HADDONFIELD – The Community Foundation of South Jersey, a nonprofit organization that helps South Jersey residents harness the power of philanthropy to transform their communities and the issues they care about most, announced a new grant opportunity Aug. 15; Transform South Jersey.
According to a release, this opportunity, which opens late September, is available to municipalities with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents from Cape May, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties.
All civic leaders, individuals, and representatives of local government, community and economic development entities, civic groups and other nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in eligible counties are encouraged to apply but must register and attend an in-person community workshop before doing so. Interested applicants can find details and register for the workshops at transformsouthjersey.org/get-involved.
Transform South Jersey is a collaboration between the Community Foundation of South Jersey, New Jersey Health Initiatives (the statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), the OceanFirst Foundation, the Orton Family Foundation and the Wells Fargo Regional Community Development Corporation. Using the Orton Family Foundation’s national model, Transform South Jersey will strengthen the social, cultural and economic vibrancy of five South Jersey communities by empowering residents to inform community development and shape the future based on what matters most to them.
The Community Heart & Soul model is a catalyst for positive change in small cities and towns. By actively seeking the collective wisdom of all residents, including those whose voices are often missing, this initiative brings people together to build stronger, healthier and more economically vibrant communities.
“Community Heart & Soul reconnects people with what they love most about their town and translates those personal and emotional connections into a blueprint that serves as the foundation for future community decisions,” stated Andy Fraizer, executive director of the Community Foundation of South Jersey.
Each of the selected communities will have access to up to $100,000 in funding from the Community Foundation of South Jersey to support a full-scale Heart & Soul project; receive exclusive training, technical assistance and coaching; and get support in establishing and building their own locally controlled community endowed fund to be responsive to the priorities developed through their project.
To learn more about this opportunity, eligibility requirements and how to sign up for a required local Community Heart & Soul workshop, visit https://bit.ly/2H8CZr4.
