Search Through Community Development Grants in New York City, New York in the U.S.

The Eisner Foundation

Mission: The Eisner Foundation identifies, advocates for, and invests in high-quality and innovative programs that unite multiple generations for the betterment of our communities.

Vision: Our goal is to ally with organizations that use an intergenerational lens to combat structural challenges in today’s society, not merely alleviate the symptoms. A clear vision, combined with a deep understanding of the challenges an organization wants to solve, should inspire a mission with measurable goals and outcomes that lead to success.

The Eisner Foundation supports organizations offering intergenerational solutions to society’s greatest challenges.

Intergenerational solutions...

• include more than one generation actively involved
• are beneficial to all parties
• make communities stronger

Types of Support

We offer the following:

• General Operating Grants - Unrestricted funds that support the general operations of an organization.
• Project Support Grants - Funds that are designated to a specific project carried out by the organization.
• Capacity-Building Grants - Funds that are for board and staff development, technological assistance and upgrades, and strategic planning.
• Capital Project Grants - Funds specifically for the purpose of purchasing, renovating, or construction of facilities.
• Opportunity Grants - smaller organizations or larger organizations launching new intergenerational initiatives, grants up to $25,000.

Opportunity Grants

This program aims to help smaller organizations grow and gain credibility, and to encourage organizations to be innovative and entrepreneurial in developing new intergenerational solutions. These grants are available for one-year terms, and are renewable for small organizations. Large organizations with successful initiatives may apply for additional grant funds after one year, but cannot renew an Opportunity Grants.

Criteria

When evaluating organizations as potential philanthropic partners, we focus on the following criteria:

Efficiency: We generally fund organizations that allocate at least 75% of their operating expenses directly to their programs, whatever they may be. Recognizing that different types of organizations have different expenses, we benchmark organizations against their peers, and compare the efficiencies of nonprofits with similar missions and geographical locations.

Effectiveness: The Eisner Foundation seeks organizations that have demonstrated success, and have measurable patterns of achievement that can be used to benchmark future accomplishments

Leadership: In a crowded sector with many redundant nonprofits, good leadership gives rise to success. We seek organizations with leadership teams that actively empower their staff and the next generation of leaders.

Vision: Our goal is to ally with organizations that use an intergenerational lens to combat structural challenges in today’s society, not merely alleviate the symptoms. A clear vision, combined with a deep understanding of the challenges an organization wants to solve, should inspire a mission with measurable goals and outcomes that lead to success.

For Opportunity Grant applicant organizations that have been in existence less than three years, our review will focus on leadership and expertise or special understanding of issues related to the sector in which the program operates. For those Opportunity Grant applicants that are established organizations starting new programs, we will evaluate the achievements of the organization.

NYCT: Healthy Lives

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. 

Health and Behavioral Health

Program goal: to promote an equitable, patient-focused, and cost-effective health and behavioral health care delivery system.

Grants are made to:

Advocate for successful health care reform implementation to ensure:

• maintenance of a strong and viable health and behavioral health care safety net;
• access to comprehensive and coordinated care for those who remain uninsured or underinsured; and
• availability of screening, early intervention, and referral for effective treatment of disease.

Build the capacity of New York City’s health, behavioral health, and human service sectors to succeed in a reformed health care system by:

• developing effective skills training for the professional and paraprofessional health care workforce; and
• strengthening financial and information technology systems to allow transition to value-based payments.

Reduce health disparities between low- and higher-income neighborhoods through investments in disadvantaged communities that:

• improve indoor and outdoor air quality;
• provide safe and inviting parks and open space;
• promote access to affordable and healthy food; and
• engage residents in efforts to encourage physical activity and healthy diets.

Foster the independence of people with mental illness and substance use histories by:

• expanding innovative programs that offer clinical care as well as practical services, such as housing, employment, and education; and
• advocating for expansion of participant-led or informed service models that are sustainable and effective.

Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.

Older Adults and People with Disabilities 

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:

Make New York City communities—especially those that are under-resourced—accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for people with special needs by:

• supporting research and pilot efforts that demonstrate these principles; and
• ensuring that laws that fund services and expand opportunities are implemented fully and effectively.

Ensure that health, social, education, and vocational services allow people with special needs to live up to their fullest potential by:

• supporting and replicating proven strategies that help these populations receive appropriate education, high quality vocational preparation, and equal employment opportunities;
• testing new approaches that use technology and other innovations to help people with special needs remain as independent as possible; and
• supporting families and caregivers of people with special needs.

Build the capacity of nonprofits serving people with special needs by:

• ensuring the workforce serving these populations is provided effective training, better career pathways, and increased job quality;
• helping agencies create appropriate financial and management systems, and partnerships to benefit from new financing mechanisms through Medicaid and Medicare.

Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.

The Pinkerton Foundation is an independent grantmaking organization established in 1966 by Robert Allan Pinkerton, the Chairman and CEO of Pinkerton’s, Inc., then the nation’s oldest and largest security company. The foundation, which retains no ties to the firm, supports community-based programs for children, youth and families in economically disadvantaged areas in New York City.  Although we consider a wide range of youth development initiatives, Pinkerton favors direct-service programs that have one overriding goal: to help young people reach their full potential. With that in mind, the foundation looks for groups with capable leadership, high expectations, well-defined goals and active, engaged participants.  Most of the programs we support take place in the after-school, weekend or summer hours and focus on providing opportunities for academic development, career readiness and cultural enrichment. We also support a number of programs that offer a way forward for young people after an encounter with the criminal justice system or years in foster care.

We encourage all potential applicants to read the “What We Believe” section of this Web site for general information. If you believe that your organization’s mission and programs are consistent with the Foundation’s interests then please apply through our Grant Portal .

Promising Futures

Our grants build promising futures by helping young people thrive; 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. 

Focus Area: Youth Development

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:

• Expand leadership opportunities for disadvantaged young people, especially through organizations that:
• have a record of creating programs in communities or operate in a minimum of three public school campuses;
• keep diverse groups of young people engaged;
• work with young people for at least three years; and
• create a role for young people to influence public policy, promote racial equity, or achieve meaningful community improvements.
• Expand or improve employer-driven youth workforce programs that:
• create career pathways in higher wage sectors (e.g. healthcare, technology, hospitality);
• expand internships for young people who are attending school, and those who are unemployed;
• help low-skilled youth get an education, and get job skills by providing training, placement, and post-placement services; and
• improve the City’s career and technical education system.
• Expand the capacity of youth development organizations by:
• supporting intermediaries that provide training, streamline services, improve industry hiring practices, or change public policies; or
• training staff that work with youth to use best practices in leadership development, employment, and nonprofit management.
• Promote policy reforms on issues that affect young people, such as:
• changing New York’s juvenile and criminal justice systems to produce better outcomes for young people; or
• creating better programs that engage and encourage employers to hire less-skilled youth of color.

