Search Through Preservation Grants in New York in the U.S.

About Us

The Achelis and Bodman Foundation was formally established on November 25, 2015, from the merger of The Achelis Foundation (established in 1940) and The Bodman Foundation (established in 1945).

Program Areas

In keeping with the broad purposes in its charter documents, the Foundation has chosen to spread its grants over six program areas. Most grants are made in New York City, reflecting its dynamic not-for-profit sector, large and persistent needs, and the staff's and Trustees' "local knowledge." The Foundation also makes grants in northern New Jersey in recognition of the Bodman family's ties to that state, with an emphasis on Newark and Monmouth County. Over 90% of grants fall into one of the following categories:

Arts and Culture

Cultural institutions are among New York City’s most valued resources. They attract visitors from around the world and are one reason why so many people choose to live here. They are also major employers and vital to the City’s economy. The arts were important to Miss Achelis and Mr. and Mrs. Bodman, and so the Foundation has continued to support this area, generally through operating grants to the City’s prominent cultural institutions. The Foundation is most likely to support organizations that promote and sustain traditional concepts of artistic excellence. 

Education

The failure of inner-city public education is a national tragedy with enormous consequences for the children in these schools and for society as a whole. The Foundation has long believed that accountability and competition can contribute to the improvement of urban public schools. Therefore, the Foundation has funded charter schools, voucher programs, scholarships to parochial schools, and research that examines the impact of competition and other factors on K-12 educational performance. The Foundation also has an interest in helping young people and adults to realize their dreams of a college education. Finally, the Foundation seeks to promote intellectual excellence and balance at American colleges and universities.

Employment

Chronic unemployment or underemployment is a harsh and demoralizing burden. The welfare reforms of the mid-1990s increased the need for effective job training and placement programs. Such programs are especially critical for ex-offenders, chronic substance abusers, those with low educational attainments, and those suffering from mental or physical disabilities. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting programs that emphasize the private sector and entrepreneurship.

Health

It is difficult for small grantmakers to make a significant impact in a field as large and complex as healthcare. Therefore, the focus of the Foundation's grants has been on the health needs of poor children, the disabled, and other disadvantaged populations, as well as on basic biomedical research, where a small grant at a pivotal time in a scientist's research can have a disproportionate impact. The Foundation has also supported the work of policy experts evaluating reforms that would improve the healthcare system and make it more accessible and efficient.

Public Policy

Funding in this category covers a broad range of issues including: K-12 education (listed under ), healthcare, families and marriage, crime prevention, prisoner reentry, philanthropy, the environment, welfare reform, and faith and religion. In all areas, the Foundation's grantmaking is guided by a belief in the merits of economic and political liberty, free enterprise, and personal responsibility.

Youth and Families

The disparate needs of New York City's disadvantaged youth and families are served by hundreds, even thousands, of charitable institutions, ranging from established settlement houses to small neighborhood organizations to local houses of worship. The Foundation supports programs that boost academic achievement, provide positive recreational and educational activities for disadvantaged young people, promote good character and values, preserve families, and encourage responsible parenting. In addition, the Foundation has a special interest in programs that prevent criminal behavior, discourage pre-marital sexual activity among teens, and assist vulnerable populations, such as disconnected youth, children who have been in foster care or suffered abuse, the disabled, and the homebound elderly. The Foundation is particularly interested in funding smaller, neighborhood-based organizations that choose to rely on private support rather than government grants or contracts.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream.

Area Development Program

ARC’s Area Development program relies on a flexible “bottom up” approach to economic development, empowering Appalachian communities to work with their state governments to design impactful investment opportunities supporting our mission and investment priorities.

Within the scope of our Strategic Plan, ARC’s Area Development program makes investments in two general areas: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development.

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen and diversify the region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
  • Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
  • Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and energy efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the region.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.

Charles Edison was the son of Thomas Edison, the famous inventor and entrepreneur. Charles was a businessman and philanthropist and in 1948 established the Charles Edison Fund ("Fund"). The Fund was created to maintain the legacy of his father, Thomas Edison, and to meet his own philanthropic goals in good and bad economic times.

