Site Search
- resource provided by the Forum Network Knowledgebase.
Search Tip: Search with " " to find exact matches.
At its Annual Awards Meeting on June 5, Impact100 Garden State announced four recipients of $100,000 grants. The recipients are:
Cheshire Home, a provider of short-term rehabilitation for adults with spinal injuries and neurological impairments, for its program “Helping Paralyzed Young Adults Rise&Walk Again”
Comfort Zone Camp for its program “Free New Jersey Bereavement Camp Where Children Learn to Grieve, Heal and Grow”
The Institute of Music for Children for its program “Arts Access for High-Need Children
Table to Table for its program “Food Rescue Heroes: Bridging the Gap Between Food Waste and Hunger.”
The three remaining finalists each received a $3,000 Merit Grant. They are:
Housing Partnership for Morris County
Passaic County Community College Foundation
Rebuilding Together North Jersey
The all-women, all-volunteer Impact100 Garden State organization pools member contributions to make high-impact grants. The group has donated more than $3.5 million to area nonprofits since it began grant-giving in 2013. This year a record membership of 408 women allowed Impact100 Garden State to give four $100,000 grants for the first time.
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
Discover how family philanthropy can be a powerful catalyst for systems change by forging meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations, initiatives, and stakeholders, and working together on initiatives such as pooled funds, donor collaboratives, and other strategies. Through expert insights, real-world success stories, and practical advice, we’ll guide you in harnessing the potential of collaboration to tackle complex social challenges.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
The Disability & Philanthropy Forum invites you to register for the 2024 Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series. All of our 2024 webinars will be open to the public. This collective learning journey will focus on why a disability lens is essential to addressing key social justice issues. Each webinar will engage philanthropic leaders in conversation with disability advocates about how we can move toward a more equitable, inclusive future for all.
Grantmaking for Disability: LGBTQIA+ Funding: May 9 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability Pride, Joy, and Visions for the Future: July 11 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability and the Care Economy: September 19 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability-Inclusive Hiring: October 10 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability in Indigenous Communities: November 14 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
All webinars are open to the public, so feel free to share with anyone you know that's interested in learning about disability inclusion, rights, and justice.
CART will be provided. If you require another accommodation to fully participate in the webinar, please note it in your registration, or contact us at [email protected].
Funding nonprofit endowments can be a tool to ensure the stability of an organization, as well as to advance equity and shift power to frontline organizations. However, according to new, forthcoming CEP research, endowment giving represents only a small slice of foundation funding.
The webinar will explore the how and why of endowment funding from both funder and nonprofit perspectives, including U.S. foundation practices in endowment giving, how funding endowments can foster nonprofit sustainability and advance equitable social change, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s approach to endowment funding as a tool to advance equity.
The panel includes:
Maisha E. Simmons, Assistant Vice President, Equity and Culture, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (moderator)
Darren Isom, Partner, The Bridgespan Group
Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Vice President of Research, Center for Effective Philanthropy
John Jackson, President and CEO, Schott Foundation for Public Education
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar after the event.
This program is presented by CEP and The Bridgespan Group and co-hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The Disability & Philanthropy Forum invites you to register for the 2024 Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series. All of our 2024 webinars will be open to the public. This collective learning journey will focus on why a disability lens is essential to addressing key social justice issues. Each webinar will engage philanthropic leaders in conversation with disability advocates about how we can move toward a more equitable, inclusive future for all.
Disability Pride, Joy, and Visions for the Future: July 11 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability and the Care Economy: September 19 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability-Inclusive Hiring: October 10 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability in Indigenous Communities: November 14 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
All webinars are open to the public, so feel free to share with anyone you know that's interested in learning about disability inclusion, rights, and justice.
CART will be provided. If you require another accommodation to fully participate in the webinar, please note it in your registration, or contact us at [email protected].
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
What responsibilities do family philanthropies have to steward their funds as a public good? Through engaging discussions and real-world case studies, we’ll navigate the complexities of wealth creation and stewardship and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
Intentional philanthropy requires ongoing reflection and planning. This interactive workshop will provide families with practical tools and proven strategies to clarify their philanthropic mission, effectively transition leadership, ensure lasting impact, and preserve their philanthropic values.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
Family philanthropies are increasingly recognizing the power of inclusive and collaborative approaches to maximize their operations and impact—and to ensure that their philanthropy will bring more value to family members, grantees, community members, and others. This session will delve into innovative models, cutting-edge practices, and case studies that showcase how shared decision-making, inclusivity, and true partnerships can drive more effective and sustainable philanthropic strategies for families.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
2023 marked the largest single-year increase in the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide with more than 110 million individuals forced to leave their homes due to persecution, conflict, or human rights violations. Violence has displaced people from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Iraq, Myanmar, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and beyond. Political turmoil and economic instability have forced millions to flee Venezuela and elsewhere. Climate change has been amplifying extreme weather disasters and exacerbating regional conflicts, and the combined effects are estimated to displace nearly 2.5 billion people by 2050.
