sharing initiative designed to dramatically improve the quality and availability of giving data for our region. Using this tool to put your grantmaking in context will provide valuable insights that can transform your giving.
Knowing how other foundations or corporations are funding in a certain geographic area or with a specific nonprofit can make everyone’s work more effective.
Imagine real-time answers to questions like:
- How are others serving at-risk youth?
- Are organizations in our region receiving enough capacity building support?
- Who else funds economic development in our rural communities?
Through a partnership with Candid (formerly the Foundation Center) and the United Philanthropy Forum, Get on the Map enables CNJG members to see the scope of their grantmaking, find natural funding partners, and gain deeper understanding of New Jersey’s philanthropic landscape.
Watch the short video below to learn how easy it is to Get on the Map!
It starts with sharing your giving data
Your data will power valuable resources for your organization and our region, including access to the CNJG Foundation Funding Map, a special interactive searchable mapping platform, engineered by Candid.
When you share your data, you control your story. No one knows your grantmaking better than you. Tell your story, your way is good for the sector because better information benefits everyone. Join the community of funders sharing their data to ensure the field is acting on the best possible information. Share Now!
Self-Paced Training for Funders on Using Candid
Candid has also launched a new, free self-paced course for funders: Funding Smarter: Using Candid Tools to Inform and Share Your Foundation’s Work. The course is meant to help funders use Candid’s mapping, data, and knowledge tools to better identify funding peers, potential grantee partners, identify funding connections and gaps, and learn from knowledge other funders have already shared. It also highlights the value of sharing data with Candid.
Joint Statement from CNJG and the Center for Non-Profits
This statement also appeared on NJ Spotlight.
A conversation between two customers in line at a New Jersey supermarket turned ugly when one man denigrated the other with a racial slur and blamed the fellow shopper for the coronavirus pandemic.
With so much else going on these days, it would be so easy to react to such a seemingly minor incident by saying, oh well, these things happen. Times are tough; tempers are short.
But shrugging our shoulders is not an option. Doing so is complicity in a wrongful acts that too often are repeated, over and over. Our silence merely emboldens those who would tear apart the fabric of our society, whether through hate or ignorance – or the extremely volatile mix of the two.
It’s not difficult to connect the dots between “little” incidents and the systemic racism that leads to tragedies like the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. When we ignore or accept any examples of people being demeaned over what they look like or where they (or their ancestors) came from, we only open the door for massive abuses and the wrenching reckoning that follows them.
We mustn’t be cowed by fear of being seen as overly sensitive or labeled “politically correct.” This is about being morally and ethically correct in the face of bias and hatred – and that shouldn’t be too much to ask of Americans, regardless of their political party or ideology.
As state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said recently, “COVID-19 is no excuse for racism, xenophobia, or hate. Discrimination and harassment in violation of New Jersey law remains illegal even if it occurs against the backdrop of a global pandemic." It’s gratifying to live in a state where the top law enforcement officer speaks out this way.
Unfortunately, it also is a state where reported hate crimes are up in recent years. We can’t tolerate such behavior, whether by police, elected officials or “average people.” There is too much at stake for bias to become the new normal.
As the leaders of the major philanthropic and non-profit membership organizations in New Jersey, representing both the wide range of non-profit groups and the multi-faceted funders of those groups, we feel compelled to speak out against the hateful responses we and our members have witnessed in reaction to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Our country has seen countless examples of selfless sacrifice and good works over the past weeks, both on individual and institutional levels. We are proud that the members our organizations have been leaders in responding to the needs of our community.
But to our distress, some individuals are using the pandemic to put forward their bias and hatred toward their fellow citizens.
Times of crisis bring to the surface, on the part of some people, the need to scapegoat. Often, this takes the form of lashing out at particular groups, stirred up by inflamed rhetoric or more subtle code words or phrases, having no relationship to facts. In this time, there have been verbal and physical attacks against people of Asian and Pacific Islander background, as there were against Muslims after September 11 and against African-Americans and Latinos in countless other instances. This hatred and these attacks must stop.
