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Kessler Foundation said Wednesday that in 2022 it approved approximately $1 million in grants to support initiatives that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace.
The majority of the funding was allocated into two categories: Signature Employment Grants and Community Employment Grants. The remaining funds were awarded to Foundation Directed Grants, Special Initiative Grants and Emergency Relief Grants.
“In our society, work often defines who we are, and how we are perceived by others,” Elaine Katz, senior vice president for grants and communications at Kessler Foundation, said. “Because participating in the workplace has many benefits, both tangible and intangible, Kessler Foundation focuses its grantmaking on expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and addresses employment outcomes through its rehabilitation research.”
Johnson & Johnson extends our sympathy and support to the thousands of people affected by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
In the immediate aftermath of this disaster, we have been assisting the region by:
- Pledging $1 million for disaster relief efforts to support the following NGOs: International Medical Corps (IMC) and International Rescue Committee (IRC).
- Donating funds to Direct Relief for immediate support of the rescue efforts on the ground in Turkey.
- Donating thermal blankets and working to provide other items in urgent need, including hygiene products, surgical sutures, hemostats, wound closures, and other medical products.
- Establishing an employee giving campaign that is supported with matched gifts for global engagement.
- Supporting temporary accommodation, transportation and access to food and water to impacted employees and their immediate families.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts held its first public meeting of 2023 on February 28, where nearly $2 million was awarded to 140 New Jersey artists through the Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship program.
The Fellowships are competitive awards to New Jersey artists in 12 rotating disciplines granted solely on independent peer panel assessment of work samples. The anonymous process is focused on artistic quality, and awards may be used to help artists produce new work and advance their careers. New Jersey artists applied for awards this year in the categories of choreography, crafts, music composition, photography, playwriting/screenwriting, poetry, and sculpture. This program is carried out in partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts.
At the Council’s Annual Meeting last July, the Council voted to authorize an unprecedented investment of $2 million in the Individual Artist Fellowship program. Through that commitment of funding, this year’s Fellowship cohort is the largest one the Council has added to its distinguished list of Fellows in over 30 years. In order to further support the increased number of artists applying to the program, the Council developed a new level of awards in addition to the Fellowship Award. For the first time, the Council announced Finalist Awards. The Finalists Awards are given to those applicants who scored highly, but just below the cutoff to receive a Fellowship.
As we witness the initial impact of Hurricane Dorian, we are reminded that many of our communities are still targets for further devastation from this storm over the next few days.
While we recognize that many of us have survived recent hurricanes like Sandy and Maria, we also know that the struggle continues, and we need to do our best to help meet the needs of current victims caught in the wake of the storm.
In light of this situation, we are providing our membership with the latest information to help you determine how your organization might engage in response and recovery efforts.
Resources
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has created a Hurricane Dorian disaster profile, which provides updates on the storm as well as information on the areas of greatest need
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has also launched the CDP 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund to support communities that will be affected by Hurricane Dorian. This fund focuses on medium- and long-term recovery, with the understanding that individuals and communities will need the support of private philanthropy for months and years to come as they navigate the road to recovery.
- The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook is a comprehensive handbook outlining best practices and innovative approaches that the philanthropic community can adopt in addressing recovery after natural disasters. CNJG’s lessons learned in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy helped lead the creation of this Playbook.
- Locally in Florida, the Miami Foundation for a Greater Miami created a Hurricane Dorian resource page.
- The Jessie Ball duPont Fund resource Creating Order from Chaos: Roles for Philanthropy in Disaster Planning and Response provides a framework for steps that can be taken for philanthropy to respond to disasters.
- The New York Times has released an article sharing multiple ways to help Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas.
- Charity Navigator has created a list of high-rated organizations providing aid and relief for Hurricane Dorian for both short-term and long-term relief.
- Sadly, CNJG’s post Sandy work and the briefings hosted and compiled by CNJG still hold lessons for today. You can review the briefings from Series 1 and Series 2 in either audio or written format. The briefings provide timely, relevant information about how grantmakers can help in the aftermath of a major storm.
Finally, if you think it would be useful, we’ll convene an open-forum conference call for CNJG members to share how your organization might be thinking about your own response efforts. If you’re interested in connecting with your colleagues for this kind of discussion, please contact me, and we will set up a call.