The Fund also engages in licensing the Edison Intellectual property, including the name, image, quotes and artifacts of Thomas Edison ("Edison IP"). The extra revenues generated support educational programs run by its sister foundation, Edison Innovation Foundation.

Mission Statement

Charles Edison Fund (the "Fund") is an endowed philanthropic institution dedicated to the support of worthwhile endeavors generally within the areas of science and technology education, medical research and preserving The Edison legacy. The Fund is an extension of the philanthropy of its Founder, Charles Edison, a man of discerning foresight, rare achievement and background.

Grants and "Seed Money"

The Fund is a seed money organization which has given financial support in an amount which exceeds $35 Million. It does not just make grants but makes grants happen. It starts projects which would not otherwise "get off the ground." The Fund remained relatively small until its inheritance from the estate of Charles Edison, at which time its record of providing financial assistance to other organizations expanded following his death.

Patterns of Giving

In more recent years, a pattern of giving has emerged within the Fund. Its contributions tend to be equally divided among medical research projects, science and technology education and preservation of the Edison Legacy. Additionally, but with some important and increasing exceptions, institutions and organizations assisted are based principally in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan area. This concentration of interest facilitates the efforts of the Trustees to evaluate the work of recipient groups, frequently accomplished by personal visitations.

Philosophy

Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF) is a private foundation incorporated in New York State. The purpose of the foundation is to fund several charitable causes. These causes may be broadly classified as being (i) Social (ii) Educational or (iii) Religious/Cultural.

Our principles and philosophy, derived from the value system of Hinduism, may be succinctly summarized as:

• Help those who are less fortunate than yourself
• Support causes related to the acquisition of knowledge (both materialistic and non-materialistic)
• Preserve the heritage and knowledge that has already been acquired

Focus Areas

The Foundation follows a holistic approach to charitable giving. Project categories range from basic needs (food, shelter, health and basic education) to more esoteric ones (higher education, arts & culture, spirituality and the environment) :

Social Welfare

This category addresses the inequalities faced by people who do not have access to the most basic of human rights. The standard of living today varies, by several orders of magnitude, between the most and least fortunate of people, and there are many people for whom even basic material needs are not met. Our goals are to improve the lives of these people and give them the tools to break out of the cycle of poverty they live in.

Projects in this category include providing food and shelter to vulnerable populations (orphanages, old age homes); increasing children's access to education; improving the educational environment; empowering women & children; improving rural health outcomes; and, generally, uplifting disadvantaged communities.

Higher Education 

This category addresses the human quest to understand the physical world we live in, and the natural laws that govern it. This quest for knowledge is best nurtured in higher study programs of universities and research labs, and our goal is to motivate students to pursue these programs.

Projects under this category include providing financial support for deserving students through fellowships at well recognized universities and research labs.

Spirituality, Arts & Culture

This category addresses the non-materialistic aspects of human life and its power to nourish, inspire & uplift the human spirit. Hindu culture and spiritual viewpoints have evolved over many millenia, and our goal is to remember and preserve these roots, while at the same time promoting cultural integration and co-existence with other viewpoints.

Projects under this category include activities related to preserving the traditional roots of Hinduism by supporting ashrams/patashalas and temples, and promoting cultural integration by supporting programs that raise awareness of India's traditional art forms, and culture.

Environment

This category addresses the preservation of the environment we live in. The Earth sustains us and provides for us, and we need to preserve and nurture it for our sake and for the sake of future generations. Our goal is to fulfill our responsibility by taking care of the environment we live in.

Projects under this category include clean water management initiatives, planting trees, and other such activities.

Thriving Communities

We make grants to groups that protect and create affordable housing, promote equity in the arts, improve civic engagement, and protect our environment. We support agencies working on these issues at the neighborhood level, as well as government and nonprofit institutions developing strategies. We also support efforts to improve the functioning of nonprofits and government.

Focus Area: Community Development

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

We support a mix of citywide and local community development activities as well as citywide technical assistance, policy research, and advocacy. 

Grants are made to:

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

Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.

Wolf Kahn Foundation

The Wolf Kahn Foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the artistic achievements of Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) and to sharing them with audiences, scholars, and other artists towards a greater understanding of his work and his lasting contribution to American art of the Second Generation New York School.