What do funders need to better understand about the global forces and systems that lead to forced displacement? How are groups responding to these global forces in a liberatory, intersectional, and transnational way? Frontline leaders and movements are, among other things, providing legal assistance and engaging in popular education. Join GCIR and these leaders as they discuss their responses to forced displacement.
Speakers
Tshishiku Henry, Delegate, Refugee Congress
Zaid Hydari, Co-founder and Executive Director, Refugee Solidarity Network
Karen Musalo, Founding Director, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at UC College of the Law, San Francisco
Moderator
Rana Elmir, Director, RISE Together Fund at Proteus Fund
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
The Disability & Philanthropy Forum invites you to register for the 2024 Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series. All of our 2024 webinars will be open to the public. This collective learning journey will focus on why a disability lens is essential to addressing key social justice issues. Each webinar will engage philanthropic leaders in conversation with disability advocates about how we can move toward a more equitable, inclusive future for all.
Disability Rights Activism and Organizing: April 11 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Grantmaking for Disability: LGBTQIA+ Funding: May 9 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability Pride, Joy, and Visions for the Future: July 11 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability and the Care Economy: September 19 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability-Inclusive Hiring: October 10 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
Disability in Indigenous Communities: November 14 - 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET
All webinars are open to the public, so feel free to share with anyone you know that's interested in learning about disability inclusion, rights, and justice.
CART will be provided. If you require another accommodation to fully participate in the webinar, please note it in your registration, or contact us at [email protected].
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
This session will explore the dynamic ways in which cultural and faith-based values can shape and inform the mission and impact of your family’s philanthropic endeavors. Faith has been imbedded in US philanthropy from its earliest days and many donors continue to lean on those values when driving change. Some donors openly talk about the link between their faith and giving, while others use their faith as quiet motivation. Panelists will share practical strategies, case studies, and best practices for aligning your family’s giving with your cultural and faith-based principles, allowing you to achieve a deeper and more meaningful impact in your grantmaking efforts in ways that also ensure equity and promote open dialogue. Whether you seek to honor your heritage, promote justice, and/or support causes close to your heart, this webinar will provide valuable guidance for harnessing the power of culture and faith in your family’s philanthropy.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
CNJG invites members to attend this webinar to learn about the DAPP survey and report from CHANGE Philanthropy. This webinar is for United Philanthropy Forum members and its members’ members, meaning CNJG and its members are all eligible and invited to attend.
Now entering its 4th iteration, the Diversity Among Philanthropic Professionals (DAPP) Survey and Report aims to help the philanthropic community better understand its workforce and leadership. In addition to featuring one of the most comprehensive demographic sections in the sector, the DAPP has several features designed to help institutions better understand the experiences of distinct communities and provide real data to participants on the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their home institutions. In this exciting session, representatives from CHANGE Philanthropy will present an in-depth overview of the DAPP, with emphasis on its history, core features, and examples of how PSOs can apply the DAPP data to their own knowledge building efforts. Our hope is that this session helps attendees think about how to use the DAPP to make changes in their own institutions.
Learning Outcomes:
• Explore possible ways of utilizing DAPP data to effect change in support of greater inclusion.
• Understand the features of the DAPP report and how to participate in future surveys.
• Connect with CHANGE partners for further resources to support diverse teams.
Process Questions:
• What is the DAPP?
• What special incentives exist to encourage participation?
• How have others used the DAPP to address workplace culture?
• How can CHANGE partners help you in promoting inclusive workplaces?
Presenters:
Tenaja Jordan, Research & Communications Director at CHANGE Philanthropy
Deborah Aubert Thomas, CEO, Philanthropy Ohio, and Forum Racial Equity Committee Chair
COST: Free for CNJG Members
(You will need to create an account on United Philanthropy Forum’s website in order to register for the program).
In this webinar presented by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, funders will learn from experts on the ground about their efforts to champion universal representation and how philanthropy can resource and support their work.
