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| Social
Investment Application |
South Jersey Industries (SJI) is committed to continuing and strengthening its role as a true community partner throughout Southern New Jersey. Through our social investment program, we try to support initiatives that can positively impact a diverse mix of residents in the communities we serve.
SJI provides grants
to qualifying 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations
demonstrating the ability to positively impact our
communities, while focusing on needs that closely
coincide with the company’s strategic social investment goals.
To be eligible for
these grants, a qualified organization must complete
and submit a comprehensive social investment application,
which can be accessed through the link at the bottom
of this page.
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| Our
Focus |
At SJI, we endeavor to help as many local residents of our utility service area as possible, addressing the critical needs of our communities through our support of community programs, projects and initiatives. When allocating our social investment dollars, we focus on organizations that address the following core priority areas:
 Health
and Social Services – Improving the quality of life for residents of Southern New Jersey by specifically addressing the health and welfare of our region’s women, children and families. This includes support of organizations that protect the most vulnerable members of our community by promoting self sufficiency and creating safer homes and neighborhoods.
Economic
and Workforce Development - Strengthening the communities of Southern New Jersey by enhancing the economic vitality of the region by directly or indirectly creating and retaining jobs, stimulating growth and increasing tourism.
Cultural
Diversity –Improving the communities of Southern
New Jersey by promoting in our region cultural diversity and
exposure to the arts through a variety of outlets.
Vocational
and Technical Education –Improving the quality of life
for residents of Southern New Jersey by encouraging lifelong
learning efforts, supported by secondary, vocational and technical
education initiatives and programs.
Environmental
Stewardship –Improving the communities of Southern New
Jersey by helping to protect our environment and natural resources
through education, advocacy and grassroots efforts.
Applicants should identify the area with which their organization’s interests are aligned and provide details on how the organization’s programs and initiatives help further the goals mentioned above.
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| Frequently
Asked Questions |
Q: I have received funds from SJI in the past, do I have to submit an application?
A: All 501(c)(3) organizations seeking charitable financial support from SJI are required to submit a completed application. This includes organizations that previously received charitable funds or event sponsorships from any SJI subsidiaries, as well as organizations new to the process. Additionally, prior sponsorship or financial support does not guarantee grant awards in subsequent years.
Q: How often can I apply for funding?
A:Only one application may be submitted per organization
per year. For this reason, you must include the total amount
of funds you are requesting for the entire calendar year and
highlight any benefits to be enjoyed by SJI over the course
of the year. Additionally, if you don’t receive funding in a given year, you are welcome to reapply in subsequent years with a new application or opportunity if a demonstrated need remains.
Don’t forget, your application should outline the total financial commitment you are seeking for the entire calendar year, as well as highlight any benefits that the company might enjoy as a supporter of your organization.
Q: In
fundraising, I’ve always been told to “shoot for the stars” and request the highest grant amount available. Even if I don’t
get it, at least I have a better chance of getting some funding,
right?
A: Wrong! Please consider carefully the grant level you request and identity very specifically how it coincides with our social investment goals. With 42,759 non-profit organizations operating in New Jersey (from IRS reports, 4/09), it is not possible to fund them all at maximum levels. If you only offer information relating to maximum funding amounts (i.e. $10,000 to $15,000), we have no way of identifying how other amounts could impact your organization, and we may have to deny your request completely.
When completing your application, try to highlight the benefits of a relationship with your organization at a level that is consistent with our areas of interest and our business goals, and how these two things relate to your organization. Providing this information for comparison purposes will allow our Social Investment Funding Committee to make the most informed decisions when allocating funds.
Also, if your organization does not currently have an established relationship with South Jersey Industries, we urge you to consider a more conservative request in your first application. If you have never received funding from SJI and we have not previously been involved with your organization, it is unlikely that you will receive maximum funding.
Q: I would much rather come in and meet
with SJI to show you the benefits that you could enjoy from
partnering with my organization. Can I set up a meeting instead
of submitting an application?
A:No. An organization will not be considered for funding
without completing an application. Additionally, because there
are so many organizations operating in New Jersey, we prefer
only to set up individual meetings if we need to follow up
with you for additional information or would like to learn
more about your group’s activities.
We plan to hold an informational session in the coming year (2010) for nonprofit leaders and will post information on this site for those who may be interested.
Q: We are holding an event in February,
but the SJI funding announcements will not be made for the
first half of the year until March. How can we still compete
for funding?
A: If you are holding an event or requesting funding
for an initiative that will occur before March 1, you may apply
for funding determination during the second funding period
of the preceding year. In the fall, organizations may submit
an application for the coming year to ensure that a decision
is made in time for early-year initiatives. Please note, however,
in the event you receive early approval of your application,
you will not receive payment
until the following year’s March distribution period. Other early submissions will not be accepted unless they relate directly to a program or event occurring before March 1.
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| Eligibility Guidelines |
Before submitting your application for funding, please review the following eligibility guidelines. Grants are offered by SJI pursuant to the following guidelines and requirements. Please note, no exceptions to these guidelines will be made.
To
be eligible for grants from the Office of Community
Relations, organizations applying for grant funds must
be structured as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that utilizes the support of volunteers in addition to at least one full-time paid staff person.
Grant applications must adhere to the specified proposal format, which outlines the organization’s mission, specifies populations directly served or affected by the organization, and identifies how the funds requested will be used. While we recognize that some organizations create their own forms for specific events or requests, those forms will only be considered as supporting material. Each requesting organization must complete and submit an SJI Social Investment Request Form in order for a request to be considered.
Organizations NOT
ELIGIBLE to apply for SJI Corporate Grants
from the Office of Community Relations include:
• Religious or faith-based organizations soliciting funds to be used largely to benefit their membership or to improve facilities used predominantly by their membership.
• Benefits providing financial support only for individuals or single families
• Political causes
• Public, private and religiously-affiliated elementary and high schools
• Youth sports leagues and leagues teams
• Projects funding causes lacking ties to the local communities served by our subsidiaries. This includes organizations whose primary audiences reside outside our main service area.
If you have any questions concerning your organization’s eligibility, please contact the Office of Community Relations at 609-561-9000 extension 4316 or via email at socialinvestment@sjindustries.com.
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| Application and
Funding Process |
Funds will be distributed by the Office of Community Relations twice per year, in March and September.
If
you wish to be considered for the March funds distribution
period, please submit your application between January
1 and February 12.
If
you would like to be considered for the September
funds distribution period, please submit your application
between July 1 and August 13.
Following the application deadline, the grant proposals will be reviewed by SJI’s highly qualified internal committee. Funding decisions will not be made on a rolling basis. All decisions will be made following the end of the application period. Once decisions regarding funding levels have been made, organizations will be notified in writing.
Applications and other requests
for support that are received outside the time periods
outlined above will not be immediately reviewed,
but will be filed for consideration during the next
distribution period.
Generally, grants will be awarded at the discretion of the SJI Contributions Committee in the following denominations:
$500 - $1,000 - $1,500
- $2,000 - $2,500 -
$3,000
$5,000 - $10,000 - $15,000
Please note that larger grant amounts are available in limited quantities, so it is critical that your application demonstrate sufficient need, as well as a comprehensive outline of the proposed use of the funds to be considered for these amounts.
To be eligible for Social Investment funds, organizations must adhere to the process described above, regardless of the dollar amount or type of support requested. We cannot guarantee the review of individual mailings and requests for sponsorships outside of those included in this process.
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