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We are pleased to share Strengthening Philanthropy in Newark - Report to the Field 2013 – 2014 from the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison. First established in 2007, the Liaison office represents one of the nation’s first formal partnerships between a city and the philanthropic community. The initiative began as a partnership between the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers in collaboration with then Mayor Cory A. Booker. We are proud this unique partnership continues with Mayor Ras Baraka and his new administration.
The report highlights a number of public-private partnerships guided by Liaison Jeremy Johnson. More than $50 million have been aligned and leveraged from public and philanthropic resources, supporting initiatives ranging from education to healthy homes to workforce development. The Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison is supported by: Bank of America, The Foundation for Newark’s Future, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation, The MCJ Amelior Foundation, The Prudential Foundation, Schumann Foundation for New Jersey, Turrell Fund, and Victoria Foundation.
It’s Jan. 1 and I am thinking about 2015, as many of us are. Thinking about plans, what must be accomplished, what new projects and ideas we’ll explore, and so on. But I realize the building blocks for our 2015 plans are embedded in 2014, and even 2013, and 2012 and before.
As Deputy Director at the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, part of my role is building our public policy work on behalf of New Jersey’s philanthropic sector and our members.
I believe the best definition of public policy that engages all of us — citizens, the community, nonprofits, for-profits, and philanthropy is: Government programs and decisions that impact the economy, people and our society. Such a basic, thoughtful, and powerful definition that speaks to everyone at our core. I would even say the definition is elegant in its simplicity.
Key to our work is the profound realization of the power of partnerships — not that we didn’t already know that. We’ve been fortunate and proud over the last few years to have developed a strategic and planned relationship with the Center for Non-Profits.
In 2014, this partnership added another milestone. The Center for Non-Profits and Council of New Jersey Grantmakers on Nov. 9 co-presented a two-hour briefing for New Jersey Legislative staff on “Understanding New Jersey’s Non-Profit Community: Role, Impact, Myths & Facts.” The session was a great success. Legislative staff from some key sections and committees that need to understand the work of the nonprofit and the philanthropic sectors attended the briefing. Attendees were quite engaged and asked a number of insightful questions.
We’re confident everyone came away with a heightened understanding of the many nuances of the nonprofit, charitable and philanthropic communities. We also encouraged each attendee to reach out to our organizations when they have questions about the sectors, as well as for information and assistance. We’re scheduled to provide another briefing to the Office of Legislative Services in 2015.
Another initiative of critical importance to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors that launched in 2014 is the Stand for Your Mission campaign. A joint partnership of the National Council of Nonprofits, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, BoardSource, Alliance for Justice, the Campion Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the campaign “seeks to unleash the full potential of the nonprofit sector to create positive impact by engaging board leaders more directly in the advocacy work of their organizations.”
This means encouraging board members and social sector decision-makers to actively represent their organization’s mission and values. This is basic advocacy and honors the elegant definition of public policy noted above.
For these reasons (and frankly more) 2015 looms with abundant promise. Can’t wait to see what comes next. How will you and your organization engage in public policy to further the missions so dear to your work and to make a positive impact on our communities?
Theresa Jacks, Deputy Director, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is pleased to release our annual look back at the Council’s robust programming, leadership initiatives and advocacy efforts. From funder briefings to our Signature events to providing New Jersey’s philanthropic sector with integral connections and services – CNJG is an engaged and cohesive network of grantmakers dedicated to our state’s communities and people.
Get on the map and give smarter
Get on the Map is an exciting data-sharing initiative designed to dramatically improve the quality and availability of giving data for our region. Using this tool to put your grantmaking in context will provide valuable insights that can transform your giving.
Knowing how other foundations or corporations are funding in a certain geographic area or with a specific nonprofit can make everyone’s work more effective.
Imagine real-time answers to questions like:
- How are others serving at-risk youth?
- Are organizations in our region receiving enough capacity building support?
- Who else funds economic development in our rural communities?
Through a partnership with Candid (formerly the Foundation Center) and the United Philanthropy Forum, Get on the Map enables CNJG members to see the scope of their grantmaking, find natural funding partners, and gain deeper understanding of New Jersey’s philanthropic landscape.
Watch the short video below to learn how easy it is to Get on the Map!
It starts with sharing your giving data
Your data will power valuable resources for your organization and our region, including access to the CNJG Foundation Funding Map, a special interactive searchable mapping platform, engineered by Candid.
