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Late last year, the Texas legislature passed a series of bills targeting migration at the Texas-Mexico border. This included Senate Bill 4 (SB4), which criminalizes anyone suspected of crossing the border without authorization to enter or re-enter into Texas. Since then, a series of legal decisions have created confusion and uncertainty. Similarly, Florida has passed legislation targeting community IDs and driver's licenses for immigrants and criminalizing the transportation of undocumented immigrants into the state.
As battleground border states, Florida and Texas have had an immense influence across the country, as other states have stood up similar anti-immigrant bills. Most recently the governor of Iowa signed SF2340, a bill which made it a state crime for immigrants with prior deportation orders from the U.S. to reside in the state. The Louisiana governor recently introduced SB 388, which, as in Florida, criminalizes undocumented immigrants entering or reentering the state. Meanwhile, Georgia has introduced legislation to punish local governments for having sanctuary city policies.
In an election year when immigration is the top issue in the minds of many voters, these policies exacerbate xenophobic, anti-immigrant, and racist sentiments that further dehumanize and criminalize immigrant and refugee communities while also expanding state powers to detain, deport, and terrorize undocumented individuals. To respond to this moment, organizations are leveraging different strategies–from litigation to organizing–to prevent the implementation of these policies and create a more welcoming country for all.
Join us for a panel conversation with frontline leaders, which will be followed by a funder-only discussion.
Speakers
Jennefer Canales-Pelaez, Texas Policy Attorney & Strategist, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
Erica Johnson, Founding Executive Director, Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ)
Dauday Sesay, Founder & Executive Director, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI) & National Network Director, African Communities Together (ACT)
Moderator
Cairo Mendes, Senior Director of State and Local Programs, GCIR
"Find people who will make you better."
—Michelle Obama
The day has arrived. It is my last day serving as President and CEO of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. In a few days, I will step over to your side of the aisle in my role leading the Champlin Foundation.
As I said at that beautiful and overwhelmingly wonderful farewell gathering last week, it has been an extraordinary gift and a profound privilege to serve in this role these past 13-plus years. And I feel very good about leaving this precious network in the hands of the exceptional team of Pat Foo, Theresa Jacks, and Craig Weinrich, along with the very capable interim leadership of Jon Shure and Connie Ludwin.
I’ve been struggling with what to say in my farewell message to all of you, the spectacular membership of the Council. First and foremost, I want to express my thanks and gratitude.
Thank you for the deep and wide education I’ve received these past 13 years because of all you do and want to do better. I’ve often said the best thing about this job is that I get to learn a little bit about a lot of different things because the membership has such fascinating and intensely important interests. I have gratitude for the amazing relationships I’ve been able to have with some of the smartest, kindest, most thoughtful, and creative people imaginable.
I also am enormously grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.
- My year in Lead New Jersey that really laid so much of the groundwork I needed for CNJG’s programming and affinity groups.
- My two-month sabbatical that led directly to our Race, Racism and Ramifications for Philanthropy learning journey.
- The privilege to serve on the board and then chair our national network, the United Philanthropy Forum.
- And, the ability to help the Council make a meaningful difference in our field and our state through initiatives like Facing Our Future, the Disaster Philanthropy Playbook and our post-Sandy work, as well as creation of CNJG’s Guiding Beliefs and Principles.
Here is what is at the heart of all of it though: When a funder joins the Council it means they recognize they cannot do their best work in a vacuum or in isolation. They realize the need to find people who will make them better, just as I reference in Michelle Obama's quote above. They want to be smarter, work more thoughtfully, be truly effective. The Council is at its best when our members come together to learn, share ideas and strategies, collaborate, and be open to innovation. When I was given the gift of leading the Council, my mother would ask me to explain again what it was I would be doing. My response to her became my consistent little “elevator speech" for years to come. “My organization helps those that make grants be the best grantmakers they can be.”
As you all know well, working as a funder can get pretty heady. How does the joke go? Congratulations, you got a foundation job. You’ve now told your last bad joke. The power imbalance is so extreme.
What I’ve learned is that the best funders are the ones that really listen, not talk at their grantees about what they ought to be doing. Respect, faith, and appreciation for the people working in nonprofit charities is the hallmark of their approach. The best funders are the ones that show up as planned, on time for meetings and site visits, that don’t make an applicant jump through endless hoops for a grant -- especially a small grant.
