Our Vision

As the third wealthiest state in the country, New Jersey is alive with opportunity.

Despite its significant wealth and diversity, New Jersey remains one of the most inequitable states in the country. New Jersey’s prosperity is not shared evenly. NJ Institute for Social Justice’s latest analysis shows a racial wealth gap of roughly $640,000: median household wealth is about $662,500 for white households and under $20,000 for Black and Latina/o households—a gap that has doubled since before the pandemic. This gap not only shows how prosperity is not shared across the state, it also highlights that most Black and Latino families are living in or close to poverty.  

This divide is not just a statistic. It determines whether a family can own a home, weather an emergency, send their kids to college without crippling debt, or invest in their family’s future.

Decades of research show that two areas have the greatest impact on closing the wealth gap: 1) access to safe, affordable housing and housing choice, and 2) pathways to economic security and mobility.

Focusing on these issues, the Dodge Foundation is working towards a vibrant, equitable, and just future for New Jersey and all of the communities that make us whole.

Learn more about how we are working to imagine a new way for the Dodge Foundation, and New Jersey, through Our Work.