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Stone Foundation of New Jersey

Annual Giving
$1.6M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M
Decision Time
3mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,609,075 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Approximately 3 months from deadline
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $25,000
  • Geographic Focus: Monmouth County, New Jersey and Wabanakiq, Maine

Contact Details

Website: www.stonefdnnj.org
Email: admin@stonefdnnj.org
Address: Leonardo, NJ
EIN: 13-3947516

For questions about eligibility or to notify the foundation of your intent to apply, contact admin@stonefdnnj.org.

Overview

The Stone Foundation of New Jersey was founded in 1997 by Caroline Stone Parker Huber, a dedicated civic leader and philanthropist who was instrumental in establishing Red Bank's Two River Theater and advocating for environmental protection, food security, housing stability, and mental health services. Now led by her family descendants, the foundation operates as a private foundation with assets of approximately $6 million and annual giving of $1.6 million in 2024 (64 awards). The foundation embraces flexible, patient, and trust-based philanthropic support, prioritizing work that advances equity and dismantles systemic barriers for marginalized communities. Their strategic focus centers on Monmouth County, New Jersey, and Wabanakiq, Maine, supporting initiatives that promote personal, communal, and systemic growth toward a more compassionate, respectful, and inclusive world.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Operating Support

  • Amount: $5,000 - $25,000
  • Type: Unrestricted general operating grants, one-year funding
  • First-Time Applicants: Typically considered for $5,000 - $10,000 for one year
  • Multi-Year Grants: Organizations previously funded are eligible for multi-year commitments
  • Application Method: Online portal, two cycles per year (March 15 and October 1 deadlines)

Priority Areas

The foundation supports 501(c)(3) organizations and community groups with fiscal sponsors that:

  • Demonstrate strategic and programmatic attention to social and economic inequities
  • Are headquartered and operating in New Jersey, primarily Monmouth County, or Wabanakiq, Maine
  • Fight for dignified access to quality housing, healthcare, education, employment, healthy food, recreation, nature, and the arts

Specific Focus Areas:

  • Social justice and equity initiatives
  • Environmental protection and natural resources
  • Educational programs
  • Arts and culture (performing arts, theater)
  • Human services
  • Special population support
  • Women's services
  • Food security
  • Housing stability
  • Mental health services

Special Interest in Projects Serving:

  • Economically disadvantaged people
  • Low-income and poor people
  • Children and youth
  • Students
  • Historically marginalized and under-resourced communities

What They Don't Fund

  • Direct political lobbying
  • Electioneering
  • Religious activities or institutions (except in their capacity as fiscal sponsors for community-based non-religious activities)

Governance and Leadership

Founder: Caroline Stone Parker Huber (1933-2021), who established the foundation in 1997 with her husband Michael Huber. Caroline was active in civic endeavors including the League of Women Voters, political campaigns, and protests opposing pipelines through the Pinelands. She served on various nonprofit boards and helped establish Two River Theater in Red Bank.

Current Leadership: The foundation is governed by trustees consisting of Caroline's family descendants.

President: Sam Huber

Additional Trustees: Martha C. Huber and Julia A. (specific roles not publicly detailed)

The foundation operates with a family foundation structure, continuing Caroline Huber's legacy of supporting equity-focused community work in Monmouth County and beyond.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Read Guidelines: Review grantmaking guidelines, criteria, purpose, and core values on the foundation's website to determine eligibility
  2. Notify Foundation (Optional): While not required, letting the foundation know when you intend to apply helps them project grant cycle funding and provides more opportunity to get to know your organization
  3. Complete Online Application: Log in to the foundation's grants portal at www.stonefdnnj.org to create or update your organizational profile
  4. Submit Required Materials:
    • Inquiry and statement of intent form
    • IRS Form 990 for last completed fiscal year (for 501(c)(3) organizations)
    • List of current officers or leadership staff and governing board with affiliations
    • Fiscal sponsor documentation (if applicable for community groups)