Our Program Areas

The Sills Family Foundation’s primary grants program intends to help children from low income families live up to their highest promise by concentrating on the following four areas:

Comprehensive Services to Families in Crisis- With a special focus on families impacted by incarceration

The Sills Family Foundation has a major focus on programs that support families impacted by the criminal justice system. We partner with programs that work to strengthen the parent/child bond during incarceration through facilitating transportation for prison visits, creating child-sensitive visiting areas in correctional facilities, providing parenting education classes to incarcerated parents, as well as supporting families through the re-entry period. This effort extends to addressing the inequities in the bail system, preventing juvenile detentions, and providing high quality legal services to low income populations.

In considering the rehabilitative opportunities so rarely provided to incarcerated individuals, the Foundation supports higher education and arts programming inside correctional facilities. The Foundation has begun to play a role in deepening policy makers and service providers’ capacity in this field. The Sills Family Foundation is proud to be a member of the NY Initiative for Children with Incarcerated Parents, as well as the New York Youth Justice Initiative.

Support to Underserved Communities- Through improved access to early education and reduction of neighborhood violence

Low income neighborhoods and schools experience a disproportionate amount of school suspensions, violence, arrests and damage to the community through involvement in the criminal justice system. We support programs that seek to intervene in this destructive cycle and help young people stay on the path to success.

Early education can make a world of difference in how a child goes on to succeed in school, work and life. This is especially true for children challenged by poverty, homelessness and other forms of trauma. Children who start kindergarten behind their peers may continue to face problems throughout school. Getting kids off to a good start is critical to their future.

We are committed to high-quality education experiences that help children live up to their highest potential. We want to improve chances for all children to succeed in life through access to education, early intervention and family supports such as mental health counseling and job skills classes for their parents.

Programs Supporting Immigrants, Refugees and Asylees

We believe all human beings have the right to pursue their dreams of building a better home for themselves and their families, and that newcomers to the US should have access to necessary legal, educational, and material needs.

Environmental Justice- With a focus on contaminants that harm the developing embryo, fetus and infant

Toxic chemicals are released into our environment every day. Children consume pollutants in their food, air and water, their toys, candy, even baby bottles. These hazards can cause serious health problems, ranging from asthma and cancer to brain impairment and behavioral problems. They take a greater toll on the most vulnerable: pregnant women, fetuses and children.

We want to protect families from lead, mercury and other toxic compounds. The foundation supports organizations that embrace the ideals of environmental justice and that protect against poor communities carrying a greater share of the toxic burden. We invest in programs that work to reduce pollutants in our air, water, food and homes so that the minds and bodies of our infants and children stay healthy and strong.

Arts and Culture- Arts education and other creative opportunities to support underserved populations

Arts and cultural activity can provide people of all ages important tools of self expression, can open paths to new forms of communication and can strengthen self esteem. We believe that high quality arts programming in schools, community centers and senior centers can be a powerful tool of social justice. The Foundation seeks to support culturally sensitive collaborations between teaching artists, educators and community leaders to bring the positive power of the arts to under-resourced schools and communities.

Funding Priorities

The Sills Family Foundation funds nonprofits that support early childhood education, environmental justice, arts and culture, and families in crisis, with a focus on families and communities impacted by the criminal justice justice system as well as refugees, migrants and asylees.

Funding Criteria

The organizations we invest in support families and communities to overcome obstacles created by poverty, racism and other forms of marginalization. The programs we support have passionate leaders, are community based and offer potential for systemic, sustained change, including the possibility of replication. We seek to fund organizations for whom our grantmaking capacity will make an impact.

Grant Making Budget

Most of our grants range from $10,000 to $25,000. The Foundation accepts applications for one-year grants only, with the possibility of renewal grants for extended periods. Many of our grants support general operating needs.

Goal: Advance Solutions To Climate Change

The Sustainable Development program advances global stewardship that is ecologically based, economically sound, socially just, culturally appropriate, and consistent with intergenerational equity. Human activity is causing climate change, rapid loss of biodiversity, and accelerating degradation of Earth’s life support systems. With the recognition that the impact of unchecked climate change threatens all other conservation efforts, the program focuses its grantmaking on advancing solutions to climate change.

Strategies

• Building public and policymaker understanding and support for a range of actions to address the threat of climate change.
• Supporting implementation efforts to build a clean energy economy at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Supporting efforts to reduce reliance on carbon-intensive energy sources.
• Supporting targeted efforts to advance international progress on climate change.

Full Guidelines

Human activity is causing climate change and rapid loss of biodiversity, and accelerating degradation of Earth’s life support systems. These developments threaten the livelihoods, health, and security of people in all nations and cultures as well as the well-being of the greater community of life. The RBF’s sustainable development grantmaking endeavors to address these challenges by supporting development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The program supports global stewardship that is ecologically based, economically sound, socially just, culturally appropriate, and consistent with intergenerational equity. The Fund encourages government, business, and civil society to work collaboratively on climate change, to acknowledge the moral and ethical consequences of inaction, and to make it an integral part of all development planning and activity. Recognizing the global nature of many environmental problems, the Fund also promotes international cooperation in addressing these challenges.

The Sustainable Development program maintains a significant focus on the United States in light of its disproportionate impact on the global economy, politics, and the environment. The program’s work is also advanced in collaboration with the Fund’s “pivotal place” programs—Central America, China, and the Western Balkans—and with the Democratic Practice program’s Global Challenges portfolio. Pivotal Place programs support work in specific countries or regions to build the knowledge, policies, organizational capacity, and leadership needed to advance sustainable development in locally appropriate ways. The Fund’s Democratic Practice–Global Challenges portfolio supports broad participation in forging the international agreements and institutional arrangements needed to encourage investment in sustainable development. Fund staff work to ensure that global developments inform work in specific places and that locally grounded efforts generate lessons and innovations needed for global impact.

With the recognition that the impact of unchecked climate change threatens all other conservation efforts, the Sustainable Development program focuses its U.S. grantmaking on building a green economy at the federal, state, and local levels.

In addition, the program provides support for select international efforts to advance global climate negotiations.

