NJ CTF Community Prevention Mini-grants

The New Jersey Children's Trust Fund (NJ CTF) is a public-private partnership through the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, and the NJ Department of Children and Families. It's supported through charitable and philanthropic donations from everyday New Jersey residents just like yourself.

Through the NJ CTF, four (4) community-based prevention services mini-grants, totaling $25,000 each, will be awarded to support innovative prevention practices which uplift families and reduce the likelihood for child maltreatment. Applications will be accepted from October 15, 2026 to November 15, 2026, and funding announcements will be made in January 2027.

The purpose of these mini-grants is:

• to engage the community in the prevention of child abuse and neglect;

• to support prevention initiatives which may not typically receive traditional state funding;

• to encourage innovation and thought-leadership in promising prevention strategies;

• to build awareness around the NJ Children's Trust Fund and its mission to prevent child maltreatment through family-strengthening activities.

The NJ CTF was created to fund programs and services intended to prevent the abuse and neglect of children and youth, by supporting programs that reduce parental stress, increase parental resilience, develop parenting skills and social connections for parents and youth, and help families address unmet material needs. To learn more about the NJ CTF, visit https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/childrens-trust-fund-history.shtml

Project eligibility requirements

In order to be eligible for grant-funding for this community prevention mini-grant, projects must meet the following criteria.

• Projects must be sponsored by an organization with an annual operating budget less than $3 million.

• The sponsoring organization must be current with all business and charitable reporting requirements from the State of New Jersey, and filed all required annual federal and state tax forms.

• The sponsoring organization must agree to adhere to all ethics and fraud prevention requirements of a New Jersey state grantee.

• The project must file two brief, one-page progress reports, at the mid-way point (July 2026) and the conclusion of the grant period (December 2026), describing how funding has improved outcomes in the community.

• Funding shall not be used to support organizational staffing.

• Projects may reapply for grant consideration for up to three consecutive years, with progressive evidence of non-CTF project sustainability efforts in subsequent grant applications.

All applications for funding will be reviewed by an independent evaluation committee of child welfare experts to determine recommendations for awards. The final approval on grant awards shall be made by the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.

Permissible use of community prevention mini-grant funding

Grant funding may be requested for:

• Capital improvements or needs (facility needs, vehicles, etc...)

• Technology (hardware, software, database development)

• Relevant materials and supplies that a program might need

• Start-up support of a new program or operating support of an existing program

• Public awareness campaign efforts or materials

• Evaluation and research

• In-community events or activities specifically focused on children and families.

Grant funding may not be used for project staffing support or to fund program salaries at this time.

For specific questions about this mini-grant of the NJ Children's Trust Fund, please email DCF-NJCTF@dcf.nj.gov.

By way of your check-off below, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the grant award, if selected to receive funding, and warrant that all information contained within this application is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. You understand that failure to provide true information in this application may result in ineligibility for consideration for this, and future grant awards from the NJ Children's Trust Fund.