Category Archives: Community Building
Confronting plastic pollution, creating equitable communities and mapping sustainability issues
May 16, 20182018 New Jersey Sustainability Summit is June 18 Although the sustainability movement in New Jersey is experiencing significant momentum, important work is still on the horizon. There is perhaps no more powerful way to jump start fresh interest and energy … Continue reading
3 lessons we learned from Voting Block NJ
May 15, 2018Collaborative journalism is having a moment right now, but it’s more than just a buzzword. As budgets and staff sizes continue to shrink in local newsrooms, collaboration has become one crucial way to expand coverage and reach. Last year, in … Continue reading
Toms River Regional School District and Township Green Team collaborate to open School of Environmental Sustainability
April 26, 2018Poseidon Academy building renewed after experiencing Superstorm Sandy damage Superstorm Sandy in 2012 had a huge impact on homeowners and businesses in Toms River– over 10,500 homes sustained some level of damage. Last month, the re-opening of a unique building … Continue reading
37 People Struggling to Get by in New Jersey
April 10, 2018When it comes to telling stories of economic hardship, what can journalists learn from social workers? From oral historians? From artists? From community advocates? It turns out, a lot. At a recent workshop at Rutgers University convened by coLAB Arts and Free … Continue reading
Sustainable Jersey: Artists and creative powerhouses roll up their sleeves to cultivate a sustainable community
April 2, 2018What are the unique qualities that make your community feel like a vibrant place to live? In Frenchtown, a volunteer group set out to document and map the creative people, places, events, businesses, and resources throughout Hunterdon County in an … Continue reading
CNJG: Philanthropy’s message to Washington
March 14, 2018This week hundreds of representatives from private foundations are converging on Capitol Hill to share stories of impact and ask policymakers to consider the implications of tax and policy changes on the essential work of our social sector. Foundations on … Continue reading
Sustainable Jersey: Tilting windmills, why not build one instead?
January 24, 2018Funding now available for municipal and school sustainability projects Do you have a wild idea or project with potential that needs funding? Sustainable Jersey’s grant program funds sustainability initiatives in New Jersey—projects like the wind turbine at Cape May City … Continue reading
Sustainable Jersey: How sustainability became my brand and achieved my campaign promises
December 20, 2017Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac explains Sustainable Jersey to mayors in Connecticut On November 26, 2017 at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities’ annual convention, Sustainable Connecticut (CT) was launched. It is modeled on Sustainable Jersey. More than 200 municipal, business … Continue reading
Sustainability ingredients: Innovation, persistence, partnerships, and leadership
November 22, 2017Sustainable Jersey 2017 special awards announced This week, Sustainable Jersey celebrated the 82 municipalities, from 18 New Jersey counties, that achieved the Sustainable Jersey certification in 2017. Sustainable Jersey has almost hit the 80 percent participation mark this year with 445 … Continue reading
Harvest Time: Youth reap the benefits of urban farming in Camden
November 8, 2017Teresa Niedda, Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET), and Fredric Byarm, Founder of Invincible City Farms were two of the many inspiring people we had the chance to work with in Camden when Creative New Jersey was … Continue reading
Sustainable Jersey: Making sustainability change stick
October 9, 2017Sustainable Jersey Regional Hubs meet to advance collective leadership What drew leaders from Sustainable Jersey’s Regional Hubs to an indoors five-hour gathering on a recent beautiful fall Saturday? Consider the range of responses ticked off as we went around the room: … Continue reading
Detroiter feels kinship with Newark on 50th anniversary of rebellion
August 3, 2017This year marks a somber anniversary for many urban communities around the United States. It’s the 50th anniversary of 1967 rebellions that occurred in cities across the nation, including Newark, Oakland, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul. As a native Detroiter, I’ve heard … Continue reading
Board Leadership: Want a Stronger, More Diverse Board? Start Here
July 26, 2017Diversity on boards has long been a hot topic. While it has always been a best practice to have a board of directors that is reflective of your constituency, too few have lived up to that best practice. In the … Continue reading