Yours in solidarity,
Maria Vizcarrondo, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Dear CNJG Community,
I am writing to let you know that last week Council of New Jersey Grantmakers’ President and CEO Nina Stack, notified the Council’s Board of Trustees that she will be stepping down in June to become the Executive Director of The Champlin Foundation, the largest private foundation in the state of Rhode Island.
This is certainly bittersweet news. While we will miss her tremendous leadership, enthusiasm, and good spirit she has brought to our state’s philanthropic community these past thirteen years, anyone who knows Nina knows that Rhode Island is also near and dear to her heart.
Yesterday, I convened a meeting of our Executive Committee, which includes Bill Engel/Hyde & Watson Foundation, Annmarie Puleio/Fred C. Rummel Foundation, Cynthia Evans/Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and Bill Leavens/Leavens Family Foundation to consider how the Council will address this transition phase and search process.
In addition, the full Board of Trustees will be meeting later this month to build on these initial conversations. We are developing a thorough, thoughtful, and deliberate transition plan and search process. I will be back in touch with all of you, the members of CNJG and colleagues, in the coming weeks to share those details.
The good news is that under Nina’s extraordinary leadership over these many years, the Council is in an excellent position. Our finances are very strong, our membership continues to grow, our members are more engaged, our programming is exceptional, our partnerships are robust, our staff is talented, and our influence with policymakers, business leaders, and others across the state deepens.
In the meantime, Nina will remain on staff until June 1. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Spring Colloquium – Breaking Through in the New Media Paradigm – on May 24.
Please join us for what will be Nina’s last program as President and CEO of the Council, I encourage you to register as soon as possible. Seating is limited, and I have no doubt it will sell out very soon.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Pearson
Chair, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
Related Articles
Providence Business Journal: Stack to head Champlin Foundation come June
The Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation announced over $550,000 in its inaugural grant cycle.
Kessler Foundation approved approximately $2 million in grants in 2021 to support initiatives that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. The Foundation allocated funding for three categories: Foundation-Directed Grants, Community Employment Grants, and Special Initiative Grants. Since 2005, the Foundation's Center for Grantmaking has awarded more than $50 million to nonprofit programs that expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities striving to work, adding diversity to American workplaces, and boosting productivity.
Kessler grantmaking has lead to improved job skills and paid employment for thousands of individuals with disabilities.
The Foundation's contributions have led to improved job skills and paid employment for thousands of individuals with disabilities, according to Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, senior vice president for grants and communications at Kessler Foundation. "Our grants support inventive initiatives that open new pathways to increasing inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace," she added.
From February 26-28, 2023, members of the NLC’s Mayoral Network on Community Safety and Violence Prevention, city representatives and resource guests were welcomed by Mayor Ras J. Baraka in Newark, New Jersey. Attendees saw firsthand the strides made by Mayor Baraka, Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery Director Lakeesha Eure, and the rest of the Newark team. Alongside community partners, the city team members are advancing new safety strategies alongside longstanding ones. This collaborative, people-centered approach to addressing violence and promoting safety led to 60-year lows in homicides for the city.
The philanthropic community in Newark is an instrumental part of the city’s transformation of its public safety ecosystem over the past nine years. Several local foundations supported the development and implementation of a new public health centered strategy from its infancy by providing the resources for two public safety retreats, multiple community-based violence prevention and interruption organizations, new data tools and collaboratives, and trauma training for community and police.
Lisa Block, Senior Program Officer with the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, shared her thoughts on the work in this article for Grantmakers in Health.
Today the Regional Foundation announced $4,750,000 in Implementation Grants to seven organizations throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The Neighborhood Implementation Grants program supports comprehensive community development plans that target specific neighborhoods, are resident-driven, and equity focused. The multi-year funding is designed to assist the foundation’s grantee partners to start or sustain momentum in their comprehensive neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
“The grants we announced today are an exciting next step in the journey of the Regional Foundation,” stated Kevin Dow, Executive Director of the foundation. “These community investments will further the success of organizations leading resident engaged, neighborhood revitalization efforts with stable funding for at least five years. Three of the grants represent new implementation investments while four of the seven sustain long standing partnerships.”
The New Jersey Bankers Association will be donating $5,000, through its charitable foundation, to the American Bankers Association’s Disaster Relief Program to help aid relief efforts in Mississippi after a series of deadly tornados swept through the region in late March.
All funds will be directed to the Heart of the Delta Foundation, which is supporting rural communities in the Delta region, and the CREATE Foundation, which is aiding relief efforts in Northeast Mississippi.
John Mangini, treasurer and secretary of the New Jersey Bankers Charitable Foundation, said the group always is eager to lend a hand when it can.
“The banking community extends beyond state borders, and, during difficult times, like what we’re seeing in Mississippi, the role banks play in their communities becomes paramount,” he said. “We hope this donation can help ensure people affected by this disaster can get access to the assistance and services they need.”
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, through its philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, issued $390,000 in grants to 15 non-profit organization throughout New Jersey, for the first round of grants in 2023.
The Montclair Foundation (TMF) has awarded $75,000 in grant funding to organizations that support and enhance the quality of life and vibrancy of Montclair and its environs. Funds raised during the December Board of Trustee Challenge Match increased grant support by 50% for this Spring grant cycle. This was made possible by the generous support of community contributions and committed TMF Trustees.
“Twenty-eight nonprofits applied this spring. Through the strategic evaluation and due diligence of our grants committee, fourteen local nonprofits were awarded larger grants, said Peggy Murphy-Deehan, Trustee and Grants Committee Chair. These grants will provide greater impact and ensure that our community has access to the resources they need.”
On March 9th, 2023, the City of Newark unveiled a Harriet Tubman monument in the newly re-named Harriet Tubman Square. The Newark Philanthropic Liaison played a key role on the monument project team for two years, ensuring that funds were available to make the vision of the Mayor and community a reality. We are proud to be a grantee of the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, and appreciate the significant philanthropic support of Audible, Inc. and the partnership of the Newark Museum of Art, Rutgers University – Newark, and the Newark Public Library. In addition to foundation partnerships, the NPL’s office designed and led a “Buy a Brick” campaign raised nearly $40,000 from almost 200 individual donors.
Related Stories
A Monument to Harriet Tubman Replaces a Columbus Statue in Newark
Government-Nonprofit Contracting Reform
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance is the biggest change in government grant guidelines in over 30 years. The rules require that federal grants and contracts—including those that pass through state and local governments—include a “reasonable amount” for indirect costs. A “reasonable amount”, according to the guidance, is at least 10 percent of direct costs and, in some cases, nonprofits can negotiate a higher amount.
With the nonprofit sector earning nearly 33 percent of its revenue from government grants and contracts, this new requirement is a game changer. Nina Stack wrote a piece discussing these changes for the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation blog:
Excerpt from A Social Sector Game Changer:
“Nonprofits that are hired by the government to perform a service and paid through federal dollars are to use at least 10 percent of the direct costs of their grant or contract to pay indirect costs. BOOM! Just as John Madden would say. A mandate for funding that can be used for core operations. Never before has there been such a clear directive and recognition from the federal government.”
To see this change however, industry-wide advocacy is essential to ensure that all nonprofits are aware of this monumental shift and that governments follow the new requirement. Without advocacy, it is very possible that, despite the requirement to add an additional 10 percent or more to pay for indirect costs, legislative bodies at the federal, state and city levels may further reduce project budgets to keep them flat. And this could mean that in order to maintain the same level of services, nonprofits will seek additional resources from the philanthropic sector to make up the difference. Therefore it is imperative that philanthropy remains active in the conversation between nonprofits and government to continue to maintain a balance in the critical services provided by all.
What this means for nonprofits:
- Government contracts are now required to reimburse nonprofits for reasonable indirect costs (administrative, “overhead”) as part of their service-delivery agreement.
- The OMB Uniform Guidance is only a promise of better treatment—nonprofits should know the rules and protect themselves.
What this means for foundations:
- Advocacy is needed! To ensure government partners do not underfund nonprofits due to the new rules, foundations need to help spread awareness and enforce the regulations.
In New Jersey, the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits has been teeing up advocacy, information sessions, and other assistance to help non-profits take advantage of the new rules. For questions and information about the new guidelines, please visit the resources below.
Resources
Federal Register: OMB Uniform Guidance
At the October Grantmakers for Education Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., the Newark Funders Education Committee presented a workshop called “How Not to Read the Prize” to a standing-room-only audience of national, regional, and local foundations.
They did so not to dispute the findings in Dale Russakoff’s book, “The Prize,” but rather to expound upon the progress and challenges that have occurred during the period since Mark Zuckerberg’s $100-million-dollar gift was announced in September 2010 and to paint a fuller, more nuanced picture.
