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The New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) recently awarded $202,840 in Incubation and Action Grant funding to fifteen organizations. Incubation Grants help organizations plan, research, develop, and prototype public humanities projects and events. Action Grants help organizations implement a wide array of humanities-based projects, including public programs, exhibitions, installations, tours, and discussion groups.
Public humanities programming allows individuals to engage in lifelong learning and share in the exploration of history, values, cultures, and beliefs. NJCH supports and acts as a resource for cultural and service-oriented nonprofit partners as they bring the public humanities to the residents of New Jersey, harnessing the power of the humanities to strengthen communities.
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.
Seeking to increase their philanthropic impact, many engaged foundations are turning to impact investing. The reason is clear: The field and practice of impact investing have matured—structures are in place, best practices have emerged, and opportunities have multiplied—enabling more foundations to use this powerful tool. Yet entering unfamiliar terrain can be intimidating, and foundations with few or no staff face unique challenges even as they enjoy unique opportunities.
Essentials of Impact Investing: A Guide for Small-Staffed Foundations addresses those challenges and highlights those opportunities. The guide demystifies the process of designing and implementing an effective impact investing strategy, offering advice, tools, and real-world examples of impact investing by foundations with few or no staff.
In anticipation of Columbia Bank’s acquisition of Freehold Bank – scheduled for Saturday, the bank and its foundation awarded grants to 18 organizations totaling more than $100,000.
The funds will be used to support food insecurity, housing initiatives, medical aid and community development within the Freehold area.
Thomas Kemly, the head of the bank and the foundation, said the bank was excited to make the donations – and to acquire Freehold Bank.
“Columbia Bank is thrilled to welcome Freehold Bank to its family,” he said. “Both organizations share a commitment to excellent customer service, superior products and to giving back. Through this acquisition, we’ll introduce new branches and ATM locations with added products and services, paired with the same friendly faces from both teams.”
The Tepper Foundation in Short Hills, New Jersey, has announced an $8.75 million commitment to Jewish Federations of North America in support of interfaith bridge-building and on-site security for Jewish early childhood, day camp, and afterschool programs.
Awarded through the foundation’s Security Fund, the funding will support more than 100 federations across 39 U.S. states and Canada. The grants will bolster increased security personnel and augment efforts to strengthen local community relations and vital interfaith and intergroup projects. The most recent gift brings the Security Fund’s total commitment to Jewish Federations to nearly $18 million across 2024-25.
“The Security Fund is continuing to provide a critical service for Jewish spaces across the United States, and the Jewish Federations play a key role in helping more families feel safe,” said Tepper Foundation CEO Randi Tepper. “While most Jewish organizations have existing funds dedicated to security, many institutions have had to pull money from other budget lines to meet increased security needs. We want to ensure these organizations can not only provide security but continue their missions serving local families.”