Through its grants program and other initiatives, the Foundation supports artists and arts organizations that educate youth and the broader public and that advance artists’ careers through exhibitions, publications, and residencies.

Grants

The Wolf Kahn Foundation grant program continues Wolf Kahn’s commitment to fellow artists, the environment and its effect on creative work, and to the vitality of organizations that advance artists’ careers and educate youth and the public. Guided by our mission, the Foundation supports projects that reflect the practices that shaped Wolf Kahn’s life and work: observation, experimentation, and respect for the work of other artists.

Recent successful proposals include support for exhibitions, publications, residencies, and community or museum-based arts education programs, with an emphasis on projects that advance social justice or environmental awareness through the arts. General operating support for organizations whose programming aligns with these priorities and the Foundation’s mission will also be considered.

Grants are usually in the range of $5,000 to $15,000.

The John Ben Snow Foundation is a private foundation that focuses funding for tax-exempt organizations primarily serving Central New York defined as Onondaga County and its four surrounding counties of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, and Oswego. The Board and Program Staff seek to collaboratively create proposals within specific Grant Programs while responding to the changing needs of targeted populations. We especially seek to close the opportunity gap for individuals who are under-resourced. 

Dating back to the inception of the Foundation in 1948, the primary and overarching grant making priority has been and continues to be programs that focus on education.

• Education: Primary and secondary education, literacy, and vocational training are essential ingredients to improving life outcomes. To reduce barriers that limit equitable opportunities and expand equal access to quality education. Supporting early childhood education, academic tutoring, literacy, college access, internships, scholarships, fellowships, and journalism focused on underrepresented populations and first generation students

Secondarily, the Foundation considers proposals within the areas of Arts and Culture, Community Initiatives, and Youth Programs. The Board’s objective is to extend the primary educational focus by providing funding support within these additional program areas.

• Arts and Culture: Engagement in the arts creates a stronger and more vibrant community and culture.To foster arts education and appreciation. Through educational curriculum, instruction, and engagement of young adults via visiting artists or performances
• Community Initiatives: A resilient social infrastructure is essential to a healthy local community. To directly enhance the lives of residents within our core geographic regions by expanding services that bridge the poverty gap. Investing in community centers, safe and affordable housing, human services delivered by shelters and food pantries, and veterans services.
• Youth Programs: Encouraging young adults to dream and equipping them to succeed can change the trajectory of their lives. To empower young adults in their personal development and to equip them in their professional aspirations. Developing sustained relationships that offer one-on-one mentoring, character education, skills training, and violence prevention.

As a third priority, the Foundation does consider proposals in the areas of Disabilities and Universal Access, Environmental, and Historic Preservation. As these are not core focus areas, funding is often limited. Priority will be given to proposals with an educational focus.

• Disabilities and Universal Access: A person with a physical, mental, or emotional disability should have equal access to opportunity within the community. To support services for individuals with a disability as well as provide universal access to facilities for these individuals. Supporting programs for people with disabilities as well as required facility renovations to enable universal access.
• Environmental: Stewardship of the local environment is a fundamental responsibility. To support environmental education and conservation initiatives. Through educational instruction and materials (e.g., curriculum, brochures, signs) coupled with protection of strategic parcels of land and water.
• Historic Preservation: Preservation of our history is important in order to educate the broader population on past events to inform current events. To preserve historical accounts and artifacts to benefit future generations. Through educational instruction and materials (e.g., curriculum, brochures, signs) coupled with protection of sites, structures, objects, and events.

There are no minimums or maximum grant amounts; however, most grants range from $5,000 to $10,000.

About The Memorial Trust

In 1975, two years after his death, The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust was established in New York. The four original trustees were a member of the Snow family, a lawyer, a publishing associate and a corporate trustee, the Irving Trust Company, now BNY Mellow N.A.. The current Trustees continue this legacy being well aware of the donor and his beliefs, values and ideals. The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust strategically focuses funding within specific geographic regions of the United States across a range of program areas. They meet once a year, usually in June.

The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust

The Memorial Trust strategically focuses funding within specific geographic regions of the United States across a range of program areas (prioritized below and visually depicted here) while responding to the ever-changing needs of various segments of the population, especially to the needs of youth and people who are disadvantaged economically, emotionally, or physically.