Universal Representation–as a principle and policy objective–ensures that every person, regardless of immigration status, has access to due process. Having access to legal representation makes a sizeable difference in an individual’s case. For example, asylum seekers are five times more likely to win their case for asylum if they have legal counsel. Yet there continue to be systemic inequities, with upwards of 70% of immigration cases lacking legal representation.
Not having an attorney has also been shown to have significant negative effects on the health and well-being of immigrants and their families. Areas of impact can include loss of income, degradation of mental health, and loss of access to medical care. Although having legal representation does not guarantee the outcome of a case, it can reduce harm and ensure that the dignity of individuals is protected.
Across the nation, organizations at the local and state levels are using a variety of tools and approaches to advance the goal of universal representation. In this webinar, funders will learn from experts on the ground about their efforts to champion universal representation and how philanthropy can resource and support their work.
COST: Free for CNJG Members and Non Member Grantmakers
CNJG is pleased to offer this program to family foundation members as part of NCFP's Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy 2024 webinar series, providing guidance on the core tenets of effective family philanthropy.
Designed specifically for family philanthropy in rural areas, this session will delve into the insights and strategies of donors who have been supporting rural communities for years. Our speakers, representing family philanthropies and nonprofits, will explore the unique challenges and successes of investing and working with local initiatives and grassroots organizations in rural areas. Discover how to maximize the impact of your family’s philanthropic place-based efforts, learn from real-world case studies, gain practical tools to define strategic approaches and enhance your understanding of rural communities and rural grantmaking practices.
Cost: This event is free for CNJG Members who are family foundations.
Other types of foundations are ineligible to join this webinar.
This program is a CNJG membership benefit for family foundation members, including staff and trustees, in partnership with the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers joins the Funders Census Initiative, United Philanthropy Forum, and philanthropy-serving organizations around the country in asking our members to support and encourage a fair and accurate Census in 2020.
Inaccurate Census information means too many voices go unheard.
It means decisions about funding and services crucial to promoting thriving communities aren’t based on real needs.
And, it threatens the full exercise of democracy itself.
Of particular concern is a controversial proposed question that would ask household members whether they are US citizens. The Council shares with our colleagues across the nation serious concern about this question. The question hasn’t been thoroughly tested, and it is likely to significantly depress response rates and critically reduce overall Census participation.
We encourage you to weigh in on this and other matters related to the Census.
The US Department of Commerce Department (which oversees the Census Bureau) published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comments on 2020 Census data collection operations. The public has until August 7 to submit comments.
There are several things you and your grantees can do to stand up for a fair, accurate Census:
- Sign on to a letter specifically for foundations drafted by FCI.
- Write your own letter in support of a full, accurate and just 2020 Census.
- Submit personal comments by August 7.
- Ask 10 colleagues to do the same.
In case you’re wondering, submitting comments is not considered lobbying. So, private foundations can weigh in on this question, and public charities — including community foundations — can do so without tracking and reporting it as lobbying on their 990s. A recent blog from Bolder Advocacy addresses this issue.
As a regional association and philanthropy-serving organization, CNJG signed on to a letter organized by United Philanthropy Forum urging withdrawal of the citizenship question from the 2020 US Census. The letter in part states:
Please feel free to reach out to me or Theresa Jacks, CNJG Deputy Director, for information about the Council’s work on behalf of a fair and accurate 2020 US Census.
Sincerely,
Jon Shure, Interim President/CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
One year from now the 2020 Census will be in full swing. This nationwide, constitutionally-mandated count, conducted once every ten years, is our opportunity to ensure that New Jersey residents are accurately counted to secure the resources needed to support our communities. Nationally, more than $800 billion in federal funding as well as fair, proportional voting representation are at stake. In New Jersey, allocations from 16 federal programs including Medicaid, education grants, and even highway planning and construction are allotted based on the census count. This totaled over $17 billion in 2015.
But the 2020 Census is facing unprecedented challenges, including years of underfunding, a climate of fear, the challenges of the first “high tech” census, and the potential addition of an untested citizenship question. That means we will all have to work together to overcome these challenges and help achieve a fair and accurate census to ensure that the hardest-to-count communities—like people of color, low-income folks, LGBTQ people, immigrant communities, rural communities, and young children—aren’t missed. Based on the latest census estimates, approximately 22% of New Jersey’s population lives in hard-to-count areas.
