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Newark’s 40th Mayor Ras J. Baraka (pictured, second from right) invited the Newark Funders Group to hear his vision for the city at special August meeting. Just 30 days into his term, the Mayor called on the Newark Philanthropic Liaison Jeremy Johnson (far left) to organize a convening with the Newark group, co-chaired by Etta Denk of Bank America (second from left) and Barbara Reisman of the Schumann Fund for New Jersey (third from left). Irene Cooper-Basch (far right), Chair of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Executive Officer at the Victoria Foundation, introduced the Mayor to more than 50 grantmakers who attended the session at the PSEG headquarters in downtown Newark. Rick Thigpen (not pictured), Vice President, State Government Affairs at PSEG, welcomed the Mayor and Grantmakers to the company’s conference center.
Mayor Baraka talked about new interventions for youth at risk and targeting crime in hot spots in the city. He said increased “literacy” would help get to the core of many of Newark’s problems. During the questions and answer period, the Mayor elaborated on his proposed response to the budget, the arts, downtown development, prisoner reentry, early childhood education and the city’s relation to Newark Public Schools. He thanked grantmakers for their contributions to “The Blueprint for a New Newark,” a document of transition recommendations.
The Newark Funders Group is an affinity group of CNJG and meets quarterly. The group’s activities include an active Education Subcommittee, Early Learners Funders Group, and College Access and Success committee.
Lessons from the Measure of America: A Portrait of Newark Report
Please join us for a combined meeting of the Newark Funder Affinity Group and the Newark Education Funder Affinity Group to discuss the recently released Measure of America report, A Portrait of Newark. The Portrait of Newark report was produced in partnership with the Newark Opportunity Youth Network, which convened an advisory panel of local public servants, advocates, and non-profit leaders to contribute their expertise to the research. The report itself provides an analysis of the current state of the city’s many residents, identifies areas of opportunity, and addresses the persistent inequities that we still experience in health, education, and overall well-being of Newark residents.
Speakers:
Alex Powers, Associate Director, Measure of America
Kate Harvey, Program Assistant, Measure of America
Robert Clark, Founder and CEO, Opportunity Youth Network
Mark Comesanas, Executive Director, My Brother’s Keeper – Newark
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers.
In a series of four podcasts, GrantCraft explores the values, motivations, and stories of the up-and-coming generation of philanthropists. This series complements research conducted by 21/64 and the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University and related GrantCraft analysis.
Nina Stack has dreamed of being a philanthropist since long before she could probably even spell the word.
As a child, Stack would fantasize about working for the United Nations. She loved "trick-or-treating for UNICEF," and the idea that she could help children who lived in such horrible conditions was profound, Stack said. "To me, naively perhaps, the UN meant there would be no more war and children wouldn’t die of starvation," she said. "In many ways, collecting donations in that little orange box was my first experience with philanthropy."
Stack loved those early experiences. Today she continues to reach out to help others. Stack is president of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers (CNJG), which she has led since 2005. The statewide association serves as a network, advocate and resource for more than 100 foundations in New Jersey.
On February 27, 2013, CNJG submitted a statement for the official record of the House Committee on Ways and Means hearing on the charitable deduction. The hearing on February 14 heard from a number of nonprofit leaders, policy experts and academics from throughout the nation. The CNJG Board of Trustees formally adopted the position following much discussion and consideration. The central principle of our position is that any changes made to the tax code must continue to include an incentive for charitable giving. Not only was this the first time the CNJGl has submitted testimony, but it also marks the first time the CNJG Board of Trustees has taken a formal position on an issue in our 15 year history. This represents a real change in how the CNJG supports the work of our members and is a significant step in the policy and government relations arena for CNJG.
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (HFNJ) has awarded $534,762 in grants to five New Jersey nonprofit organizations in its first quarter of giving in 2025. All five of the awards are renewal grants of projects previously funded by HFNJ and reflect HFNJ’s commitment to deepening its ties with grantees through year-after-year funding.
“One of the ways that The Healthcare Foundation of NJ makes a long-term impact is by cultivating continuing relationships with grantees and funding projects that have proven to be successful for additional years,” said Michael Schmidt, executive director/CEO of The Healthcare Foundation of NJ. “This quarter, we are delighted to provide another year of funding for five exemplary projects that have made significant impact in the communities we serve.”
The Grantmakers Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) present this program coinciding with Women’s History Month. Bringing in leaders who work at the intersections of these identities, this webinar will provide an overview of the most pressing challenges faced by low-paid immigrant women as well as the diverse strategies groups are employing to address them. GCIR will focus on economic empowerment, we will explore how on the ways philanthropy can support the immediate needs of these communities while building long-term worker power that transcends migrant status and gender identity.
Registration:
There is no cost for this webinar.
You will need to log in or create an account on GCIR's website to register for this program.
Please register for this program by 5pm PT on Wednesday, March 26th.
Nonprofits can and should play an active role during elections, particularly by educating and activating voters. However, with important local, state and federal elections coming up this fall, nonprofits should take the time to remind their staff about appropriate activity during a political campaign or at any other time. This overview developed by Donors Forum provides important tips and examples of activities that are permissible for nonprofits during an election cycle.
With a resounding endorsement, The Westfield Foundation recently voted in three new board members: Toni Janota, Michael Moye and Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift, all of Westfield. At the same time, the organization recognized the service of outgoing members: Tim Boyle, Stan Gersch and Rich Elbert.
“We express our deepest appreciation for the invaluable contributions of Tim Stan and Rich and their unwavering commitment during their tenure!" said outgoing president Larry Darrow.
Our new board members had the privilege of witnessing our Q2 grants meeting in early May where we funded over $100,000 to community programs. Some notable grants this quarter: providing a new mode of transportation for the Westfield Community Center, renovation funds for The Our House Foundation’s New Providence Day Program site, and continued support for the Presbyterian Church of Westfield’s mission to supplement local in-need families with nutrient-dense food.
Funders can now integrate Candid's Demographics API into their systems. This free API seamlessly adds demographic data about nonprofits to their records.
Join Hannah Oren, Candid's Solutions Engineer, to learn more about the API and how it keeps data current while also reducing administrative burdens on nonprofits.
This event is part of ongoing Demographics via Candid programming. Demographics via Candid is an effort to reduce the burden on nonprofits to collect and share demographic data, while simultaneously providing the sector with data it needs to make informed decisions.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
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.
What responsibilities do family philanthropies have to steward their funds as a public good? Through engaging discussions and real-world case studies, we’ll navigate the complexities of wealth creation and stewardship and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
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.