Built on the conviction that every resident should have real equity in the systems that shape their life.
Too many New Jersey communities are locked out of the systems that decide their air quality, energy costs, land use, and civic infrastructure — not by accident, but by how those systems are designed. Small towns can't afford the grant match. Working families can't afford the solar. Farms get squeezed between development pressure and the economics of the energy transition.
Citipax exists to help close those gaps where it can. The Institute does research, convening, technical assistance, and direct project work in partnership with the towns, farms, commissions, and small institutions that are doing the work without the capacity to do it alone. The aim is not to study the problem; the aim is to make what works transferable.
Founder
Ben Hemberger founded Citipax in 2026. He lives in Califon, New Jersey, works on the farm crew at City Green — a regenerative agriculture nonprofit in Clifton — and serves on the Borough of Califon's Parks and Recreation Committee. Citipax grew out of his municipal work and a longstanding interest in how communities actually carry out the changes the energy transition and the agricultural transition require.
Contact
For partnerships, research collaboration, or press inquiries, write to hello@citipax.org, or subscribe for periodic updates.