The non-profit sector is the backbone of our communities, providing assistance and education to a wide range of people, in good times and especially in challenging times. Many of these services are a lifeline to people of all backgrounds, religions, ethnicities and statuses in life.
Non-profit organizations are the vehicle through which people can work together to selflessly assist others. People around the world view the United States as being unique in the breadth and depth of its charitable and philanthropic work, engaging the talents of all individuals, regardless of their economic or social status.
We call upon all people of good conscience in their good work to be alert for hateful words and actions and – always -- to speak out against them, both as individuals and as organizations.
Our language and our actions do matter.
Everyone, and especially people in positions of public trust or prominence, has the obligation to use our works and our lives to assist all in need and to honor the dignity and potential of all those we meet.
We call on not only our own members, but everyone who serves and volunteers in our sector to join us in this effort to speak out against racism and hatred and to exemplify all the best that we know our country is.
Maria Vizcarrondo
CNJG CEO and President
Linda Czipo
Center for Non-Profits CEO and President
William V. Engel
CNJG Board Chair
Gina M. Plotino
Center for Non-Profits Board Chair
The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is pleased to announce a six-part webinar series addressing common questions, clarifying misconceptions, and exploring ways to overcome obstacles in implementing trust-based philanthropy. CNJG is pleased to share this opportunity with our members.
Series Description: Trust-based philanthropy is a philosophy and approach rooted in values of relationship-building, mutual learning, and systemic equity – with a vision of advancing a healthier and more impactful nonprofit sector. While this approach is generally associated with six core grantmaking practices such as multi-year unrestricted funding and streamlined paperwork, the day-to-day work of trust-based philanthropy is very nuanced and dynamic. In fact, funders who have embraced this approach are finding that it requires ongoing self-reflection and rigor with regards to how they think about – and evolve – many of the deeply embedded practices and assumptions of traditional philanthropy.
Given these nuances, it is not surprising that there are many questions and occasional misperceptions about what it actually means to embody trust-based philanthropy in practice. In this 6-part webinar series, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project will explore some of the most commonly asked questions and the underlying misperceptions that may be roadblocks to understanding and operationalizing trust-based philanthropy.
Each session in the series will focus on a frequently asked question from the field, and will feature perspectives from foundation leaders and others who have grappled with similar or related questions. At the end of each session, participants will walk away with: 1) a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the underlying cultural philosophy of trust-based philanthropy; 2) tips for how to think about and approach these nuances in their own work; and 3) talking points for how to answer these FAQs when they come up from colleagues or peers.
Each session will also provide dedicated space for small-group peer dialogue (among CNJG members) about ways to implement these practices into your grantmaking.
Cost: Free
Who should attend: Anyone in a grantmaking role that is curious about understanding the nuances of trust-based philanthropy and how it applies to your work. This series will be ideal for those who have some baseline familiarity with trust-based philanthropy and have questions about how it manifests in practice.
Please note: this webinar series is separate from CNJG’s 2023 Conference for the Social Sector, which features an in-person luncheon keynote by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project. CNJG’s conference is open to both funders and nonprofits, so the keynote will differ from this series. Because CNJG’s Doing Good Better initiative leans on the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy, we encourage our members to register for these sessions - as time allows - for funders to learn about different approaches to changing systems in New Jersey.
Demystifying Trust-Based Philanthropy Series Sessions
Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
Session #2: Does Unrestricted Funding Automatically Make a Funder Trust-Based?
Session #3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #4: What Does Grantee Accountability Look Like in Trust-Based Funding?
Session #5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #6: What Does Racial Equity Have To Do With Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Resources
Recording: Session 5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Transcript: Session 5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Presentation: Session 5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Trust-Based Philanthropy Peer Exchange for Grantmakers
The 6 Practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy
Trust-Based Philanthropy in 4D Overview
Trust-Based Philanthropy Story Map
Trust-Based Framework for Learning and Evaluation
Headwaters Foundation Grant Reporting Process
AJWS Accompaniment Model
Satterberg Foundation's Insight Circles Report
Headwaters Foundation Learning Book
AJWS Social Movements Tool
Center for Effective Philanthropy Blog: Rigorous Evaluation Versus Trust-Based Learning: Is This a Valid Dichotomy?