CNJG joins the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation’s Funders Census Initiative, United Philanthropy Forum and philanthropy-serving organizations around the country in asking our members to commit to supporting and encouraging a fair and accurate census.
The Census is one of our nation’s most important and consequential civic obligations. Getting it right and counting everyone ensures people and communities can thrive.
Please feel free to reach out to me or Deputy Director Theresa Jacks for information about the Council’s work on behalf of a full, fair and accurate 2020 Census.
Sincerely,
Maria Vizcarrondo, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers
These news articles show our members responses to philanthropy's role in fighting against racism and injustice. If there items we've missed, please email us, and we'll add it.
Actions and Announcements
Johnson & Johnson: A Message from Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky About Recent Events in the United States
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Statement from Richard Besser, MD, on Racial Injustice, Violence, and Health In America
Adam Liebling, Director of Grants Management at RWJF, pens this article re-imagining the work of philanthropy
New Jersey Council for the Humanities: Our resolute commitment to equity and justice through the humanities
Overdeck Family Foundation: Standing in Solidarity, and Lifting Up Stories of Impact
Princeton Area Community Foundation: Eleanor Horne and Jeff Vega pen this opinion piece about how they are working towards racial equity and making their community “a better place for all children”
Smith Family Foundation: Protest and Planning Next Step - A Letter to our City and her Allies
TD Bank: A statement on recent events from Bharat Masrani, President & CEO, TD Bank Group
United Way of Ocean and Monmouth Counties: United We Stand
Victoria Foundation: Statement of Condemnation
These articles are curated from news sources, philanthropic-focused publications, philanthropy serving organizations, and other places found on the internet. We encourage philanthropic organizations to read, share, and use the strategies suggested in these articles for your own diversity, equity, and inclusion learning journey. If there are others that you feel we should include, please contact us.
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Philanthropy Pours More Money Into Advancing Economic Wealth of Latinos (10/13/2022)
ABC News: Two New Jersey towns illustrate the race gap in the COVID pandemic (5/13/2022)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: General Operating Support Is Vital to Advancing Equity, Strengthening Nonprofits, Say Leaders (4/18/2022)
MacArthur Foundation: Movement to End Philanthropy’s Complicity in Anti-Blackness (4/18/2022)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nearly 500 Foundation Leaders Unite to Push for More Support of Asian Americans (3/26/2021)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: As Violence Against Asian Americans Intensifies, the Moment for Philanthropy to Act Is Now (3/17/2021)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: How One Family Foundation is Evolving to Refocus on Racial Equity (3/16/2021)
HealthDay.com: Many Adults Do Not See Link Between Racism, Poorer Health (1/27/2021)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: How to Begin Considering a Gender Lens Investing Strategy (12/10/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: How to Welcome Native Leaders to the Philanthropic Sector (12/3/20)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Opinion Piece: Diversity Mandates from Foundations Maki It Harder for Nonprofits to Do Their Jobs Well (12/2/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Invest in and Strengthen People of Color: A Corporate Grant Maker Explains How (11/17/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: White House Declares Ban on Federal Racial Equity Trainings (9/14/20)
Nonprofit Quarterly: White Supremacy: Call It By Name (9/14/2020)
Denver Post: How Donors Can Advance Racial Equity (9/14/2020)
ROI-NJ: NJ to recognize Juneteenth as official state holiday (9/11/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: The 'Warping Effects' of Philanthropy (8/25/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Companies Lead Philanthropic Response to Calls for Racial Justice, but Will It Last? (8/25/2020)
Exponent Philanthropy: Moving Towards Racial Equity in Philanthropy: Introducing an Anti-Racist Intersectional Frame (8/25/2020)
Medium.com: Your 3-Step, Uncomplicated Formula for a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace (7/30/2020)
Inside Philanthropy: “A Moment of Reckoning.” How Can Funders Support an Equitable and Inclusive Arts Sector? (7/16/2020)
Generocity: Uprising in Philadelphia: A to-do list for the next six months (7/9/2020)
Boston Globe: The Problem is White Supremacy (6/29/2020)
Inside Philanthropy: Amid Demands for Change, Here’s How Philanthropy Can Back Underfunded Black-Led Group (6/18/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: This Moment Shows Us Why Philanthropy Should Reinvent Itself by Gislaine Ngounou, of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (6/17/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Who Holds Philanthropy Accountable for Racial Justice? by Lisa Pilar Cowan, vice president of Robert Sterling Clark Foundation (6/16/2020)
