Project Grant 19VSANJ002

THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION ON CORRECTION (NJAC)'S MISSION IS TO ENABLE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN DIGNITY TO BE MANIFEST IN THE POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS GOVERNING VICTIMS OF CRIME AND OFFENDERS, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THROUGH REHABILITATIVE, EDUCATIONAL, AND LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS WITHIN THIS IS TO ELIMINATE POVERTY BY SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS WITH COUNSELING, JOB TRAINING, LEGAL ADVOCACY, AND EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN SEVEN NJ COUNTIES. THE PROPOSED VISTA PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOCUS AREA, AS MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS ON REDUCING BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC STABILITY, INCLUDING INCREASING JOB READINESS. THE VISTA PROJECT WILL SEEK TO EXPAND NJAC'S CAPACITY TO LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND SPECIFICALLY TO EXPAND NON-GOVERNMENTAL REVENUE STREAMS THROUGH INCREASED INDIVIDUAL GIVING, MORE PROFITABLE FUNDRAISING EVENTS, AND CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GRANTS. WE EXPECT TO BENEFIT THE MORE THAN TWENTY THOUSAND PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY THAT NJAC SERVES ANNUALLY THROUGH OUR EXPANDED CAPACITY TO FUNDRAISE. PER OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, INCREASED REVENUE WILL BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS TO PROGRAM FACILITIES, SUPPORTING STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM GROWTH TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE, AND TO BUILD ON OUR PRACTICALLY NONEXISTENT RESERVE FUND. THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT WILL ENABLE NJAC TO BETTER SERVE ITS COMMUNITIES WITH SERVICES TARGETED TO CURRENT NEEDS. NJAC REQUESTS ONE VISTA TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BY PERFORMING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS IMPLEMENTING A NEW DONOR DATABASE, IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS WITH DONORS AND POTENTIAL DONORS, WRITING AND ASSISTING WITH GRANT PROPOSALS, AND ASSISTING THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE EXECUTION OF A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT. THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE.