The Fund for New Jersey is thrilled to announce the hiring of its new Program Officer, Naeema Campbell.

Naeema has expertise in leading the development of grant making programs, supporting environmental advocacy, and designing strategic initiatives. Prior to joining the Fund, she worked as a Program Officer at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, leading philanthropic efforts aimed at achieving policy change and social justice. During her tenure at the Dodge Foundation, Naeema developed and managed grant portfolios focused on environmental advocacy, local news ecosystems and community activism in New Jersey. She also serves on the Board of HANDS Inc., a housing and economic development organization that works to stabilize underinvested neighborhoods and preserve affordable housing. Naeema received a B.A. from Tufts University and is working towards a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Institute of Nonprofit Practice. 

Please join us in extending Naeema a warm welcome.

Grantee News

• Advocates from more than fifteen different organizations joined Make the Road New Jersey (MRNJ) in launching The Million Voter Project—a statewide non-partisan voter engagement effort focused on facilitating authentic connections through deep canvassing. The project will tackle low-voter turnout from the most recent November 2024 election by prioritizing conversations with community members. Partners joining MRNJ include AAPI New Jersey, ACLU-NJ, New Jersey Citizen Action, the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, We The People Coalition, Faith In NJ, Salvation & Social Justice, Latino Action Foundation, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, New Jersey Policy Perspective, and the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey. Read more about the effort here, in an opinion piece co-authored by staff from MRNJ and AAPI New Jersey.

Policy Updates

• Governor Murphy signed the Freedom to Read Act into law, after advocacy from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ). The law requires local school boards and libraries to create policies outlining standards for the curation and removal of materials, in addition to providing protections to library staff from litigation stemming from the implementation of the law. Read a statement from the ACLU-NJ here.
• ACLU-NJ celebrated Governor Murphy’s announcement of the first individuals to be granted pardons since taking office. Three of those whose sentences were commuted are part of ACLU-NJ’s Clemency Project, an effort to encourage a categorial approach to clemency. The project officially launched in February 2024. Read ACLU-NJ’s statement here.