Announcing Our Final Grants of 2020

December 18, 2020

Announcing Our Final Round Grants

At their final board meeting of the year, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Trustees approved more than $2.4 million in grants to support New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and communities, including $340,000 in new COVID-19 relief and response grants. The latest grants bring the total amount made in grants this year to more than $10.8 million in support of the Foundation’s vision of an equitable New Jersey.

“The dual crises of racial injustice and the global pandemic accelerated the Foundation’s imperative to Imagine A New Way and commitment to transform our work and the construct of philanthropy itself,” said Tanuja Dehne, Dodge president and CEO. “We are grateful to our partners, our community, and networks and friends as we use our collective influence and power to amplify, multiply, and activate the voices of many.”

Read Tanuja Dehne’s full President’s Message

The $2.4 million in grants include 16 totaling $785,500 in Education, 22 totaling in $778,000 Environment, six totaling $171,000 in Informed Communities, and grants totaling $255,000 in Technical Assistance and other areas.

Five grants totaling $340,000 were awarded in COVID-19 response, bringing the total amount to support pandemic relief and response this year to more than $2.55 million. In addition, Dodge’s Poetry Program made eight grants totaling $80,000 in COVID-19 relief to poetry organizations that also contributed to this year’s virtual Dodge Poetry Festival.

New COVID-19 response grants include:

  • Academy of American Poets (New York, NY): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • CantoMundo (Tucson, AZ): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Cave Canem Foundation (Brooklyn, NY): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University (Montclair, Essex County): $15,000 for COVID-19-related story sharing, translation, and creation of visual and graphic content in partnership with BIPOC, ethnic, and community media for New Jersey media and communities. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Clinton Hill Community Action (Newark, Essex County): $25,000 general operating support for organizing, advocacy, community engagement, and development using arts to engaged isolated residents, create community cohesion, and sustain connection. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Free Press (Florence, MA): $50,000 to work with Latinx media and public health officials in New Jersey to bridge COVID-19 news and information gaps in North Jersey and Newark communities. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Kundiman Inc. (New York, NY): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Lambda Literary Foundation (West Hollywood, CA): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Mizna (St. Paul, MN): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Newark Arts Council (Newark, Essex County): $50,000 general operating support of the Creative Catalyst Fund, a fund that provides direct cash assistance to artists in Newark. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (Morristown, Morris County): $200,000 to support the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Woodland Pattern (Milwaukee, MN): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival Program Area: Poetry
  • Zoeglossia, Inc. (Las Cruces, NM): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry

Full December 2020 Grants Listing

At their final board meeting of the year, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Trustees approved nearly $2.5 million in grants to support New Jersey’s nonprofit sector and communities, including $340,000 in new COVID-19 relief and response grants.

