Best Grants for Youth Programs in New York

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in New York City serving youth and families can seek funding for programs in education, employment, health, public policy, and youth services. Grants from Achelis and Bodman Foundation help New York youth programs, especially smaller, neighborhood-based groups that rely on private support rather than government funding.

With a mission to enrich life, the Double-R Foundation provides New York 501(c)(3) volunteer-based organizations with support for specific projects and long-term stability. Youth programs offering arts and music instruction, job training with volunteer executives, or youth-oriented legal support services in New York City may be eligible.

Nonprofit public charities in New York City that improve health, behavioral health, or services for older adults and people with disabilities can apply for funding to strengthen systems and expand effective programs. Focused on equitable care and independence, New York Community Trust invites youth-serving and multi-age organizations to pursue policy change, capacity building, and enhanced direct services in disadvantaged communities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, including fiscally sponsored groups, working on climate justice, racial justice, or immigrant and refugee rights in New York can seek funding for advocacy, organizing, legal services, or holistic support. The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation mainly supports work in New York City boroughs, Baltimore, and the DC Capital Region; youth-focused justice programs may be eligible.

New York 501(c)(3) organizations that integrate visual or performing arts into education can access funding through Cornelia T Bailey Charitable Trust’s P/Arts Program to enhance youth learning. Grants up to US $25,000 support arts-based curricula, educator development, and programs that motivate students and address educational inequities, including preschool and K–12 youth initiatives.

Pincus Family Foundation

PFF is driven by the values that our founders David and Gerry Pincus lived by: “to get involved, not just think about your own life, you are supposed to do things for other people.” Today, the second and third generation of Pincus Family members have added their ethos, while keeping the founders’ legacy alive.

Pincus Family Foundation Grant

Mission Alignment: We support our non-profit partners to develop and enhance programs that improve the lives of children, their families, and their communities.

PFF Funds Projects, Programs, & General Operating Support in Four Priority Areas

Creative & Performing Arts

The Pincus Family Foundation’s Creative and Performing Arts portfolio supports programs where young people use art as a tool to address the structural inequities they face. Five strategic priorities:

• Arts for Social Change Focus – Integrating artistic practice with community organizing, policy advocacy, and/or systemic change efforts
• Hyperlocal Community Integration – Deep community embedment with extensive local partnerships
• Teaching Artist Investment – Commitment to the professional development and well-being of teaching artists
• Cultural Responsiveness – Programming that incorporates community cultural wealth with community input
• Environmental Justice Integration – Authentic integration of environmental themes from community-identified priorities

Target Constituency: Organizations serving preK-12 youth from marginalized communities with arts for social change programming that connects them to the power of art to question and transform systems.

Education

High school readiness for many low-income students, largely is a result of poor preparation in middle school. PFF is funding programs/projects that support middle school engagement and focus on achievement filling a funding gap. 

Target Constituency: We support non-profit organizations serving middle school students who face gaps in comprehensive high school readiness. These organizations implement innovative programming that creates challenging yet nurturing environments—preparing students for achievement while inspiring them to become engaged, confident citizens ready to contribute to their communities.

Health & Wellness

Goal: Advance children’s health and well-being by supporting nonprofits that strengthen social conditions, empower youth, and build healthier environments in marginalized communities.

Target Constituency: Nonprofits whose work strengthens social determinants of health for children in marginalized communities.

Play & Recreation

Goal: Advance children’s social-emotional development and physical well-being by supporting nonprofits that create inclusive play-based programming, competitive sports opportunities, and outdoor recreational experiences in under-resourced communities.

Target Constituency: Non-profits whose work promotes access to quality recreational programming for children ages 6-18 in under-resourced communities.

For all grants, the organization’s mission and scope must align with the Foundation’s mission. For the latter, these grants can be either unrestricted or restricted to a particular program or project. The type of grant and what it is used for will dictate the goals and objectives to be met.

The Pinkerton Foundation Grant supports nonprofit public charitable organizations in New York City that serve economically disadvantaged youth and families. The foundation favors direct-service programs that empower young people to reach their full potential through academic, career, and cultural opportunities. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, and the foundation typically awards grants for programs that can achieve substantial progress in three years or less.

Nonprofit and tax-exempt intermediary organizations serving youth and families in Western New York can apply for Ralph C. Wilson Foundation grants to support active lifestyles, youth sports, and recreation. Programs in eligible counties that also build skills for future success or strengthen caregivers and community nonprofits may be competitive.

Youth-serving nonprofits in New York offering early childhood education, violence prevention, arts education, or support for families in crisis can access funding through the Sills Family Foundation, with typical awards of US $10,000 - US $25,000. Programs supporting children and families impacted by the criminal justice system, poverty, or immigration challenges may be especially competitive.

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofits in New York City can apply for Tiger Foundation grants of US $50,000 - US $300,000 to deliver high-impact education, youth, family, employment, and justice programs. Grants from Tiger Foundation help New York youth organizations expand proven services, launch innovative models, and strengthen outcomes for low-income communities across the five boroughs.

