NJ Announces Pandemic Relief Fund

The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund is spearheaded by First Lady, Tammy Murphy in collaboration and hosted by the Community Foundation of New Jersey (NJPRF), which has been serving the needs of New Jersey non-profits and philanthropists for more than 40 years. NJPRF will provide grants to existing organizations with a demonstrated track record of caring for vulnerable communities. One hundred percent of every dollar received online by NJPRF will go to organizations that provide essential services to those in need and to assist those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic — so you can be assured that your contribution will have impact.

• Request Amount: This grant is designed to serve as bridge funding for your organization during a 30- to 60-day period. Please ensure that your grant request is in line with your needs over that time period.
• Award Amounts: Awards will range from $10,000 to $500,000 for each organization.
• Multiple Applications: One application per organization.
• Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First round of applications are due by April 30, 2020.
• Reporting: Recipients of awards will be required to provide a Use of Funds Statement within 60 days of the award.
• Questions: Contact NJPandemicRelief@cfnj.org

Eligible organizations must meet the following criteria:

• Nonprofit Status – the organization must have 501(c)(3) public charity status or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status
• Geography – the grant will exclusively be used to benefit New Jersey residents
• Focus – the focus of the entity must be on an area covered by the Funding Priorities listed below
• Budget – preference will be given to organizations with maximum operating budgets of $5 million. However, national and regional organizations offering critical programs serving needs unmet by other local organizations may be considered, as long as the funds received are all spent exclusively in New Jersey
• Nondiscrimination – the organization must not discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief

Funding Priorities

• Human services – to address basic needs, especially related to food insecurity for older adults and youth
• Healthcare – to provide support for those on the front lines of this crisis or vulnerable populations most likely to see their health impacted by this crisis
• Childcare – to provide quality care and connection with caring adults while families are working on recovery efforts
• Mental health – to support the emotional impact of living in crisis and returning to stability
• Housing – to re-establish safe and stable housing and provide eviction prevention
• Education – to support schools, educators, and students amid an evolving learning environment
• Re-engaging in workforce – to remove barriers to returning to work, including ensuring jobs are available to return to in local communities
• Organizational capacity – to support investments in technology and other infrastructure needs to enable the organization to deliver its mission during the crisis

Funding decisions will be based upon how well each prospective grantee can demonstrate:

• Alignment with the funding priorities identified in these guidelines
• How grant funding will meet immediate needs that resulted from the coronavirus
• The organizational capacity to quickly deploy funds, fill gaps in service, meet community needs, and accomplish the proposed activities
• Evidence of coordination between local organizations to help reduce duplication and ensure greater effectiveness in program and project implementation
• The impact this grant will have relative to the needs of the organization