When you share your data, you control your story. No one knows your grantmaking better than you. Tell your story, your way is good for the sector because better information benefits everyone. Join the community of funders sharing their data to ensure the field is acting on the best possible information. Share Now!
Self-Paced Training for Funders on Using Candid
Candid has also launched a new, free self-paced course for funders: Funding Smarter: Using Candid Tools to Inform and Share Your Foundation’s Work. The course is meant to help funders use Candid’s mapping, data, and knowledge tools to better identify funding peers, potential grantee partners, identify funding connections and gaps, and learn from knowledge other funders have already shared. It also highlights the value of sharing data with Candid.
Read about the progress of the CNJG network through July 2015, in CNJG’s Mid-Year Memo to Members.
by Tai Cooper and Jeremy Johnson
“When I Become Mayor, We All Become Mayor”
When Ras J. Baraka won the mayoral election for New Jersey’s largest city last year, expectations were high. The former South Ward councilman, one-time principal of Central High School and son of the famed poet-activist Amiri Baraka championed a populist vision. During the campaign, he famously told residents, “When I become Mayor, we all become Mayor!”
In the days leading up to, and following the election, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers recognized an opportunity to work intensively with the incoming mayor. CNJG had previously established a nonpartisan, City Hall-based Newark Philanthropic Liaison office, in collaboration with then Mayor Cory Booker in 2007.
Following the transition, Mayor Baraka and CNJG built exciting new bridges.
For example, the Mayor included the grantmakers’ recommendations for collaboration as an appendix to his strategic plan, The Blueprint for a New Newark.
“We felt this transition was a time for funders to ‘lean in,’” said Nina Stack, President of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers. “The grantmaking community spent seven years organizing ourselves to work collectively with the City of Newark. Under Mayor Baraka, we saw an opportunity to build on old investments and create new ones.”
Prioritizing Five Pillars
It’s impossible for philanthropy to be a panacea for all of Newark’s challenges. But the Mayor’s team appreciated the value that philanthropic partners brought to the table. Fueled with support from CNJG members, including the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Newark Philanthropic Liaison office, in concert with the Mayor’s Chief Policy Advisor, set about to convene, connect, and leverage partnerships and resources for Mayor-identified pillars.
Among dozens of issues, the Mayor has cited five initiatives as worthy of philanthropic engagement and top of mind attention. So far in 2015, $3 million in private support is helping seed strategies that show promise for Newark residents.
1. Public Safety
Mayor Baraka has long understood violence to be a public health issue. He has won praise for a constant rhythm of neighborhood events, summits, and youth presentations to address violence. Local funders have rallied around several prongs of the Mayor’s initiatives. For example, CNJG members funded a cross-sector retreat to coalesce multiple public safety partners working in the city. That retreat has led to the creation of the Safer Newark Council, committed to inter-connected solutions to reduce violent crime and improve perceptions of safety.
An accompanying funder-supported initiative is the Newark Community Street Team. The team comprises 15 outreach workers in the South Ward Model Neighborhood Initiative. They are assisting approximately 100 individuals to stabilize their lives and turn away from a life of crime, through mentoring, life skills, and case management.
2. Education – Communities Schools/Read and Believe
As a former principal, Mayor Baraka has been outspoken on the critical role of education in Newarkers’ lives. His appointment of Dr. Lauren Wells as Chief Education Officer in the Office of Comprehensive Community Education has helped inaugurate long-term and short-term public-private efforts.
Dr. Wells has written how “community schools” help mitigate the impacts of poverty on students and provide an environment that can greatly improve schools. Launching community schools will necessitate early support from the funding community. Encouraging discussions are underway among neighborhood residents, funders, and education leaders.
Read and Believe, a literacy-focused initiative, imagines a city that takes on literacy as a communal cause. The umbrella campaign includes, among several programs,My Very Own Library. CNJG members, including the Foundation for Newark’s Future, as well as Rutgers, individual donors and Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge, enabled MVOL to serve 27,000 Newark Public School students in grades K-8 students. Each child selected four free books to take home for summer break.
3. Centers of Hope
The Centers of Hope are nine community-based centers in all five of Newark’s wards that allow access to City services, wellness and enrichment opportunities where people live and work. Four centers have opened thus far, some focusing on young women, special needs, entrepreneurship, and municipal ID access. All offer a variety of after school, athletic, arts and culture, educational, environmental, healthy living, free WiFi and recreation programming to engage children and families.