Tiger Foundation supports organizations and programs serving the five boroughs of New York City across three portfolios: Education; Family Support; and Youth, Workforce, and Justice. Tiger Foundation’s funding is primarily focused on proven, high-impact, direct human services.Across all program areas, we seek: 

• Strong and consistent measurable outcomes over time
• Skilled executive, program, and board leadership
• Cost-effectiveness
• Financial health and skilled fiscal management
• Opportunity for broad impact (replicability, scale, and leverage of public and other private investment)
• Efforts to engage clients and local community and to develop and refine models that are reflective of community needs

Program Areas

Education PortfolioThe Education portfolio elevates the strongest New York City district and public charter schools, school networks, and community-based organizations to help create an education system where all children have access to excellent schools and services that support the academic and personal development required for success in college, career, and life.Family Support PortfolioThe Family Support portfolio encourages the development of the youngest New Yorkers by helping children access engaging, developmentally appropriate experiences that will prepare them for school and by ensuring that families have access to tools and supports that enable them to thrive. Early childhood is a particularly important time for children’s development, and providing support for both young children and their families from birth (or before) to age 5 helps inspire long-term positive life outcomes.Youth, Workforce, and Justice (YWJ) PortfolioThe Youth, Workforce, and Justice (YWJ) portfolio seeks to increase the availability of, and access to, economic growth and personal development opportunities for individuals in a broad spectrum of life circumstances, including young adults who are not in school or not working; youth who have been impacted by the foster care system; adults who are seeking training and employment to better support their families; and individuals who have been involved with the criminal legal system or are at risk of system involvement. This portfolio supports a wide range of programs that provide counseling, training, and other services to individuals at various stages in their journeys.Seed And ExpansionTiger Foundation seeks to help New Yorkers thrive by providing funding to exemplary nonprofit organizations that serve low-income communities across the five boroughs. We support programs that provide access to effective, supportive, and transformative opportunities for individuals and families. While the majority of our funding will continue to be directed to proven, high-impact, direct services, we created a Seed and Expansion Fund in 2022 that focuses a portion of our resources on support of earlier-stage organizations that are attempting to fill unmet needs in new and innovative ways. In addition to bringing new ideas and new leadership to the field, our Seed and Expansion Fund also supports accelerated growth and replication efforts for some of the City’s strongest program models.

Background

The Marion E. Kenworthy-Sarah H. Swift Foundation was established by Dr. Kenworthy and her long time associate Sarah H. Swift, MSW, in 1962. Its purpose was and remains to advance mental and emotional health of young people up to the age of 26 by making grants to support innovative programs that advance the mental health of young people through social work, psychiatry, preventive psychiatry and community mental health.

During their lifetimes Dr. Kenworthy and Ms. Swift sought to build bridges between psychiatry and social work with commitment to teamwork and collaboration among helping professions. In this spirit the foundation supports development and improvement of understanding in all mental health areas, including preventative psychiatry, that affect the welfare and emotional health of young people.

Funding Priorities

Proposals eligible for funding are limited to:

• Funding for clinical and mental health services for children and youth.
  • Our original and continuous Mission.
  • Youth are defined as up to the age of 26.
• Organizations only within the five boroughs of New York City.
• Funding primarily for support of general operations.
• Minimum grant is $25,000

Investors Foundation Grant

Invigorating Our Communities

We created the Investors Foundation to help make a sustained, positive difference where our customers and employees live and work—reflecting our mission to do right by our customers and neighbors. Together with the Bank, the Foundation builds and leverages purposeful relationships with not-for-profit organizations, local businesses, public servants and other pillars of the community to foster welcome change.

Key Characteristics

• Civic-Minded Initiatives: Foundation efforts focus on the arts, education, health and human services, youth programs, affordable housing and more. Since inception in 2005, the Investors Foundation has given more than $40 million to thousands of worthy community organizations in New Jersey, New York City and Long Island.
• Aligning with the UN SDGs: The Foundation is aligning its efforts closely with those of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular: no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; climate; quality education; and, economic growth.

Mission

Investors Foundation is dedicated to supporting creative initiatives to diverse community organizations that support Arts, Education, Health and Human Services, Youth, and Affordable Housing in communities the former Investors Bank served. 

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

The Asian Cultural Council’s (ACC) Organization Grant program offers an opportunity for arts and culture organizations in Asia and the United States to pursue travel and activities that enable a deep cultural exchange experience for the organization, their staff, and other individuals and communities with whom they connect.

ACC’s Organization Grants support a range of activities that advance international dialogue, the sharing of practices and ideas, and the building of relationships across borders. Organization Grants may support travel to another country, territory, or region for their activities and/or hosting activity participants in the country, territory, or region where the organization is based. 

What do ACC’s Organization Grants offer? 

Exploration and Exchange 

ACC offers Organization Grantees funding to conduct cultural immersion, research, and to increase access to artistic communities or cultural resources in a specific country, territory, or region, and exchange knowledge with peers.  Such programming supports relationship-building across borders, encourages more global and nuanced perspectives among organization staff and activity participants, and can develop capacity and inspiration for future cultural exchange opportunities.

Individualized Support

ACC support services are intended to enhance the proposed plan of activity, increase access to artistic communities and cultural resources in the chosen destination(s), and deepen the cultural exchange experience. Support services may include:

• Advice and recommendations related to the logistical or substantive aspects of the Organization Grantee’s activities
• Introductions to ACC alumni and other arts professionals and institutions that are relevant to the Organization Grantee’s research and cultural exchange objectives  
• Invitations to local ACC events and gatherings, where possible

Please note that ACC does not have offices and staff throughout Asia; therefore, some support services, such as making specific connections, may be limited. (ACC has its headquarters in New York City and affiliate offices in Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan ROC.) Please keep this possibly limited programmatic and logistical support in mind while developing your proposal. Proposals should be feasible, with or without additional guidance from ACC.  

The Home Depot Foundation

The Home Depot Foundation works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap and support communities impacted by natural disasters. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $550 million in veteran causes and improved more than 65,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest $750M in veteran causes by 2030 and $50 million in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople through the Path to Pro program.

The Foundation's Veteran Housing Grants Program awards grants to nonprofit organizations for the new construction or rehabilitation of permanent supportive housing for veterans. Awards typically range from $100,000 to $500,000.

The Venable Foundation envisions that its philanthropic investments provide essential resources to nonprofit organizations in communities across the country. Guided by the belief that everyone has the right to equitable employment opportunities, healthcare, housing, food, and a vibrant cultural community, Venable grantees ensure that economically disadvantaged people are given the tools they need to thrive.

The average size of a Venable Foundation grant is approximately $10,000. First-time awardees are usually on the smaller end of the spectrum. It is up to the organization to determine what it feels is an appropriate request.

Funding Priorities

Grant support is provided to assist with general operations and projects. Currently, the Venable Foundation’s funding priorities include:

• Human Services
• Legal Services
• Education
• Workforce Development
• Youth Impact
• Health
• Environment
• Arts and Culture

You can learn more about each of these funding priorities below:

Human Services – The Foundation has a strong track record of supporting a breadth of essential human services, including programs that impact people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, incarcerated and returning citizens, LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and those affected by domestic violence and housing insecurity.

Legal Services – We support the delivery of free or affordable legal services in our communities. Pro bono consulting and representation focus on a variety of issues, including domestic violence, housing, immigration, public benefits, and discrimination, among other areas. Legal service nonprofits providing “know your rights” training and other activities are also supported. The Foundation also supports training for youth and adults to ensure diversity and access to careers in the legal profession.

