Things around us are changing rapidly leading to confusion and fear, but we want to assure you that we are staying the course of the strategic plan we presented a year ago.
The first quarter of 2025 has at times felt confusing and overwhelming with shifting policies and new executive orders. It is during these times, more than ever, that we are deeply grateful for the work you all do every day. We are inspired by your resilience and dedication and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to standing with you in advancing an equitable, just, and vibrant Central Jersey Shore.
Our doors and lines of communication are always open, and we want to hear from you. Whether you have questions, want to talk about what you are seeing in community, or just need to vent – we are here.
We have pledged to work with our partners, colleagues, and communities to help break down barriers, uplift marginalized voices, celebrate diversity, and champion a more just and equitable society – and we stand by this pledge. You can stay in touch with us by visiting our website and social media (LinkedIn, Facebook). And as always, we will email you with these quarterly updates and other important resources and information.
Here’s what we’ve been up to so far in 2025…
Funding - Funding and supporting organizations, partnerships, coalitions, and other structures whose work aligns with the Foundation’s prioritized outcomes and who have a strong connection to the community.
In our ongoing commitment to fostering deep and meaningful relationships within the community, we have been meeting with new organizations weekly. If you are a Central Jersey Shore nonprofit organization (Monmouth/Ocean Counties) and feel like there is an alignment with our funding outcome focus areas, we would love to learn about you and your mission. You can schedule a 25-min virtual introductory meeting with our executive director, Heather Barberi. This is a come as you are, casual discussion. You can learn more about our grantmaking process and building a funding relationship with us, here.
To stay current with what we are funding, you can search our grants directory on our website by keyword and year, showing grants we’ve made from 2020 to the present. This will be updated quarterly. https://gruninfoundation.org/grants-directory
Capacity Building - Investing in the capacity building of organizations and individuals to enhance their impact, effectiveness, and sustainability.
Capacity Building 2025
We have a great year in store for capacity building including our Catapult Institute (one-day programs, webinars, board retreats, and any other programs that individuals can sign up for on Eventbrite) and Capacity Clinic (1:1 opportunities for individual leaders, invitation-only activities, custom training, and initiatives that require an application. Many are also collaborations with other groups.).
Here are some of the upcoming Catapult Institute events. We have much more to come including detailed information on Capacity Clinic opportunities so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can register for the events below.
New Way Forward: Virtual Equity in Action Series - click on each title for full details and to register.
- March 26th 12-1:30pm: Beyond Words: Harnessing Neuro-Inclusive Communication to Revolutionize Team Dynamics.
Facilitated by Chris D. Hooten, M.A. (they/them), a nationally recognized neurodiversity strategist and 2024 LinkedIn Top Facilitation Voice, this session blends real-world insights from multiple 2024 neurodiversity in the workplace reports and recommendations from diverse neurodivergent leaders. - May 7th 12-1:30pm: Holding the Mic: Awareness, Power & Practice for Facilitators and Non-Facilitators Alike. This interactive session is designed for those who may not always see themselves as facilitators but often find themselves in the role, and advanced facilitators alike.
- June 3 11am-12:30pm: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace. Join us for an insightful 90-minute online training webinar where we will explore the importance of psychological safety in the workplace!
- July 30 12-1:30pm: Diverse Voices, Shared Visions: Engaging Millennial & Gen Z Donors in Philanthropy. In this session, we will explore the unique philanthropic mindsets and motivations of Millennial and Gen Z donors.
Virtual Lunch Hours (VLH)
Virtual Lunch Hours will be every other month this year with the exception of a summer break in August and a special “holiday tea party” in December. You must register for each event separately and you can find them all on our events page. This a time for you to connect and talk with your peers on topics (which will be announced as we get closer) that are important to you! Our first VLH of the year was February 18th with the topic, Building Relationships/Developing People – Radical Candor Part 1. Here’s what’s coming up this year - click on each date to register!
- December 16th – Holiday Tea - Celebrating our work and successes
Spring 2025 Nonprofit Board – April 3rd and 4th at The Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank
The Spring 2025 Nonprofit Board Retreat, hosted in partnership with our friends from Support Center, is just around the corner. This will be the ONLY opportunity to attend a Grunin Nonprofit Board Retreat in 2025!
At a glance….
What: Spring 2025 Nonprofit Board Retreat (this is the only opportunity for 2025!)
When: Thursday, April 3, 2025, and Friday, April 4, 2025
Where: The Oyster Point Hotel, 146 Bodman Pl, Red Bank, NJ
Who: Open to all experienced, new, and prospective nonprofit board members and nonprofit staff in Monmouth and Ocean Counties
Wow: The theme of this retreat is self-care and there will be moments of joy, fun, prizes and more!
We also have a new track for Day 1 – Track 3, which is a small cohort of a few dedicated participants who have previously engaged in a Grunin Board Retreat and are attending as a team (a CEO/ED/President along with a Board Chair/VP and/or Governance Chair). Track 3 participants will be able to apply to join a special full day workshop space on Day 1 where they will create a customized board development plan alongside Support Center's experienced consultants and coaches, in addition to peer support, and trouble shooting.
For full details and to register, visit: https://gruninfoundation.org/eventbrite/?event=1144388299209
We have much more planned for capacity building in 2025 and will be announcing more Catapult Institute events and Capacity Clinic opportunities soon!
Coalition Building – Engaging in coalition building and advocacy at the regional and state levels to impact systemic issues.
MORF
The Monmouth & Ocean Roundtable of Funders (MORF), led by the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers in partnership with the Grunin Foundation, meets regularly to share information, learn together, and increase collective impact. Some of the current topics we are discussing are:
- Navigating the new executive orders, how they are impacting our nonprofit community, and how philanthropy can help.
- Disability and philanthropy work – creating equitable and accessible opportunities with philanthropy.
MORF will be meeting regularly and hosting PEEP (Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy) events this year. More updates to come!
Pragmatic Activism
We are currently planning the 2025 Pragmatic Activism Cohort which will take place in the fall. This year, the cohort will involve youth, and we will be collaborating with Teen Think Tank Project, Morales & Associates, and local nonprofits. We’ll share more once we finalize the details.
For our Pragmatic Activism Cohort Alumni, we are hosting Legislative Updates facilitated by Orville Morales throughout the year, where alumni can learn about current policies, legislation specific to their district, and more.
Doing Good Better
We are participating in Doing Good Better, a New Jersey partnership of philanthropy and nonprofit leaders, taking action against the power imbalances and racial inequities in philanthropy, nonprofits, and government. This initiative is inspired by and building on years of nonprofit and community advocacy, the principles of “Trust Based Philanthropy,” and numerous other resources.
Moving Forward in Unity
Things around us are changing rapidly leading to confusion and fear, but we want to assure you that we are staying the course of the strategic plan we presented a year ago – continuing our work to advance an equitable, just, and vibrant Central Jersey Shore. We look forward with hope as we work together to serve the communities that mean so much to all of us.