Happy summer…the best time of the year at the Central Jersey Shore! We are working on some exciting things that we can’t wait to share with you soon.
As always, our doors and lines of communication are 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. You can stay in touch with us by visiting our website and social media (LinkedIn, Facebook). And we will continue to email you with these quarterly updates and other important resources and information.
Check out what’s been happening in each of our three strategic priorities in the second quarter of 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. (Once you click the link, enter your email address and click sign-in. If you don’t have an account, you will be prompted to create one).
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.
We’ve been busy this quarter with Grunin Capacity! We have many capacity building opportunities 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 quick recaps and upcoming events.
Catapult Institute Events
New Way Forward: Virtual Equity in Action Series
We’ve hosted three incredible New Way Forward events so far (Beyond Words: Harnessing Neuro-Inclusive Communication to Revolutionize Team Dynamics, facilitated by Chris Hooten; Holding the Mic: Awareness, Power & Practice for Facilitators and Non-Facilitators Alike, facilitated by Estelle Acquah; and Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace, facilitated by Brienne “BC” Colston and Lisa White).
Here’s what’s coming up in the New Way Forward series:
In this session, we will explore the unique philanthropic mindsets and motivations of Millennial and Gen Z donors. These dynamic generations are reshaping the charitable landscape, emphasizing transparency, social justice, and community impact. These donors prioritize ethical leadership, environmental sustainability, and authentic storytelling, all of which influence their giving patterns and decision-making processes. Organizations can better connect with these donors personally by understanding the core values that drive their engagement. Participants will gain actionable insights on crafting tailored strategies that resonate with the priorities of Millennial and Gen Z donors. The discussion will highlight innovative engagement tactics that build trust and foster long-term donor loyalty. By aligning organizational missions with the values of these donors, organizations can harness their collective energy to drive meaningful change and ensure sustained philanthropic impact. Register here: https://gruninfoundation.org/eventbrite/?event=1264007613799
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 is a time for you to connect and talk with your peers on topics that are important to you! Here’s what’s coming up for the remainder of the year:
- September 16th – Creative Organizational Redesign – How to Know When It’s Time
- December 16th – Holiday Tea - Celebrating our work and successes
Capacity Clinic Opportunities
Racial Equity Assessment & Mini-Grants with Building Blocks for Change (BB4C)
We have partnered with Building Movement Project to offer approximately 7 nonprofit organizations the opportunity to participate in Building Blocks for Change (BB4C). Organizations must be based in Monmouth and/or Ocean Counties, New Jersey, or have a significant service presence in Monmouth and/or Ocean Counties.
Selected groups will receive:
- BB4C Racial Equity Assessment Survey
- Customized Survey Report
- An Interpretation Session with BB4C to review your results
- $400 to your organization to use as needed in the survey process (ex. incentives for staff to complete surveys, celebrate milestones, compensate participants, etc.- it is completely up to you); larger teams may be eligible for support up to $1,000
- Any groups that complete the process may apply for a mini-grant to support implementation of suggestions in the final report
For more information and to apply, visit: https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/racial-equity-assessment-mini-grants-with-building-blocks-for-change-bb4c
1:1 Executive Coaching with Traci Lester
As the Grunin Foundation grows opportunities for individual nonprofit leaders through our capacity clinic, 4-8 hours of virtual 1:1 executive coaching with Traci Lester will be awarded to a selection of eligible nonprofit leaders.
An eligible candidate should have at least 3 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and be actively working in a nonprofit organization (full time or part time, paid or unpaid) located in, or serving, Ocean and/or Monmouth Counties; leaders in all roles and all service areas are welcome to apply.
Coaching is sponsored by the Grunin Foundation and provided at no cost to participants. For more information and to apply, visit: https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/11-executive-coaching
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.
In May, MORF held a convening for funders centered around Sharing, Learning & Action. MORF is also planning a funder/nonprofit speed networking event for the fall. More details will be shared soon!
Pragmatic Activism
The Pragmatic Activism cohort for 2025 will involve youth, and we will be collaborating with Teen Think Tank Project, Morales & Associates (Orville Morales), and local nonprofits. Teen Think Tank Project and Orville Morales are in the process of seeking youth applicants for the upcoming cohort.
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. We’ve hosted one so far with two to go for 2025.
Until Next Quarter…
We continue to listen, research, and collaborate with community to ensure we remain nimble, relevant, and impactful. We are working on some exciting projects that we will share with you later in the second half of the year. Until then, keep connected with us, reach out and say hello, and let us know if there is anything you’d like to discuss.
Have a wonderful summer!