  • Academy of American Poets (New York, NY): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • American Littoral Society (Highlands, Monmouth County): $45,000 general operating support of policy advocacy, research, and conservation programs to protect coastal areas and marine ecosystems in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Association of Black Foundation Executives (New York, NY): $5,000 for 2021 membership. Program Area: Professional Associations
  • Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (Mendham, Morris County): $65,000 general operating support of education and technical assistance to municipal officials to advance environmental protection and sustainability action in their communities. Program Area: Environment
  • CantoMundo (Tucson, AZ): $10,000 for 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Cave Canem Foundation (Brooklyn, NY): $10,000 for 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University (Montclair, Essex County): $15,000 for COVID-19-related story sharing, translation, and creation of visual and graphic content in partnership with BIPOC, ethnic, and community media for New Jersey media and communities. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Clean Ocean Action (Long Branch, Monmouth County): $40,000 general operating support of education, outreach, and watershed protection programs to defend and protect New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources from pollution, industrialization, and climate change. Program Area: Environment
  • Clean Water Fund (Long Branch, Monmouth County): $3,000 for project support for the 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival zero-waste initiative. Program Area: Environment
  • Clinton Hill Community Action (Newark, Essex County): $25,000 general operating support for organizing, advocacy, community engagement, and development using arts to engaged isolated residents, create community cohesion, and sustain connection. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • coLAB Arts Inc (New Brunswick, Middlesex County): $10,000 for a six-month professional development and classroom arts residency program with New Brunswick Public Schools focused on racial and social justice and increased civic and social student engagement. Program Area: Education
  • coLAB Arts Inc (New Brunswick, Middlesex County): $10,000 to integrate creative storytelling, oral history, and artmaking to amplify diverse stories, support advocacy, and engage community. Program Area: Informed Communities
  • Community Foundation of South Jersey (Haddonfield, Camden County): $55,000 for continued project and administrative support of the Transform South Jersey funder collaborative engaging South Jersey communities in the Heart and Soul community engagement process. Program Area: Technical Assistance
  • Community Info Coop (Movement Alliance Project) (Philadelphia, PA County): $20,000 general operating support for the Bloomfield Information Project’s work to establish community information corps to address information inequities of low-wealth, young adult, and Spanish-speaking communities. Program Area: Informed Communities
  • D & R Greenway Land Trust (Princeton, Mercer County): $35,000 general operating support to preserve and steward land and conservation easements and inspire a conservation ethic by connecting people to nature. Program Area: Environment
  • Dance New Jersey (Sewaren, Middlesex County): $85,000 for support of implementation of Dance to Learn in the 2021-22 school year, led by Dance NJ and Young Audiences. Program Area: Education
  • Education Law Center (Newark, Essex County): $50,000 general operating support for advocacy efforts on behalf of New Jersey’s public school children. Program Area: Education
  • Environmental Grantmakers Association (New York, NY): $5,910 for 2021 membership. Program Area: Professional Associations
  • Foundation for Educational Administration (Monroe Township, Middlesex County): $145,000 for project support of the 2021-22 Arts Integration Leadership Institute, a yearlong implementation of arts integration through the lens of culturally responsive instruction. Program Area: Education
  • Free Press (Florence, MA): $25,000 project support for the Newark News and Storytelling Lab to bring together local reporters, media-makers, and city residents to respond to Newark residents Program Area: Informed Communities
  • Free Press (Florence, MA): $50,000 to work with Latinx media and public health officials in New Jersey to bridge COVID-19 news and information gaps in North Jersey and Newark communities. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (Coral Gables, FL): $10,000 to support the Urban Water Funders Network towards shared learning, network building, and collaborative work among funders focused on sustainable water management solutions. Program Area: Environment
  • GreenFaith (New York, NY): $35,000 to support GreenFaith Circles, local multi-faith action hubs to drive environmental sustainability action in communities throughout New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Institute for Citizens and Scholars (Princeton, Mercer County): $309,500 for the NJ Teaching Fellowship program, including support for Civic Spring, a community and student civic engagement initiative. Program Area: Education
  • Kundiman Inc. (New York, NY): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Lambda Literary Foundation (West Hollywood, CA): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Mizna (St. Paul, MN): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Monmouth Conservation Foundation (Middletown, Monmouth County): $20,000 general operating support to preserve and protect parks, open space, farmland, wildlife and wetlands throughout Monmouth County. Program Area: Environment
  • Moonshot Missions (Multiplier) (Bethesda, MD): $25,000 project support to provide technical and community engagement assistance to water utilities that serve underserved and economically distressed cities through the NJ Water Utility Peer-to-Peer Initiative to improve water quality and environmental outcomes. Program Area: Environment
  • National Housing Institute/Shelterforce (Montclair, Essex County): $20,000 general operating support to support reporting on community development, affordable housing, and neighborhood stabilization, and to increase arts and culture coverage and collaborative reporting projects. Program Area: Informed Communities
