The Princeton-based Burke Foundation, inspired by the legacy of former J&J Chair and
CEO Jim Burke, announced Monday that it is committing $6.5 million in grants aimed at
improving maternal and infant health and early childhood development in New Jersey.
The investment significantly expands the foundation’s commitment to helping children
and families in the crucial 1,000 days from pregnancy through age 2, the foundation
said.
“The Foundation’s work reflects what science tells us — that the more nurturing children
receive in the first 1,000 days, the healthier they will be for the rest of their lives,” James
Burke, the foundation’s president and board chair, said.
“It pays off for society too, reducing long-term spending in such areas as special
education, public assistance, healthcare, and even criminal justice. Nobel laureate
economist James Heckman found that every dollar spent on high-quality early childhood
programs returns up to $13.”
During that determinative time, investments in parent-child bonding, early childhood
education, and related areas help build a foundation for lifelong health and well-being —
by building cognitive skills that help to narrow disparities in academic achievement,
foster healthy physical development, and nurture social-emotional skills that promote
future success. This can decrease costs related to health care and social services and
contribute to a more equitable society.
Foundation Executive Director Atiya Weiss explained more.
“With these multi-year investments, Burke doubles down on transformative initiatives
and approaches proven to work for families and supports efforts to build strong
partnerships to carry this progress into the future,” she said.
Foundation officials say the grants to New Jersey nonprofits reflect the Foundation’s
strategic shift to making fewer, larger grants that can accelerate lasting impact. These
awards will support a mix of proven models and promising partnerships designed to improve lifelong health and well-being and help eliminate racial/ethnic health disparities
in New Jersey.
First Lady Tammy Murphy, who created Nurture NJ and made maternal and infant care
her significant initiative over the past eight years, applauded the announcement.
“Today marks a historic moment for mothers and babies across New Jersey,” she said.
“The Burke Foundation has been a critical partner to Nurture NJ over the years,
supporting strong evidence-based pilots that have led to groundbreaking legacy
initiatives, such as Family Connects NJ, our universal nurse home visitation program.
“These investments build upon that work and will help reduce disparities in maternal
health and early childhood development by expanding access to quality, equitable care.
Through proven community partnerships, this grant will strengthen our foundation of
maternal and infant health care, ensuring every family has the opportunity to thrive in
New Jersey.”
These are the grants and what the Burke Foundation believes they will help accomplish:
HealthySteps — $1.5 million over three years to expand an evidence-based pediatric
care model that integrates child development specialists into primary care teams so
parents receive support to address their children’s behavioral, developmental, and
social-emotional needs from birth. This will protect momentum amid uncertain federal
support and make good use of a new enhanced Medicaid payment the state launched
in July. With Burke’s support, HealthySteps will continue scaling efforts to reach 22% of
New Jersey children under age four by 2029.
“When families have the right support early on, babies and toddlers thrive. ZERO TO
THREE’s HealthySteps program makes that possible by meeting them where they
are—in the pediatric primary care office,” HealthySteps National director Rahil Briggs
said. “Whether it is helping connect families with local resources or providing positive
parenting guidance, HealthySteps helps close gaps and set children up for success in
school and in life. The results speak for themselves: the program delivers an average
159% return on investment in just one year through a combination of child- and adult-
focused interventions related to breastfeeding, maternal depression, immunizations,
and more. With the Burke Foundation’s leadership, HealthySteps is continuing to grow
across New Jersey. When families thrive, we all thrive.”
Start Strong NJ — $1.5 million over three years to help build a statewide campaign to
make high-quality child care affordable for all New Jersey families. Uniting business
leaders, child care educators, parents, advocates, community organizations, and
funders, Start Strong NJ sees child care as essential infrastructure that is core to New Jersey’s economic competitiveness. Burke’s investment aims to make sure the next
governor makes child care a high priority for helping families, educators, communities,
and the state’s economy thrive.
“Turrell Fund is honored to join the Burke Foundation and our partners in advancing the
Start Strong NJ campaign,” Turrell Fund CEO Curt Fields said. “By expanding access to
high-quality, affordable child care, we invest in the healthy development of children, the
stability of families, and the enduring strength of New Jersey’s economy.”
South Ward Wellness Center — $500,000 capital investment toward creating a $43.7
million community health hub in one of Newark’s most underserved neighborhoods will
support expanded doula care; CenteringPregnancy, CenteringParenting, and
HealthySteps initiatives; lactation assistance, mental health counseling, and workforce
training under one roof. Developed by long-time Burke partner BRICK in collaboration
with Saint James Health, the Center will provide 2,000 residents annually with culturally
responsive care and anchor numerous maternal and family wellness efforts.
“At BRICK, we believe lasting change begins with listening to the community. The South
Ward Wellness Center is more than a building — it’s a movement to reshape health,
maternal and early childhood care by centering local voices and culturally responsive
services,” CEO Dominique Lee said. “This investment ensures that families in Newark
have a trusted home to address whole family health from starting from the womb.
Together, we’re advancing equity, reducing racial disparities, and empowering families
to thrive across generations. We are extremely thankful for partners like The Burke
Foundation for believing and investing in a comprehensive strategy to support families.”
Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Fund — $3 million over five years to help seed a
new public-philanthropic partnership supporting the Maternal and Infant Health
Innovation Authority and its flagship Innovation Center in Trenton. Backed by $86
million in state and federal capital funding, the Center will deliver maternal and infant
health services, train doulas and other providers, and serve as a statewide data,
research, and policy hub. As a founding funder and executive committee member,
Burke will help shape pilot initiatives to reduce disparities and improve New Jersey
families’ health.
“The establishment of the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Fund marks a pivotal
step in advancing NJMIHIA’s mission to improve maternal and infant health outcomes
across New Jersey,” CEO Lisa Asare said. “By strategically investing in innovative,
evidence-based, and community-driven projects and partnerships, this Fund will foster
advancements in clinical care, workforce development and data-driven models.
“Together, these efforts will strengthen the State’s maternal health ecosystem and
ensure the long-term sustainability of our initiatives — ultimately creating healthier futures for families throughout New Jersey. We are grateful for Burke’s support and
partnership in making this vision a reality.”
The Burke Foundation
The foundation, reflecting the legacy of former Johnson & Johnson Chair and CEO Jim
Burke, focuses on science-backed evidence that the first 1,000 days from pregnancy
through age two are the most crucial to brain development and building strong
caregiver-child bonds. Its grantmaking and partnerships with government, nonprofits
and the private sector stem from the belief that communities benefit most when we
invest in families at the earliest, most essential stages of life. The Foundation engages
at the community level, learning from the people on the frontlines of delivering services
and pressing for change.
