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Welcome to the new year! It was wonderful seeing so many members at the 2022 Annual Meeting & Holiday Luncheon on December 14, and the accompanying virtual workshop on December 16. Both our luncheon keynote speaker, Bridgit Antoinette Evans, Pop Culture Collaborative, and workshop facilitator, Chantal Forster, Technology Association of Grantmakers, helped us explore philanthropy’s role in narrative change. You can find resources from the event, including slides and workshop recording, on the resource tab of the Annual Meeting page. You must be logged in to access resources. (Forgot your password – click here.)
As part of the meeting, we elected three new board members for their first 3-year term, as well as re-electing board members for a second term. Welcome and congratulations to new board members Marcy Felsenfeld, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, Jeremy Grunin, the Grunin Foundation, and Maria Spina, PSEG Foundation. And we said good-bye to Michael Unger, Atlantic Foundation, and Diane Hagerman, New Jersey Health Initiatives. We’re grateful for your service.
Following the annual meeting of members, the board elected their officers for 2023: Jeff Vega, Chair, (Princeton Area Community Foundation), Craig Drinkard, 1st Vice Chair, (Victoria Foundation), Christine Healey, 2nd Vice Chair, (The Healey Education Foundation), Maisha Simmons, Secretary, (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), and Catherine Wilson, Treasurer, (United Way Greater Newark). Congratulations!
We also introduced the 2023 – 2025 Strategic Plan to the membership. CNJG envisions a healthy, thriving, and civically engaged New Jersey where people of all places, racial identities, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, and identity expressions are valued for their gifts and talents, and we all can reach our full potential and participate generously in the common good. Our mission supports and elevates New Jersey’s philanthropic community through shared learning, collaborative and trusting relationships, network building, and leadership.
Board committees, working in concert with the CNJG team, will move forward the strategic plan. And while the four goals outlined in the strategic plan will play a pivotal role in the work of all committees, the Member Engagement Committee will reflect on an expanded definition of philanthropy as part of goal 1. The Racial Equity Task Force will consider how we embed an organizational commitment to equity and power building as part of goal 2. The Leadership and Policy Committee will create a policy agenda as part of goal 3. Our overall partnership work with the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits and Doing Good Better clearly falls within the realm of goal 4, expanding and establishing partnerships and collaborations that unite NJ’s social sector. I’m thrilled to announce the Signature Programs Committee has identified Doing Good Better as the theme for our Conference for New Jersey’s Social Sector on May 23.
This is an important and exciting time to serve on the Council’s various committees. If you are interested in joining a committee, please reach out to me. You’ll be in good company! CNJG is an extraordinary organization that grows in terms of its impact and partnerships, year after year. I’m thrilled about the future, and where the strategic plan will take us.
I want to end with gratitude for the CNJG Board of Trustees, our committee and affinity group chairs, our partners, and you – our members. You are truly our champions. And another thank you to our Annual Meeting sponsors for their generous support, Prudential, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the Devils Youth Foundation.
Happy New Year!
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
It was absolutely wonderful being together in person with so many members and nonprofit partners at the CNJG 2023 Conference for the Social Sector on May 23. I’m proud that our conferences elevate important issues for the field, this year focusing on Doing Good Better - a joint initiative between CNJG and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits. And it was our highest attended conference ever!
The day opened with an insightful panel of foundation leaders who have joined the movement and are taking their organizations on the Doing Good Better journey by implementing trust-based philanthropy and participatory grantmaking in their organization’s DNA. Thank you Tanuja Dehne, President and CEO, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Craig Drinkard, Executive Officer, Victoria Foundation, Jeremy Grunin, President and CEO, Grunin Foundation, and Samantha Plotino, Executive Director, The Provident Bank Foundation, for sharing your wisdom and showing us what’s possible.
Keynote speaker Shaady Salehi, Executive Director of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, was masterful at both introducing trust-based philanthropy to audience members new to these concepts, while also deepening and expanding our understanding of trust-based philanthropy for those of us already familiar with the ideas. As part of her presentation, she also trusted us with 2 compelling stories of power sharing from her personal experience. It was a powerful moment.