4. My Brother’s Keeper Newark
The Mayor’s My Brother’s Keeper Newark initiative is part of a nationwide, White House-led campaign to empower boys and men of color and strengthen the systems that ensure their success. MBKN’s goals are dependent on cross-sector partnerships, data-mining, and a combination of policy and direct-service projects. CNJG members have provided seed funding for the MBKN’s initial roundtables, forums, and on-ramping initiatives. Most notable was a “Young Men of Color and Law Enforcement” forum at Central High School, designed to address issues that damage the relationship between African-American and Latino youth and law enforcement. The White House has recognized MBKN as a leader among the national communities that are building greater supports for young men of color.
5. Summer Youth Employment Program and Postsecondary Access
One of the biggest success stories of the year was the dramatic increase in the number of teenagers employed in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Newark went from 1,500 last summer to over 2,600 youth who got jobs. The growth was prompted by a partnership between the Mayor’s office, funders, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC). One thousand of the teens were enrolled in jobs that provided not only a paycheck but also learning opportunities for coding, urban landscaping, and an NCLC Summer Learning Institute on the campus of Essex County College. Financial empowerment and banking support for these first time workers, made possible from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, was an added bonus.
The New York Times recently praised Mayor Baraka for defying expectations. Working collaboratively with residents, institutions, and funders, the Mayor is driving the change that makes Newark a city we all can believe in.
Tai Cooper is Chief Policy Advisor to Mayor Ras J. Baraka. Jeremy Johnson is the Newark Philanthropic Liaison, a position funded by the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers as a joint venture with the Mayor.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ biennial Spring Colloquium – A Conversation for the Social Sector - being held on May 24 at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick. A CNJG signature event since 2006, the Colloquium brings together foundations and non-profits with national thought leaders to explore topics of critical interest to foundations and non-profits whose work impacts our state’s quality of life.
“The Colloquium is a natural outgrowth of our role as a central force in amplifying the voice of philanthropy in New Jersey,” said Nina Stack, President of the Council. “This special event gives foundation and non-profit leaders the benefit of hearing from our country’s leading social sector experts and the opportunity to apply what they learn to the important work they do to improve the lives of those they serve in New Jersey.”
The 2016 Spring Colloquium conversation will focus on how privatization and de-funding of many services once provided by the public sector has led to the expectation that grantmakers and their non-profit partners will increasingly assume responsibility for these services, despite dramatically diminished resources. The social sector is responding to this challenge with innovative funding initiatives. Detroit’s foundations, for example, devised the “Grand Bargain” to help solve that city’s pension crisis. Likewise, the use of social impact bonds is rising as a means of underwriting safety net programs. “This change in the ‘public contract’ necessitates thoughtful planning on the part of foundation and nonprofit leaders who must be prepared to meet this significant paradigm shift,” said Emily Tow Jackson, Executive Director and President of the Tow Foundation, and a 2016 Colloquium panelist.
Other panelists at this year’s Colloquium include moderator Robert S. Collier, the President and CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations; Elizabeth T. Boris, Founding Director of the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute; and Michael McAfee, Vice President for Programs at PolicyLink.
Over the years, the Colloquium has considered a diverse range of topics including philanthropy’s role in restoring civility to society; strategies to ensure community and nonprofit sustainability; philanthrocapitalism; and driving change by being fearless. The event has featured such prominent speakers as former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean; Idealist founder Ami Dar; U.S. editor of The Economist Matthew Bishop; and Philadelphia Federal Reserve Board Chairman, Jeremy Nowak, among many others.
In addition to serving New Jersey’s social sector, the Spring Colloquium will be viewed by CNJG regional philanthropy association members across the country via simulcast-hosted gatherings.
“PSE&G strongly believes in the power of the social sector’s collective impact and the leadership that CNJG has exhibited over the years by providing New Jersey’s foundations and non-profits with access to our counterparts from across the country,” said Ellen Lambert, Chief Diversity Officer, Senior Director Corporate Citizenship and President, PSEG Foundation, a sponsor of the 2016 CNJG Spring Colloquium. For more details about the Colloquium please visit www.cnjg.org/investmentforum.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers works to strengthen and promote effective philanthropy throughout New Jersey. The leading resource for networking and information for New Jersey's philanthropic community, CNJG provides representatives of all types of grantmaking organizations access to valuable services and meaningful activities to advance their work.