New Jersey’s philanthropic community mourns the loss of Jeffery Vega, who passed away January 28.
Jeff joined CNJG’s Board in 2016, and during his tenure served as First Vice Chair and Board Chair, and participated on multiple committees, affinity groups, and co-chaired the Trenton Area and Mercer County Funders affinity group. Jeff shaped and cultivated the direction and focus of CNJG through his supportive and proactive leadership. His direction and guidance during the pandemic helped CNJG not only stay the course, but continue to grow and thrive.
“Working with Jeff was a joy and a privilege,” CNJG President and CEO Theresa Jacks said. “Jeff guided us through the pandemic, a leadership transition, a strategic planning process, the approval of equity principles, and CNJG’s first-ever policy agenda with a steady hand, fierce commitment to equity, unwavering dedication to the membership, and the perfect combination of visionary thinking, wisdom, and kindness.”
His CNJG legacy includes the 2023 Strategic Plan, the creation of the Racial Equity Committee, CNJG’s first policy agenda, the New Jersey Principles for Philanthropy, and leading a dynamic and diverse board.
Jeff was the President and CEO of Princeton Area Community Foundation since 2015. Before joining PACF, Jeff was President of New Brunswick Tomorrow.
You can read more at the Princeton Area Community Foundation’s tribute page and announcement of Jeff’s passing.
Retributing Power by Simplifying and Streamlining Processes
Sisters of St. Joseph Health & Wellness Foundation
When Beth Collins joined the Sisters of St. Joseph Health and Wellness Foundation as the new Executive Director, she knew that the foundation could be doing more to support its nonprofit ecosystem. With a background in direct service, Beth remembered when she was on the other side of the funding relationship – sometimes spending hours writing lengthy application materials or digging up data to meet reporting requirements, all while juggling her never-ending to-do list. By aligning the values of Trust-Based Philanthropy to the virtues and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, she has catalyzed a shift toward redistributing power in its community partnerships.
This power shift began when Beth started a conversation about values with the foundation board. By approaching the board with curiosity and bringing the voice of the community into the conversation, she set the tone for trust, openness, and an ongoing dialogue. The Foundation is now working toward fully embodying its values in its practices. The Sisters of St. Joseph have expanded their general operating support portfolio, shifted the bulk of the application process from applicants to the Foundation, replaced written reports with honest conversations, and created more opportunities for the public to provide feedback and engage in candid dialogue with the board. Focusing on only the essential information for applications and reporting has enabled staff to redirect their time and energy to develop wholehearted relationships with community partners. By starting with the why, Beth is leading the Foundation toward a clear vision for the how: “Trust Based Philanthropy is about humility – at Sisters of St. Joseph, we recognize that we are just one piece of the puzzle – and we are encouraging others to think outside of themselves.”
Offering Support Beyond the Check
Liberty Hill Foundation
A community-funded foundation since day 1, Trust Based Philanthropy is at the core of the Liberty Hill Foundation. Centered on social justice campaigns, research, and policy initiatives designed to drive systemic change, Liberty Hill Foundation refers to itself as a "Laboratory for Social Change Philanthropy”. When Julio Marcial stepped into the role of Senior Vice President of Programs, he looked beyond the funding and considered the myriad of ways the foundation can support community partners beyond the check by connecting them to other funders and donors. As a member of several pooled funds in Los Angeles, Liberty Hill Foundation proactively seeks opportunities that will benefit their community partners. The Foundation has introduced many funders in their circle to Trust Based Philanthropy principles – this has sparked several conversations at other foundations serving Los Angeles county, several of which have since shifted their practices. Beyond private and public foundations, Marcial advocates for a push to Trust Based Philanthropy in California state funding agencies.
The Liberty Hill Foundation embraces itself as a fundraiser for its nonprofit partners and its responsibility for the Los Angeles community. The Foundation raises the funds and opens doors for nonprofits and then “steps out of the way,” says Julio. According to Julio, partnerships are the key to maximizing trust and impact in the community: “We can't do this without our partners, peers, and donors. We need to call each other out – and to call each other in.”
