New Jersey Citizen Action Education
New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund (NJCAEF) is a Newark-based public charity, formed in 1983, that works to empower low- and moderate-income people through public-policy research, education, training, and direct services. Its website describes work with low- and moderate-income communities and people of color, including free counseling and assistance.
Key facts about New Jersey Citizen Action Education
In short: New Jersey Citizen Action Education gave $296K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in New Jersey. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 22-2493628
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $295,501
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $24,625
- Median grant
- $22,981
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (2 of 12, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,324,003
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
$2.3M
-21.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$296K
-1.7% YoY
Grant Count
12
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
-9.9% YoY
Is New Jersey Citizen Action Education open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 12 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $33K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
NJCAEF states that it seeks social, racial, and economic justice and promotes the empowerment of low- and moderate-income people through research, education, training, and direct counseling services. Its stated policy and research topics include health care, workplace justice, consumer protection and financial justice, good government and democracy, housing and community reinvestment, and tax and budget fairness.
The organization’s website describes free services including tax preparation, financial coaching, HUD-certified housing counseling, fair-housing services, and health-care enrollment assistance. These are services for individuals, rather than grants to outside applicants.
The 2024 filing lists grants for purposes including health care, worker rights, and fair housing. Among the organizations receiving grants, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network describes its mission as empowering families and involving people interested in children’s healthy development and education. La Casa de Don Pedro describes its mission as fostering self-sufficiency, empowerment, and neighborhood revitalization. The National Domestic Workers Alliance describes its mission as representing domestic workers and seeking respect, dignity, and labor protections for them.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, NJCAEF reported 12 grants totaling $295,501. Grants ranged from $7,915 to $50,000, with a median of $22,981.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NJCAEF’s website describes direct services for people across New Jersey. In 2024, 77% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey, 20% to New York, and 4% to Pennsylvania. The state shares are as reported and sum to 101%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 12 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $296K (2024) to $381K (2020). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $296K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Make the Road ($50K). Together the top 10 received $278K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 60 (88%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Make the Road Brentwood, NY | Health Care | $50,000 |
| NJ Consortium for Immigrant Childre Jersey City, NJ | Healthcare | $50,000 |
| Wind of the Spirit Morristown, NJ | Worker Rights | $32,219 |
| Laundry Workers Center Orange, NJ | Worker Rights | $32,149 |
| Statewide Parent Advocacy Network Newark, NJ | Advance Health Care | $31,995 |
| NJ Policy Perspective Trenton, NJ | Healthcare | $25,000 |
| Rutgers the State University Piscataway, NJ | Worker Rights | $20,962 |
| La CASA De Don Pedro Newark, NJ | Outreach / Health | $15,000 |
| Housing Equality Center of PA Fort Washington, PA | Fair Housing | $10,856 |
| NJ Appleseed Jersey City, NJ | Healthcare | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,324,003 | $4,248,021 | $4,495,958 | $295,501 (12) |
| 2023 | $2,944,882 | $3,554,630 | $4,170,931 | $300,626 (11) |
| 2022 | $3,412,645 | $4,686,296 | $4,531,982 | $326,118 (9) |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,324,003 | $2,944,882 | $3,412,645 |
| Revenue | $4,248,021 | $3,554,630 | $4,686,296 |
| Expenses | $4,495,958 | $4,170,931 | $4,531,982 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $7 | $95 | $17 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dena Mottola Jaborska and Theresa Dempewolf as executive and financial directors, respectively; Peter Rosario as chair; Hazel Applewhite as treasurer; and Margaret Kinsell as secretary. It also lists John Atlas, Charles Boyer, Christian Fuscarino, Adam Gordon, and James Harris as board members.
New Jersey Citizen Action Education is led by Peter Rosario, Chair on the 2024 filing; 2 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Peter Rosario
Chair
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theresa Dempewolf
Financial Di
Financial Director → Financial Di, 2022
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$112K (2021) → $138K (2024)
Dena Mottola Jaborska
Executive Di
Director of Advocacy → Executive Di, 2022
On filings since 2021
30 hrs/week
$89K (2021) → $139K (2024)
James Harris
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan Pransky Esq.
Board Member
Board Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Atlas
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Gordon
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anita Thomas
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Boyer
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christian Fuscarino
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hazel Applewhite
Treasruer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Kinsell
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Rodriguez
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Haygood
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Bridget Devane (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Estina Baker (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Fran Pfeffer (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Ivette Mendez (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Phyllis Salowe-Kaye (2020–2023) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $139K, to Dena Mottola Jaborska (Executive Di). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 625 Broad Street Suite 270, Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (732) 246-4772
Website: https://njcaef.org
Frequently asked questions about New Jersey Citizen Action Education
How much does New Jersey Citizen Action Education give each year?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education gave $296K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $301K across 11 grants.
What is New Jersey Citizen Action Education's typical grant size?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education's median grant in 2024 was $22,981, and its average grant was $24,625, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from New Jersey Citizen Action Education that year got $33K on average.
Where does New Jersey Citizen Action Education give grants?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education gives mostly in New Jersey: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jersey City, NJ (2 grants) and Newark, NJ (2 grants).
Does New Jersey Citizen Action Education give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on New Jersey Citizen Action Education's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Worker Rights" (5 grants) and "Healthcare" (3 grants).
Who are New Jersey Citizen Action Education's largest grantees?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education's largest 2024 grantees include Make the Road ($50,000), NJ Consortium for Immigrant Childre ($50,000) and Wind of the Spirit ($32,219), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is New Jersey Citizen Action Education?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $4.2M.
What does New Jersey Citizen Action Education fund?
NJCAEF states that it seeks social, racial, and economic justice and promotes the empowerment of low- and moderate-income people through research, education, training, and direct counseling services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from New Jersey Citizen Action Education?
In filing year 2024, NJCAEF reported 12 grants totaling $295,501. Grants ranged from $7,915 to $50,000, with a median of $22,981.
What is New Jersey Citizen Action Education's EIN?
New Jersey Citizen Action Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2493628. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching New Jersey Citizen Action Education by hand.
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New Jersey Citizen Action Education down — hundreds of funders to go?