Education – The Foundation supports a wide array of early childhood, in-school, and out-of-school time initiatives that provide in-depth opportunities for learning and engagement to position children for success and level the playing field for economically disadvantaged youth.

Workforce Development – We believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to pursue gainful employment. Thus, we support organizations with the goal of developing the workforce of today and tomorrow. Successful programs recruit and train individuals and place them in relevant jobs so that they can earn a sustainable living wage for themselves and their families. Skill development is focused on low-income, underemployed, and unemployed community members, and on preparing youth for careers after their schooling is complete.

Youth Impact – The Foundation invests in services that impact children in each of our communities. These initiatives ensure economically disadvantaged youth are healthy and safe and have opportunities to thrive.

Health – The Foundation is committed to improving wellness and increasing access to care for economically disadvantaged individuals in the region. Successful organizations and programs work to eliminate barriers to healthcare for all ages and provide accessible and no-stigma testing for a variety of diseases. We support pediatric to geriatric services that address a variety of health concerns.

Environment – We support organizations involved in the preservation of our natural resources and those that are addressing natural or man-made disasters in our target regions. Programs educate communities and work for change on a variety of environmental issues, from wildfires to pollution.

Arts and Culture – The Foundation supports initiatives in the arts that promote deeper public engagement and build up the creative economy, with an emphasis on low-income and underserved communities.

Our Mission

The Scherman Foundation invests in the economic, political, and cultural transformation necessary for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to reclaim and build power. 

Our Strategic Framework 

We believe that investing in cultural, political, and economic transformation together advances justice to realize our vision. We support organizations working at the intersections of these transformation areas inside our strategic framework. This framework is the foundation of our more specific and evolving program priorities.

• Economic Transformation
  • Our focus on economic transformation acknowledges that the root causes of economic inequity are linked to white supremacy and racial injustice and that the economic well being of BIPOC individuals and communities is critical for liberation.
  • We support organizations that focus on:
    • Strategies and models that provide BIPOC communities with greater access to capital, assets, and opportunities
    • Economic stability and security for BIPOC individuals and families
    • Advocating for more equitable economic systems through policy reform, institutional changes, and increased transparency
• Political Transformation
  • We believe that those who have been excluded must lead the way in dismantling current political structures and creating new, inclusive, and reflective democratic processes.
  • We support organizations that focus on:
    • Work and priorities that are driven by BIPOC communities
    • Forging multi-racial coalitions working toward racial justice
    • Reforming political structures and processes to make the political system more accessible and accountable to BIPOC communities
    • Increasing the participation of BIPOC communities in democratic processes and decision-making at all levels
• Cultural Transformation
  • Recognizing the crucial role of culture in advancing justice, we support organizations that harness storytelling, expression, and artistic activism to drive systemic change.
  • Our focus is on collaborative narrative change strategies, innovative storytelling frameworks, and equitable media accessibility.
  • We support organizations that focus on:
    • Public Narrative Change: Combating misinformation and harmful stereotypes through investments in journalism, local news outlets, and nonfiction narratives
    • Artistic Expression: Supporting the creativity and work of BIPOC artists and communities without imposing agendas or conditions and transforming the field to do the same
    • Artivism: Using art as a tool for organizing grassroots movements and collective action, including funding on-the-ground storytelling and public art projects

General Criteria

We consider the following general criteria in our grantmaking process.

• Organizations that are accountable to or directed by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.
  • While we prioritize BIPOC leadership, our main focus is on organizations where BIPOC communities have clear influence and decision-making power over the organization's strategy, direction, programmatic work, and finances.
• Organizations that are intersectional in their work and practices.
  • Intersectionality recognizes that individuals hold multiple identities, shaping their experiences with power.
  • We look for organizations that demonstrate a deep understanding of intersectionality in their mission, programs, and practices; center the voices and experiences of those most affected by multiple forms of oppression; and address the interconnectedness of racial justice with economic status, gender, LGBTQ+, and/or disability justice as well.
• Organizations that work with others to build movements toward racial justice.
  • Movement-building is the long-term process of organizing and empowering individuals and organizations to collectively work towards systemic change and a shared vision.
  • We look for organizations and coalitions that reflect key characteristics of movement building including an authentic mass base; grassroots leadership; a shared ideology or narrative; broad coalition-building; and strategy to create and sustain structural change beyond specific organizations or campaigns.
  • The Foundation supports organizations focused on organizing and advocacy, while our Arts funding includes a wider range of approaches.

Strengthening New York Communities Program

New York is where the Scherman Foundation began. For much of its history, the Foundation made grants to challenge inequities and improve the conditions of New York City communities most in need. This focus on social justice remains at the core of our grantmaking today, with a clearer focus on racial justice as expressed in our new vision, mission, strategic framework, and program guidelines. 

New York remains an important part of our grantmaking, with its own distinct grants program. The Foundation is dedicated to challenging the inequities that still exist in New York and building the power of its communities to create a better and more just future for all. With our clearer focus on racial justice, our New York grantmaking recognizes that resourced BIPOC communities, including communities of immigrants—newly arrived and multi-generational—are powerful catalysts for economic, political, and cultural transformation for all.   

Funding Priorities

Housing and Land Use

A stable, decent home and a vibrant thriving neighborhood are elemental to the economic, political, and cultural transformations that the Foundation seeks. The Foundation will therefore continue to prioritize grassroots, movement-building organizations fighting for housing and land use justice in New York City and State. The current crisis in housing and land use is the result of long-term, intentional economic and racial discrimination and neglect. The solution is, therefore, not simply increased supply—more of the same— but qualitatively different housing and land use systems reflecting stability, autonomy, and joy. That systemic change is only achievable through the mobilization and grassroots movement-building leadership of those most deeply affected: low wealth, primarily BIPOC communities.

The Foundation will fund groups based in specific neighborhoods as well as organizations and coalitions with city and state-wide reach.

We support organizations that address the following issue areas separately or in combination:

• Tenant supports and protections for regulated apartments, including rent stabilized units, public housing, and those covered by Good Cause Eviction protections. This includes access to rent relief and expanded housing vouchers, and full implementation of the Right to Counsel in Housing Court
• Preservation of affordable housing and neighborhoods through the strengthening of BIPOC residents’ and communities’ voices in decisions about their future. This includes increased access to capital and alternative land, housing, and business ownership models, including community land trust and social housing, that build BIPOC community power and economic stability.
• Promotion of equitable and inclusive development of affordable housing and communities through the shaping of policy and decisions on housing and land use, including zoning and planning

Workers’ Rights and Justice

New York has been and continues to be shaped by its BIPOC and immigrant communities, particularly by its low-wage workers from those communities. Their contributions fuel economic growth, strengthen social bonds, and anchor resilient neighborhoods. Therefore, we are committed to advancing worker rights and justice for BIPOC and immigrant communities in New York to better support workers and their families as they build greater economic stability and security for themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors.