Dating back to the inception of the Trust in 1973, the primary and overarching grant making priority has been and continues to be programs that focus on education.

• Education: Targets funds to organizations that provide educational opportunities or academic assistance to individuals who demonstrate an intellectual aptitude and a financial need. Examples include scholarships, fellowships, academic tutoring or counseling, literacy, and journalism.

Secondarily, the Trust considers proposals within the areas of Arts and Culture, Community Initiatives, and Youth Programs. The Board’s objective is to extend the primary educational focus by providing funding support within these additional program areas.

• Community Initiatives: Provides funding for programs or services that directly improve the quality of life within the geographic focus areas that we serve. Examples include support for libraries, food pantries and shelters, and neighborhood revitalization. Generally, the Trust does not seek proposals for health care initiatives or animal welfare programs.
• Arts and Culture: Offers grants that promote arts education and appreciation, particularly for young adults, via the development of educational curriculum and professional instruction including visiting artists and performance support for targeted populations.
• Youth Initiatives: Offers grants that provide character education or enrichment opportunities via mentoring or after-school programming

As a third priority, the Trust does consider proposals in the areas of Disabilities and Universal Access, Environmental, and Historic Preservation. As these are not core focus areas, funding is often limited. Priority will be given to proposals with an educational focus.

• Disabilities and Universal Access: Offers grants to organizations in complying with ADA requirements within their facilities (e.g. elevator, handrails, automatic doors, and ramps) or offering services targeted for individuals with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
• Environmental: Provides funds for organizations that strive to protect strategic parcels of land and bodies of water as well as programs that educate the general public on key environmental issues such as conservation and water management.
• Historic Preservation: Provides funding for organizations that preserve historical artifacts (e.g. sites, structures, objects) and accounts (e.g. events), and educate the greater community on their significance. Examples include museums, historical societies and educational programming.

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.

At more than 100 years old, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is committed to making grants that maximize impact on the eight counties of Western New York within four Community Goals. 

Community Goals and the Solutions

The Community Foundation’s competitive grants will align with one or more of the four following Community Goals and the Solutions detailed below:

Special consideration will be given to requests that fit a Solution AND advance the racial equity work of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Taskforce.

Achieve racial/ethnic equity. Requests must address one of the following Solutions:

Solutions:

• Increase interaction and bridge racial/ethnic divides between residents and organizations throughout WNY.
• Promote civic engagement and leadership in communities of color.

Promote economic mobility through educational achievement for residents living in low-income households. Requests must address one of the following Solutions:

Solutions:

• Improve the school readiness of children (ages 5 and under) living in communities of poverty.
• Improve the academic achievement and postsecondary completion of students living in low-income households with a preference for systems change.

Steward significant environmental resources. Requests must address one of the following Solutions:

Solutions:

• Protect and restore the region’s waterways.
• Strengthen individual environmental organizations and support a more racially inclusive and collaborative environmental community.

Promote regional vibrancy through architecture, arts, and culture. Requests must address one of the following Solutions:

Solutions:

• Increase access to long term arts instruction for children and youth living in low-income households.
• Strengthen race equity through the arts.
• Restore and leverage significant historic buildings and architectural landmarks, with a preference for sites that promote cultural tourism. (Defining historic as official recognition by State/National Register of Historic Places or local preservation ordinance.)

Special funding available to support the following:

• Programs that serve the visual, speech or hearing impaired (~$5,000)

Preference for this special funding will be given to requests that also align with one or more of the four Community Goals.

Funding Priorities

The Foundation manages several funds that allow discretion to make grants that fund projects and programs that are responsive to changing community needs. These funds, our “Community Impact Funds,” are either Discretionary Funds, which allow the Foundation the flexibility to use its extensive knowledge of community issues and organizations to make grants that address emerging issues; or Field-of-Interest Funds, which give the Foundation grantmaking discretion within given areas of interest. With these funds, the Foundation utilizes the expertise of its staff and Board of Directors to identify opportunities to make grants that will have the most impact in the community.

