Our Home State:
New Jersey
New Jersey has a lot to be proud of when it comes to health, but there also are wide, persistent—and in some cases, growing—gaps in health across the state. A series of comprehensive, equity-promoting policies are needed to ensure that everyone in our state has a fair and just opportunity to live the healthiest life possible.
City of Trenton Awarded RWJF Culture of Health Prize
RWJF announced its final cohort of Culture of Health Prize winners, and for the first time, a community in our home state of New Jersey has been selected. The City of Trenton is recognized for its community-led efforts to advance health equity—from restorative justice initiatives and maternal health reform to food security and housing access.
Featured Content
The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey
In 2023, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice partnered with RWJF to convene the New Jersey Reparations Council. Through an intensive two-year study, the Council engaged to tell the story of New Jersey’s deep but often overlooked history of slavery and its enduring impact on the contemporary life of Black people in our home state.
Gov. signs legislation allowing the designation of a Public Health Institute
The institute will serve as a new entity to coordinate public health efforts, drive innovation and advance equity across New Jersey communities so that everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest life.
Major maternal health center set for summer groundbreaking in Trenton
To make New Jersey the safest, most equitable place to deliver and raise a baby, the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority’s center will serve as a hub for healthcare services, perinatal workforce education, training, research, community programs and more.
How to Invest in New Jersey Where it Will Count
By aligning public, private, and philanthropic capital with community needs, targeted impact investments can drive health equity and economic opportunity across the state.
Areas of Focus
Structural racism, compounded through generations of policies and practices, causes different New Jersey populations to experience vastly different realities. Our work seeks to address the drivers of inequitable health conditions in three key areas:
Advancing birth equity in New Jersey
Black people in New Jersey are seven times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white people. To end such disparities, the systems that serve populations of color need targeted improvements in prevention, care, and support.
Making safe, affordable housing available to all
New Jersey has among the highest housing costs in the country and millions of residents—largely people of color—are segregated and effectively shut out of opportunities to live in the kinds of homes and communities to which they aspire. This is a major barrier to good health.
Creating a stronger public health infrastructure
The COVID-19 pandemic called attention to—and worsened—the impact of racism and inequity on the lives of people of color and residents with low incomes. As New Jersey turns to recover and repair, a revitalized public health system is crucial to making sure history does not repeat itself.
Trending News, Insights & Evidence
A collection of trending topics, thought leadership, and research about our work to build a Culture of Health here at home in New Jersey.
N.J. Poll Finds Demographics Shape Perceptions of Health Equity
Residents with greater privilege and access to opportunities not only lead healthier lives but are also less likely to acknowledge that racism and discrimination contribute to poor health.
Seizing the Moment: Creating NJ's First Public Health Institute
RWJF and the newly announced incubator organization of the public health institute (PHI) are looking to make the longtime goal of a state PHI a reality. Read the report.
Trenton must do more to help N.J.’s hungry
More than 285,000 households lacked access to affordable food at the height of the pandemic, and it hit hardest along racial and ethnic lines.
Featured Initiatives
We work alongside organizations large and small to address issues critical to making health equity a reality for everyone living in our home state.
Equity Ahora New Jersey
Equity Ahora is working to create a healthier, more equitable New Jersey by providing funding and holistic support to grassroots community-powered organizations rooted in racial equity.
New Jersey YMCA State Alliance
The Alliance fosters a greater ability for YMCAs, community partners, and thought leadership across the state to impact families, improve community health, and advance equity.
Rutgers Center for State Health Policy
The Center provides analytic expertise in areas that include Access and Coverage, Health and Long-Term Care Workforce, and Health System Performance.
Jegna Council
The Jegna Council is an advisory group that guides our New Jersey grantmaking team as they strive to more effectively center equity in their work and build power across the state, with an intentional focus on communities that have historically lacked opportunities to live their healthiest life.