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 affiiliates 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.
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: older adults, the blind or visually impaired, children and youth with disabilities, and people with developmental disabilities. We also support biomedical research and projects promoting 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: older adults, 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 that New York City’s public schools provide all students with the opportunity to reach their full potential, and to graduate prepared for college and work. The Trust will support projects that focus on system-wide improvements and reforms that advance equity, narrow the opportunity gap, and create safe and supportive learning environments.
Grants are made to:
Expand opportunities and improve academic outcomes for students who are inadequately served by the City’s public schools for reasons such as poverty, race, disability, lack of English proficiency, and homelessness, with a focus on projects that can be adopted by numerous schools or at the district level. The Trust will support projects that:
Promote policy advocacy and organizing to ensure that local and state policies affecting the programming, personnel, budget, priorities, and leadership of the City’s public schools account for the needs of all students, particularly those who have historically been inadequately served. Priority will be given to projects that:
Collect and share data on the state of the system, service gaps, student and parent preferences, and the potential and actual impact of policy choices. We will support:
Because our focus is on system-wide improvement and reform, The Trust will not fund:
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.
PLEASE NOTE:
We are in the process of hiring a new program officer for Arts and Culture/Historic Preservation. We expect to have the position filled by September 2024. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience as we will need additional time to review any proposals submitted to this area. We appreciate your understanding. If you have a current grant from the Arts and Culture/Historic Preservation program and have questions about the interim report, final report, or a renewal, please contact Marc Schell at msc@nyct-cfi.org.
PLEASE NOTE:
We are in the process of hiring a new program officer for Arts and Culture/Historic Preservation. We expect to have the position filled by September 2024. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience as we will need additional time to review any proposals submitted to this area. We appreciate your understanding. If you have a current grant from the Arts and Culture/Historic Preservation program and have questions about the interim report, final report, or a renewal, please contact Marc Schell at msc@nyct-cfi.org.
Program goals:
Grants are made to projects and programs 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.
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 National and International Environment Program starts the process with an LOI, which can be submitted through the Grants Portal during three-week windows each fall (late September) and winter (late February).
These LOIs should be no more than four pages and include a description of the project, proposed activities, and a preliminary budget.
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: