Official Site of The State of New Jersey
TRENTON, NJ – October 15, 2026 - The New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (NJTFCAN) today announced a new Community Prevention Mini-Grant opportunity through the NJ Children’s Trust Fund that is designed to support innovative child abuse and neglect prevention efforts led by organizations deeply connected to, and attuned to, their community’s needs.
Four grants of up to $25,000 each will be awarded to eligible organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $3 million. The application window opens today, and will remain open until November 15, 2026; applicants can apply at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJCTF-Minigrants-2026
“Through these Community Prevention Mini-Grants, we’re seeking to energize efforts, throughout the state, to proactively prevent child abuse and neglect,” said Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) President and CEO Mary Coogan, co-chair of the NJTFCAN. “These grants give community organizations an opportunity to build on what works, test promising ideas, and bring new voices to the child abuse prevention landscape. It’s an opportunity to support creative thinking and innovation to uplift families in order to help them meet their nurturing potential.”
The grants are intended to reach organizations and initiatives that may not traditionally receive state funding and to strengthen community-based efforts that support children and families.
“We recognize that improving outcomes for children and families requires all of us to work together, side by side with our community partners to advance prevention practices across every corner of the state,” said New Jersey Department of Children and Families (NJ DCF) Acting Commissioner Joseph E. Ribsam Jr., co-chair of the NJTFCAN. “By investing in organizations located right in the community, we can expand our reach of prevention-focused and family-strengthening efforts that provide the right support at the right time. It’s about engaging the community in developing community-based solutions and honoring the experience and wisdom of people who show up every day to provide families with what they need to be successful.”
The Community Prevention Mini-Grants were developed by the NJTFCAN’s Marketing, Development, and Fundraising Subcommittee to disperse NJ CTF funding for worthwhile community-based programming. The NJ CTF is supported by individual and corporate donations, including a charitable check-off on New Jerseyans’ state income tax returns, and requests for funding are ultimately reviewed and approved by the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. For more information about the NJ CTF, visit https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/childrens-trust-fund.shtml, or to donate, visit https://nj.accessgov.com/dcf.
“Not only is this a way to use NJ CTF dollars on grassroots projects to promote the public good, but it’s also a way to invite the public into a dialogue on how we can all work together around the prevention of child abuse and neglect, all year long,” said NJTFCAN Marketing, Development, and Fundraising Subcommittee Chair Jason Butkowski, Director of Communications for NJ DCF. “Some of the most promising prevention work is happening right in our own communities, but these projects are happening in silos, disconnected, and from organizations that don’t traditionally have access to state funding. These mini-grants will bring new ideas, new partners, and new energy to the work of strengthening families and preventing child maltreatment before it happens.”
The mini-grants will fund an array of prevention efforts that may include, among other things, events and activities, evaluation and research. and public awareness activities. The only limitation is that, because funding is intended as a one-shot with limited opportunities to reapply, the community prevention mini-grants may not be used to support staffing needs.
Applications will be reviewed and awardees will be selected by a formal evaluation committee made up of NJTFCAN and subcommittee members. Proposals that incorporate evidence-based practices and protective factors that are known to strengthen families will receive enhanced consideration.
Applications are due by November 15, 2026. Award decisions will be announced in January 2027.
To access the grant application details, requirements, and to apply, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NJCTF-Minigrants-2026.
About the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect
The New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (NJTFCAN) is a statutorily established, multi-disciplinary advisory body to New Jersey’s child welfare system, charged to develop and advance recommendations, in partnership with constituents, on local and state strategies and connections that are designed to strengthen New Jersey’s broader child and family serving systems, to help communities thrive, and to ensure children, youth and families succeed. Learn more at https://www.nj.gov/dcf/about/boards-councils/task-force/njtfcan.shtml
About the Children’s Trust Fund
The New Jersey Children’s Trust Fund (NJ CTF) is a public / private partnership created by law to fund child abuse and neglect prevention, identification, and treatment programs in New Jersey. The NJ CTF is primarily funded through an income tax checkoff, allowing New Jersey residents to designate a portion of their tax return to help prevent child abuse and neglect. The Trust Fund is also able to collect private and corporate donations to fund innovative child abuse prevention projects.
Funds raised through the NJ CTF are available for community-based and statewide prevention projects that would not typically be covered under conventional government funding streams. The NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect—a partnership of stakeholders with representation from government, non-profits, and children’s advocacy organizations—is responsible for approving expenditures from the fund. Learn more at https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/get-involved/childrens-trust-fund.shtml