The funders I’ve come to admire most are those that seek to understand a charity’s work and trust the expertise and wisdom of its executive leadership. These funders don’t micro-manage, mansplain, second-guess, or over burden. These funders recognize the power dynamic at play yet seek candid, colleague-to-colleague conversations and problem-solving with nonprofit leaders. They power-up nonprofit colleagues instead of powering over them.
These are just some of the marvelous lessons you’ve shared with me over the years, and I’m grateful to have them as I head into the role of a grantmaker for the largest private foundation in a small but mighty state.
With bountiful thanks and appreciation,
Nina Stack, President
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
What comes after “strategic...?” If you said, “planning,” you’re not alone. And for many leaders of community foundations, especially small ones who don’t have the time or money for a big process, anxiety is the feeling that follows. If that’s the case, this guide is for you.
It invites you to test-drive some activities to bring your current program, operations and community leadership strategies into focus before you decide whether to create a plan or not. It helps you discover ongoing strategic practices and decide whether to keep them or not. If you already have done a strategic plan, and it is languishing on a shelf, this guide will help you refresh it.
PART A: Good Strategy Takes Practice (Not Just Planning)
PART B: Do Your Discovery
PART C: Jumpstart Your Strategy Narrative
PART D: Bring It Together
Looking To What’s Next
The 4th goal of CNJG’s strategic plan calls for CNJG to expand partnerships and collaborations to create more value for our members. One of our long-standing partnerships is with the Council on Foundations to collect salary data, which we will include in our upcoming triennial 2023 New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report.
We are now partnering with YOU to collect your data on the benefits that your organization provides to your staff and/or trustees. The CNJG benefits survey is open for you to complete.
The New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report is often cited as one of the most valuable benefits of membership, and the more data we collect from a variety of philanthropic organizations, the more valuable the report becomes! As we did in 2020, we’re also pleased to ask demographic information about your board and staff within this survey. Even if you do not have any paid staff, you will be able to add your board demographic information to the survey.
We aim to publish the 2023 New Jersey Philanthropy Benefits & Salary Summary report in late 2023. The report is the premiere benchmarking tool for our members and the philanthropy sector in New Jersey.
The survey closes on August 4, 2023. We encourage every CNJG member organization to complete the survey. While the survey is long – taking about 45 minutes to complete – it allows us to create a truly comprehensive report to inform your decision making. We encourage you to review the questions in advance to gather the information you will need to make it easier for you to complete the survey in one sitting. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Director of Member Services, Craig Weinrich. I hope that one person from your organization will complete the survey before August 4.
A couple more summer notes – we will not publish CNJG News in August, but will resume in September. And, to recognize and show appreciation for our hard-working staff, the CNJG office will be closed on Fridays throughout the summer. This is one benefit that we offer our staff. It will be fascinating to see how many others offer this same benefit, so please complete our survey before the end of the July!
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing summer. For many, summer offers a time to move at a slower pace, and perhaps take some time for reflection and recharging. I hope you were able to do some of that at least during your official “away-from-the-office” vacation time.
As summer wanes and we come back to our offices, Governance Committee co-chairs, Craig Drinkard and Justin Kiczek, have extended an invitation – if you are interested in serving on the CNJG Board of Trustees, or know someone who would make a good trustee, please complete the application form, and email it to Office Manager Dana Schwartz, along with a brief biography, no later than September 13, 2023. Read Craig and Justin’s full letter.
The Board will present a slate of candidates to CNJG members at the annual meeting of members. Please save the date - the CNJG Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering is on Thursday, December 14 at the Crowne Plaza Edison. Registration will be available soon.
In reviewing the nominations for board service, the Governance Committee considers participation and engagement in at least one CNJG committee, and/or serving as co-chair of a Council affinity group. Standing committees of the board include Audit, Finance, Governance, Member Engagement, Leadership and Policy, Racial Equity, Signature Programs, and Strategic Plan Implementation. Most committees meet at least twice a year. Committees focus on a specific issue or task, and ensures the board’s overall work is divided into manageable tasks. Committee participation is open to all CNJG members. If you are interested in learning more and/or serving on a committee, please let me know. Committee work allows you to expand your personal network and build relationships with colleagues, demonstrate and develop your own leadership, and gain new knowledge and skills that you might not regularly use in your day-to-day role. You’ll also be contributing to the success and future of CNJG, as well as helping to move forward the 2023 - 2025 Strategic Plan.