Each of the morning and afternoon sessions offered practical steps to address a specific area or challenge within the Doing Good Better tent. We’re grateful to all our conference speakers. It was a dream link-up of talent and expertise.
Following Shaady’s presentation, we posed 4 questions for discussion. And because these questions are so important to help inform our ongoing Doing Good Better work, I’m posing them again to you:
- What are some practice changes your organization can make to embody trust-based philanthropy and/or the broader ideals under the Doing Better Good tent?
- What are funders doing to lean into a trust-based approach that centers relationship-building, mutual learning, and transparency? What more could be done?
- Have you implemented any of the principles of trust-based philanthropy or Doing Good Better ideals, and what has been your organization’s experience?
- What are some of the ways that racial equity, and intersectional equity issues, can be addressed using the ideas under the Doing Good Better tent and/or trust-based philanthropy practices?
Your ideas and responses will help us in our Doing Good Better work – I hope you’ll share them with me.
Finally, thank you to our sponsors for supporting this event: PSEG, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sixers Youth Foundation, Citi, Grunin Foundation, Panasonic Foundation, Valley National Bank, PKF O’Connor Davies, TriNet, LISC – Greater Newark, and The Palace at Somerset Park. We’re grateful for your support.
Doing Good Better invites philanthropy and nonprofits to rethink traditional philanthropy, and advance equity in the nonprofit sector, in philanthropy, and in New Jersey. CNJG’s new strategic plan specifically embraces shared power and leadership, equity as an organizing principle, trust-based philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, elevating partnerships, and cross-sector relationships grounded in inclusion. These ideas make up the Doing Good Better tent, and I’m proud we could share them at our 2023 Conference.
In partnership,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
I hope you had a chance to pause and find moments of celebration and peace over the Fourth of July holiday with family and friends.
July 4 was also the day that President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill, a massive tax and spending package. The legislation includes a permanent universal charitable deduction ($1,000/$2,000) empowering all Americans to give, and removal of the foundation excise tax increase, protecting billions of dollars in investments for communities. Among its many devasting provisions, it cuts “$1 trillion from the federal Medicaid program, with over 360,000 in New Jersey potentially losing coverage. Almost $300 billion in cuts are also planned for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), impacting some 800,000 state residents enrolled in that program,” (New Jersey Spotlight). Ultimately these cuts will impact state budgets, including in our own state.
United Philanthropy Forum makes clear in their statement following the Senate passage, that cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other vital safety net programs will significantly harm communities and people that the social sector – philanthropy and nonprofits – work to empower and elevate. The letter goes on to state:
The irony is cruel: Congress has expanded incentives for charitable giving while simultaneously creating conditions that will dramatically increase the need for charitable services. Philanthropy cannot fill the massive gaps these cuts will create.
In the face of such challenges, the need for robust civic engagement has never been more urgent. Civic engagement is the bedrock of a healthy democracy – it's the process of empowering individuals to be active participants in building and strengthening our communities and ensuring all voices are heard. It encompasses everything from direct interactions with government to the vital work of voluntary associations. It is precisely in times like these that our collective participation, our shared insights, and our collaborative action become most critical.
It was with this understanding that we convened the CNJG 2025 Conference for the Social Sector — Stronger Together: Philanthropy & Civic Engagement on Wednesday, June 18th. The conference brought together more than 350 funders, nonprofit leaders, and changemakers for a discussion on how philanthropy and nonprofits can work together to address and increase civic engagement. We explored key areas like local news, participatory budgeting, guaranteed income, and public-private partnerships just to mention a few. The energy in the room was palpable, reflecting a shared commitment to finding solutions and building a more equitable
New Jersey.
Many attendees participated in the New Jersey Council for the Humanities’ Democracy Conversation Program, during the opening session and throughout the day, sharing their perspectives on democracy. To see what your colleagues were saying, click here and then scroll down to filters at the top of chart, and select the "CNJG" tag. Thank you to NJCH for capturing the social sector’s voices from our conference as part of this project.
To keep the momentum going and deepen our understanding and collective impact, we invite you to register for these upcoming programs:
Funder Briefing: New Jersey State Budget - FY 2026, Federal Threats & What Comes Next - Wednesday, July 16, 2025, | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - This timely funder briefing will break down the state budget and the implications of federal policies on New Jersey's communities and the social sector.
