Grant Guidelines

[See Application Process for instructions about submitted applications]

PLEASE NOTE:  The Foundation receives far more requests for funding than it has funds available to contribute.  A decision not to fund a grant application should not be construed as a reflection on the particular organization or to the project's merits.

Grants are made ONLY to private, non-profit organizations that have tax exempt status under Section 501C3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code and that are not private foundations. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or government agencies.

The Foundation will consider applications that fit HFNJ’s mission and address key physical and/or mental health and wellness issues in the Foundation’s priority areas:

  1.  Vulnerable, underserved populations in the greater Newark, NJ community
  2.  At-risk individuals and families in the MetroWest Jewish community
  3.  Clinical research/medical education initiatives that significantly and directly impact the above-named populations
  4.  Promotion of ‘humanism in medicine’ in ways that directly impact patient care

In reviewing applications for funding, the Trustees and staff of the Foundation are sensitive to the following five concerns:

  1.  Mission Appropriateness
    The Foundation seeks proposals that promise innovation and change or a significant enhancement of existing services. Projects must be consistent with our mission of health, wellness, and caring and our commitment to vulnerable, at-risk populations in the greater Newark or MetroWest NJ catchment areas. For a more detailed view of our grantmaking by health area, please click here.
  2.  Impact and Value
    Proposals should clearly identify the target population(s), the numbers served, and the specific outcomes that success will bring. The cost of the initiative should be commensurate with its anticipated impact.
  3. Sustainability
    A plan for sustainability is an important component of the grant proposal. How the agency will sustain the initiative and its benefits beyond HFNJ funding plays a critical role in our decision making.
  4.  Efficacy and Evaluation
    The Project Evaluation Chart (logic model) is a key component of the proposal. It is to be a diagram/blueprint that briefly summarizes the key points in your narrative, illustrating the direct relationship between program objectives, activities, measures for data collection, and the outcomes (process and impact).  Every applicant for grants of $25,000 or more is required to complete this logic model.  When the interim and final reports are submitted, actual results that relate to each of the designated activities, as measured by the tools specified, must be recounted.

    Please click here for information to assist you in developing your Evaluation Plan

  5. The Agency Partnership
    The Foundation seeks to partner with agencies that are passionate about their mission and meet high standards of governance, accountability, and fiscal management. Potential grantees should have a track record of programmatic integrity and success. We consider ourselves to be a responsive and collaborative organization, and look for the same in our grantees.

The Foundation does NOT typically fund the following:

  • Organizations outside of greater Newark or the Jewish Community of Greater MetroWest NJ, Essex, Morris, or Union County, NJ
  • Programs NOT related to health care or wellness
  • Applications for general operating support or planning grants
  • Direct support of an individual’s healthcare needs
  • Fundraising events or campaigns
  • Advertising campaigns
  • Lobbying
  • Scholarships

    Indirect or overhead costs are not automatically funded and must be justified as part of the proposed budget.  Decisions on indirect costs will be made on a case by case basis.