Decision Timeline

Spring Cycle (Cycle 1):

  • Application Deadline: March 15
  • Review: May
  • Awards Announced: No later than June 20

Fall Cycle (Cycle 2):

  • Application Deadline: October 1
  • Review: November
  • Awards Announced: No later than December 1 (some sources indicate December 20)

Decision Time: Approximately 3 months from application deadline to award announcement

Success Rates

Specific application success rates are not publicly available. However, grant activity shows:

  • 64 awards in 2024 (distributing $1,609,075)
  • 26 awards in 2023 (distributing $473,800)
  • 27 awards in 2022
  • 35 awards in 2020

The significant increase from 2023 to 2024 suggests expanded grantmaking capacity.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation accepts multi-year grant applications from previously funded organizations, indicating that successful applicants can receive continued support. Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented, though the foundation's trust-based approach suggests openness to revised applications in subsequent cycles.

Important Note on Reports: Reports must be received by the deadline for new funding to be considered or multi-year funding to be initiated. Different reporting deadlines apply:

  • Single-year grants funded in June: Reports due by following March 15
  • Multi-year grants funded in June: Reports due by following May 1

Application Success Factors

The Stone Foundation emphasizes specific values and approaches that shape their funding decisions:

Core Values (from the foundation)

  1. Equity-Focused Work: The foundation prioritizes "efforts where local and regional priorities at all stages of development, decision-making and implementation are determined by those directly affected, especially in historically marginalized and under-resourced communities."

  2. Collective Action: They support "multi-racial, multi-disciplinary, community-rooted collaborations that depend on shared power, resources, decisions, access and knowledge."

  3. Systemic Change: The foundation seeks to "encourage collective action to protect human dignity and dismantle historic and current systemic oppressions."

  4. Community-Rooted Leadership: Strong preference for initiatives led by those with lived experience and those directly affected by the issues being addressed.

Strategic Alignment

  • Demonstrate attention to social and economic inequities in both strategy and programming
  • Show how your work serves people in Monmouth County, NJ or Wabanakiq, Maine
  • Emphasize collaborative, multi-disciplinary approaches
  • Highlight shared power and community-determined priorities
  • Focus on removing barriers and improving equitable access to essential services

Foundation Mission Alignment

Organizations aligned with Caroline Huber's legacy values stand out:

  • Environmental protection (especially Pinelands conservation)
  • Arts access (founder helped establish Two River Theater)
  • Food security, housing stability, mental health services
  • Civic engagement and community advocacy

Trust-Based Philanthropy

The foundation explicitly operates with "flexible, patient, and trust-based philanthropic support," suggesting they value:

  • Organizational sustainability through unrestricted general operating support
  • Long-term relationships (multi-year grants for previous grantees)
  • Reduced reporting burden
  • Trust in grantee expertise and decision-making

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Emphasize equity and marginalized communities: Applications must demonstrate "strategic and programmatic attention to social and economic inequities" - this is not optional but a core eligibility requirement.

  2. Lead with lived experience: Strongly prioritize applications where "priorities at all stages of development, decision-making and implementation are determined by those directly affected" by the issues.

  3. First-time applicants should be realistic: New organizations typically receive $5,000-$10,000 for one year; build relationships before requesting larger amounts.

  4. Multi-year funding is relationship-based: Only previously funded organizations are eligible for multi-year commitments, making initial grants a pathway to sustained support.

  5. Optional but strategic pre-notification: While not required, notifying the foundation of your intent to apply helps them "project grant cycle funding and gives them more opportunity to get to know your organization."

  6. Collective action matters: The foundation values "multi-racial, multi-disciplinary, community-rooted collaborations" and operates the Monmouth County Collective to support coordinated equity work.

  7. Trust-based approach reduces burden: As a trust-based funder offering primarily unrestricted operating support, focus your application on mission alignment and community impact rather than detailed programmatic restrictions.

References

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