Great Turnout

It was absolutely wonderful being together in person with so many members and nonprofit partners at the CNJG 2023 Conference for the Social Sector on May 23. I’m proud that our conferences elevate important issues for the field, this year focusing on Doing Good Better - a joint initiative between CNJG and the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits. And it was our highest attended conference ever!
 
The day opened with an insightful panel of foundation leaders who have joined the movement and are taking their organizations on the Doing Good Better journey by implementing trust-based philanthropy and participatory grantmaking in their organization’s DNA. Thank you Tanuja Dehne, President and CEO, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Craig Drinkard, Executive Officer, Victoria Foundation, Jeremy Grunin, President and CEO, Grunin Foundation, and Samantha Plotino, Executive Director, The Provident Bank Foundation, for sharing your wisdom and showing us what’s possible.
 
Keynote speaker Shaady Salehi, Executive Director of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, was masterful at both introducing trust-based philanthropy to audience members new to these concepts, while also deepening and expanding our understanding of trust-based philanthropy for those of us already familiar with the ideas. As part of her presentation, she also trusted us with 2 compelling stories of power sharing from her personal experience. It was a powerful moment. 

Each of the morning and afternoon sessions offered practical steps to address a specific area or challenge within the Doing Good Better tent. We’re grateful to all our conference speakers. It was a dream link-up of talent and expertise.

Following Shaady’s presentation, we posed 4 questions for discussion. And because these questions are so important to help inform our ongoing Doing Good Better work, I’m posing them again to you:

• What are some practice changes your organization can make to embody trust-based philanthropy and/or the broader ideals under the Doing Better Good tent?
• What are funders doing to lean into a trust-based approach that centers relationship-building, mutual learning, and transparency? What more could be done?
• Have you implemented any of the principles of trust-based philanthropy or Doing Good Better ideals, and what has been your organization’s experience?
• What are some of the ways that racial equity, and intersectional equity issues, can be addressed using the ideas under the Doing Good Better tent and/or trust-based philanthropy practices?

Your ideas and responses will help us in our Doing Good Better work – I hope you’ll share them with me.

Finally, thank you to our sponsors for supporting this event: PSEG, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sixers Youth Foundation, Citi, Grunin Foundation, Panasonic Foundation, Valley National Bank, PKF O’Connor Davies, TriNet, LISC – Greater Newark, and The Palace at Somerset Park. We’re grateful for your support. 

Doing Good Better invites philanthropy and nonprofits to rethink traditional philanthropy, and advance equity in the nonprofit sector, in philanthropy, and in New Jersey. CNJG’s new strategic plan specifically embraces shared power and leadership, equity as an organizing principle, trust-based philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, elevating partnerships, and cross-sector relationships grounded in inclusion. These ideas make up the Doing Good Better tent, and I’m proud we could share them at our 2023 Conference. 
 
In partnership,

Theresa Jacks, President and CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers