Foundations & Grantmakers in New Jersey
5,016 grantmakers in New Jersey reported grants on their latest 990s. The 2,168 that made at least 5 grants gave $3.7B. The largest by giving are The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hackensack Meridian Health Inc-Subordinates and The Bessemer Giving Fund. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse New Jersey grants
Foundation giving in New Jersey at a glance
Active grantmakers
5,016
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$3.7B
from the 2,168 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$15K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$70K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in New Jersey by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton | $622.6M | 3,093 |
| 2 | Hackensack Meridian Health Inc-Subordinates | Edison | $468.9M | 79 |
| 3 | The Bessemer Giving Fund | Woodbridge | $138.5M | 1,653 |
| 4 | The Valley Hospital Inc | Paramus | $131.3M | 20 |
| 5 | Community Foundation of New Jersey | Morristown | $93.8M | 1,321 |
| 6 | The Tepper Foundation | Short Hills | $87.0M | 148 |
| 7 | Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc | Princeton | $67.7M | 144 |
| 8 | Hess Foundation Inc | Parsippany | $63.4M | 141 |
| 9 | Legal Services of New Jersey Inc | Edison | $57.5M | 10 |
| 10 | Cognizant US Foundation | Teaneck | $51.0M | 36 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 16 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 245 · 27%
- Human Services 126 · 14%
- Religion Related 97 · 11%
- Health 80 · 9%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 71 · 8%
- Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines 34 · 4%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (47% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in New Jersey
- Community Foundation of New Jersey $93.8M · 1,321 grants
- Princeton Area Community Foundation Inc $31.3M · 515 grants
- Jewish Community Foundation of Greater $29.3M · 407 grants
- Jewish Community Foundation $1.7M · 56 grants
- Jewish Community Foundation $1.2M · 32 grants
- Sixers Youth Foundation $877K · 17 grants
- Capital City Community Foundation Inc $70K · 10 grants
- Martin & Roberta Goldstein $40K · 11 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Most open to new grantees in New Jersey
Foundations based in New Jersey whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Buddy Poole Foundation Inc | 86% (25) | 29 in 2025 | $1K |
| 2 | Modera Charitable Foundation | 85% (17) | 20 in 2024 | $2K |
| 3 | Alfred N Sanzari Family Foundation Inc | 81% (25) | 31 in 2025 | $4K |
| 4 | CSK Charitable Foundation | 76% (39) | 51 in 2024 | $2K |
| 5 | Raj Family Private Foundation | 76% (16) | 21 in 2024 | $20K |
| 6 | Christopher Reeve Foundation | 75% (109) | 145 in 2025 | $23K |
| 7 | Dirshu International Inc | 74% (29) | 39 in 2025 | $3K |
| 8 | Lori & Michael Nash Foundation | 74% (29) | 39 in 2025 | $13K |
| 9 | Sustainable Jersey | 74% (23) | 31 in 2025 | $10K |
| 10 | Aegis Foundation Inc | 73% (30) | 41 in 2025 | $1K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 2,168 grantmakers in New Jersey with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$13.4B
Grants
3,093
Total Given
$622.6M
Hackensack Meridian Health Inc-Subordinates
Edison, NJ
Assets
$7.6B
Grants
79
Total Given
$468.9M
The Bessemer Giving Fund
Woodbridge, NJ
Assets
$948.2M
Grants
1,653
Total Given
$138.5M
The Valley Hospital Inc
Paramus, NJ
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
20
Total Given
$131.3M
Community Foundation of New Jersey
Morristown, NJ
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,321
Total Given
$93.8M
The Tepper Foundation
Short Hills, NJ
Assets
$744.1M
Grants
148
Total Given
$87.0M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Hess Foundation Inc
Parsippany, NJ
Assets
$219.2M
Grants
141
Total Given
$63.4M
Legal Services of New Jersey Inc
Edison, NJ
Assets
$89.9M
Grants
10
Total Given
$57.5M
Cognizant US Foundation
Teaneck, NJ
Assets
$53.7M
Grants
36
Total Given
$51.0M
Table to Table Inc
Saddle Brook, NJ
Assets
$12.8M
Grants
141
Total Given
$50.1M
The Prudential Foundation
Newark, NJ
Assets
$77.0M
Grants
141
Total Given
$41.3M
New Jersey Family Planning League Inc
Newark, NJ
Assets
$6.5M
Grants
24
Total Given
$36.4M
New Jersey Education Association
Trenton, NJ
Assets
$285.5M
Grants
16
Total Given
$35.6M
Virtua Health Inc
Marlton, NJ
Assets
$957.0M
Grants
12
Total Given
$35.1M
KPMG US Foundation Inc
Montvale, NJ
Assets
$12.4M
Grants
387
Total Given
$33.5M
Tenacre Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$364.9M
Grants
70
Total Given
$31.4M
Princeton Area Community Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$279.6M
Grants
515
Total Given
$31.3M
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater
Whippany, NJ
Assets
$648.3M
Grants
407
Total Given
$29.3M
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
Rahway, NJ
Assets
$337.9M
Grants
74
Total Given
$29.1M
The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean
Neptune, NJ
Assets
$40.5M
Grants
80
Total Given
$24.4M
Morasha Olami Inc
Lakewood, NJ
Assets
$8.1M
Grants
121
Total Given
$24.1M
David and Nicole Tepper Charitable
Short Hills, NJ
Assets
$70.6M
Grants
46
Total Given
$21.5M
PAULA and Jerry GOTTESMAN FAMILY SUPPORTING
Whippany, NJ
Assets
$31.1M
Grants
15
Total Given
$19.3M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in New Jersey
What are the largest foundations in New Jersey?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ($622.6M across 3,093 grants), Hackensack Meridian Health Inc-Subordinates ($468.9M) and The Bessemer Giving Fund ($138.5M). Together the top 10 account for 48% of the $3.7B given by the 2,168 grantmakers in New Jersey that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in New Jersey?
The typical grant is about $15K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $70K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in New Jersey?
Yes. We found 8 community foundations in New Jersey with grant activity. The largest by giving are Community Foundation of New Jersey, Princeton Area Community Foundation Inc and Jewish Community Foundation of Greater. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find New Jersey foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in New Jersey from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.