Creative New Jersey: Summary and resources from their statewide conversation on Racial Justice (6/10/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: 64 Black Foundation Leaders Tell Philanthropy to Go Big in Response to Pandemic and Police Killings (6/10/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Mass Decarceration, COVID-19, and Justice in America by Deanna Van Buren co-founder of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces and F. Javier Torres-Campos, Thriving Cultures Program Director at Surdna Foundation (6/9/2020)
Communications Network: Crowdsourced Anti-Racism Resources and Tools
NonprofitAF.com: Privilege, power, and personal conflicts: The forces preventing change in nonprofit and philanthropy by Vu Le (6/8/2020)
Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia: Articles and Resources from the webinar: The Crisis of White Supremacy in America: What’s Philanthropy’s Role (6/4/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Dismantling Racism Might Require Philanthropy to Dismantle Itself by Lisa Pilar Cowan, vice president of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation (6/2/2020)
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Why All Grantmakers Should Seek to Fix Democracy by Suzette Brooks Masters, senior strategist at the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council (6/2/2020)
Southern Poverty Law Center: Authoritarian State or Inclusive Democracy? 21 Things We Can Do Right Now by Eric K. Ward, Senior Fellow (6/1/2020)
Nonprofit Quarterly: Dear Philanthropy: These Are the Fires of Anti-Black Racism by Will Cordery of Leverage Philanthropic Partners LLC & Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (6/1/2020)
NonprofitAF.com: Have nonprofit and philanthropy become the "white moderate" that Dr. King warned us about? by Vu Le (6/1/2020)
Library Journal: Books on Anti-Racism (5/31/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Overcoming the Racial Bias in Philanthropic Funding by Cheryl Dorsey, Peter Kim, Cora Daniels, Lyell Sakaue, & Britt Savage (5/4/2020)
Stanford Social Innovation Review: For a More Equitable America, Understand Race and Racism as Actions We Do and Can Undo by MarYam Hamedani, Hazel Rose Markus & Jeanne Tsai (5/1/2020)
Jacobin Magazine: The Perils of Liberal Philanthropy by Karen Ferguson (11/2018)
Smithsonian Magazine: The 1968 Kerner Commisssion Got It Right, But Nobody Listened by Alice George (3/1/2018)
Continuum Chart on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization by Crossroads Ministry (2013)
The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture from Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups (2001)
Resource Generation: Guidance for Giving to Black-led Organizations for Black Liberation (undated)
Prison Policy Initiative: Prison Gerrymandering Project how the Census Bureau counts people in prison (undated)
CNJG's special programming, “Race, Racism and Ramifications for Philanthropy” is a multifaceted, multi-layered learning journey that included a two-part workshop from the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) on diversity, equity, and inclusion, four cultural experiences, and a funders briefing from the Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey. The series also included four facilitated salon-style conversations focusing on health disparities, implicit bias and white privilege, livable moments, and structural racism. Additionally, the CNJG Annual Meeting in both 2016 and 2017 addressed diversity and its value providing an overarching vision.
Our broader objectives for this series were to:
- offer a range of different ways to enlighten, engage and educate Council members about structural racism and implicit bias;
- provide a deeper understanding of the language, definitions and constructs of racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion;
- explore and uncover the long-term effects of institutional and structural racism, and discriminatory policy;
- give funders real and effective tools that they can implement in their day-to-day work to combat and mitigate the impact of racism and bias in our communities and neighborhoods;
- provide a “safe space” for grantmakers to consider and fully unpack these difficult issues.
CNJG worked directly with a number of well-respected and informed partners and facilitators to provide specific content, expertise, experiences, and lead discussion. This included ABFE: A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities and its leader Susan Taylor Batten, Dr. Denise Rodgers of Rutgers, Aljira Arts, consultants Tanya Odom and Inca Mohamed, Bethany Baptist Church Rev. Timothy Levi-Jones, and leaders from the Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey.
Throughout the journey we tried to be deliberate in meeting CNJG members “where they are” given their varying degrees of experience and sophistication on this topic. Since this learning journey started in late 2016, there are many more regular conversations and exchanges among CNJG members on the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers has been pleased to bring to our members a variety exceptional thought leaders, tools, facilitators, and resources to assist them as they consider the ramifications of racism in their work.