  • Natural Lands Trust (Media, PA): $30,000 to support open space preservation and stewardship and education and engagement programs that connect people to nature in South Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Natural Resources Defense Council (New York, NY): $20,000 to support collaborative advocacy to secure state and local policies that ensure sustainable and affordable water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • New Jersey Audubon Society (Bernardsville, Somerset County): $35,000 general operating support for public and private land stewardship projects, policy advocacy, education, and coalition building to support conservation and watershed protection, and connect people to nature in their communities. Program Area: Environment
  • New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund) (Trenton, Mercer County): $50,000 general operating support to continue advocacy for equitable policies with respect to environmental justice, air emissions, climate change mitigation, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Program Area: Environment
  • New Jersey Network of Superintendents (Trenton, Mercer County): $20,000 for support of the Network’s 2020-21 superintendent training programs fin culturally responsive practices aimed at shifting districtwide school cultures. Program Area: Education
  • New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (Morristown, Morris County): $200,000 to support the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund at the Community Foundation of New Jersey. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (Newark, Essex County): $40,000 to support the work of the El Sistema New Jersey Alliance in connecting and strengthening El Sistema-inspired programs statewide. Program Area: Education
  • Newark Arts Council (Newark, Essex County): $50,000 general operating support of the Creative Catalyst Fund, a fund that provides direct cash assistance to artists in Newark. Program Area: COVID-19 Response
  • Newark Trust for Education (Newark, Essex County): $35,000 general operating support for 2020-2021. Program Area: Education
  • Northeast Organic Farming Association (Lambertville, Hunterdon County): $15,000 general operating support for outreach, education, research and advocacy to advance and support farmers and the regenerative agricultural movement in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Newark DIG (NY/NJ Baykeeper) (Hazlet, Monmouth County): $15,000 general operating support to continue the Green Infrastructure Reformer ward liaison program, identify green infrastructure demonstration projects and strengthen outreach during the CSO Long Term Control process. Program Area: Environment
  • Open Space Institute, Inc (New York, NY): $10,000 to support land conservation projects that increase public access to open space and protect watersheds in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (Wilmington, DE): $25,000 general operating support for science-based restoration projects and community outreach and education programs and to coordinate a network of stakeholders to improve the tidal Delaware River and Estuary in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • Passaic River Coalition (Morristown, Morris County): $25,000 general operating support of policy advocacy and conservation programs to protect natural resources, reduce flooding and improve water quality in the Passaic River basin. Program Area: Environment
  • Pinelands Preservation Alliance (Southampton, Burlington County): $60,000 general operating support for advocacy, constituency building, and community engagement programs to advance protection of New Jersey’s Pinelands. Program Area: Environment
  • Press On (Allied Media Projects) (Detroit, MI): $26,000 project support for New Jersey journalists and media-makers to participate in a Freedom Lifted Learning Lab and facilitated training and conversations on movement journalism. Program Area: Informed Communities
  • Renew the Arts (Newark Innovation Fund) (Morristown, Morris County): $20,000 Newark Board of Education Renew the Arts 2020-21. Program Area: Education
  • Research & Development Council of New Jersey (Chatham, Morris County): $15,000 general operating support for the Newark STEAM Coalition connecting the arts to the STEM school to work pipeline efforts. Program Area: Education
  • Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resource Program (New Brunswick, Middlesex County): $45,000 for the Green Infrastructure Technical Support Program to facilitate implementation of green stormwater infrastructure to reduce flooding, increase resiliency, and improve water quality, through technical support to municipalities and their partners. Program Area: Environment
  • Sister Cities Girlchoir (Philadelphia, PA): $5,000 for participation in the El Sistema NJ Alliance-Dodge Foundation Research project. Program Area: Education
  • Stories of Atlantic City (Stockton University) (Galloway, Atlantic County): $70,000 project support for Stories of Atlantic City, a collaborative effort between community organizations and local journalists focused on telling restorative, untold stories about the city and its people. Program Area: Informed Communities
  • Teach for America (Newark, Essex County): $25,000 for support of the training and development of a diverse teaching pool, steeped in culturally responsive practice, and predominately placed in Newark schools. Program Area: Education
  • The Nature Conservancy (Chester, Morris County): $35,000 general operating support for the protection of priority conservation lands and use of nature-based solutions to improve water quality, habitat, and resilience of natural systems in New Jersey. Program Area: Environment
  • The Watershed Institute (Pennington, Mercer County): $135,000 to support the Water Institute Resource Service, to mobilize, connect, and strengthen the capacity of New Jersey’s watershed organizations and their partners, through technical assistance and training programs, public policy advocacy, and grant program. Program Area: Environment
  • Trenton Music Makers (Trenton, Mercer County): $5,000 for participation in the El Sistema NJ Alliance-Dodge Foundation Research project. Program Area: Education
  • Union City Music Project (Union City, Hudson County): $5,000 for participation in the El Sistema NJ Alliance-Dodge Foundation Research project. Program Area: Education
  • Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts (Berkeley Heights, Union County): $5,000 for the Paterson Music Project’s participation in the El Sistema NJ Alliance-Dodge Foundation Research project. Program Area: Education
  • Woodland Pattern (Milwaukee, MN County): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry
  • Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania (Princeton, Middlesex County): $11,000 Project support for 2020-2021 professional learning for classroom teachers, arts specialists, and teaching artists throughout New Jersey. Program Area: Education
  • Zoeglossia, Inc. (Las Cruces, NM): $10,000 for COVID-19 relief and 2020 Dodge Poetry Festival programming. Program Area: Poetry