About the Fund for New Jersey

The Fund for New Jersey supports organizations working to improve the quality of public policy decision-making on the most significant issues affecting the people of New Jersey and our region. At its core, improving the quality of life in the Garden State requires the remediation of injustice and inequity that prevents residents from pursuing healthy, productive, and joyful lives.

Since its founding, The Fund’s grantmaking has addressed compounding inequities in opportunity, outcome, and influence, and sought to ameliorate these injustices. The Fund today is focused on long-term policy impacts and works to strengthen non-profit organizations whose research, analysis, advocacy, and grassroots engagement help shape discourse and build support and awareness for effective policy solutions. The Fund’s grantee partners have helped have bring about important policy changes over the past 25 years, including:

• Abolishing the death penalty in New Jersey;
• Creating and expanding paid family and medical leave;
• Protecting the New Jersey Highlands and Pinelands preservations;
• Establishing and strengthening a state Earned Income Tax Credit;
• Accomplishing full marriage equality for same-sex couples;
• Increasing the number and geographic distribution of affordable homes so low-paid families can live in areas of their choosing;
• Expanding free public preschool so all children can receive a strong educational foundation;
• Creating a more equitable and sustainable tax code to ensure robust funding of vital public programs and assets;
• Advancing pro-democracy reforms ranging from restoring the right to vote for residents on parole or probation to banning dual office holding by elected officials;
• Making driver’s licenses accessible for all residents, regardless of their immigration status, so they can safely work, travel, and contribute to our communities.