New Jersey has a crowded nonprofit landscape packed into a small state between New York City and Philadelphia. Food pantries, family support centers, hospital foundations, historical societies and private grant-makers often sit only a few miles apart. This directory lists 325 charity and nonprofit offices across the state. This page explains how the sector is organised, so you can work out which kind of organisation you need before you pick up the phone.

Who Regulates Charities and Nonprofits in New Jersey

Three levels of government touch almost every New Jersey charity. Knowing which does what helps you check an organisation before you donate, volunteer or ask for help.

At the state level, the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs runs the Charities Registration Section. It enforces the Charitable Registration and Investigation Act, which requires most charities to register before they solicit donations from New Jersey residents. Some groups, such as houses of worship, fall under exemptions, so a missing registration is not always a red flag. Registered charities file annual financial reports, and the Division keeps public records that anyone can search.

Incorporation is a separate step. A nonprofit corporation is formed under Title 15A of the New Jersey statutes by filing with the Division of Revenue and Business Services in the Department of the Treasury. That filing creates the legal entity. It does not, by itself, make the group tax-exempt.

Federal tax-exempt status comes from the IRS. Organisations recognised under section 501(c)(3) can accept tax-deductible gifts, and most file a Form 990 each year. New Jersey's Division of Taxation separately grants sales tax exemption to qualifying nonprofits through an exempt organization certificate, commonly called Form ST-5.

Programs add their own licensing layer. A charity that runs child care, residential care or health services may also answer to the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Health. The Family Success Center network and the county Family Support Organizations, for example, operate within Department of Children and Families programs. That is the framework behind listings such as the Family Success Center at 29 Cortland Street in Newark (973-344-5949) and the Family Support Organization at 705 Bergen Avenue in Hudson County (201-915-5140).

How Charity Nonprofit Offices Differ Across New Jersey's 21 Counties

Where you live changes what is available nearby. The state has 21 counties, and the density of charities follows population, hospitals, universities and state government. The groups below are examples from our database, not a complete list.

Northern New Jersey: Essex, Bergen, Union and Morris

Essex County leads our database with 40 listings. Newark anchors it, but the county also reaches East Orange, South Orange and West Orange. The Black United Fund of New Jersey is at 132 South Harrison Street in East Orange (973-676-5283). The Montrose Park Historic District Association is on Academy Street in South Orange, and the Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation is on Main Street in West Orange.

Bergen County has 39 listings, including the Ehmc Foundation at 350 Engle Street in Englewood, the Russ Berrie Foundation on Frank W Burr Boulevard in Teaneck and the C J Foundation For Sids in Hackensack. Farther south, Union County includes Catholic Charities at 108 Alden Street in Cranford (908-272-7247) and the Westfield Historical Society on Elm Street. In Morris County, the Morris Education Foundation is at 50 Early Street in Morristown (973-683-0767).

Central New Jersey: Mercer and Middlesex

Mercer County has 36 listings. Trenton is the state capital, so many statewide associations and advocacy groups are based there. The New Jersey Restaurant Association at 126 West State Street (609-599-3316) is one example. It is a trade group, which is a reminder that some listings serve members or an industry rather than individuals in need. Princeton has 16 listings, including the Infinity Foundation at 174 Nassau Street (609-683-0548), and Hamilton has the Atlantic Foundation on Fairgrounds Road.

Middlesex County has 29 listings. Fund For New Jersey is at 94 Church Street in New Brunswick (732-220-8656). The American Cancer Society office is on U.S. 1 in North Brunswick, and its number, 800-227-2345, is a toll-free national line. The Future Technology Foundation is at 200 Metroplex Drive in Edison.

South Jersey, the Shore and the Rural Northwest

In the south, Camden County has the Bach Foundation at 622 Cooper Street in Camden (856-966-0061) and the Kennedy Health Care Foundation at 18 Laurel Terrace in Cherry Hill (856-661-5350). Atlantic County has the Family Service Association of South Jersey at 312 West Absecon Boulevard in Absecon (609-652-2377). Along the Shore, the Salvation Army is at 210 5th Avenue in Asbury Park (732-775-2200), and Ocean County's Toms River has five listings.

Rural counties in the northwest and southwest have far fewer listings than the urban core. Residents there often depend on county-wide agencies, congregations and regional offices that cover several towns. You may need to drive to the county seat, so ask about service areas, hours and appointments before you go.

Reading a Charity Nonprofit Listing in New Jersey: What Does the Organisation Actually Do?

The word "nonprofit" covers very different organisations. Matching the type to your need saves time. Most listings fall into one of these groups:

A foundation's listed address is often an administrative office, not a service counter. Treat the address as a place to write or call first, not somewhere to turn up unannounced.

Practical Steps for Getting Help or Giving Well in New Jersey

If you need help, start with the closest agency that does direct service. Call and ask three questions: whether you live in its service area, what documents to bring, and whether you need an appointment. Many programs bind eligibility to your county or town of residence because their funding is tied to those places.

