The roadmap for family prosperity in New Jersey received a significant financial lift this week. The Family Success Institute (FSI), an East Orange-based nonprofit, announced it has been awarded a $20,000 operational grant from the Schumann Fund for New Jersey.
The funding marks a continued partnership between the two organizations, building on an initial investment made in 2025. The grant is earmarked to bolster FSI’s mission of transforming family well-being from a localized privilege into a universal right across the Garden State.
The Family Success Institute operates on the principle that communities are strongest when families have a direct hand in shaping the systems meant to serve them. According to FSI leadership, this new capital will be deployed to expand several core New Jersey programs:
-
Community Action Forums (CAF): Grassroots gatherings designed to give local parents and caregivers a “seat at the table.”
-
CAF Regional Meetings: Larger-scale strategy sessions that bridge the gap between different NJ municipalities.
-
The Learning Community: A collaborative network where community leaders and family members swap lived experiences to develop high-impact social strategies.
“We are grateful for the Schumann Fund’s continued investment,” Tim Carden, executive director of FSI said. “When families have a seat at the table and their voices shape the systems that serve them, entire communities grow stronger.”
Beyond local meetings, the grant supports FSI’s more ambitious goal: legislative institutionalization. The organization is actively promoting policy changes in Trenton aimed at making “family success” a formal standard for state-funded social services.
Tom Blatner, co-founder of FSI and president of the Board of Directors, emphasized that the movement is about reimagining the social fabric of the state. “With the support of partners like the Schumann Fund, we are accelerating the momentum needed to transform that vision into lasting change,” Blatner stated.
The Schumann Fund has long been a pillar of New Jersey philanthropy, specifically targeting ideas that empower vulnerable populations. By doubling down on FSI, the fund signals a continued belief in the “Family Success” model as a primary engine for community growth in 2026.