Leading with Trust, Transparency, and Responsiveness
Headwaters Foundation
Headwaters Foundation is a health-conversion foundation working side by side with the community to achieve better outcomes towards a healthy and thriving Western Montana. Brenda Solorzano, CEO of Headwaters, has been at the helm of the foundation since its inception in 2017. With over 20 years of experience in traditional philanthropy, Brenda began asking big questions about standard philanthropic practices. Brenda is especially focused on tapping into the collective knowledge and experience of the community to create impactful systems. Early on in her tenure as CEO, Brenda shared her vision for Trust Based Philanthropy with the foundation’s board and they have supported her as she’s stewarded the foundation through its strategic planning process.
Community input and feedback was important to Brenda. With the board’s support, she took this a step further by engaging the community as co-creators and decision-makers. To accomplish this, Brenda invited 600 nonprofit representatives across the state to the table to share their thoughts. Brenda asked each person 2 questions: “If you were in my seat, what do you think the foundation should prioritize?” and “What’s the biggest challenge in your work?” By creating a space for open dialogue, Brenda took the pulse of the real challenges in Western Montana communities.
Soon after her introduction to Western Montana’s nonprofit sector, Brenda called on the community again to help design the foundation’s strategic focus. She hosted a series of public community meetings in each of Montana’s 15 counties. Headwaters facilitated a design-thinking process for members to discuss their challenges and co-create solutions. Two key strategies emerged: upstream systems and social change determinants prioritizing children and Indigenous populations.
Brenda engaged the community as decision-makers as Headwaters explored partner organizations for the foundation’s child thriving portfolio. The community nominated and voted on non-profit partners in a live meeting. This was a new approach and even some staff were nervous about the outcome. Headwaters proudly reports that a few years later, many of the organizations selected have grown to become blossoming collaborations. Grounded in Trust-Based principles since its inception, Headwaters is an exemplar of what it means to Do Good Better. Brenda says, “Trust Based Philanthropy is about starting from a place of trust.”
Co-Creating Goals by Soliciting and Acting on Feedback
T. Rowe Price Foundation
When John Brothers joined T. Rowe Price Foundation as President in 2015, the Foundation’s home in Baltimore was in the midst of social unrest following the tragic murder of Freddie Gray, a 25-year old Black man arrested over his legal possession of a knife and sustained injuries while being transported by the Baltimore Police. The T. Rowe Price Foundation recognized that it was a critical time to pause and listen to the Baltimore community. Within months of joining the Foundation, John Brothers and the Foundation team began an ongoing dialogue within Baltimore – in homes, places of worship, and community spaces. By leaning into the expertise and experience of community partners, John developed the T. Rowe Price’s Theory of Philanthropy, which mirrors principles to those similar to Trust-Based Philanthropy.
T. Rowe Price’s Theory of Philanthropy centers long-term impact by strategic investments in areas identified in partnership by those who live and work within the Baltimore community. The Foundation and community partners co-define a vision for success and community partners are trusted with the agency to make decisions in pursuit of shared goals. T. Rowe Price’s Theory of Philanthropy is considered a distinct model among other large corporate foundations. When asked how John managed to gain board consensus on this novel approach, he characterized the Theory of Philanthropy with a business metaphor: “People don’t buy stocks for an iPhone – they invest in Apple.” The Foundation focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations in a holistic way. By listening to the community early on, John shifted the Foundation’s approach from funding a variety of important, yet disconnected, programs to a co-creating strategic investment of capital and other support on more focused efforts that will have a lasting impact. To learn more please visit troweprice.com/foundation.
Doing Good Better, a partnership of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits, is a community of funders and nonprofits taking action against the power imbalances and racial inequities in philanthropy, nonprofits, and government.
The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is pleased to announce a six-part webinar series addressing common questions, clarifying misconceptions, and exploring ways to overcome obstacles in implementing trust-based philanthropy. CNJG is pleased to share this opportunity with our members.