Youth-serving public charities providing programs in New York, especially Westchester County, can seek funding for youth development, workforce readiness, arts, human services, and social justice initiatives. Focused on community impact, New York Community Trust invites proposals that improve outcomes for youth up to age 24 and strengthen long-term economic stability and opportunity.

The Frances L. & Edwin L. Cummings Memorial Fund Grant supports organizations in New York City and Northeastern New Jersey focusing on social welfare, education, and health. The Fund prioritizes innovative youth programs and provides funding for new program development, staffing, and capacity building. However, it does not support cultural arts initiatives or programs outside the specified geographic area. Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status and typically only receive one-year grants.

The Marion E. Kenworthy-Sarah H. Swift Foundation, established in 1962, focuses on enhancing the mental and emotional health of youth up to age 26 through grants for innovative programs in social work and psychiatry. They prioritize funding clinical mental health services within New York City's five boroughs, emphasizing operational support with a minimum grant of $25,000. The foundation values collaborative efforts between professions to improve mental health understanding and services for young people.

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) organizations in New York that provide arts, education, health and human services, youth programs, or affordable housing can apply for funding from Investors Foundation. Eligible charities must primarily serve communities in New York City or Long Island, be fiscally stable, and have active board or administrative participation, with one request considered every 12 months.

501(c)(3) organizations in New York that improve quality of life can apply for Vermont Mutual Insurance Group’s VMIG Charitable Giving Fund; awards support education, youth development, community-based programs, and basic needs. Youth-serving nonprofits, including those focused on leadership, life skills, housing, homelessness, and hunger, may be especially competitive.

Youth-serving organizations in New York that run out-of-school or community learning programs can use this grant to provide academic enrichment, youth development, and family engagement activities. Grants from New York State Education Department help New York youth programs offer tutoring, arts, STEM, health and wellness, career and technical education, and related services, with awards from US $50,000 - US $1,200,000.

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) organizations in New York can seek support for youth development and leadership programs that enrich the lives of children and their families. Lithia Motors’ Lithia 4Kids initiative partners with local nonprofits in counties such as Albany, Erie, Oneida, Orange, and Rensselaer to strengthen communities through locally managed giving and volunteerism.

Focused on basic needs and community vitality, Ameriprise Financial invites U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits to apply for grants supporting hunger relief, shelter, adult self-sufficiency, and community development. New York youth programs that address food access, housing stability, financial literacy, workforce readiness, or arts education for underserved populations may be eligible, especially where Ameriprise volunteers are actively engaged.

New York 501(c)(3) nonprofits running arts, education, or social service programs for youth and other residents can access funding through the David & Minnie Berk Foundation; awards up to US $10,000. Small organizations under $3 million in expenses, including those serving people with special needs or the elderly, may be supported for new ideas or pilot projects.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running youth and education programs in New York can seek US $5,000 - US $20,000 for scholarships, tutoring, after-school and mentoring, arts education, and related services. Focused on education, John Ben Snow Memorial Trust invites programs, especially for disadvantaged youth, to apply via an LOI between November 1 and February 1.

Out-of-school time and summer learning programs serving middle school youth in New York that support low-income or disadvantaged communities and ease the transition to high school can access funding through this two-year grant opportunity. Grants from New York Life Foundation help youth programs nationwide reduce absences and chronic absenteeism with US $100,000 awards over two years.

With a mission to improve health and well-being, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation provides New York 501(c)(3) public charities with grants of more than US $75,000 for direct service programs. Youth-serving organizations aiding vulnerable children, teens, and young adults in New York, especially from the Foundation’s eight priority populations, may be eligible.

Youth-focused 501(c)(3) nonprofits with local programs in youth education, empowerment, storytelling, or community engagement can seek funding to expand their impact in New York and other eligible markets. With a mission to strengthen communities, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation provides support to organizations serving underrepresented youth through STEM/STEAM, leadership, entrepreneurship, and volunteerism initiatives.

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofits offering education, human services, or workforce development programs in New York and other Provident Bank branch communities can seek two-year flexible funding for projects, operations, or new initiatives. Focused on economic self-sufficiency, Provident Bank Foundation supports efforts like youth mental health, vocational training, housing, and food security with awards of US $5,000 - US $25,000.

Youth-serving 501(c)(3) organizations and local governments in eligible New York counties can seek up to US $25,000 to plan or implement intercultural, cross-cultural exchange projects. Focused on community culture, diversity, and inclusion, the Laura Jane Musser Fund supports new projects that build relationships, enhance communication, and foster intercultural harmony among young people and their communities.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing direct services to grieving children and youth can apply for National Alliance for Children's Grief grants of US $15,000 for one-year capacity-building projects. Funding supports organizational development or strategic relationships, and New York youth programs meeting the financial and staffing criteria may be eligible.

New York 501(c)(3) public charities running youth-focused health, foster care, or workforce development programs can seek capacity-building, project, and capital support through the Ira W. DeCamp Foundation. Organizations serving older and transition-age youth in foster care or providing job training and support services for youth may be especially competitive.