April 15, 2021
Curated resources to help you and your organization build capacity, raise funds, network, and learn. Check the website for previous editions. Please forward to colleagues, partners, and friends who may benefit from this information. Subscribe. Have a resource to share? share now 
Grantee Spotlight
City Green
Funder: New Jersey Health Initiatives
More hours of daylight and the sunshine of spring have brought with them an invigorating energy, and City Green is eager for the Garden State’s fruitful spring harvests to make an appearance! This time of year farmers start to harvest bunches of fresh salad greens, spinach, spring turnips and radishes, and a City Green spring-time favorite: asparagus!
New Jerseyans will soon be able to purchase seasonal fresh veggies and more at an affordable price with the Good Food Buck SNAP nutrition incentive program! READ MORE
Grants and Funding
Equipment Grants and other assistance
Reinvestment Fund recently announced a new round of grants through the NJ Child Nutrition Fund, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Equipment grants and other assistance will help support operators of summer and afterschool meals programs in select New Jersey communities. NJCNF also aims to support new initiatives and systems-focused work to improve child food access through a small number of Innovation Awards.
Launch Date Announced for Phase 4 of
Small Business Emergency Grant Program
Source: New Jersey Business Magazine
Pre-registration: April 19-29, 2021
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) announced Phase 4 of the Authority’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program, adding $85 million in funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Phase 4 will provide short-term operating support to a broad group of New Jersey small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits that have been negatively impacted during the declared state of emergency.  MORE
Tools and Resources
Visit our Resource Page for curated resources and toolkits.
Have a resource to share? Let us know!
SAFER COVID-19 Tool
Source: Public Health Connected
The SAFER COVID-19 tool:
  • walks users through a step-by-step process to make a plan to stay safer from COVID-19 during an in-person activity of their choosing;
  • was developed by public health and technology experts, with input and testing by representatives of diverse communities;
  • is written in plain language and uses non-judgmental, compassionate language;
  • is available both as a web-based tool, and as a downloadable, printable workbook

SAFER COVID-19 benefits community members by:
  • providing evidence-based and culturally relevant information;
  • increasing personal agency and self-efficacy;
  • giving a sense of control;
  • providing tailored information that is user-friendly and relevant

Reducing Social Isolation Program Toolkit
Source: New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
This toolkit serves as a guide for communities to create a volunteer-based program to address the issue of social isolation and to connect people at the local level.

  • Step-by-step instructions on how to recruit both older adult program participants and volunteers.
  • Strategies for preparing program participants and training volunteers, increasing the likelihood for a successful experience.
  • Tools for program participants, such as a “Conversation Starter” guide and “Resource List” to prepare them for their interactions and assist with getting older adults connected to other services they may need.
  • Guidance for communities on how best to evaluate the impact of the program.

COVID-19 Policy Playbook:
Legal Recommendations for a Safer, More Equitable Future
Source: Public Law Health Law Watch
US policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic offer an opportunity to address long-standing inequities. 50 legal experts suggest policies that can help decisionmakers at all levels of government address the inequities exacerbated by the current crisis and prepare for future public health emergencies.

Creating Great Places to Age in New Jersey:
A Community Guide to Implementing Age Friendly Land Use Decisions
Source: New Jersey Future
This guide provides communities with a step-by-step process to make it easier to design for the needs of older residents. Help create great places to age across New Jersey and stronger, healthier, more equitable communities for everyone.

Nutrition in Food Banking Toolkit
Source: Feeding America
The toolkits supports the charitable food sector in continuing to enhance systems and programmatic efforts geared at understanding and meeting the nutrition and cultural food needs of neighbors facing hunger.
The toolkit currently contains three sections available as standalone resources and an FAQ document:


News and Media
Singapore Shows What Serious Urban Farming Looks Like
Source: Reasons to be Cheerful
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how susceptible countries are to turmoil in the global food supply. For several years now, the city authorities have been preparing for just such a crisis. The Singapore Food Authority (SFA) launched its ambitious “30 by 30” initiative in 2019, with the objective of producing 30 percent of Singapore’s nutritional needs locally by the year 2030. In a city-state that imports 90% of its food, rooftop gardens are a matter of national food security.

Training, Collaborations and Networking
Successful COVID-19 Messaging in Rural Communities
April 20, 2021
Host: Public Health Communications Collaborative
During this webinar, Dr. Ayne Amjad, Commissioner and State Health Officer for West Virginia, and Dr. Lisa M. Costello, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, will share insights from the state’s public health communications effort and answer questions from participants. READ MORE
Show+Tell New Jersey: Innovations in Health and Early Childhood
April 20, 2021
Host: Show+Tell Early Childhood Innovations with Promise
Show+Tell New Jersey: Innovations in Health and Early Childhood will highlight 12 outstanding programs working to improve the health and well-being of children and families in the New Jersey region.  READ MORE
Building Community Capacity by
Sharing Power, Storytelling & Systems Change
April 21, 2021
Host: All In - Data for Community Health
Social determinants of health such as racism and discrimination continue to have an everlasting impact on people’s quality of life and overall well-being. Racial inequities must be exposed and addressed head-on through community collaboration and multi-sector data sharing.
 
Participants will learn ideas to:

  • Collaborate with others to form lasting partnerships and sustainable networks
  • Show vulnerability and trust through storytelling
  • Share power and allow members of the community to drive the decision-making process
  • Leverage multi-sector data to drive policy and systems change
 
Where's the Money? Funding Your Active Transportation Project
April 22, 2021
Host: Safe Routes to School Partnership
Infrastructure improvements are often the costliest components of initiatives to support walking and rolling. Join us to learn about frequently used sources of funding for active transportation projects in the US, how to find out what funding is available for your community, and tips for navigating the funding process.

Latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans & How It Impacts Your Work
April 29, 2021
Host: CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
Subject matter experts will discuss the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including recommendations for each life stage and recommendations for limiting added sugars.

Navigating Uncertain Times:
May 4, 6, 11, and 13, 2021
Host: NJ Center for Non-Profits
New Jersey Sustainability Summit
May 17-21, 2021
Host: Sustainable Jersey