We are metropolitan New York’s community foundation, serving New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. Our competitive grants are made possible primarily by funds set up by donor bequests and wills, supporting projects to improve the lives of New Yorkers.
Our competitive grants are supported by hundreds of funds. Some can be used at our discretion, while others were created for particular purposes and range from specific (helping injured, needy, classical ballet dancers)—to broad (improving opportunities for poor girls and women).
Based on our guidelines, program officers review proposals and identify the best projects to recommend to our board. Our Long Island and Westchester divisions have their own guidelines and grantmaking processes. (The Trust also has many living donors who suggest grants from donor-advised funds. These funds do not accept proposals.)
We are home to several funder collaboratives that bring foundations and charitable individuals together to address issues such as immigration, education, and equity in the arts. These collaborative funds do not accept unsolicited proposals; instead they issue requests for proposals or solicit nonprofits to apply. Please see descriptions of the collaboratives and their RFPs.
Most of our competitive grants go to public charities, or to groups sponsored by one. While our focus is on New York, we support some organizations headquartered outside the City. For example, our environmental and social work education programs are national. Grantees (or fiscal agents) should have a board of directors with at least five members, and no more than one paid board member.
We fund programs that promote change in policy or systems, build capacity of organizations, and expand and/or improve direct service.
We do not make grants to individuals, or for general operating support, capital and building campaigns, endowments, equipment, deficit financing, or religious purposes.
Because of the volume of proposals, we are not able to meet with organizations to help them decide on a project before submitting a proposal. Instead, we ask that you read our guidelines to ensure your project aligns with our grantmaking goals, then submit a proposal. Some proposals meet several of our goals. You do not need to determine the program officer(s) who will receive your proposal; we do that.
Here are guidelines in our 16 program areas:
We help providers deliver efficient, patient-focused, equitable, and cost-effective health and behavioral health services to all New Yorkers. We support projects that develop the skills and independence of four groups of people with special needs: the elderly, the blind or visually impaired, children and youth with disabilities, and people with developmental disabilities. We also support biomedical research and projects for animal welfare.
Program goal: for the humane treatment and medical care of animals.
Program goals:
Program goal: to promote an equitable, patient-focused, and cost-effective health and behavioral health care delivery system.
Grants are made to:
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
The Trust has a coordinated approach that reflects the common challenges and opportunities for the following groups of people: the elderly, children and youth with disabilities, people with blindness and visual disabilities, and people with developmental disabilities. We support projects that target low-income individuals and communities.
Grants are made to:
The Health and Behavioral Health and the Older Adult and People with Disabilities strategies give preference to projects that offer sector-wide, systemic, and multi-agency solutions, and whenever possible, make grants in partnership with other Trust program areas to ensure the greatest impact.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Our grants build promising futures by helping young people prosper; providing job training and placement; making our educational and justice systems work for everyone; alleviating hunger and homelessness; improving family and child welfare services; and advancing the practice of social work.
Program goal: to ensure New York City’s public schools prepare students for success in college and the workforce, and for participating in public life as creative and responsible citizens.
Grants are made to:
We do not make grants to individual public or private schools, charter schools, or programs that involve limited numbers of students.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: to promote a more effective and fair civil and criminal justice system through research and monitoring of practices and procedures in City courts, and advocacy to improve local court practices and procedures.
Grants are made to:
We do not make grants to provide legal representation in criminal matters.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: to mitigate the effects of poverty, increase opportunity through effective services and public benefits, and reduce racial disparities.
Grants are made that:
Preference is given to projects that go beyond one agency or program to offer sector-wide, systemic, and multi-agency solutions. Whenever possible and appropriate, human services grants are made in partnership with other Trust program areas.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal:
to provide more opportunities for New York City job seekers to get trained for work and careers, while helping employers find a ready, willing, and able workforce.
Grants are made to:
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: to help young, low-income New Yorkers up to the age of 24 overcome obstacles and succeed in life and careers.
Grants are made to:
We do not make grants to stand-alone college access and preparation programs.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
We make grants to groups that protect and create affordable housing, promote equity in the arts, improve civic engagement, and protect our environment. We support agencies working on these issues at the neighborhood level, as well as government and nonprofit institutions developing strategies. We also support efforts to improve the functioning of nonprofits and government.
Program goals:
Grants are made in all artistic disciplines to projects that:
We do not generally make grants:
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goals: to ensure a representative political process and improve the function of government by encouraging voting, holding state and local government accountable, and promoting civic literacy for children and new immigrants.
Grants are made to:
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: 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 give priority to projects that promote community participation.
Grants are made to:
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goals: to become a climate-smart metropolis; create healthier, more livable communities; and protect urban ecologies.
Grants are made to:
We generally do not fund environmental education projects.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goals: to mitigate climate change; make communities more resilient to climate change; protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants; and preserve biological diversity.
Grants are made to promote more environmentally sustainable, resilient, and just communities that:
We encourage initiatives that cut across these program areas, especially those focused on smart growth, sustainable agriculture and regional food systems, and sustainable production.
With the exception of those focused on New York State, all projects must benefit more than one U.S. state or territory to be considered.
NOTE TO GRANT SEEKERS: The Trust does not accept unsolicited proposals for the national and international environment program. To apply, submit a three-page Letter of Interest (LOI) and budget via the LOI portal that appears on our grant portal each fall (mid-September) and winter (late-February).
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Each year, we make only two or three international grants to U.S. organizations that are building the capacity of government, academic institutions, private sector entities, and nonprofits to:
NOTE TO GRANT SEEKERS: The Trust does not accept unsolicited proposals for the national and international environment program. To apply, submit a three-page Letter of Interest (LOI) and budget via the LOI portal that appears on our grant portal each fall (mid-September) and winter (late-February).
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: to support preservation in low-income and minority communities and the boroughs outside of Manhattan, and to restore historic places that represent significant and overlooked aspects of City history.
Grants are made to programs that:
To ensure maximum impact from our limited funds, we will not make grants directly for maintenance or capital projects. However, The Trust has established a modest fund with the New York Landmarks Conservancy for emergency structural repairs (maximum grant $25,000) for nonprofits that own and operate historic buildings in New York City.
Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.
Program goal: to improve the management capacity of nonprofits and strengthen the sector.
Grants are made to: