December 4, 2020
As your partner in building healthy communities, NJHCN curates the most useful and current resources to help you and your organization build capacity, raise funds, network and learn.

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Grantee Spotlight
Borough of Audobon
Funder: New Jersey New Jersey Health Initiatives
On October 17th, an outside, mask-required grand opening was held for the Francis J. Ward Recreation and Community Center. The Center was named in honor of the former Mayor who as instrumental in the property purchase. Volunteers are excited about all the potential that the building and its surrounding grounds holds for future healthy and active living for the community. Work continues on the Victory Garden with work days scheduled on December 5th and 12th and an anticipated grand opening on Earth Day in April, 2021.

Grants and Funding
PPE Access Program
Deadline: December 10
Through the New Jersey Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Access Program, all NJ-based businesses and non-profits are eligible for a 10% discount on PPE purchases made through an approved online retailer. Small businesses and non-profits with under 100 employees may be eligible for an additional discount up to 70%.

Safe Routes to Parks Activating Communities
Deadline: December 18
Funder: The JPB Foundation
The Safe Routes Partnership invites communities and organizations working to improve safe, equitable access to local parks to apply for the 2021 Safe Routes to Parks Activating Communities program. The program provides tailored technical assistance, along with a $12,500 award for seven nonprofit organizations to develop and initiate action plans to increase safe and equitable access to parks and green space in their communities.

State and Local Policy Campaign Grant Funding
Funder: Center for Science in the Public Interest / Bloomberg Philanthropies
Deadline: December 31, 2020 (rolling)
Funding opportunities include:
  • Exploring new strategies for strengthening the nutrition and public health impacts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 
  • Campaigns that aim to ensure healthy, equitable school meals for all students. 
  • Campaigns that aim to ensure healthy, equitable restaurant kids’ meals for all. 
  • Campaigns to extend restaurant menu disclosures to improve nutritional quality of restaurant purchases. 

News and Media
Job Opportunity
The New Jersey Healthy Communities Network seeks a part-time program assistant to provide communications, operations and administrative support. This position supports the implementation of a grant program promoting healthier communities across New Jersey. The job is primarily remote, however the assistant will interface via telephone, email, conference call and, post-COVID, participate in occasional on-site program meetings.

Tools and Resources
Visit our Resource Page for curated resources and toolkits.
Have a resource to share? Let us know!
Customizable Proclamation and Strategies
Source: Centers for Disease Control
Active People, Healthy Nation, a national initiative led by CDC, recently released a customizable proclamation. Mayors and other Community Champions can use this new tool to help show support for activity-friendly communities. The template helps decision makers choose from a variety of strategies that work in communities. Active People, Healthy Nation aims to get 27 million people more physically active by 2027. Learn more and download the sample proclamation here.

Training, Collaborations and Networking
LeadershipConnect Series: The New Nonprofit Imperatives for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
December 4, 16, January 13
Host: Nonprofit Connect
This interactive, three-part series is designed to jumpstart your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. To make the most of our time together, there will be pre-work for each session, so that participants can deepen their personal journey and engage in constructive dialogue and planning, to advance the work at their organizations. 

The Best Solutions of 2020
December 8-11 ET
Host: Next City
Fee: $35/6 sessions or pay what you wish
Join Next City for a live, four-day Solutions of the Year virtual event series. Sessions will explore the year’s many challenges, ranging from the ongoing fight for racial equity and justice, to the COVID-19 pandemic, to the most severe jobs and housing crisis since the Great Depression. Anyone working for greater equity in cities will be able to take inspiration from this event into 2021. All who register will receive a copy of our annual Solutions of the Year special issue magazine.

Building a Culture of Health In New Jersey: A Virtual Town Hall
December 11 - 9am ET
Host: NJ Partnership for Healthy Kids and New Jersey YMCA State Alliance
Join population health experts, including RWJF President and CEO Dr. Richard Besser, in exploring New Jersey’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and issues of health equity and social injustice. Participants will have an opportunity to attend a panel on the COVID-19 response to housing and homelessness, healthy food access and more.

Social Determinants of Health Congressional Briefing
December 15 - 12pm ET
Host: Trust for America's Health
Please join Aligning for Health (AFH), Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and a bipartisan panel of Congressional staff for a virtual briefing that will highlight opportunities in the 117th Congress to support effective and innovative approaches to social determinants of health.