Series Description: Trust-based philanthropy is a philosophy and approach rooted in values of relationship-building, mutual learning, and systemic equity – with a vision of advancing a healthier and more impactful nonprofit sector. While this approach is generally associated with six core grantmaking practices such as multi-year unrestricted funding and streamlined paperwork, the day-to-day work of trust-based philanthropy is very nuanced and dynamic. In fact, funders who have embraced this approach are finding that it requires ongoing self-reflection and rigor with regards to how they think about – and evolve – many of the deeply embedded practices and assumptions of traditional philanthropy.
Given these nuances, it is not surprising that there are many questions and occasional misperceptions about what it actually means to embody trust-based philanthropy in practice. In this 6-part webinar series, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project will explore some of the most commonly asked questions and the underlying misperceptions that may be roadblocks to understanding and operationalizing trust-based philanthropy.
Each session in the series will focus on a frequently asked question from the field, and will feature perspectives from foundation leaders and others who have grappled with similar or related questions. At the end of each session, participants will walk away with: 1) a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the underlying cultural philosophy of trust-based philanthropy; 2) tips for how to think about and approach these nuances in their own work; and 3) talking points for how to answer these FAQs when they come up from colleagues or peers.
Each session will also provide dedicated space for small-group peer dialogue (among CNJG members) about ways to implement these practices into your grantmaking.
Who should attend: Anyone in a grantmaking role that is curious about understanding the nuances of trust-based philanthropy and how it applies to your work. This series will be ideal for those who have some baseline familiarity with trust-based philanthropy and have questions about how it manifests in practice.
Please note: this webinar series is separate from CNJG’s 2023 Conference for the Social Sector, which features an in-person luncheon keynote by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project. CNJG’s conference is open to both funders and nonprofits, so the keynote will differ from this series. Because CNJG’s Doing Good Better initiative leans on the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy, we encourage our members to register for these sessions - as time allows - for funders to learn about different approaches to changing systems in New Jersey.
Demystifying Trust-Based Philanthropy Series Sessions
Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
Session #2: Does Unrestricted Funding Automatically Make a Funder Trust-Based?
Session #3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #4: What Does Grantee Accountability Look Like in Trust-Based Funding?
Session #5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #6: What Does Racial Equity Have To Do With Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Resources
Recording: Session 3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Transcript: Session 3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Presentation: Session 3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Trust-Based Philanthropy Peer Exchange for Grantmakers
The 6 Practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy
Trust-Based Philanthropy in 4D Overview
Legal Considerations for Trust-Based Philanthropy
How to Show Up in a Trust-Based Way
This resource guide includes various virtual volunteer opportunities, additional resources, and best practices for corporate volunteer programs during the coronavirus pandemic.
This resource will be updated, as CNJG and corporate members collect new information and opportunities to share with colleagues.
Share your giving data and Get on the Map!
Your data will power valuable resources for your organization and our region including access to the CNJG Foundation Funding Map and COVID-19 Funding Map on the powerful interactive searchable mapping platform, engineered by Candid.
How to share your data
Export your grants data from your software system.
Most grants management software products have documented how to export the information.
If you don’t see your software provider on that list, download their eReporting template, an Excel spreadsheet, which you can use to complete the information they need.
Submit your data to Candid by emailing the completed template with your data in it to [email protected] and cc Craig Weinrich.
You can also follow the detailed instructions on this page.
Candid will make every effort to post your data to the map within 5 business days.
Get the answers to your Frequently Asked Questions including:
What information do I need to provide?
Why is it important to provide a grant description?
How is my grants data coded by Candid?
How frequently should I share my grants data?
How quickly will my information appear on my complimentary map?
Can I embed my complimentary map on my website?
What should I do if corrections need to be made to my data?
How will my grant information be used and shared?
How do I responsibly share sensitive grants data?
These articles are curated from news sources, philanthropic-focused publications, philanthropy serving organizations, and other places found on the internet. We encourage philanthropic organizations to read, share, and use the strategies suggested in these articles for your own diversity, equity, and inclusion learning journey. If there are others that you feel we should include, please contact us.