If you are already chairing a committee or affinity group, or serving on a committee – thank you for your leadership! We’re so grateful for your dedication and support. If you are interested in joining a committee, please reach out to me. Thank you!
Welcome back from the summer – I hope to see you at an upcoming CNJG program, and at the CNJG 2023 Annual Meeting & Holiday Gathering on December 14.
Sincerely,
Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
In March 2024, Governor Murphy signed into law significant reforms to the ways that New Jersey enforces municipal affordable housing obligations under the state Supreme Court Mount Laurel doctrine. The new law creates enhanced affordable housing opportunities for New Jersey’s low-and moderate-income households, while seeking to streamline the affordable housing development process by setting clear guidelines for determining housing obligations. It is expected to reduce legal costs and judicial involvement. Join Adam Gordon, Executive Director and Emily Devenney, Grants and Development Manager of the Fair Share Housing Center for a conversation about what this new legislation means for philanthropy.
Since the revival and improved enforcement of the Mount Laurel Doctrine in 2015, New Jersey has seen a considerable increase in affordable housing production. However, there remains a substantial shortage of affordable homes in the state, particularly for very low-income residents. The legislation aims to address this gap by ensuring that every municipality contributes its fair share of affordable housing.
Key features of the legislation include a streamlined process for determining affordable housing obligations, codification of methodology for calculating these obligations, increased transparency in the housing development process, and the repeal of the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH). Additionally, the legislation prohibits wealthy towns from avoiding their housing obligations through regional contribution agreements.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $50 for Non Member Grantmakers
Adam Gordon is the Executive Director of FSHC and leads FSHC’s coordinated strategy of organizing, litigation, and policy development to advance racial, economic, and social integration throughout New Jersey and the United States. Since joining the organization in 2006, he has worked to implement the Mount Laurel Doctrine which has created over 70,000 affordable homes in historically exclusionary NJ communities, litigated the largest federal fair housing case in American history, and worked to make federal disaster recovery policy more equitable. Under his leadership FSHC has secured the passage of the first statewide Fair Chance in Housing Act to limit discriminatory tenant screening policies and a landmark $305 million fund to accelerate affordable housing development. Gordon holds a B.A. and J.D. from Yale University.
Emily Devenney joined Fair Share Housing Center as the Grants & Development Manager in January 2024. She comes with experience in fundraising and community organizing, and strong connections to South Jersey, where she was born and raised (and likely will never leave). Emily has a B.A. in Economics and a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Certificate in Fundraising from Villanova University.
Webinar Video
In this arts briefing, Nadia Elokdah, Vice President and Program Director for Grantmakers in the Arts, will discuss the unique opportunity for arts grantmakers to support advocacy and influence policy through their funding decisions and why the arts should be included in decision-making processes. She will also cover the importance of arts funding in building narrative power and driving cultural change. Vanessa Ramalho, Director of External Relations of ArtPride New Jersey, will highlight the challenges faced by arts and cultural organizations in New Jersey and their intersections with community issues relating to the ongoing changes in federal policy. She will also share how ArtPride New Jersey is leveraging its statewide reach to develop collaborative advocacy strategies to influence and help shape policies informed by the needs and voices of the arts sector and the communities they serve. Vanessa will explore ways that funders might shift their focus and priorities to better meet the needs of organizations that are navigating increasing financial uncertainty as a result of federal policy changes.
Nadia Elokdah is an urbanist and design strategist with more than a decade working at the intersection of public systems and cultural practice. She currently serves as Vice President & Director of Programs at GIA. Most recently she served as special projects manager with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs coordinating the City’s monuments commission. Prior, she served as coordinator in the development of the City’s first cultural plan, CreateNYC, in which she coordinated and led hundreds of engagements with a broad cross-section of the public, as well collaborating in the writing and production of the plan. She is devoted to civic engagement through culturally responsible, inclusive, and equitable design practice, exemplified in collaborations with the International Design Clinic, in.site collaborative, and Monuments Lab. Nadia is a trained architect and designer, researcher, professor, and published author, including Identity Crisis, a cultural exploration of urban planning through the hammam. She currently serves as steering committee member of the Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) Non-Black POC Solidarity! into Action Committee, National Coalition for Arts Preparedness & Emergency Response (NCAPER) Programming Working Group, and an advisory board member for Unsettled.
