The New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund (NJCAEF) is a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1983 to empower low- and moderate-income people and communities of color through direct counseling and services, research, education and training on public policy issues important to working families. Our goals are to promote economic and racial equity, to empower the marginalized, and to build strong communities via services that foster financial stability and mobility.
NJCAEF provides free comprehensive outreach and education services, including HUD-certified housing and foreclosure counseling, homeownership education for first-time homebuyers, financial education and one-on-one financial coaching, tax preparation, and healthcare enrollment assistance. Together, these programs promote affordable homeownership, financial literacy, asset preservation, health care access, and economic growth for New Jersey’s low- to moderate-income communities and people of color.
NJCAEF also works closely with our 501(c)(4) sister organization, NJ Citizen Action, to provide education and research on issue campaigns that advance the interests of working families, including in health care, financial justice, workplace protections, anti-poverty and tax fairness.
NJCA vs. NJCAEF
In order to fully support and empower NJ working families while complying with federal tax law, it is necessary to operate under two organizational entities: New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) and the New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund (NJCAEF).
The Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused primarily on providing important resources, tools, and services to marginalized NJ communities and individuals. Gifts to the (c)(3) are fully tax-deductible to the donor.
New Jersey Citizen Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that engages in direct political advocacy with lawmakers and activists. Gifts to the (c)(4) are not tax-deductible. Click here for more information.
NJCA and NJCAEF often collaborate on education and outreach to ensure maximum participation in programs and services. While these organizations have a close working relationship, they are distinctly separate, with different Boards of Directors, bylaws, and organizational budgets, and undergo separate financial audits by independent auditors annually. Each organization operates independently, and neither organization is a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the other.