Leveraging private sector philanthropy for community benefit

CFNJ offers a home for private philanthropic investment in New Jersey and its communities. Working together with the public sector, foundations, corporations, and philanthropic individuals, CFNJ offers a turnkey solution for implementing civic efforts.

As the leading philanthropic fiduciary focused on all New Jersey communities, CFNJ is uniquely positioned to address our state’s emerging challenges, support innovative solutions, and administer philanthropy in a targeted, results-driven, and cost-effective way.


Princeton Property Tax Relief Fund

Princeton UniversityAs part of a settlement of litigation between several Princeton taxpayers and Princeton University regarding the latter’s property tax exemptions, the University agreed to provide additional property tax relief aid to qualifying homeowners. The University needed a fiduciary to process the large number of payments and turned to CFNJ to administer all aspects of the program, including disbursing all payments to homeowners.


Newark Public Schools

The Newark Public Schools, the Victoria Foundation, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation partnered with CFNJ to create the Pi Chubb III Newark Field Trip Fund, a $1 million dollar endowment ensuring Newark children get outside their classrooms to experience field trips that enhance learning for many years to come. CFNJ administers the fund and all applications, which are open to all public, charter, and nonprofit private schools in Newark, grades pre-Kindergarten through 12. Schools may apply for funding to cover the transportation cost of field trips to help school children experience the arts, culture, history, nature, science, and college campuses.


Hurricane Sandy Relief & Recovery

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, CFNJ took the lead in developing two post-Sandy funds: the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund for immediate needs and the New Jersey Recovery Fund for long-term planning. Many of the contributors to the funds had specific goals for their gifts that CFNJ honored as we pursued the grantmaking. Some of the goals were for specific projects—like an insurance resiliency analysis—while others were for broader categories like funding for arts organizations to assist in recovery; aid for community health; and community and environmental planning.


Camden County Police Foundation Fund & Newark Police Foundation Fund

CFNJ partnered with the Camden County and Newark police departments to host private sector dollars that augment the resources available to the departments. In Camden County, these philanthropic dollars have paid for training and bulletproof vests. In Newark, these philanthropic dollars have focused on acquiring and introducing new public safety technologies.


State Commissions & Studies

Private sector funding for the New Jersey Pension and Health Benefit Study Commission was hosted at CFNJ to support the Commission’s recommendations for how New Jersey can create a sustainable retirement and health benefits system. CFNJ hosted McKinsey & Company in their work in support of Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s Transition Committee. McKinsey analyzed all aspects of government services for the incoming administration.


Newark Community Eye

In the wake of the murder of three college students in a Newark schoolyard, the private sector—in partnership with CFNJ—heeded the mayor’s call to raise funds for technologies that would better monitor and ultimately prevent gun-related activity in Newark’s neighborhoods. CFNJ worked with the City of Newark, the Newark Police Department, and other nonprofits to deploy a “Community Eye” technology platform. The system’s network of audio gunshot detection technology and remote-control public surveillance cameras alert police to gunshots in real time, allowing for faster responses. The system pinpoints the near-exact location of the gunshot, the number of shooters, the number of shots fired, and whether the shooter(s) were moving or stationary. This detailed information and instant alerting allows the Newark Police Department to more effectively combat gun-related crimes.


Community & Stakeholder Involvement in Decision-Making

CFNJ has a history of partnering with state, county, and local governments and resident groups to ensure they have a seat at the philanthropic decision-making table.

  • Strategic Design and Focus: CFNJ’s staff can provide in-depth research and explore key area trends and historical grant patterns. We can also follow up on end-of grant reports and present evaluations.
  • Grant Management: CFNJ can handle all grant inquiries, filter unsolicited grant requests, accept and review grant proposals, issue grant checks, and process declination and award letters—basically all the administrative tasks that might otherwise slow you down.
  • Board Preparation: CFNJ’s staff can settle board meeting schedules, agendas, and location; prepare the board book and minutes; create grant summaries and recommendations; and handle all communications—all the functions that help professionalize giving.