We support organizations that address the following issue areas separately or in combination:

• Protections for low-wage, informal workers, including, but not limited to, delivery and food industry workers, construction workers, domestic workers, and street vendors
• Systemic access to fair wages, work opportunities, training, and language justice for BIPOC and immigrant communities
• A fairer, more accessible childcare system for workers, families, and providers, particularly one that supports low-wage, informal workers from BIPOC communities.

We interpret workers’ rights and justice broadly and recognize that organizations may work on these and other related issues.  We also prioritize applicable organizations that apply a gender justice lens to their work, recognizing the disproportionate challenges faced by BIPOC and immigrant women in the workforce.

Other Priorities

As stated in our programmatic guidelines, the Foundation looks to support organizations that primarily use grassroots organizing and advocacy. However, we also consider grantees whose work incorporates or focuses on narrative and culture shift related to one of the above priorities.

We also consider organizations that take an intersectional approach, contextualizing housing, land justice, worker justice, and immigrant justice issues within a broader framework that is responsive to the needs of those most impacted. This framework should align with the Foundation's other program priorities, which include environmental and climate justice and civic engagement. We offer limited support to capacity-building organizations that provide crucial assistance to organizing and advocacy groups within our priority areas. We expect to expand this portfolio to include at least one new priority.

Mission & Vision

The New York Foundation is a steadfast supporter of community organizing, grassroots advocacy, and movement-building. We believe that the resilience and vitality of New Yorkers is the city’s greatest resource, and we value the courage and experience of community groups and their leaders.

In the ongoing struggle for racial, economic, gender, and climate justice, the Foundation supports grassroots initiatives that build power to confront systemic barriers and inspire people to work toward a more just, equitable, and inclusive city. 

Funding

New York Foundation Core Grants are $47,500 per year, up to 3 years for established groups and 5 years for emerging groups

In addition to funds, grants include access to capacity building resources: 

• Lawyers Alliance for New York: Probono legal services tailored to social change nonprofits
• Tides Advocacy: 501(c)(4) startup and strategizing
• Small Grants: Responsive grants up to $5,000 for organizational development goals and unanticipated needs
• Workshops: Monthly skills-building trainings combined with coaching

What we look for:

• Community-initiated and led: community, membership, or base identifies problems and solutions 
• Power building: intentionally build community power through political activation, leadership development, base building, and collective action
• Systemic change: address the root causes of oppression to ensure the equitable distribution of resources, power, and rights
• Racial justice: address the harms caused by systemic and historical racism; creates intentional systems to support and sustain racial equity
• Collaborative: build alignment through coalition work with allies that have similar goals and values

Background

The Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge is an open call for applications or request for proposals (RFP) designed to provide catalytic grant funding to community organizations across the world. This year, the Foundation invites proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24.

Funding Overview

Despite recent progress, young people globally continue to experience challenges in their pursuit of employment, including skills mismatch and gaining access to quality jobs. According to the International Labour Organization, 65 million young people globally are unemployed. Since the Citi Foundation’s inception, advancing youth employability has been integral to our mission of supporting low-income communities globally. The Citi Foundation invested more than $300 million over the last decade alone in programs that supported over one million young people in expanding their skills, experience and networks through its Pathways to Progress initiative. Building on our funding journey, this year’s Global Innovation Challenge is focused on youth employability, and we invite proposals from community organizations developing innovative employment solutions for low-income youth primarily between the ages of 15 and 24

These innovative solutions could include, but are not limited to:

• Technical and vocational training programs that upskill or reskill low-income youth and move them into employment, which could include paid internships, apprenticeships or formal employment.
• Entrepreneurship programming that specifically focuses on the incubation or scaling of youth-led enterprises to increase job creation and access to selfgenerated income.
• Efforts to embed financial education programming into workforce development initiatives equipping low-income youth with financial skills and access to safe and affordable financials tools. 

Frances L. & Edwin L. Cummings Memorial Fund Grant

The primary interest of the Frances L. & Edwin L. Cummings Memorial Fund is to support organizations operating in New York City and Northeastern New Jersey [view map] that provide programs and services in the areas of social welfare, education and health. The Fund has a special interest in youth programs located in these regions.

We are, however, unable to provide funding for programs within the cultural arts category.

We invite you to browse our site to determine if the work of your organization falls within our areas of interest, and, if so, to learn more about how to apply for a grant.

Areas of Interest

The Cummings Fund’s main interest is in the piloting or expansion of new, innovative programs of organizations primarily based in New York City and its more urbanized surrounding areas in Northeastern New Jersey (i.e., Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union Counties) [view map]. Exceptions to the geographic restriction are granted only when a Co-Trustee or Advisory Board Member has personal knowledge of an organization outside of this region. 

The Co-Trustees generally endeavor to creatively fill existing community needs in areas particularly under-funded at present. The Cummings Fund has a particular interest in programs serving young people.

The Fund provides support for:

• New program development
• Staffing for new programs and program expansion
• Capacity building (technical/management assistance)
• Consulting services (e.g., to assist the Board’s development of a strategic plan)

The major fields of interest are:

• Social Welfare, especially programs addressing issues including child welfare, youth development, juvenile delinquency, housing/homelessness, and employment/job training.
• Education, especially efforts to reform the public education system or programs that serve public school children from disadvantaged backgrounds including but not limited to in-school and afterschool STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and literacy initiatives, staff/teacher training and development, college guidance and success, and counseling services.
• Health Care, especially institutions and programs that connect economically and socially disadvantaged populations to health care and mental health services.

On a less frequent basis, the Fund also provides funding for:

• Medical Research, which has been pre-screened, ranked and given high priority by an objective, national scientific advisory committee.

Challenge Overview

Climate change is an omnipresent issue with the hottest recorded year, continuous extreme weather, and long-term impacts that will be determined by near-term choices. While driven by emissions from energy, industry, and agriculture in a concentrated set of economies, climate change disproportionately impacts the up to 3.6 billion people living in contexts that are highly vulnerable to impacts including extreme heat, flooding, and droughts. The climate crisis requires dramatic action, including rapid technology deployment alongside bold policies, financial commitments from governments, private capital, and philanthropy, and global market shifts.

Technology and innovation have an important role to play in contending with the effects of climate change. Technology exists to replace or mitigate all major areas of current emissions but often has minimal adoption due to high costs, a lack of engagement with communities, and the need for design at scale. Innovation can offer new business models, decreased costs, and approaches to scaling impact alongside or in place of new technologies that can help meet mitigation and adaptation goals at the speed of the crisis.

MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions that leverage technology to address the causes and impacts of the climate crisis. While we are excited to select and support innovators across any climate area, we have a particular interest in solutions that: 

• Adapt cities to more extreme weather, including through climate-smart buildings, incorporating climate risk in infrastructure planning, and restoring regional ecosystems.
• Enable a low-carbon and nutritious global food system, across large and small-scale producers plus supply chains that reduce food loss.
• Strengthen coastal and marine ecosystems and communities through the broader blue economy, including fisheries, clean energy, and monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV).

Special Call: Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program

Black and Latine communities in the US are structurally the most vulnerable to climate-fueled hazards and the least likely to have access to healthy and affordable food. As part of Solve’s ongoing work on US racial equity, we encourage those working to address racial disparities in climate action across US communities to apply for the Challenge and receive additional support through our Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program.

Prizes

MIT Solve - Solver Award

All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.

The Seeding The Future Food Systems Prize

The Seeding the Future Food Systems Prize is open to high impact innovations focusing on transforming food systems to be more sustainable, and to enable equitable access to safe and nutritious food that is affordable and trusted. Solutions benefitting underserved communities, countries or regions are encouraged to apply. Up to $150,000 will be awarded to two or more high-impact solutions selected for any of Solve’s 2025 Global Challenges. This prize is supported by the Seeding The Future Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that seeds and supports innovative solutions to help improve the global food system.

The E Ink Innovation Prize

The E Ink Innovation Prize is open to solutions that currently utilize or propose to utilize ePaper materials, technology, or displays to address problems of global importance in any of Solve’s areas of impact, including topics such as architecture, education, or intercultural understanding. The prize is funded by E Ink, a corporation that advances healthy solutions and a sustainable future using ultra-low power, daylight readable displays. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams selected for any of the 2025 Global Challenges or Solve’s existing portfolio of alumni teams. E Ink may also opt to provide materials and technical support to its prize recipients.

The AI for Humanity Prize

The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of the 2025 Global Challenges.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world and is dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across up to six Solver teams from the 2025 Global Learning Challenge, the 2025 Global Climate Challenge, and the 2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize seeks to accelerate the development of solutions that will prepare people for today’s opportunities and the workplace of the future, advance new ways of working, and drive economic impact within communities. Funded by Citizens, the prize furthers the company’s commitment to helping communities meet today’s demands while positioning themselves well for the future. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams across all 2025 Global Challenges or Solve's portfolio of alumni teams. Preference will be given to solutions that can be implemented to address workforce development challenges in Boston, MA and New York, NY that also have scaling potential to other geographies.

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize supports groundbreaking solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to tackle critical global social challenges. Sponsored by Crescent Enterprises - a diversified conglomerate spanning industries such as ports and logistics, power and engineering, food and beverage, life sciences and business aviation - the prize reflects the company’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and meaningful global impact.

Up to $100,000 will be awarded to as many as four Solver teams addressing the 2025 Global Challenges or selected from Solve’s portfolio of alumni teams. This prize aims to recognise and accelerate the growth of transformative solutions, driving positive change for a better future.

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize is open to solutions supporting innovation for coasts, oceans, and the broader blue economy. The prize is funded by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which is committed to protecting and progressing planetary health. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to one Solver team.

The Community Innovation Prize

The Community Innovation Prize is open to innovative solutions for communities by communities. Up to $200,000, as well as custom workshops addressing innovator needs will be awarded to up to four Solver teams who are current or past Solvers across Solve's US Equity portfolio. Preference will be given to innovator teams based in or implementing/planning to implement in Chicago, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Houston, New York City, and/or Philadelphia in the areas of Health, Economic Prosperity, Climate, or Indigenous Communities.

Challenge Overview

Peace and stability are baseline conditions for economic prosperity and a thriving society, and both are at risk with escalating conflicts and economic shocks. Instability and conflict can severely erode economic prospects, reverse years of development gains, and exacerbate vulnerabilities. Poverty and lack of quality jobs contribute to conflict. With 114 million people forcibly displaced due to war, violence, and climate-related disasters, two billion workers worldwide in informal, precarious jobs, and disruptions from AI and other tech, the stakes are high.

Technology and innovation can be powerful tools to promote peace and prosperity. Social media has increased misinformation and polarization, but when well-designed, it also improved cohesion and civic participation and reduced the odds of violent conflict. Similarly, while technology can lead to more precarity, it can also facilitate more inclusive financial systems, new job opportunities, and more resilience. Ethically designing and implementing technology is a key component of building and maintaining more peaceful communities and inclusive economies. 

MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions leveraging technology to increase peace and prosperity. Our focus centers on solutions that: 

• Promote and sustain peace by increasing community dialogue, civic participation, reconciliation, and justice efforts; strengthening cyber security, and monitoring or preventing violence, misinformation, and polarization.
• Foster financial and digital inclusion by supporting access to credit, digital identity tools, and insurance while securing privacy and personal data.
• Generate new economic opportunities and buffer against economic shocks for workers, including good job creation, workforce development, and inclusive and attainable asset ownership.

Special Call: Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program

Systemic inequities and institutional failures contribute to Black and Brown families in the US owning just 24 cents for every $1 of white family wealth. As part of Solve’s ongoing work on US racial equity, we encourage those from the US working to address these disparities to apply for the Challenge and receive additional support through our Black & Brown Innovators in the US Program.

Prizes

MIT Solve - Solver Award

All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.

The Seeding The Future Food Systems Prize

The Seeding the Future Food Systems Prize is open to high impact innovations focusing on transforming food systems to be more sustainable, and to enable equitable access to safe and nutritious food that is affordable and trusted. Solutions benefitting underserved communities, countries or regions are encouraged to apply. Up to $150,000 will be awarded to two or more high-impact solutions selected for any of Solve’s 2025 Global Challenges. This prize is supported by the Seeding The Future Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that seeds and supports innovative solutions to help improve the global food system.

The E Ink Innovation Prize

The E Ink Innovation Prize is open to solutions that currently utilize or propose to utilize ePaper materials, technology, or displays to address problems of global importance in any of Solve’s areas of impact, including topics such as architecture, education, or intercultural understanding. The prize is funded by E Ink, a corporation that advances healthy solutions and a sustainable future using ultra-low power, daylight readable displays. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams selected for any of the 2025 Global Challenges or Solve’s existing portfolio of alumni teams. E Ink may also opt to provide materials and technical support to its prize recipients.

The AI for Humanity Prize

The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of the 2025 Global Challenges.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world and is dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across up to six Solver teams from the 2025 Global Learning Challenge, the 2025 Global Climate Challenge, and the 2025 Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize

The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize seeks to accelerate the development of solutions that will prepare people for today’s opportunities and the workplace of the future, advance new ways of working, and drive economic impact within communities. Funded by Citizens, the prize furthers the company’s commitment to helping communities meet today’s demands while positioning themselves well for the future. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to up to four Solver teams across all 2025 Global Challenges or Solve's portfolio of alumni teams. Preference will be given to solutions that can be implemented to address workforce development challenges in Boston, MA and New York, NY that also have scaling potential to other geographies.