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Philanthropy Pours More Money Into Advancing Economic Wealth of Latinos (10/13/2022)
ABC News: Two New Jersey towns illustrate the race gap in the COVID pandemic (5/13/2022)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: General Operating Support Is Vital to Advancing Equity, Strengthening Nonprofits, Say Leaders (4/18/2022)
MacArthur Foundation: Movement to End Philanthropy’s Complicity in Anti-Blackness (4/18/2022)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nearly 500 Foundation Leaders Unite to Push for More Support of Asian Americans (3/26/2021)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: As Violence Against Asian Americans Intensifies, the Moment for Philanthropy to Act Is Now (3/17/2021)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: How One Family Foundation is Evolving to Refocus on Racial Equity (3/16/2021)
HealthDay.com: Many Adults Do Not See Link Between Racism, Poorer Health (1/27/2021)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: How to Begin Considering a Gender Lens Investing Strategy (12/10/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: How to Welcome Native Leaders to the Philanthropic Sector (12/3/20)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Opinion Piece: Diversity Mandates from Foundations Maki It Harder for Nonprofits to Do Their Jobs Well (12/2/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Invest in and Strengthen People of Color: A Corporate Grant Maker Explains How (11/17/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: White House Declares Ban on Federal Racial Equity Trainings (9/14/20)
Nonprofit Quarterly: White Supremacy: Call It By Name (9/14/2020)
Denver Post: How Donors Can Advance Racial Equity (9/14/2020)
ROI-NJ: NJ to recognize Juneteenth as official state holiday (9/11/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: The 'Warping Effects' of Philanthropy (8/25/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Companies Lead Philanthropic Response to Calls for Racial Justice, but Will It Last? (8/25/2020)
Exponent Philanthropy: Moving Towards Racial Equity in Philanthropy: Introducing an Anti-Racist Intersectional Frame (8/25/2020)
Medium.com: Your 3-Step, Uncomplicated Formula for a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace (7/30/2020)
Inside Philanthropy: “A Moment of Reckoning.” How Can Funders Support an Equitable and Inclusive Arts Sector? (7/16/2020)
Generocity: Uprising in Philadelphia: A to-do list for the next six months (7/9/2020)
Boston Globe: The Problem is White Supremacy (6/29/2020)
Inside Philanthropy: Amid Demands for Change, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Back Underfunded Black-Led Group (6/18/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: This Moment Shows Us Why Philanthropy Should Reinvent Itself by Gislaine Ngounou, of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (6/17/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Who Holds Philanthropy Accountable for Racial Justice? by Lisa Pilar Cowan, vice president of Robert Sterling Clark Foundation (6/16/2020)
Creative New Jersey: Summary and resources from their statewide conversation on Racial Justice (6/10/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: 64 Black Foundation Leaders Tell Philanthropy to Go Big in Response to Pandemic and Police Killings (6/10/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Mass Decarceration, COVID-19, and Justice in America by Deanna Van Buren co-founder of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces and F. Javier Torres-Campos, Thriving Cultures Program Director at Surdna Foundation (6/9/2020)
Communications Network: Crowdsourced Anti-Racism Resources and Tools
NonprofitAF.com: Privilege, power, and personal conflicts: The forces preventing change in nonprofit and philanthropy by Vu Le (6/8/2020)
Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia: Articles and Resources from the webinar: The Crisis of White Supremacy in America: What’s Philanthropy’s Role (6/4/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Dismantling Racism Might Require Philanthropy to Dismantle Itself by Lisa Pilar Cowan, vice president of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation (6/2/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Why All Grantmakers Should Seek to Fix Democracy by Suzette Brooks Masters, senior strategist at the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council (6/2/2020)
Southern Poverty Law Center: Authoritarian State or Inclusive Democracy? 21 Things We Can Do Right Now by Eric K. Ward, Senior Fellow (6/1/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: Dear Philanthropy: These Are the Fires of Anti-Black Racism by Will Cordery of Leverage Philanthropic Partners LLC & Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (6/1/2020)
NonprofitAF.com: Have nonprofit and philanthropy become the "white moderate" that Dr. King warned us about? by Vu Le (6/1/2020)
Library Journal: Books on Anti-Racism (5/31/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Overcoming the Racial Bias in Philanthropic Funding by Cheryl Dorsey, Peter Kim, Cora Daniels, Lyell Sakaue, & Britt Savage (5/4/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: For a More Equitable America, Understand Race and Racism as Actions We Do and Can Undo by MarYam Hamedani, Hazel Rose Markus & Jeanne Tsai (5/1/2020)
Jacobin Magazine: The Perils of Liberal Philanthropy by Karen Ferguson (11/2018)
Smithsonian Magazine: The 1968 Kerner Commisssion Got It Right, But Nobody Listened by Alice George (3/1/2018)
Continuum Chart on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization by Crossroads Ministry (2013)
The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture from Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups (2001)
Resource Generation: Guidance for Giving to Black-led Organizations for Black Liberation (undated)
Prison Policy Initiative: Prison Gerrymandering Project how the Census Bureau counts people in prison (undated)
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.
