Community Development & the Environment

Program goals: to build and sustain strong communities and create economic opportunities for residents of low-income neighborhoods.

We support a mix of citywide and local community development activities as well as citywide technical assistance, policy research, and advocacy. We will give priority to projects that promote community participation.

Grants are made to projects that:

• Preserve affordable housing in low-income neighborhoods;
• Promote strategies for job creation and linking low-income residents to jobs;
• Develop new sources of capital and innovative community development tools;
• Enhance the capacity of community development organizations to function effectively; and
• Monitor and document the effects of community and economic development policies on poor communities.

You may also consider applying for a grant through the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

Our New York City program focuses on four urban environmental issues:

• Promoting a more effective and sustainable solid waste management program through consumer education, research, and advocacy, with an emphasis on waste reduction and equitable distribution of solid waste facilities.
• Expanding open space and parks through advocacy, constituency building, and support of local planning and greening activities.
• Reclaiming the waterfront and brownfields through technical assistance, advocacy, and partnerships between community development and environmental groups.
• Reducing air pollutants and other environmental toxins through cleaner fuels and engines, mass transit improvements, and elimination of indoor pollutants and the concentration of polluting facilities in poor communities.

In the New York metropolitan region, our aims are to preserve and restore habitat, promote a more sustainable transportation system, protect open space and drinking water, and redevelop brownfields.  

The Trust is fortunate to have the Henry Phillip Kraft Family Memorial Fund, whose purpose is to support environmental projects of national and international significance and supplements our local environmental grantmaking.

Grants from the Kraft Fund are made to:

Minimize climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through local, state, and regional commitments; through efforts by private businesses and institutions to increase sustainable practices; and through development of alternative energy sources and energy conservation. Our focus in 2009 has shifted to getting a national commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.

Preserve biological diversity through habitat conservation by supporting the preservation and restoration of ocean, estuarine, coastal, and wetlands habitat; promoting land conservation and smart growth strategies; and altering destructive agricultural and industrial practices.

Reduce or eliminate toxins that are hazardous to human health by implementing clean production practices; adopting the precautionary principle; protecting drinking water quality; and conducting research to establish links between hazards and public health. In 2009, we are focused on getting stronger federal protections from toxic chemicals. 

Internationally, we will support only U.S.-based organizations that are building the capacity of government, institutions, and nonprofits to protect biodiversity, improve environmental health, and reduce greenhouse gases around the world.

Read more about the Kraft Fund>>

Program goal: To improve the workforce development system in New York City for disadvantaged job seekers. We do not support individual employment programs.

Grants are made to projects that:

• Advocate for policies and programs that expand access to skills training, career guidance services, and job placement assistance for disadvantaged job seekers.
• Build the capacity of workforce development agencies to serve the needs of employers while helping employees get requisite skills in economic sectors where job growth is anticipated, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, and health care.
• Address the particular needs of groups with serious barriers to employment, for example, those with limited English, few basic skills, and ex-offenders.

In addition to our regular grantmaking in this area, we also manage the NYC Workforce Development Fund.

Program goal: To improve the management capacity of nonprofits and strengthen the nonprofit sector.

Grants are made to:

• Advance public and nonprofit service by developing skills and expertise of professionals in the field; and
• Support service and umbrella organizations providing technical assistance to groups of nonprofits.

Program goal: To ensure a representative political process and improve the functioning of government.

Grants are made to:

Encourage voting through projects that:

• Support reform of election administration and voting infrastructure;
• Remove obstacles to voting, especially for groups that have historically not voted; and
• Disseminate nonpartisan information about candidates and elected officials.

Make local and state government more accountable through projects that:

• Support efforts to make Albany work better for the citizens of the City and the State;
• Strengthen nonprofit civic groups; and
• Provide citizens and advocates with information and skills needed to promote effective governance.

Promote civic literacy in children and civic learning for our newest citizens through projects that:

• Encourage good citizenship among immigrants and their children;
• Enrich civic learning opportunities for children and youth; and
• Target neighborhoods and constituencies with low levels of civic participation.