The Race, Racism and Ramifications for Philanthropy Learning Journey Includes:
Events
CNJG 2016 Annual Meeting and Luncheon PreMeeting Workshop - A Framework for Effective and Responsive Philanthropy – How to Navigate Racial Dynamics within the Communities We Serve on December 9, 2016
Phillips Collection Field Trip – People on the Move: Beauty and Struggle in Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series on December 15, 2016
Workshops: A Deeper Dive Into Navigating Racial Dynamics – Part 1 on February 13, 2017 and Part 2 on March 6, 2017
Cultural Experience and Field Trip – “American Son” at the George Street Playhouse on February 23, 2017
Funders Briefing from the Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey - The Uncomfortable Truth: Racism, Injustice and Poverty in New Jersey on October 3, 2017
Cultural Experience: Pre-Opening Reception – “The Missing” at Aljira on October 12, 2017
Lunch and Conversation: Health Disparities on November 1, 2017
Lunch and Conversation: Implicit Bias & White Privilege on November 29, 2017
CNJG Annual Meeting - Our Compelling Interests: The Value of Diversity for Democracy and a Prosperous Society on December 15, 2017
Lunch and Conversation: Structural Racism on January 18, 2018
Cultural Experience and Field Trip<- “Back to Real” at Crossroads Theatre on May 17, 2018
The Council of New Jersey Grantmakers thanks The Fund for New Jersey and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its support of our Race, Racism and the Ramifications for Philanthropy programming.
Articles & Resources
The Atlantic: The Case for Reparations
NY Times Essay: White Debt
National Center for Family Philanthropy: You Can't Fund Equity Without Sweat Equity
Harvard Business Review: Emotional Agility
Letter from Nina Stack: Conversation and Educational Program on Structural Racism (2/07/2018)
Letter from Nina Stack: CNJG's Unique Programming (10/05/2017)
Letter from Nina Stack: Race, Racism and the Ramifications for Philanthropy Launch (12/08/2016)
CNJG: Implicit Bias & White Privilege Presentation
CNJG: 2017 Implicit Bias Review
Medium: A Day in the Life: How Racism Impacts Families of Color
The Good Men Project: White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism
Race to Lean: The Race to Lead Series
Virginia Commonwealth University: Mapping Life Expectancy-Zipcode and Health
Website: The Equality of Opportunity Project
Project Implicit: Implicit Association Test
Stanford Social Innovation Review: Eliminating Implicit Bias in Grantmaking Practice
Grantcraft: Grantmaking with a Racial Equity Lens
Videos
TedTalk: Dr. David Williams “How Racism Makes Us Sick”
The Race Card Project: In Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates at AtlanticLive New York Ideas 2015
NY Times: Implicit Bias Videos
NJTV News: Police and Teachers Undergo Trauma Training
On March 8, 2017, the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers' Board of Trustees approved that CNJG would take an official position opposing the repeal of the Johnson Amendment by signing on to the Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship.” This effort is being led by several national philanthropy and nonprofit serving organizations, including the National Council of Nonprofits and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. Nonpartisanship is a cornerstone principle that has strengthened the public’s trust of the charitable and philanthropic community. Yet the longstanding legal protection (known as the Johnson Amendment) that keeps 501(c)(3) organizations away from the partisan politics of supporting or opposing candidates for office is under imminent threat. One bill outright repealing the 1954 legislation has been proposed, while 2 other proposed bills weaken the legislation.
If the Johnson Amendment were repealed, 501(c)(3) organizations could become entities that are given tax-deductible donations for the purpose of participating in the electoral process, and donors would be completely shielded from disclosure—hindering transparency. Because donors could deduct any contributions, as well as shield their donations from disclosure, it would create an incentive for people to switch from giving money to PACs and super PACs (which are required to identify their donors) to 501(c)(3)s. Furthermore, foundation CEOs, staffs and boards could find themselves feeling pressured to not only endorse political candidates at local, state and federal levels but to support them financially, draining resources that would otherwise be going to charitable purposes.
The Community Letter in Support of Nonpartisanship, signed by nearly 4,500 organizations from every state and every segment of the charitable and foundation communities, makes a strong statement in support of nonpartisanship and urges those who have vowed to repeal or weaken this vital protection to leave existing law in place for nonprofit organizations and the people they serve. On April 5, 2017 the letter was sent to Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Leader Nancy Pelosi, Leader Charles Schumer, Chairman Kevin Brady, Chairman Orrin Hatch, Ranking Member Richard Neal, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, released to the Press, and delivered electronically by the national coalition leaders to all U.S. Senators and Representatives. The Council also discussed this issue with our NJ Representatives and Senators during our recent Foundations on the Hill visits.