Vanessa Ramalho, Director of External Relations, supports ArtPride’s advocacy and government affairs work, leading efforts to move forward legislative priorities that support the sustainability of the arts in New Jersey. Vanessa also builds relationships with constituents throughout the state — from community members to arts organizations, and local and state representatives — to support the cultivation of a thriving arts ecosystem. With nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit arts & cultural sector, Vanessa has led community education, fundraising, and grassroots advocacy projects across a range of organizations, including the Sadie Nash Leadership Project, the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA), Project KISS of New York Presbyterian Hospital, The Princeton Ballet School, the Asian Arts Initiative, and the Center for Babaylan Studies.
Cost: Free for CNJG Members; $75 for Non Member Grantmakers
This program is only open to staff and trustees from grantmaking organizations.
Programs in this Series:
March 13: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Immigration
March 20: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Health
March 27: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Environment
April 3: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Education
April 10: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Housing
April 17: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Media & Journalism
April 24: Making Sense of Federal Policy: Understanding What it Means for NJ: Arts
Webinar Video
The nonprofit and philanthropic communities are important contributors to well informed policies for all residents of our state. Nonprofits and philanthropy are essential partners with the government in ensuring a strong quality of life for everyone, and our voices in public policy are more vital than ever.
Opening Speaker:
The Honorable Britnee Timberlake, New Jersey Senator, District 34
Panel Discussion
Outlook 2026: Navigating What's Next
As New Jersey prepares to elect a new governor and Assembly members this November, nonprofits and funders are navigating a moment of transition — and opportunity. In addition, national trends around democracy, the economy, philanthropy, and nonprofits are also reshaping the environment we work in. This session takes a wide-angle, grassroots-informed look at what’s ahead: the political shifts, social currents, and structural changes likely to impact our missions, our communities, and our ability to create change. Panelists will explore how we can stay grounded, work together, and move forward with purpose in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Panelists:
Kiran Gaudioso, Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Northern New Jersey
Paul DiLorenzo, Executive Director, Salem Health and Wellness Foundation
Brandon McKoy, President, The Fund for New Jersey
Moderator: Doug Schoenberger, Government Affairs Specialist, NJ Center for Nonprofits
Additional panelists to be announced.
Panel Discussion
Power in Participation: Voter Engagement for a Stronger New Jersey
In a critical election year, voter engagement is more than a civic duty — it’s a pathway to equity, representation, and lasting change. This panel brings together voices from across the field to explore how nonprofits and funders can help strengthen democracy by supporting inclusive, community-driven voter outreach. From youth organizing to culturally grounded strategies and nonpartisan education, our speakers will highlight what’s working, what’s needed, and how we can all play a role in building power at the ballot box.
Panelists:
Claire Abernathy, Associate Professor of Political Science, Stockton University
Jesse Burns, Executive Director, League of Women Voters New Jersey
Danielle Iwata, Director of Organizing, AAPI New Jersey
Moderator: Michele Tuck-Ponder, CEO, Destination Imagination
Open Space Discussion: Strategizing for Impact in the Next Administration
Join this focused Open Space session to tackle a critical question:
What priorities should the next governor focus on in the first 90 days, and how can nonprofits and philanthropy advocate and partner with the new administration on the advancement of those priorities?
Get the complete 2025 Joint Policy Forum Resource List including a printable Agenda on the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits website.
This co-created forum empowers participants to surface priority policy issues, identify strategic opportunities, and explore cross-sector collaborations essential for systemic change. Facilitated by Gathering Ground, known for convening diverse groups to generate equitable, community-rooted solutions, this session offers a unique space to build actionable momentum for New Jersey’s social sector in the months ahead.
Presented by the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits and the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
This case study of the Council of Michigan Foundations' Peer Action Learning Network (PALN) is one of six examined in a report from New York University's Wagner Research Center for Leadership in Action, commissioned by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. The PALN case study, along with the other five, explores the power of learning communities to build connections and knowledge to increase organizations’ community impact. It explains ways grantmakers can strategically support these efforts as well as key elements for designing learning communities, executing for success and extending the learning.