The Princeton Area Community Foundation has named John S. Watson Jr. (“Jay”) a Fund Advisor of the Community Foundation’s Bunbury Fund.
Watson, of Lawrenceville, is known throughout the state for his nearly 40 years experience working on environmental and land conservation issues. He is the Senior Director of Statewide Land Protection and Community Relations at the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
“We are very fortunate to have Jay join our work at the Bunbury Fund,’’ said Jamie Kyte Sapoch, a Community Foundation Trustee and Bunbury Fund Advisor. “In addition to his environmental expertise, Jay brings a perspective from many years of board and volunteer involvement in a variety of local organizations. He will add significantly to our discussions around how to help our region’s nonprofits increase their effectiveness by building their capacity in areas like governance, leadership development and performance measurement.”
The Bunbury Fund is a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation, created in 2015 from the assets and philanthropic intentions of The Bunbury Company, a private foundation. Its work is overseen by a small group of Fund Advisors, with assistance from the Community Foundation’s grantmaking staff. Since its inception in 2017, the Fund has committed more than $932,000 in grant funds to 28 of the region’s nonprofits.
Prior to joining the staff of NJCF in June, Watson was Vice President of D&R Greenway Land Trust in Princeton, where his work included land acquisition projects in its preservation areas; he also led other unique initiatives, such as creating Capital City Farm, adjacent to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, management of the Circuit Trails Project, which will reconnect segments of the D&R Canal Path through Trenton, ultimately connecting the Delaware River Heritage Trail, and other special project initiatives. Before joining D&R Greenway, he spent almost 30 years working in various roles at the state Department of Environmental Protection, most recently as the agency’s Deputy Commissioner.
He currently serves on the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation Board and Trenton Cycling Revolution, and he is a member of King David Lodge #15, PHA Trenton. Watson’s past Board service includes the Princeton Area Community Foundation, Isles in Trenton, Trenton Open Space Advisory Board, Crossroads of the American Revolution, New Jersey Natural Lands Trust, EnvironMentors Project, and LifeTies.
The Princeton Area Community Foundation promotes philanthropy and builds community across Mercer County and central New Jersey. It helps people and companies make effective charitable gifts and awards grants to nonprofits. Since its founding in 1991, the Community Foundation has grown into an organization with $170 million in assets and made grants of more than $149 million, including $21 million in 2018.
