Cosponsorship Program

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation partners with other organizations as part of our goal and commitment to broaden our public education so that free legal information is available to New Jersey citizens statewide.

We invite non-profit organizations to work with us so we can accomplish this goal together.

2023- 2024 Funding Cycle

  • The application period for the 2023-2024 Funding Cycle is now closed.
  • Look for the 2024-2025 Grant Application to be posted here in December 2023.
  • Questions: Contact Mary Jean Barnes, Director of Administration & Grants Programs at [email protected]

Our programs are made possible through funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey.  Some of our most successful programs are those in which we’ve combined efforts to cosponsor a project with another nonprofit organization.  For example:

      • NJSBF supports The Arc of New Jersey’s Equal Justice Talks webinar series, which aims to highlight issues facing victims, witnesses and defendants with developmental disabilities and to increase understanding of the disadvantages faced by such populations in the criminal justice system.
      • NJSBF works with the Community Health Law Project to present the award-winning annual Law and Disability Conference (read more about this conference), which helps explain laws that affect individuals with disabilities.
      • NJSBF partnered with Pushcart Players, a touring educational theater company, to bring history to life for schoolchildren throughout the state. With funding from NJSBF, Pushcart Players is able to present the multi media piece, Lift Every Voice: A Letter to the Editor, which explores the music, images and spirit of mid-century America while celebrating the courage and resilience of everyday Americans leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.
      • NJSBF works with organizations to publish booklets explaining aspects of the law to residents of New Jersey, from Disability Law: A Legal Primer, a project of the Essex County Bar Association, to the Students’ Rights Handbook, a booklet outlining the rights of students developed by the ACLU – NJ.

2022-2023 Cosponsorships

The Foundation is supporting the following organizations and programs in fiscal year 2022-2023.

Autism New Jersey: Medicaid-funded Autism Treatment: Knowing and Asserting Your Rights
CAIR-NJ: Know Your Rights Trainings
Casa de Esperanza Educational Foundation: Awareness and Response
Center for Youth Political Participation, Eagleton Institute of Politics: RU Ready, a civic engagement initiative
Community Health Law Project: Combating the Pandemic Eviction Crisis through Education and Direct Legal Services and Legal Foundation for Families Navigating the Special Foundation and Guardianship Systems
Covenant House New Jersey: Atlantic City Youth Advocacy Center
Disability Rights New Jersey: Youth in Transition: Navigating NJ Systems with a Goal of Increasing Self-Advocacy and Achieving Competitive, Integrated Employment
Essex County Legal Aid Association: Tenant Representation During an Eviction Crisis
G.I. Go Fund: Veteran Legal Victory Project
Josephine’s Place: Get Better Informed on your Legal Options
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): Pro Bono Attorney Engagement for Representation of Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund: Educational Empowerment in our Latino Community
Make the Road NJ: Safeguarding Immigrant Tenants and Workers: A Legal Rights Education Project
Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs: Center for Citizenship and Legal Immigration
National Association of Women Judges, NJ Chapter: New Jersey Color of Justice Program
NJ Consortium for Immigrant Children: Toolkit for Immigrant Youth (TIY)
NJ LEEP: Legal Diversity Pipeline Program
Oasis — A Haven for Women and Children: From Surviving to Striving
Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of NJ (PLAN NJ): Communicating the Need for Legal and Estate Planning for the Future Care of People with Developmental or Psychiatric Disabilities
Pushcart Players: Lift Every Voice: A Letter to the Editor Outreach Initiative
Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN): Special Education & Health Rights of Children & Youth with Special Needs Involved in Child Protection & Juvenile Justice
The Arc of New Jersey: Equal Justice Talks Webinar Series
Women In Transition: Family Law Series
YMCA of Metuchen: Youth & Government
YWCA Northern New Jersey: Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny in New Jersey Politics
YMCA Union County: Legal Education Advocacy Project

A few words from our cosponsors….

“Thank you for the grant to support Communicating the Need for Legal and Estate Planning for the Future Care of People with Disabilities.  We are so grateful to you for helping PLAN|NJ uphold our mission, which is to help the families of individuals with disabilities answer the question, ‘Who will care for my loved one when I’m gone?’

Your generosity helps us reach more families and professionals with life planning information through in-person seminars and educational conferences, and via live and recorded webinars and twice-yearly newsletters. We will innovate this program in the year ahead by adding a podcast and new topic trends. Our goal is to help more people plan for the future care of persons with significant disabilities and to maintain rights to services and support under the law.”

Ellen Nalven

Executive Director, PLAN/NJ

“With the support of the NJ State Bar Foundation, we are able to offer college staff the proper training needed to make them aware of the laws that are impacting their work and to ensure they are trained to meet their obligations. Your generosity is vital to what we can do together in the months to come.”

Helen Archontou

Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Northern New Jersey

“Since 2005, the Foundation has made it possible for Covenant House’s Youth Advocacy Center to provide legal services to homeless and at-risk youth. Our work with disadvantaged youth would not be possible without the support of the Foundation and we are grateful for this continued collaboration.”

Rani Cherian

Development Associate, Covenant House New Jersey

“Thank you for your continued support of NJ LEEP! Because of your support, we are growing our programs and serving more students and families in our community.”

Claire Dragon

Managing Director of External Engagement, NJ Leep