The Community Chest Announces 2021 Request for Proposals

The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County announces its 2021 Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants. The Chest recognizes the significant changes area nonprofits made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to provide services for current and an increased number of clients.

This year, The Chest's grantmaking process focuses on a new set of priorities identified by our colleagues in leadership positions with local nonprofit agencies. The priority areas are:

• Food insecurity for individuals and families residing in The Community Chest’s service area;

•Mental health services for all populations, especially those strongly influenced by the pandemic;

•Services to support/facilitate re-employment;

•Programming to support COVID-19 learning loss, with a focus on the loss of social and emotional development, not academic support;

•Programming to assist students with applying to college; and

•Support of The Chest’s Young Women’s Leadership Awards.

Grants will be made only to nonprofits embracing The Community Chest's core values--diversity, equity and inclusion are viewed as moral imperatives. Funded organizations must not discriminate in service delivery or organizational structure based on race, gender, age, sexual identity or other personal characteristics. Organizations that do not subscribe to the above are not eligible for funding.

All grant applications must be submitted electronically by no later than Monday, May 14, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Grant recipients will be notified by July 1, 2021 with grants distributed by September 15.

All applicants must be designated a 501(c)(3) IRS nonprofit and be operational for more than two years. Applicants must provide services to residents of eastern Bergen County, New Jersey in any of these municipalities: Alpine, Bergenfield, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Rockleigh or Tenafly. Applicant must comply with The Chest's Diversity Guidelines.

The complete 2021 request for proposal's guidelines, criteria, and an application are available online. For further information, contact Dr. Shelly Wimpfheimer, Executive Director of The Community Chest, at 201-568-7474 or by e-mail.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Since the organization's founding 88 years ago, The Chest has raised over $2 million, the equivalent of $62 million, when adjusted for inflation, and served over 100 nonprofit organizations. The Chest supports area nonprofits addressing a range of issues, including health and mental health, hunger, arts programming, the environment, and volunteerism for approximately 50,000 people annually.

Founded in 1933, The Community Chest, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, has supported local not-for-profit agencies for 88 years. The Chest leads initiatives and supports nonprofits that make our communities stronger and benefit people in need in eastern Bergen County. Each year, The Chest raises funds and allocates them to agencies demonstrating the capacity to provide services to local citizens. The organization also provides coordinating and planning services in its communities, serving as a bridge between agencies and organizations and investing in the stability and quality of the service network.

The Community Chest's Board of Managers is comprised of community leaders dedicated to improving the lives of neighbors in need. People interested in being considered for board membership may contact executive director Dr. Shelly Wimpfheimer at (201) 568-7474.