Due to restrictions placed on some of our funds by our donors, preference may be given to organizations and/or programs that address the following issues:

• Homelessness: Organizations/programs that serve the needs of a homeless population;
• Disabilities: Organizations/programs that serve the needs of the intellectually and/or physically disabled, including the hearing and sight impaired;
• Land Conservation and Preservation: Organizations/programs that focus on the preservation/conservation of land for the protection of wildlife;
• New Americans: Organizations/programs that focus on supporting new Americans;
• Programs that benefit the residents of Amsterdam, NY: Organizations/programs that focus on the provision of services to the residents of Amsterdam, NY.

Funding Amount

Community Foundation Impact Grants usually range from $1,000 to $15,000. Grant period will not exceed one year.

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.

Arts Program

We believe New York City's arts landscape drives not only its cultural vibrancy but also promotes political and economic power among its residents. By investing in place-based work and local efforts, we can best support the conditions necessary to build that power through and within the arts while also uplifting generative creativity that is at the heart of the deep artistic history and diverse cultural foundations that have shaped New York City.

We also believe in supporting the interconnectedness among BIPOC artists, communities, the arts field, and activism. Movements cannot exist without artistic power, and art and creation itself is a form of power—both must be prioritized. A percentage of our funding will be allocated to citywide arts support services and advocacy rooted in racial justice, ensuring the sustained transformation of the arts field at large.

Funding Priorities

In Central & South Brooklyn, the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem, and on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, we support organizations that:

• Focus on arts, cultural, and narrative work through a racial justice lens
• Build BIPOC-led arts infrastructure and provide unconditional, holistic support for BIPOC artists, ensuring their artistic freedom and creativity are respected, resourced, and amplified
• Enhance economic opportunities and access for communities through arts and culture, including partnerships with local vendors, events, and engagement
• Support the use of art and "artivism" as means of political leverage and advocacy both within the arts field and across areas to build community power
• Ensure BIPOC art and culture workers have a seat at the table where resource allocation and decision-making occur
• Support the power and presence of long-standing BIPOC communities in the area, preserve and promote local cultural heritage, and address gentrification's impact on local communities while fostering continued artistic generation
• Engage with and benefit diverse audiences
• Bolster BIPOC-led and serving arts and cultural networks and underfunded cultural organizations

Outside of our geographic priorities, we also support:

• “Bridge” theaters across the city that center BIPOC artists and transformative works. Our goal is to change field norms and make NYC productions more accessible
• Arts and cultural networks that have presence and roots in multiple neighborhoods or boroughs, unify advocacy, representation, and transformation efforts in the field, and act as gateways for BIPOC communities to access the arts
• Arts advocacy, support, and services grounded in racial justice to transform the arts field at large and leverage traditional audiences and venues, ensuring a more equitable arts landscape that reflects the city's diversity

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.

About

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), a nonprofit organization with offices in New York, Israel and Germany, secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world.

Founded in 1951 by representatives of 23 major international Jewish organizations, the Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals and organizations and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust.

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany negotiates for compensation and restitution for Jewish victims of Nazi persecution, administers compensation funds, recovers heirless Jewish property, and allocates funds to organizations which provide social welfare services to Jewish Nazi victims and preserves the memory of the Shoah through Holocaust research, education and documentation initiatives.

Categories Eligible for Funding

Research

• Research and Publications
• Translation of existing research

Education

• Education Programs
• Multi-day Educator Training Programs
• Other

Documentation

• Archival Cataloging and Accessibility Projects (e.g. Cataloging, Digitizing, Indexing)
• Exhibitions
• Recording of new testimonies

  New Media

• Virtual Reality
• Augmented Reality
• Video Games
• Podcasts
• Social Media
• Mobile Apps
• Online Forum
• Other

Matching Funds Requirements

• Current Renewal Applications will be considered for 50% support.
• Documentation: Exceptional Funding Maximum Percentage Request Allowed
• Documentation: Artifact Collection 90%
• Documentation: Recording of New Testimony (including Transcription) 90%

The grantee is responsible for securing the remaining sources of matching funding.

Expenses are paid out on a reimbursement basis. Expenses are reimbursed provided:

• they were expended during the grant period;
• they were in the pre-approved budget;
• they are accompanied by proof of expenditure.
  • This includes proof of matching funds.

