OVERVIEW: This community foundation supports the eight counties of southern New Jersey. Funding areas include community, health, social services, and youth education and enrichment.
IP TAKE: The Community Foundation of South Jersey broadly funds initiatives and programs to improve the prosperity and well-being of the communities of southern New Jersey. CFSJ’s giving encompasses a wide range of philanthropy, including neighborhood revitalization, education, scholarships, health care, and human services. As with many community foundations, the majority of CFSJ’s grantmaking is conducted through funds under its management, including impact investing and donor-advised funds, not all of them well-publicized or accepting applications. The foundation prefers to spread its funding around as broadly as possible, but the grants it makes can still be quite substantial. Note that CFSJ”s philanthropy centers around the state of New Jersey, so national organizations, even with branches operating in the state, will receive less priority than local grassroots nonprofits (although they may receive larger grants). Geographic eligibility may be further restricted for some of the funds CFSJ manages.
CFSJ is not the most transparent community funder. While it posts its financial statements and annual reports publicly, it does not maintain a comprehensive, searchable grants database. Due to the large number of offerings, when researching past grants it can be difficult to determine what fund it came from or what the foundation’s real grantmaking priorities and strategy are. CFSJ does not provide a way to apply for grants through its funds, but some of its managed funds may have their own websites with application instructions. As with many community foundations the best way to get on this funder’s radar for the highly sought-after invitation-only funding is diligent networking, especially with regional program officers in your area.
PROFILE: The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) is based in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and supports nonprofits in the southern portion of the state. The foundation was established in 2007 by community leaders including Jack Tarditi, Melinda K. Holman, Robert Kugler, Dr. Stella Horton, and Dr. Kim Ayres. CFSJ hired its first executive director in 2009 after receiving a $600,000 startup grant. South Jersey comprises eight counties: Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, Cape May, Salem, and Ocean. CFSJ mainly conducts its grantmaking through various funds it controls, many of them donor-advised. One of its signature initiatives is Proven & Promising is a philanthropy tool funded in part by the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation that helps donors find nonprofits to support in the region. Members of the Proven & Promising network nominate projects they support, which draws attention to local nonprofits. CFSJ runs three community endowment and group funds, six health research, intervention and support funds, and nine social services funds. They also hold nine youth education and enrichment funds and two specialty funds. All funds accept donations to benefit charitable purposes. Primary funding areas include community, health, social services, and youth education and enrichment.
Grants for Community Development
CFSJ maintains several funds that support community development initiatives in its giving area. These broadly fund initiatives relating to community development, economic opportunity, neighborhood improvement, human services such as shelters and food banks, public services such as police and firefighters, and arts and cultural events. While some of these funds accept open applications, the majority conduct their grantmaking by invitation only. Community Endowment funds at CFSJ include:
- South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund
- Camden County Police Foundation Fund
- Impact100 South Jersey
- Camden County Sheriff’s Foundation
- Haddonfield Foundation Fund
- Atlantic City Community Fund
- Tavi Time Founders Fund
Grantees supported by CFSJ funds include North Camden Neighborhood Revitalization Project, Fair Share Housing Center, Center for Family Services, Camden County Habitat for Humanity, Giving Cycle, Volunteer Center of South Jersey, Heart to Heart, and Abilities Center of Southern New Jersey.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
CFSJ broadly supports public health concerns in its giving area. Funds under its management fund initiatives relating to health care access, health care quality, substance abuse and addiction, mental health, veterans issues, and youth well-being. It also supports hospitals, clinics, and research institutions to improve prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer, degenerative diseases, and other chronic illnesses. Funds relating to Health and Social Services include:
- Christopher Lawler Philanthropic Fund
- Senator Joseph A. Maressa Fund
- Jazmine T. Bryant Brighter Day Fund
- Mary’s Fund
- Break on Through Cancer
- Addison Quinn Fund
- Adam O’Brien Recovery Foundation
- Weiss-Ruffin Fund
- American Association of University Women
Grantees supported by CFSJ funds include Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, Food Bank of South Jersey, Acenda Health, Nemours Fund for Children’s Health, Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, Move for Hunger, Arc of Salem County, Bancroft, and Kingsway Learning Center.
Grants for Education and Youth
CFSJ’s grantmaking for education and youth supports local schools, programs for sports, art, and music, out-of-school activities, youth well-being, youth ministries, scholarships, and education-related nonprofits in its giving area. Funds for education and youth at CFSJ include:
- Haddon Heights High School TOP 10 Scholarship Fund
- Christopher Lawler Philanthropic Fund
- Kevin Connor Youth Ministry Scholarship Fund
- Mark Springer & George Maier Scholarship Fund
- Forrest Eichmann Music Scholarship Fund
- Coach Frank DiLuzio Memorial Fund
- Moorestown Charitable Works Foundation
Grantees supported by CFSJ funds include Clarifi, Camden Freedom School, Fellowship House of South Camden, Lucy Outreach, Rowan University Foundation, Hopeworks ‘N Camden, and UrbanPromise Ministries.
Important Grant Details:
Grants generally range from $5,000 to $40,000. The Community Foundation of South Jersey does not keep a list of database of past grantees, but grantseekers may review its financials or tax filings to get some idea of the types of organizations it supports.
- CFSJ’s grants serve the communities of southern New Jersey, specifically the counties of Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, Cape May, Salem, and Ocean. While CFSJ’s funds generally prioritize local nonprofits, it also makes grants to regional chapters of national organizations.
- CFSJ does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. The funds under its control conduct their grantmaking by invitation only.
General questions can be directed to info@communityfoundationsj.org or (856) 528-3385. The mailing address is P.O. Box 446, Haddonfield, New Jersey 08033.
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