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize

The Crescent Enterprises ‘AI for Social Innovation’ Prize supports groundbreaking solutions that leverage data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to tackle critical global social challenges. Sponsored by Crescent Enterprises - a diversified conglomerate spanning industries such as ports and logistics, power and engineering, food and beverage, life sciences and business aviation - the prize reflects the company’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and meaningful global impact.

Up to $100,000 will be awarded to as many as four Solver teams addressing the 2025 Global Challenges or selected from Solve’s portfolio of alumni teams. This prize aims to recognise and accelerate the growth of transformative solutions, driving positive change for a better future.

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize is open to solutions supporting innovation for coasts, oceans, and the broader blue economy. The prize is funded by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which is committed to protecting and progressing planetary health. Up to $100,000 will be awarded to one Solver team.

The Community Innovation Prize

The Community Innovation Prize is open to innovative solutions for communities by communities. Up to $200,000, as well as custom workshops addressing innovator needs will be awarded to up to four Solver teams who are current or past Solvers across Solve's US Equity portfolio. Preference will be given to innovator teams based in or implementing/planning to implement in Chicago, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Houston, New York City, and/or Philadelphia in the areas of Health, Economic Prosperity, Climate, or Indigenous Communities.

Community Partnerships

Con Edison supports organizations and causes that champion a clean and equitable energy future for all New Yorkers.

Priority will be given to organizations with programs/projects centered-in historically marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

Focus Areas

Con Edison proudly funds organizations that share our vision to combat the effects of climate change, advance social justice, and create green jobs. Our philanthropic initiatives power the vitality of our communities in New York City and Westchester to advocate for equity and support the gaps that exist in state-designated disadvantaged communities.

Con Edison feels an urgency to confront the threat that climate change poses to our communities and help New Yorkers adapt to a changing world.

Our efforts focus on:

Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship

We will accelerate access to clean energy by prioritizing place-based investments, resilient infrastructure, and environmental stewardship.

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Projects focused on addressing the accelerated risks of climate change and promote nature-based solutions. Special attention will be given to initiatives that address extreme weather events, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and the restoration or conservation of natural habitats and ecosystems.

Environmental Stewardship: Initiatives that focus on equitable land use and greenway enhancement—specifically green corridors, pocket parks, community gardens, and local farms.

• Program support may include stewardship of public lands, promotion of environmental education, coalition building focused on climate and energy policy, and leadership development for climate and environmental advocates.

Social Justice

We are applying our resources to help organizations and social movements that address systemic social justice issues—through skill building, action, and advocacy.

Human Rights and Democracy: Fund social justice organizations that are providing the building blocks to address discrimination, bias, and opportunity inequities for marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

Economic Empowerment and Opportunity: Fund social justice organizations whose goals are to reduce the racial, ethnic, and gender wealth gap and expanding access to resources for nonprofits that serve disadvantaged populations.

Community Resilience Fund social justice organizations and projects that support initiatives to ensure that marginalized and disadvantaged communities have the capacity, leadership, and agency to address environmental, social, and political change.

• This focus includes support for climate justice implementation programs focused on areas such as emergency preparedness, extreme weather, and similar areas of impact.

Program support may include funding to assist with skill building, leadership development, capacity building, civic engagement, and community organizing and outreach.

Clean Energy and Technology Careers

We will foster a new generation of workers by supporting access to education, skills training, economic supports, and hiring and/or career advancement opportunities they will need for well-paying jobs in emerging and in-demand clean energy, technology, and environmental science careers.

Skills Training: Training programs that equip new and existing workers with the skills and credentials needed for sustainable, well-paying careers, in high-demand clean energy and technology fields—with prioritization for individuals from disadvantaged communities.

Career Exploration & Pathways: Programs, workshops, and initiatives that build awareness of career paths and further educational and career goals in clean energy and technology fields for young adults (grade 9 and above) and adults.

Energy Ecosystems: Foster innovations, partnerships, movements, and coalitions that bring together business, training providers, and community organizations to develop clean energy and workforce strategies to help workers access quality careers and address specific challenges.

Program support may include skills-based training, barrier reduction and retention services, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, paid internships, career coaching, curriculum development, and coalition and network-building.

Our Purpose, Mission, and Impact

A global Allianz network

The insurance and financial services companies of the worldwide Allianz Group share a common purpose of securing the future. In all areas of their business, Allianz companies empower people to manage risks and plan well for the future, and they do this in the interest of numerous stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders and society itself. Working to secure the future is what Allianz companies do best; it is the heart of the Allianz Group's business.

Established in 2002, the Allianz Foundation for North America joined an international network of Allianz-affiliated foundations and Corporate Responsibility teams working to apply this shared concern for securing the future to challenges faced by society at large.

Promoting personal and professional growth for young people

In addressing concerns for the future in North America, we believe one of the most significant social investments we can make is one in the ability of young people to live up to their fullest potential and pursue lives of leadership and service. The mission of the Allianz Foundation for North America is empowering young people to shape a secure future – for themselves, their communities, and the world.

The Foundation supports young people in developing the skills, motivation, perspectives, and opportunities they need to be successful, self-reliant, and socially conscious members of society. We also facilitate networking among our not-for-profit partners and Allianz companies so that together we can maximize our social impact. Our focus for impact is the creation and expansion of opportunities for personal and professional growth for high school/GED-aged teenagers and young adults (ages 16-25).

A 501 (c) (3) entity under the United States Internal Revenue Code, the Allianz Foundation for North America welcomes grant applications from not-for-profit organizations in the US and Canada working to empower young people to shape a secure future.

Impact & Scope

Our exclusive focus for social impact is the creation or significant expansion (by 50% or more) of personal and professional growth experiences for high-school/GED-aged teenagers and young adults (ages 16-25).

Criteria

All grant applications must attend to seven, equally weighted criteria:

• Empowering young people
• To shape a secure future
• For themselves
• For their communities, and/or for the world
• By supporting them in becoming successful
• Self-reliant
• Socially conscious

Funding

Given the limited availability of funds and the broad scope of the Foundation‘s work throughout North America, first-year grants do not exceed – but are also not less than – 50,000 US dollars. We see this as a level of financial commitment at which paradigms can truly be changed and innovation can be pursued.

Grant recipients who have achieved pre-determined targets for the first grant year, based on our Annual Scorecard, are eligible for a second-year grant of 25,000 US dollars.

After the second (and final) grant year, project partners are welcome to apply again in future for new grants.