2025 Summer Joint Policy Forum: Nonprofit and Philanthropic Champions for New Jersey - a partnership program of CNJG and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits - Tuesday, August 5, 2025, | 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM | The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center, New Brunswick, NJ - Join us for a powerful day of advocacy and collaboration, shaping the policy landscape for a stronger New Jersey.
Staying informed and working collaboratively is one way we can navigate these challenging times and continue to build a more just and thriving New Jersey.
Warmly,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Join us for Foundations on the Hill, where foundation executives and staff, board members, and philanthropic leaders meet with their federal lawmakers in Washington. Presented by United Philanthropy Forum, the gathering brings foundation leaders together with their elected representatives to discuss key issues of importance to foundations and philanthropy.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is delegation captain for New Jersey participants. CNJG will organize and schedule the congressional meetings. This opportunity is a valuable benefit of CNJG membership that helps raise lawmakers’ awareness of the vital work you do and inform them about issues Council members care about. Read about last year’s CNJG Foundations on the Hill visits to see what we accomplished. If you are interested in attending or need more information, please contact Theresa Jacks.
The aim of Foundations on the Hill is to:
- Inform and educate Congress about philanthropy
- Create visibility for foundations and philanthropy on Capitol Hill
- Advocate on issues affecting foundations
- Encourage Congress to view foundations as resources on key public policy issues
- Build CNJG’s relationships with lawmakers and their staff
Why attend?
It is critical that elected officials hear from their foundation constituents. On behalf of New Jersey grantmakers, the Council is pleased to have developed relationships with our representatives over the years as a result of FOTH. A meeting in Washington shows elected officials an extra level of dedication and commitment to your cause and the work of the philanthropic sector.
View the FOTH Agenda
The Council will plan meetings with our US Senators and House members in the afternoon of a day still to be determined.
REGISTRATION
Registration for FOTH is available on the United Philanthropy Forum website.
The registration fee is $297.00 per person Early Bird Special Until January 31st. $397 after Jan. 31st.
CNJG members attending FOTH will need to make their own hotel reservations.
HOTEL INFORMATION
JW Marriott Washington DC
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
We have a room block at the JW Marriott Washington DC, which is within walking distance of the Hill. The rooms are available for $349/night plus state and local taxes currently at 15.95% and the rooms are available until 5:00 pm ET, Friday, February 07, 2025. Please note that our room block often sells out before the cutoff date, so we recommend making your hotel reservation as soon as possible. You can reserve your room online, or by calling 1 202-393-2000, and asking for the “United Philanthropy Forum” rate.
As we witness the initial impact of Hurricane Dorian, we are reminded that many of our communities are still targets for further devastation from this storm over the next few days.
While we recognize that many of us have survived recent hurricanes like Sandy and Maria, we also know that the struggle continues, and we need to do our best to help meet the needs of current victims caught in the wake of the storm.
In light of this situation, we are providing our membership with the latest information to help you determine how your organization might engage in response and recovery efforts.
Resources
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has created a Hurricane Dorian disaster profile, which provides updates on the storm as well as information on the areas of greatest need
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has also launched the CDP 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund to support communities that will be affected by Hurricane Dorian. This fund focuses on medium- and long-term recovery, with the understanding that individuals and communities will need the support of private philanthropy for months and years to come as they navigate the road to recovery.
- The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook is a comprehensive handbook outlining best practices and innovative approaches that the philanthropic community can adopt in addressing recovery after natural disasters. CNJG’s lessons learned in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy helped lead the creation of this Playbook.
- Locally in Florida, the Miami Foundation for a Greater Miami created a Hurricane Dorian resource page.
- The Jessie Ball duPont Fund resource Creating Order from Chaos: Roles for Philanthropy in Disaster Planning and Response provides a framework for steps that can be taken for philanthropy to respond to disasters.
- The New York Times has released an article sharing multiple ways to help Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas.
- Charity Navigator has created a list of high-rated organizations providing aid and relief for Hurricane Dorian for both short-term and long-term relief.