We are pleased to share Strengthening Philanthropy in Newark - Report to the Field 2015 from the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison. First established in 2007, the Liaison office represents one of the nation’s first formal partnerships between a city and the philanthropic community. The initiative began as a partnership between the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers in collaboration with then Mayor Cory A. Booker. We are proud this unique partnership continues with Mayor Ras Baraka and his new administration.
This report provides a brief summary of some of the substantial activities and impact the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison facilitated throughout 2015. The strategy of collective impact is thriving throughout Newark thanks in large part to the work of the Liaison, and the funding community’s support of and robust engagement with the Office of the Mayor and anchor institutions across the city continue to reap positive outcomes. The Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison is supported by: Bank of America, The Foundation for Newark’s Future, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The MCJ Amelior Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation, Panasonic Corporation of North America, The Prudential Foundation, Schumann Foundation for New Jersey, Turrell Fund, Victoria Foundation, and PSEG Foundation providing in-kind support and meeting space.
Kevin Callaghan is Next Leader of Innovative Partnership
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers (CNJG) and the City of Newark are pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Callaghan as the Council’s new Philanthropic Liaison to the City of Newark. Based in Newark’s City Hall, Callaghan will lead the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison (ONPL) as it convenes, connects and leverages the resources of the state, regional and national philanthropic community for the benefit of Newark’s citizens and institutions. For nearly five years Callaghan served as the Program Officer at the Foundation for Newark’s Future, the local arm of national philanthropic funding donated to the City of Newark to improve education opportunities for youth. Most recently, he served as Project Lead on the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program. He will formally undertake his new role on September 1.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and CNJG President Nina Stack hailed Callaghan’s appointment. “In the time I’ve come to know Kevin I’ve seen the passion he has for the City of Newark and the thoughtful, inclusive way he approaches his work,” commented Mayor Baraka. “We are glad to have him on our team.” CNJG President Stack added, “Kevin brings an understanding of how foundations work and a real appreciation for the impact strategic philanthropy can have when it works collaboratively with other funders and government leaders. We are very excited to welcome Kevin in this role as leader of the ONPL and look forward to seeing how he builds on the Liaison Office’s achievements over the last eight years.”
Callaghan replaces former Newark Philanthropic Liaison Jeremy Johnson who helped define this innovative collaboration between the Council and the City of Newark in 2007 under former Mayor, now United States Senator, Cory Booker. It marked one of the nation’s first formal partnerships between a city and the philanthropic sector. Since then, and with the subsequent election of Mayor Ras Baraka in 2014, the ONPL has continued to be a nationally acclaimed model for public - philanthropic alliances, leveraging more than $50 million in private support for City initiatives.
Callaghan will work in partnership with Mayor Baraka’s Chief Policy Advisor Tai Cooper and cabinet to support public safety, summer youth employment, workforce development, economic development, health and wellness, education and literacy, immigration, and neighborhood and place-based initiatives. “The Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison is a critical resource to our city. Having previously worked with Kevin, I know he will be very effective in his new role and I look forward to continued collaboration with him,” said Cooper.
“It is an honor to have been selected to lead the Office of the Newark Philanthropic Liaison. I know firsthand the value of collaboratively harnessing the power of philanthropic resources for the direct benefit of Newark’s communities. Under the guiding principle of collective action, I look forward to working with the grantmaking community and the City of Newark to leverage every possible opportunity to unlock the endless potential of this city,” said Callaghan.
A non-partisan position, the ONPL is funded by a consortium of grantmakers including Bank of America, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation, The Prudential Foundation, Schumann Fund for New Jersey, Turrell Fund and the Victoria Foundation. “Having served with my colleagues as an on-going funder of this unique initiative, I am delighted to know that the fine work that has been accomplished since its inception will continue under the able leadership of Kevin Callaghan,” said Dr. Irene Cooper- Basch, Executive Officer of the Victoria Foundation.
Previously, Callaghan served for two years as a middle school classroom teacher in Philadelphia through Teach for America. Earlier in his career, he worked for the federal government as a special assistant at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in Washington D.C. where he supported development efforts for emerging markets.