The process of putting together the panel was a learning experience for all of us who participated. It helped us to clarify our own thinking about what the gift enabled Newark to accomplish, how we as local funders have come to work together more effectively, and how we might advise national foundations interested in place-based impact to engage with the community and with local funders.
In September 2010, Mark Zuckerberg announced a $100 million gift, to be matched dollar for dollar, to transform education in Newark in five years. The Foundation for Newark’s Future was created as a local foundation that would manage a then-undetermined portion of the gift.
The Prize, by Dale Russakoff, documents the first five few years of this reform effort. As Russakoff illustrates, there were strong personalities involved in the reform effort who had or have now moved to new positions. Also, this was the donor’s first foray into philanthropy and despite efforts at community engagement, many community leaders and activists felt that district and state leaders and national foundation representatives did not invite or respect authentic community participation in its decisions. The book and subsequent book tour largely focused on these themes.
The narrative in philanthropy is that “this bold effort largely failed.” With the benefit of time, we would write a different narrative: there were missteps along the way, and some philanthropic overreach, but Newark is moving forward, education outcomes are improving, and some of the work that was started because of this initiative has had sustained positive impact. Most importantly, there is a robust education dialogue in the city that has moved from vigorous disagreement to an agreement to collaborate even when we disagree. So, the hashtag for this work seven years on might be: #notfinishedyet or #needapart2.
When Mayor Ras Baraka took office in 2014, he immediately called for an expansion of the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program.
There is a growing body of evidence that youth employment programs are a positive intervention that can reduce summer violence and incarceration and improve educational outcomes of participating youth. Just as important, they help to expose youth to career pathways early, allowing the city to integrate youth into an overall workforce development strategy. For Mayor Baraka, the call was personal — he participated in the program as a youth and remembers fondly the impact it had on his life.
TD Charitable Foundation on Monday said it awarded a total of $7 million to 37 nonprofits across the bank’s footprint through the 17th annual Housing for Everyone grant program.
According to the charitable giving arm of Cherry Hill-based TD Bank, “America’s Most Convenient Bank,” grants ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 will support organizations that work to deliver rental assistance, rehabilitate affordable rental housing properties and build organizational capacity to address resident sustainability for the long-term.
As individuals and families across the country struggle with inflation and an exponential rise in rental costs, affordable housing providers face increased hardship, given the growing demand for affordable rental units and emergency rental assistance.
“The affordable housing crisis continues to burden the most vulnerable members of our communities and the organizations committed to supporting them,” Paige Carlson-Heim, director of the TD Charitable Foundation, said. “At TD, we’re committed to doing our part to help create a more sustainable and inclusive future for everyone, and that includes providing access to safe, affordable homes. This year’s grant recipients are mission-critical to that work, and the TD Charitable Foundation is proud to support them in their efforts to create a positive impact and a pathway to housing stability in the communities we serve.”
Impact 100 Garden State was thrilled to announce the three nonprofit recipients of $100,000 grants, based on member vote. All seven finalists will receive a $10,750 Merit Award. Every penny of our members' $1,000 membership contribution goes to grants to nonprofits.
Recognizing that small businesses and entrepreneurs generate jobs, create diverse communities and are vital to prosperous cities, JPMorgan Chase announced this week that it is providing more than $1.5 million to four nonprofit organizations in New Jersey.
The goal, JPMorgan Chase officials said, is to help support diverse entrepreneurs and increase their access to capital, mentorship, technical assistance and other critical resources needed for business growth and scale.
The United Way of Passaic County (UWPC) has announced a $295,984 investment in emergency food and shelter providers in the community. The program, funded by FEMA and administered by the United Way of Passaic County, is especially critical given the high rate of inflation and the end of federal emergency SNAP benefits.
The funds will go to local organizations such as CUMAC, Oasis, St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation, Center for Family Resources, Catholic Charities, New Hope Ministries, Paterson Salvation Army, Passaic Salvation Army, Paterson Task Force and Eva’s Village.
"We partner with organizations in the community to provide needed and impactful services to the community. These organizations stepped up during COVID and are continuing to step up as residents face increased rates of food and housing insecurity," United Way of Passaic County CEO and President Mary Celis said. "We are grateful for the great work these agencies do in Passaic County, and we are so thankful for the thousands of United Way donors whose ongoing support makes our community impact work possible."