- Sadly, CNJG’s post Sandy work and the briefings hosted and compiled by CNJG still hold lessons for today. You can review the briefings from Series 1 and Series 2 in either audio or written format. The briefings provide timely, relevant information about how grantmakers can help in the aftermath of a major storm.
Finally, if you think it would be useful, we’ll convene an open-forum conference call for CNJG members to share how your organization might be thinking about your own response efforts. If you’re interested in connecting with your colleagues for this kind of discussion, please contact me, and we will set up a call.
Yours in solidarity,
Maria Vizcarrondo, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Office of Broadband Connectivity, and New Jersey League of Municipalities invite you to the Internet for All: New Jersey Local Coordination Workshop in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
This day long workshop will bring together critical partners in New Jersey from the federal, state, and local governments, industry, and other key collaborators to discuss coordination on broadband efforts as the state prepares to receive significant broadband funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Connecting all people in New Jersey to affordable, reliable high-speed internet is critical to our economic stability and this event will provide an opportunity for us to discuss ways we can work together to efficiently and effectively utilize these federal dollars to the maximum extent.
Proposed agenda items include:
- State Update on Implementation of Federal Broadband Programs
- Coordination on Infrastructure Expansion
- Strategies for Broadband Infrastructure Development
- Telehealth
- Input on 5-Year and Digital Equity Plans
- Digital Access Challenges and Solutions for New Jersey
- Think Locally, Plan Regionally
- Workforce Strategy Panel
- Office Hours with NJ Office of Broadband Connectivity and NTIA
Cost: Free for Members and Non Members
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
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
This session will explore the dynamic ways in which cultural and faith-based values can shape and inform the mission and impact of your family’s philanthropic endeavors. Faith has been imbedded in US philanthropy from its earliest days and many donors continue to lean on those values when driving change. Some donors openly talk about the link between their faith and giving, while others use their faith as quiet motivation. Panelists will share practical strategies, case studies, and best practices for aligning your family’s giving with your cultural and faith-based principles, allowing you to achieve a deeper and more meaningful impact in your grantmaking efforts in ways that also ensure equity and promote open dialogue. Whether you seek to honor your heritage, promote justice, and/or support causes close to your heart, this webinar will provide valuable guidance for harnessing the power of culture and faith in your family’s philanthropy.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
Join us for an engaging and informative in-person program that explores innovative strategies and real-world solutions for affordable housing. You will have the opportunity to hear from a robust panel including Taiisa Kelly, CEO, Monarch Housing; Julio Coto, Executive Director, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen; Michael Callahan, Director, Office of Homelessness Prevention, Department of Community Affairs; Alicia Alvarez, Landlord Liaison, NourishNJ; and Lucy Vandenberg, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey. Q & A follows. Gain valuable insights from a dedicated Advisory Committee member who brings lived experience to the discussion, offering a unique and heartfelt perspective on the challenges and successes in affordable housing. Experience firsthand the impact of Monarch Housing’s initiatives of Kilmer Homes, showcasing the design, functionality, and community benefits of this affordable housing project. Enjoy lunch and a networking opportunity with fellow attendees. This event promises to be a thought-provoking and inspiring experience, highlighting how we can collectively work towards more inclusive and sustainable housing solutions. Register now to be a part of the conversation that shapes the future of affordable housing!
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
Continental breakfast and lunch provided.
National Low Income Housing Coalition: The Gap - A Shortage of Affordable Homes
National Low Income Housing Coalition: Out of Reach - The High Cost of Housing
Department of Community Affairs: Fourth Round Page
Monarch Housing Associates: NJCounts - Point-in-Time
CNJG’s community foundation services (through the United Philanthropy Forum) breakdown into three categories:
1. a national listserv for CEOs
2. two in-person boot camp trainings
3. discount on the On-Line CF Express Training
National Listserv for Community Foundation CEOs
CNJG’s listserve for Community Foundation CEOs connects to a national listserv for the CEOs of community foundations. This active listserve allows community foundation CEOs to communicate easily via email with community foundation CEOs from across the country, to pose questions, engage in conversations and more. The service is being made available to our community foundations members as a benefit of your membership with CNJG and is operated by the Untied Philanthropy Forum, which is CNJG’s national network.