If the first call does not work, dial 2-1-1, the statewide information and referral line. A navigator can point you to food, housing, utility and family programs near you. County welfare offices handle public benefits, which are separate from charity assistance, so ask whether you should apply for both.

If you want to give, take ten minutes to check the organisation first. Confirm its exact legal name, look it up in the Division of Consumer Affairs charity records, and confirm its federal status with the IRS. Compare the phone number and address with what the solicitor gives you, because lookalike names are common. Never pay by gift card or wire transfer to someone who calls you unexpectedly.

Volunteers can follow the same approach. Small organisations often need drivers, front-desk help or grant writers more than cash, and a short call will tell you what they need most.

Nonprofit organizations operating in New Jersey must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. New Jersey's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 152 cities across New Jersey. They are spread across 21 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Princeton, Newark, Trenton, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in New Jersey can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the New Jersey Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

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Nonprofits seeking grant funding in New Jersey should explore state-level grant programs administered through the New Jersey Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many New Jersey foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across New Jersey to find the nearest location.

Timing Your Request or Gift Around the New Jersey Calendar

Demand for charity services in New Jersey follows a predictable calendar. Food pantries and the Salvation Army receive most of their donations in November and December. Shelves are often thinnest in late winter and in summer, when school meal programs pause. A call in those quieter months, either to donate or to ask for food, can matter more than a December gift.

Weather has shaped the sector too. Superstorm Sandy struck in October 2012 and hit Shore communities hard, including those in Monmouth County. Many relief and recovery groups grew out of that response. Hurricane Ida flooded homes in September 2021 in places such as the Raritan Valley in Somerset County, and local groups again shifted to emergency aid.

Before you visit any office, check its hours. Many small organisations are staffed part-time or by appointment, and some listed addresses are administrative offices. A two-minute call confirms the address, the service area and what to bring.

Charity Nonprofit Questions in New Jersey

In most cases, yes. The Charitable Registration and Investigation Act requires charities that solicit contributions in New Jersey to register with the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs, Charities Registration Section, before they begin. Registered groups then file annual reports, and professional fundraisers hired by charities face their own registration rules. Certain organisations are exempt, and houses of worship are the best-known example. A missing registration therefore calls for a follow-up question rather than an automatic accusation. If you are unsure, contact the Division and ask whether the specific organisation is registered or exempt. Keep the exact legal name handy, because lookalike names are common.

Make three free checks. First, search the Division of Consumer Affairs charity registration records for the organisation's legal name. Second, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm federal status under section 501(c)(3) and see whether it files a Form 990. Third, read the latest Form 990, which shows program spending, salaries and fundraising costs. Then compare the name, address and phone number with what the charity gave you. A listing such as the Bach Foundation at 622 Cooper Street in Camden (856-966-0061) gives you a number to call and ask for registration details. Give only through official channels you have verified yourself.

Our database shows the heaviest concentration in the northeast and the central corridor. Essex County has 40 listings, Bergen 39, Mercer 36 and Middlesex 29. Newark and Princeton have 16 listings each, and Trenton has 11. Population, major hospitals, universities and state government explain much of this pattern. If you live in the far northwest or the far south, the nearest agency may sit in a neighbouring county, so ask about service areas before you travel. Many programs accept clients only from specific counties or municipalities because their funding is tied to those places.

Four steps, usually in this order. File a certificate of incorporation under Title 15A with the Division of Revenue and Business Services. Obtain an employer identification number from the IRS and apply for 501(c)(3) recognition, using Form 1023 or, for smaller groups, Form 1023-EZ. Register with the Charities Registration Section if you will solicit contributions in the state. Then apply to the Division of Taxation for a sales tax exemption if you will buy goods. Fees and thresholds change, so check current amounts on the agency websites. Talking to an established local nonprofit or a nonprofit attorney before you file saves rework.

Federal deductions are available for gifts to qualified 501(c)(3) organisations if you itemize your return. Keep receipts or acknowledgment letters, especially for larger gifts. Not every nonprofit qualifies. A trade group such as the New Jersey Restaurant Association in Trenton may be organised under a different tax category, and membership dues are generally not treated as charitable gifts. State income tax treatment differs from federal treatment. New Jersey's gross income tax generally does not offer a deduction for charitable donations, so confirm your situation with the Division of Taxation or a tax professional before you file.

Call first and ask what the office needs. Typical items are a photo ID, proof of address such as a lease or utility bill, and documents showing household size and income, such as pay stubs or benefit letters. Family programs may also ask for children's birth certificates or school records. Many Family Success Centers and county Family Support Organizations, including the one at 705 Bergen Avenue in Hudson County (201-915-5140), keep set hours or work by appointment, and some serve only certain counties. If you cannot reach anyone, dial 2-1-1 for statewide referrals to nearby food, housing and family services.