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Choose New Jersey
Choose New Jersey reported $20.9 million in revenue and $21.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $88.20 went to program services, $7.91 to management and general costs and $3.89 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.1% of the total. Government grants made up 76.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $564,180 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 361% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $21MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.2% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.9% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.9% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.1% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 76.2% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $564,180 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.68% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.1 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 28 of 28 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseBusiness attraction and retention efforts - Choose New Jersey is keenly focused on nurturing economic growth in New Jersey by stimulating job creation and capital investment. Working with governmental entities, Choose New Jersey designs and executes business development strategies aimed at specific companies, with a focus on several key sectors, including: innovation & technology; life sciences; clean energy; advanced manufacturing; logistics; food & agriculture; artificial intelligence (ai); and film. Working jointly with New Jersey's business leaders and community groups, Choose New Jersey…
Integrated marketing and media relations - Choose New Jersey successfully and widely promotes the benefits of conducting business in the state of New Jersey to businesses and corporate leaders in other states and other countries. Marketing activities include paid advertising in both print and digital publications; event planning and sponsorships, including proprietary policy symposia, networking events and public forums; and website development and social media strategies. Media relation activities include interaction with briefings with news media, interviews, press release distribution, and…
Choose New Jersey was awarded a $5 million business marketing grant from the New Jersey department of state. This initiative will highlight the benefits of doing business in the state of New Jersey and to encourage national and international business entites to relocate and expand in the state. The preliminary work on the capaign, entitled, ""this is nj,"" includes development of campaign strategy, design and production of creative assets, creating a new brand identity, and identification of target audiences within the cohorts of business decision makers, site selectors and, entrepreneurs and…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $529,506 | $0 | $34,674 | $564,180 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $187,925 | $0 | $29,397 | $217,322 |
| CHIEF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,326 | $0 | $23,816 | $207,142 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $155,685 | $0 | $17,090 | $172,775 |
| DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,651 | $0 | $36,269 | $158,920 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $140,285 | $0 | $4,118 | $144,403 |
| FINANCE MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,152 | $0 | $19,165 | $140,317 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Choose New Jersey (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $782K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b28 · 28 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 527
- Volunteers Part I, line 628
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NARRATIVE MEDIA Marketing | $571,672 |
| NPSG NJ LLC Marketing | $328,315 |
| TODAY'S BUSINESS Marketing | $231,887 |
| MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS Marketing | $176,000 |
| BRYAN STRATEGIES GROUP Marketing | $144,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Choose New Jersey totaling $150K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Choose New Jersey's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Choose New Jersey, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Choose New Jersey spent in 2024, $88.20 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Latino Coalition for Community LeadershipBakerfield, CA · revenue $21M · programs 95.7% · FY2025
- Friends of Seattle WaterfrontSeattle, WA · revenue $21M · programs 91.7% · 2024
- Ohio Community Development Finance FundColumbus, OH · revenue $21M · programs 94.0% · 2024
- Campus Partners for Community Urban RedevelopmentColumbus, OH · revenue $21M · programs 97.9% · FY2025
- Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity CouncilIndependence, WI · revenue $21M · programs 96.3% · 2024
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in New Jersey
Questions people ask
How much of Choose New Jersey's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Choose New Jersey reported that 88.2% of its $21.1 million in expenses went to program services, 7.9% to management and general and 3.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Choose New Jersey pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Choose New Jersey reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $564,180, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Choose New Jersey get its money?
Of $20.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 99.1% came from contributions and grants (including 76.2% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Choose New Jersey a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-2903875 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503199349301500 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423209349323412 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333199349323533 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203199349322895 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123159349306122 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043179349304094 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-2903875: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.