The Harry S. Black & Allon Fuller Fund was established in 1930 to support quality health care and human services programming for underserved populations. The grantmaking focus is in the following areas:

• Health Care. The Fund supports access to health care; health education; and health policy analysis and advocacy. Emphasis will be placed on programs serving low-income communities.
• Physical Disabilities. The Fund supports access programs for physically disabled individuals; disability policy analysis and advocacy; workforce development programs; and programs that improve quality of life for the disabled.

Culpeper Arts & Culture

Goal: Support a Vibrant and Inclusive Arts Community in New York City

The Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture grants honor the legacy of Charles E. Culpeper by supporting the artists and arts and cultural organizations that make New York City one of the world's most dynamic creative capitals. The Fund is inspired by the conviction that arts and culture promote free expression, foster a deeper understanding of human experience and diverse communities, and provide a fresh lens on persistent problems and emerging challenges.

Strategies

• Supporting the role of artists in the creative process and in the presentation of their work, with an emphasis on artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, women, nonbinary, and disabled.
• Providing time, space, and financial resources through residencies in New York City and at the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center at The Pocantico Center, in partnership with artist-led organizations, artist collectives, and cultural leaders.
• Elevating arts advocacy efforts, field research, cultural-civic movements, and cultural leadership development opportunities to strengthen the arts and culture field and the creative community.

Ira W. DeCamp Foundation Grant

The DeCamp Foundation was established in 1970 by Elizabeth DeCamp McInery in memory of her late husband Ira W. DeCamp. Over the past 20 years, the DeCamp Foundation’s grantmaking has supported a wide array of organizations within three major program areas: health, social services and education. Grants have been concentrated in the New York metropolitan area.

Funding Interests

The foundation’s grantmaking currently focuses on three areas:

Community-Based Health Care

Community Health grants will support community health centers and select primary care providers in the metropolitan area.

Funding will be provided for:

• capacity building (e.g., leadership development, staff training and improving fundraising or other key resources);
• organization improvement activities (e.g., strategic planning; markets, operations and systems analysis; performance measurement and process improvement); and
• capital projects (e.g., renovations, new space acquisition and development, information technology and infrastructure enhancements).

Foster Care

The foundation’s Foster Care Grants Program seeks to support programs in the metropolitan area that address one or more of the following:

• Programs designed to support service linkages and partnerships with different service providers within the child welfare community (e.g., substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health and housing). 
• Training and strategies to recruit and retain qualified caseworkers and front-line staff at foster care agencies.
• Recruitment, training, and support for caregivers, including foster parents and kinship caregivers.
• Services for older and transition age youth, including education, job training, and independent living skills, with a focus on innovative and youth-driven programming.
• Services for special populations such lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.
• Policy and advocacy efforts around issues such as (but not limited to) housing for youth in foster care, legal support for youth in care, updating the foster care rate-setting methodology and sustaining quality-assurance programs.

Workforce Development

Workforce Development grants will support workforce development organizations (including intermediaries) in the metropolitan area. Funding will be provided for:

• Capacity building (infrastructure investments that enable the organization to expand, sustain and manage its services more effectively).
• Program development (investments in new aspects of the program that will enhance the training and placement experience.
• Research and evaluation (to understand the impact of job training programs and of public policy in this area).

Geographic Focus

• New York City

Type of Support

Capacity-building, project, and capital

Goldman Sachs Community Development Grants Program

At Goldman Sachs, we believe that strong communities are the foundation of a prosperous society. Through our Community Development Grants Program, we provide funding for non-profits that are making a difference in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities.

Eligible not-for-profit organizations are invited to apply for funding from the Goldman Sachs Bank USA Community Development Grants Program. The grants program seeks to support community development programs that serve low- and moderate- income individuals or communities and address key community needs such as:

• Affordable housing
• Community services such as education, including financial education for youth and consumers
• Small business development
• Neighborhood revitalization

The Equity Builders Initiative will provide organizations with 3-year unrestricted grants. Organizations must focus on affordable housing, small business development, neighborhood revitalization, and/or community services.

In addition to the new Equity Builders Initiative, we are also continuing our practice of offering 1-year program-related grants. This year we are focusing on homeownership for LMI households. Select organizations will receive a one-time grant up to $200,000.

The Equity Builders Initiative

Multi-year Unrestricted Grants

Through more than 50 meetings with nonprofit partners in 2023, we heard an urgent need for trust-based, multi-year, general operating grants.

As a result, we are introducing our new Equity Builders Initiative, which will award more than $1 million in unrestricted funding over three years to each selected organization.

Eligible organizations must serve New York City, Hudson and Essex Counties in New Jersey, or Salt Lake City, UT.

The Change Makers Initiative

LMI Homeownership Focused Grant

In addition to the new Equity Builders Initiative, we are also continuing our practice of offering 1-year program-related grants. This year we are focusing on homeownership for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households.

Select organizations will receive a one-time grant up to $200,000 towards their homeownership initiative.

Eligible organizations must serve New York City, Hudson and Essex Counties in New Jersey, or Salt Lake City, UT.

First Horizon Foundation (New York)

Our contributions are targeted to strengthen these pillars of the communities we serve:

• Improving the well-being of our communities
• Investing in the financial future
• Educating and developing the next generation of leaders
• Promoting excellence and enrichment in the arts
• A more sustainable tomorrow and future

Community Progress Makers Fund

Community Progress Makers is a Citi Foundation initiative aimed at supporting local community organizations connecting low-income communities to greater social and economic opportunity. The Foundation first launched the Community Progress Makers initiative in 2015 with a vision of empowering local community organizations to grow their transformative impact through unrestricted, trust-based funding. The Foundation is committing an additional $50 million to support a fourth cohort of Community Progress Makers. Through an open request for proposals (RFP) process, the Foundation will select 50 community organizations to receive the following over three years: 

• $1 million in unrestricted grant support
• Access to technical assistance from national experts and leading researchers
• Opportunities to connect and share learnings through webinars and local and national gatherings

Selection Priorities

For this funding opportunity, the Citi Foundation will prioritize organizations that demonstrate:

• Deep connections to the communities served
• Track record of partnering with other community organizations and stakeholders to achieve positive change
• Utilization of data to inform planning and the capacity to collect, analyze, and share data, results, and learnings
• Track record and innovative vision in one of the following areas of work: 
  • Affordable Housing and Access, such as efforts to promote housing affordability; home ownership; and resident support services to help people more easily access employment, education, health, and childcare.
  • Economic Development, including the provision of technical assistance to small businesses; commercial corridor revitalization efforts; and green economy strategies that promote job creation.
  • Financial Health, such as efforts in delivering financial coaching; integrated financial capability services; and savings and asset building strategies.
  • Workforce Readiness, including organizations preparing young people and/or adults for careers and entrepreneurship.