Callaghan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and History from St. Peter’s University in Jersey City and a Masters’ Degree in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Born and raised in New Jersey, he resides with his family in Essex County.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is pleased to release our annual look back at the Council’s robust programming, leadership initiatives and advocacy efforts. From funder briefings to our Signature events to providing New Jersey’s philanthropic sector with integral connections and services – CNJG is an engaged and cohesive network of grantmakers dedicated to our state’s communities and people.
2016 marked a new high mark for the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and for our members. The 2016 President’s Report is our annual look back at CNJG’s robust programming and services in benefit to our members and by extension, the communities that our members serve. These programs, services and leadership initiatives elevate not only our members’ work and practice, but also grantmakers throughout New Jersey, and often even beyond. CNJG remains at the ready to assist New Jersey grantmakers in meeting the ongoing challenges of yesterday and today.
CNJG celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2017 marked by extraordinary progress and service to members over this time. As the nexus for the philanthropic community in New Jersey, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ body of work grows more robust every year. This is clearly evident by the exponential growth in programs and services since CNJG was founded in 1987. However, this proliferation in programs and services does not reflect the full realm of CNJG's transformation over twenty years. CNJG has evolved to become a leader in the state, spearheading important and significant initiatives throughout our history.
These programs, services and leadership initiatives elevate, not only our members’ work and practice, but also grantmakers throughout New Jersey, and even beyond. CNJG's success stems from its ability to broker partnerships and alliances to solve problems, leverage shared resources, and forge sustainable solutions to bring about long-term change. During its 20 years, CNJG has grown to become a valuable, highly relevant leadership organization serving a diverse range of funders. View our CNJG Through the Years pictorial. CNJG thanks our members and partners for your ongoing support and leadership that has propelled us through the last 20 years. We look forward to the next twenty!
Newark Philanthropic Liaison
Philanthropy has played a vital role in Newark for decades. In 2007, in collaboration with the Office of the Mayor, CNJG hired the city’s first liaison – modeled after a similar position in the State of Michigan – to harness interest, foster greater effectiveness and attract resources toward policy and programmatic areas that affect Newark’s residents. In the years since, the Council’s Newark Philanthropic Liaison has become a model for the country.
Hurricane Sandy Response
Superstorm Sandy officially came ashore in New Jersey on October 29, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. and its aftermath continues to be felt in communities throughout our state. Not 24 hours after the storm made landfall, CNJG began planning a series of actions to help inform funders what to be prepared for, share information and discuss strategies. CNJG's support of the philanthropic community as it navigates the shifting landscape of disaster recovery, continues.
Facing Our Future
Facing Our Future was a landmark initiative looking at the systemic, long term fiscal challenges facing all levels of government in New Jersey. It grew out of a 2010 briefing CNJG held for members that outlined how a Governor’s budget is annually crafted. CNJG leadership worked with members to convene a group of enthusiastic former government leaders. Their collective experience crossed party lines, and many of them had served multiple New Jersey governors. This Leadership Group included 4 former Attorney Generals, 3, former Commissioners, 2 former State Treasurers, a former Director of the State Senate and a former Chief Justice of the NJ Supreme Court, in addition to leading New Jersey researchers.
Establishing South Jersey’s Community Foundation
The Community Foundation of South Jersey formally launched in 2009 after two years of extensive planning through the efforts of CNJG and a number Council members. CFSJ is dedicated to the southernmost counties of New Jersey - Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem. These counties are exceptionally diverse, stretching from rural farm lands to pockets of densely populated and poor urban areas, juxtaposed against wealthy suburban communities. However, they share many of the same social problems – a challenging economy, unengaged youth, access to healthcare, as well as issues related to hunger, unemployment and housing. Realizing the need, Council members through the work of CNJG formed The Community Foundation of South Jersey. CNJG is extremely proud to have played a role in building the foundation to serve South Jersey for generations to come.
Spring Colloquium
Held for the first time in 2008, CNJG's Spring Colloquium focuses on critical trends and issues affecting foundations and the people and communities they serve. Past discussions have featured Governor Tom Kean with US Editor for the Economist Matthew Bishop, writer David Borestein and philosopher Anthony Appiah, and Idealist.org founder Ami Dar with Cindy Rizzo of the Arcus Foundation.
Spring Conference
CNJG's Conference for Grantmakers brings together staff and trustees of all types and sizes of foundations for a day of networking and focused sessions dealing with key aspects of grantmaking, leadership, and management and operations.
