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The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is the center for philanthropy in New Jersey, serving the leading independent, corporate, family and community foundations as well as public grantmakers of our state. We support our members by strengthening their capacity to address New Jersey and society’s most difficult problems. We also access the resources of the philanthropic community – funding, expertise, leverage - to provide leadership on statewide issues.
Vision
CNJG envisions a healthy, thriving, and civically engaged New Jersey where people of all places, racial identities, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, and identify expressions are valued for their gifts and talents, and we can all reach our full potential and participate generously in the common good.
Mission
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers supports and elevates New Jersey’s philanthropic community through shared learning, collaborative and trusting relationships, network building, and leadership.
CNJG extends philanthropy’s contribution to a changing society.
Philanthropy is dedicated to the public good. It joins the public and private sectors to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities across the U.S and the world. The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is the network of and for philanthropy in our state.
Our members elevate their practice of philanthropy by working with their donor colleagues and learning from experts in their field. CNJG is able to broker partnerships and alliances to solve problems, leverage shared resources, and forge sustainable solutions to bring about long-term change. This is essential when faced with fragmented systems, insufficient resources, and needs that seem only to be growing.
Whether you are a funder meeting society’s most urgent needs, addressing how sectors operate at a systems level or focused on problem solving and influencing policy, CNJG can help you maximize your impact.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is the center for philanthropy in New Jersey, serving the leading independent, corporate, family and community foundations as well as public grantmakers of our state. We support our members by strengthening their capacity to address New Jersey and society’s most difficult problems. We also access the resources of the philanthropic community – funding, expertise, leverage - to provide leadership on statewide issues.
Guiding Beliefs & Principals
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers believes:
- Philanthropy contributes to a thriving democracy and is a privilege and a responsibility.
- Grantmaking is a partnership with grantees and the public, conducted in the public trust.
- Philanthropy must be undertaken seriously and responsibly, adhering to all laws and principles of fiduciary responsibility.
- Thoughtful grantmaking is informed by different perspectives, opinions and experiences.
In accordance with these beliefs:
- We deal respectfully and courteously with our applicants, grantees and donors as well as with those seeking information about our programs. We honor the confidentiality of our applicants, grantees, and donors and exercise discretion in our communications.
- We are clear and accessible about our goals and grantmaking processes and make information about our application requirements, funding priorities and programs available on a timely basis.
- We adhere to the highest ethical, legal and fiduciary standards in our operations. We recognize and disclose conflicts of interest and work to avoid perceived conflicts of interest. We maintain active oversight of all financial and investment matters.
- We regularly assess our mission and practices, including periodic review of priorities, policies, board activity, communications and the impact of our grantmaking.
- We seek to continually educate ourselves and expose ourselves to different perspectives, opinions and experiences, and, where appropriate, to share our learning and experience with our grantees, the public and government officials.
To support New Jersey’s philanthropic community in adhering to these principles, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers provides opportunities for learning, through on-going programs, the sharing of best practices and lessons learned, and information about federal and state laws and regulations. CNJG is mindful that its members have individual charters and varying levels of staff and Board capacity, and we conduct our ongoing conversation about “best practice” with these differences in mind. Adopted July 2005
New Jersey grantmakers devote significant resources – both intellectual and financial – to many of the same focus areas as the Department of Community Affairs. Some of CNJG’s members invest almost exclusively in programs related to housing, neighborhood revitalization, and community development.
On June 10, join Commissioner Suárez of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for a candid discussion focusing on current priority areas within NJDCA and possible opportunities for New Jersey’s philanthropic community to partner with state government on areas of mutual concern.
This is an excellent opportunity for funders to share knowledge, insights, and best practices that can help to inform the public sector's strategies for addressing key issues facing the state.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members, $95 for Non Member Grantmakers.
A light lunch will be served.
Commissioner Jacquelyn Suárez – Bio
About the Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
DCA 2024 Press Releases
Adopted by CNJG”s Board of Trustees in October 2023, these eight Principles offer philanthropy a source of direction for their own equity journey. Each principle begins with a common understanding followed by developmental steps, and the aspiration for each principle. These principles are intended to promote continuous learning, vulnerability, and reflection for how philanthropy can evolve from its historical roots to a more trusting, accountable, and equitable model.
It’s been a while since the Trenton/Mercer County Affinity Group has come together. Please join us as we look to revive and rebuild our collaboration in the region. We truly value your voice, and this gathering is all about reconnecting, realigning, and reimagining what’s next for our group.
During our time together, we will set goals, plan actions and next steps based on our vision.
Whether you’ve been involved in the past or are new to the group, your perspective matters. Let’s come together to shape the future of the Trenton/Mercer County region. Light refreshments will be served.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
There is considerable variation between DAF sponsors. To gain deeper insight into DAF sponsors’ perceptions, policies, and practices, the DAFRC gathered data from 128 DAF sponsor managers nationwide. This report highlights information about DAF sponsors’ strategies, operational capacity, philanthropic advising, internal policy execution, and marketing.
The benefits of sabbaticals for nonprofit leadership have been well documented. A study of five sabbatical programs over five years shows that sabbaticals not only provide needed respite to nonprofit leaders, they increase organizational capacity, aid succession planning, and strengthen governance.
What can over a million teachers tell us about the needs of schools? This report digs into the data from 1.8 million teacher requests on the crowdfunding site DonorsChoose to tell the story from inside today's classrooms. We feel this data provides a roadmap for funders seeking to support students directly, but also for funders seeking broader reform of U.S. education policy and systems.
At our 2025 Annual Meeting on June 12th, our members gathered to award $191,000 to six organizations that serve our region. The grand total our members have awarded to 27 local organizations since 2018 is now $1,411,360. We thank everyone who attended or supported our collective giving circle in any number of ways throughout the year!