If you are interested in participating in this national community foundation listserve, please contact Craig Weinrich.
Community Foundation Boot Camps
The United Philanthropy Forum offers two or more Community Foundation Boot Camps a year that are made available to CNJG members at the member rate as a benefit of CNJG membership. The two-day Community Foundation Boot Camp program offers a comprehensive overview of the structure and operations of a community foundation. The program is an ideal in-depth introduction to community foundations for new community foundation staff, community foundation board members, or more experienced community foundation staff looking for a good refresher.
On-Line CF Express Training
The Forum is partnering with Kansas Association of Community Foundations (KACF) to offer a $400 discount on KACF’s On-Line CF Express Training. The online training and certificate program focuses on core essentials over a 15-module series that covers nearly every aspect of community foundation work: from asset development and quality grants programs design to fiduciary and policy matters. Plus, enjoy 24-hour-access to the easy-to-navigate short (5-15 min) modules in any order from the comfort of a home or an office, in private, or as a group training.
Watch the CF Express Training Promo Video and view a sample module (password: mod15) to learn more. To take advantage of the discount, sign-up at https://cfexpresstraining.com and enter discount code: Forum2018. You can also reference the following attachments for more details.
In 2016, the Dodge Foundation began its equity journey in earnest, culminating in a strategic plan centered on a vision for an equitable New Jersey. In 2020, as mobilizations for racial justice swept the country and the pandemic abruptly exposed the devastating impacts of structural racism and inequity on people’s lives, the Foundation answered the call of these crises to imagine a new way. Now, building on the lessons learned over the past few years, the Foundation is fully immersed in this work with new program priorities centered on racial justice.
While the Foundation has increasingly deployed its support to organizations focused on addressing the root causes and repair of structural racism and inequity, in early 2023, they launched new program priorities and grantmaking processes to further align their work and grantmaking to that vision. These priorities, centered on racial justice, are the focus of the Dodge Foundation going forward.
During this webinar, Dodge Foundation President and CEO, Tanuja M. Dehne, will share learnings from the work, update other funders and foundations on the new program priorities and processes, and begin to identify opportunities for collaboration.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers.
Several CNJG members have modified their funding priorities over the past several years in response to both the pandemic and racial equity movements. CNJG is pleased to partner with our members to offer an opportunity for our members and other funders to hear the process and decisions that the foundation made to determine their new funding priorities. At the end of 2021, the Victoria Foundation presented on their new strategic framework, which offers members another model for how foundations have transformed their work.
Webinar Video
Dear CNJG Community,
I am writing to let you know that last week Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ President and CEO Nina Stack, notified the Council’s Board of Trustees that she will be stepping down in June to become the Executive Director of The Champlin Foundation, the largest private foundation in the state of Rhode Island.
This is certainly bittersweet news. While we will miss her tremendous leadership, enthusiasm, and good spirit she has brought to our state’s philanthropic community these past thirteen years, anyone who knows Nina knows that Rhode Island is also near and dear to her heart.
Yesterday, I convened a meeting of our Executive Committee, which includes Bill Engel/Hyde & Watson Foundation, Annmarie Puleio/Fred C. Rummel Foundation, Cynthia Evans/Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and Bill Leavens/Leavens Family Foundation to consider how the Council will address this transition phase and search process.
In addition, the full Board of Trustees will be meeting later this month to build on these initial conversations. We are developing a thorough, thoughtful, and deliberate transition plan and search process. I will be back in touch with all of you, the members of CNJG and colleagues, in the coming weeks to share those details.
The good news is that under Nina’s extraordinary leadership over these many years, the Council is in an excellent position. Our finances are very strong, our membership continues to grow, our members are more engaged, our programming is exceptional, our partnerships are robust, our staff is talented, and our influence with policymakers, business leaders, and others across the state deepens.
In the meantime, Nina will remain on staff until June 1. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Spring Colloquium – Breaking Through in the New Media Paradigm – on May 24.
Please join us for what will be Nina’s last program as President and CEO of the Council, I encourage you to register as soon as possible. Seating is limited, and I have no doubt it will sell out very soon.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Pearson
Chair, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
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