Building on the program introduced at OceanFirst Foundation’s December 2024 CEO/Board Leadership gathering, we are excited to announce the JOIN! Initiative. JOIN! is focused on reinvigorating civic engagement, building social capital, and enhancing community connections. Check out the details below to learn how to apply for a JOIN! Grant.

Who May Apply

We consider requests for JOIN! Grants from nonprofits (501c3) that can demonstrate mission alignment with one or more of our Funding Priorities and a significant level of service and impact within OceanFirst Foundation’s footprint – Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union counties in New Jersey. Applicants outside this footprint must contact the Foundation to be screened for eligibility prior to submitting a request. Additional grant eligibility requirements may be found here.

New Applicants

Inquiries to the Foundation are welcome and nonprofits that have not previously been awarded a grant from OceanFirst Foundation should call 732.341.4676 to be screened before applying.

Grant Deadline

Requests will be considered on a rolling basis until funds are fully allocated.

Grant Purpose

Each nonprofit is eligible to submit one request per category and each request requires a separate application. Please be mindful that we share limited resources with hundreds of nonprofits across our footprint and the demand always exceeds our budget. Other than Civic Membership requests, those that demonstrate collaboration with other nonprofits, community organizations, and leaders will be prioritized.

• CEO Connection Event
• Civic Membership
• Community-led Volunteer Project
• Host a Jefferson Dinner (or lunch) How a Jeffersonian Dinner works – Jefferson Dinner

Grant Awards

Nonprofits awarded a JOIN! Grant must agree to use funds only as outlined in the approved proposal. 

Application Status

Expect to receive a response to a request within one month of submission.

2025 Application Process