Nina Stack, CNJG's President, is interviewed on "One on One with Steve Adubato" about the Council's work, including our 20th anniversary, the Newark Philanthropic Liaison, and our work after Superstorm Sandy.
One on One with Steve Adubato
"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
The 2018 President’s Report is our annual look back at CNJG’s robust programming and services for our members and, by extension, the communities they serve. The Council is an engaged and cohesive network of grantmakers dedicated to our state’s communities and people.
The 2017 President’s Report is our annual look back at CNJG’s robust programming and services in benefit to our members and by extension, the communities that our members serve. These programs, services and leadership initiatives elevate not only our members’ work and practice, but also grantmakers throughout New Jersey, and often even beyond. CNJG remains at the ready to assist New Jersey grantmakers in meeting the ongoing challenges of yesterday and today.
New Jersey’s largest philanthropic association has named longtime social sector leader Maria Vizcarrondo as its president.
“Maria has been a trailblazer throughout her career,” said Council of New Jersey Grantmakers Board Chair William V. Engel. “We turn to her to help the state’s diverse and dedicated philanthropies to be even more effective in their quest to make this a better place.”
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers is a nonprofit organization of over 130 members representing the philanthropic community in the state. Members include family, private, community, independent and corporate foundations, and corporate giving programs.
The Council exists to strengthen and promote effective philanthropy throughout New Jersey. CNJG’s programs and resources increase the impact of organized philanthropy’s support for adequate health care, quality education, a cleaner environment, community development, historical preservation, disaster response and relief, research, recreation, culture, and other areas crucial to the fabric of New Jersey's communities.
“I am very excited about joining the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers as its CEO and working with dynamic individuals — many of whom I have known and respected throughout my nonprofit career,” Ms. Vizcarrondo said. “Most importantly, I look forward to forging partnerships that will advance the Council’s social impact as a sector leader in New Jersey communities, the region, and nation.”
Ms. Vizcarrondo, who spent most of her career in northern New Jersey, comes to the Council from Cabrini University in Philadelphia, where she most recently was Director of Community Development and External Relations. She was inaugural Executive Director of the school’s Nerney Leadership Institute, launched in 2013.
Ms. Vizcarrondo brings more than 25 years of experience transforming service organizations and has served her communities as both an appointed and elected official.
In 2006, when he was first elected Mayor of Newark Cory Booker tapped Ms. Vizcarrondo to head Newark’s Health and Human Service Department, the largest of its kind in New Jersey. One of her first actions in that role was to develop a Children’s Bill of Rights to benchmark improvements in the lives of children and families throughout the city. Her accomplishments included securing state funding to establish Family Success Centers to provide neighborhood- based services, and launching a major citywide campaign to raise the immunization rates of Newark’s children.
Prior to her mayoral appointment, Ms. Vizcarrondo served as the first woman president and CEO of United Way of Essex and West Hudson. Her pioneer work in re-engineering the organization’s mission into community building was documented in the United Way Transformation Diaries. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Ms. Vizcarrondo led the New Jersey United Ways in a statewide coordination of services for affected families and managed the distribution of corporate funding for these efforts.
She was elected Essex County Surrogate in 1993 and served four years of a five-year term before leaving to join United Way.
Ms. Vizcarrondo has been listed among the “100 Most Influential People in New Jersey” and was a founding member of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.
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The Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ) today announced that Dawn Lauer, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of B2B Communications at MWWPR; Kimberly Banks MacKay, former U.S. Head, Legal and Compliance for Novartis Business Services; Gail Mandel, former President and CEO of Wyndham Destination Network; and Michael Murphy, former Morris County Prosecutor and co-founder of Impact NJ, have joined its Board of Trustees.
Welcome to our members-only portal to the National Center for Family Philanthropy Knowledge Center. You will need to be a CNJG member and logged in to our website to search these resources via our portal. Please note, when accessing any resource using this portal, you will leave our website (CNJG.org) and be taken to the National Center for Family Philanthropy website (NCFP.org)
Kevin Callaghan, CNJG’s Newark Philanthropic Liaison, along with the city of Newark, have coordinated a philanthropic response to helping the residents of Newark with their water. This two-page overview offers suggestions for how philanthropy can assist with short-term and long-term needs. To help support the efforts, please contact Kevin.
To stay up-to-date on their efforts, visit the Newark Water Challenge area of our website.