Schumann Fund for New Jersey
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work is direct service in Essex County, or statewide public-policy work, and it falls within affordable homes, early childhood and education, or child welfare and youth justice, it fits the Fund's stated priorities; direct-service work outside Essex County is outside its stated scope.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 105 grants fall between $3,000 and $50,000, with a median of $25,000, so a request in that region is typical, though its largest grant was $225,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- New organisations should send a Letter of Inquiry by email to grants@schumannfund.org, which is reviewed on a rolling basis, and make sure it aligns clearly with the Fund's priorities and geographic scope; the Fund also suggests contacting the programme partner first.
- Relationships carry weight, since 56% of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing went to groups it had also funded in the prior filing, and returning grantees apply through full renewal applications at quarterly deadlines set in their award letter.
Overview
Schumann Fund for New Jersey is a US private foundation based in Montclair, NJ.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Schumann Fund for New Jersey advances ideas and opportunities to empower low-income children, families and communities of colour to thrive, investing in non-profit organisations rooted in Essex County and statewide that work to advance racial and economic equity. Its priorities are affordable homes and healthy communities; early childhood and education; and child welfare and youth justice. It supports affordable housing, economic mobility, homelessness and eviction prevention, family economic stability, high-quality early childhood programmes, childcare and pre-school, and equitable K–12 and youth education. It also backs reforms in child welfare, juvenile justice and immigration systems, including work to end racial disparities and advance youth justice. Its strategies include organised and engaged communities, effective programmes centring low-income children and families of colour, and equitable public policy. Direct-service grantmaking is limited to Essex County, while statewide public-policy work is funded.
Themes
- Affordable homes
- Healthy communities
- Early childhood
- Youth education
- Child welfare
- Youth justice
- Public policy
Geographic Focus
Essex County; State of New Jersey.
How to apply
New organisations submit a Letter of Inquiry by email to grants@schumannfund.org; Letters of Inquiry are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Deadlines: Returning grantee partners submit full renewal applications at the applicable quarterly proposal deadline in their grant award letter.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 56% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 105 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Letters of inquiry should align clearly with the Fund's programme priorities and geographic scope.
- New organisations may wish to contact the programme partner as their first point of contact.
- Grantees must submit a narrative and financial report describing activities and progress towards goals at the end of the grant period.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 56% of grant dollars went to organisations Schumann Fund for New Jersey had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 61 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $22,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Advocates for Children of New Jersey · Operating support - (emphasis on child welfare and early childhood policy work)$75,0002023 tax year
- Programs for Parents · Program/project support - parent-led programming around adverse childhood experiences (aces) and a one-time ( $5,000) supplemental payment intended to support the salary of new ceo nayibe capellan$55,0002023 tax year
- Clinton Hill Community Action · Operating support - (focus on affordable and healthy homes)$50,0002023 tax year
- New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund · Program/project support - essex county community civic leadership project$45,0002023 tax year
- New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children · Program/project support - equity and access advocacy project$45,0002023 tax year
- Ironbound Community Corporation · Operating support$45,0002023 tax year
- New Jersey Institute for Social Justice · Operating support - (youth justice initiative)$40,0002023 tax year
- Legal Services of New Jersey · Program/project support - parent ally program$40,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christopher Daggett — Vice Chair
- Anthony Cicatiello — Trustee
- Roger Pratt — Secretary / Treasurer
- Martha Bonsal Day — Chair
- Barbara Bell Coleman — Trustee
- Lucy Vandenberg — Executive Director
- Leonard S Coleman — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,396,730 | $1,544,000 | $30,163,957 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,282,642 | $1,262,000 | $32,343,862 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Schumann Fund for New Jersey?
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Applying to Schumann Fund for New Jersey?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required