The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is pleased to announce a six-part webinar series addressing common questions, clarifying misconceptions, and exploring ways to overcome obstacles in implementing trust-based philanthropy. CNJG is pleased to share this opportunity with our members.
Series Description: Trust-based philanthropy is a philosophy and approach rooted in values of relationship-building, mutual learning, and systemic equity – with a vision of advancing a healthier and more impactful nonprofit sector. While this approach is generally associated with six core grantmaking practices such as multi-year unrestricted funding and streamlined paperwork, the day-to-day work of trust-based philanthropy is very nuanced and dynamic. In fact, funders who have embraced this approach are finding that it requires ongoing self-reflection and rigor with regards to how they think about – and evolve – many of the deeply embedded practices and assumptions of traditional philanthropy.
Given these nuances, it is not surprising that there are many questions and occasional misperceptions about what it actually means to embody trust-based philanthropy in practice. In this 6-part webinar series, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project will explore some of the most commonly asked questions and the underlying misperceptions that may be roadblocks to understanding and operationalizing trust-based philanthropy.
Each session in the series will focus on a frequently asked question from the field, and will feature perspectives from foundation leaders and others who have grappled with similar or related questions. At the end of each session, participants will walk away with: 1) a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the underlying cultural philosophy of trust-based philanthropy; 2) tips for how to think about and approach these nuances in their own work; and 3) talking points for how to answer these FAQs when they come up from colleagues or peers.
Each session will also provide dedicated space for small-group peer dialogue (among CNJG members) about ways to implement these practices into your grantmaking.
Who should attend: Anyone in a grantmaking role that is curious about understanding the nuances of trust-based philanthropy and how it applies to your work. This series will be ideal for those who have some baseline familiarity with trust-based philanthropy and have questions about how it manifests in practice.
Please note: this webinar series is separate from CNJG’s 2023 Conference for the Social Sector, which features an in-person luncheon keynote by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project. CNJG’s conference is open to both funders and nonprofits, so the keynote will differ from this series. Because CNJG’s Doing Good Better initiative leans on the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy, we encourage our members to register for these sessions - as time allows - for funders to learn about different approaches to changing systems in New Jersey.
Demystifying Trust-Based Philanthropy Series Sessions
Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
Session #2: Does Unrestricted Funding Automatically Make a Funder Trust-Based?
Session #3: How Do We Approach Risk and Due Diligence in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #4: What Does Grantee Accountability Look Like in Trust-Based Funding?
Session #5: How Do You Measure Impact in Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Session #6: What Does Racial Equity Have To Do With Trust-Based Philanthropy?
Resources
Recording: Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
Transcript: Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
Presentation: Session #1: Does Trust-Based Mean Unconditional Trust?
The 6 Practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy
Trust-Based Philanthropy in 4D Overview
Trust-Based Philanthropy Story Map
Legal Considerations for Trust-Based Philanthropy
CNJG's President's Reports