Program goal

To mitigate climate change, make communities more resilient to climate change, protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants, and preserve biological diversity.

Grants are made to

Promote more environmentally sustainable, resilient, and just communities that mitigate climate change by:

• Promoting energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy for buildings.
• Shifting to electric or low-emission vehicles and greater use of mass transit.
• Promoting a smarter, more resilient grid and distributed (on-site) generation.
• Reducing emissions from existing fossil fuel-powered facilities and extraction activities.
• Establishing regional programs, performance standards, and regulations that help reduce emissions.

Make communities, especially the most disadvantaged, more resilient to a changing climate by:

• Creating infrastructure that reduces stormwater runoff and absorbs storm surges.
• Protecting shoreline communities by conserving or enhancing natural barriers.
• Encouraging more sustainable building design and land use through policy reforms.
• Better planning and preparation for weather-related emergencies, especially for low-income and other vulnerable residents.

Protect public health from the hazards of toxic pollutants by:

• Supporting targeted scientific research that can be used to develop policy.
• Promoting safer chemical and heavy metal policies and practices, especially for infants, children, and other vulnerable people.
• Eliminating toxic chemicals from products through market campaigns focused on retailers and manufacturers.
• Enhancing protections for low-income communities near polluting facilities.
• Minimizing the hazards of new and expanded fossil fuel extraction on nearby communities.

Preserve biological diversity through habitat conservation by:

• Establishing, enhancing, and monitoring wildlife migration corridors; and
• Supporting functional connectivity between fragmented habitat that enables species to move and live safely

We encourage initiatives that cut across these program areas, especially those focused on smart growth, sustainable agriculture and regional food systems, and sustainable production.

Mission

The Joseph Robert Foundation is a small Pennsylvania private foundation whose primary purposes are to provide financial support for the arts, animal welfare, and the environment. Our main geographic focus is the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., but in special cases we may provide support to organizations located outside this area.

We are interested in awarding grants to non-profit organizations addressing significant issues of interest to our Board. We are especially interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that have fewer resources and more limited objectives, although we may also help fund regional or national organizations having specific program or project objectives. Both general operating and project/program support is available.

We welcome first-time grant seekers, support applications from prior grant recipients, and reach out to find eligible organizations that share our goals and interests.

What We Fund

Arts

We believe strongly in the power of the arts to transform both individuals and communities and are committed to reinforcing the importance of the arts as a vital component of our culture. In challenging political times such as these, the role of the arts is too often overlooked, or even denigrated. We want to play our part in asserting the value of the arts by encouraging artists to take risks, explore new possibilities, and reach out to both new and familiar audiences. By nurturing creativity and innovative thinking, we can help artists make an impact on the world around them.

While we are supportive of all forms of creative expression, the interests of the Foundation are primarily in the visual arts. We will also look favorably upon interdisciplinary projects/programs with a visual arts component, or an arts program/project that would further the goals of either of the other of the Foundation’s areas of interest.

Animal Welfare

The plight and circumstances of animals, whether domestic, farm or wild, are areas of deep concern to the Foundation. We are interested in rescuing, protecting, rehabilitating, and providing homes and sanctuaries for the non-human inhabitants of this planet. We are especially interested in helping organizations that identify and provide resources for animal populations in underserved communities. We are also interested in helping with programs that train and educate wildlife rehabilitators and other animal rescue workers.

Environment and Sustainable Resources Management

With ever increasing attacks on the environment and environmental protection, it is critically important to protect and preserve our natural resources, open lands, forests, oceans, waterways, watersheds, and green spaces. The Joseph Robert Foundation is primarily interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that can have a direct impact on their communities, whether through education or through sustainability projects. We may also be interested in contributing to larger organizations that provide essential services to protect and safeguard the environment from threats of all natures.

Grant Period

The normal grant period will be one year, starting from the date the award has been granted. When appropriate, grantees may reapply for Joseph Robert Foundation funding upon the submission of a final report at the end of the funding period.

Grant Amount

Most grant awards to organizations will be under $10,000. First-time grant awards will be limited to $5,000 or less, unless there are compelling circumstances. Determination of the grant amount will be made based on organizational and/or program/project budgets, scope of proposal, organizational qualifications, and overall application quality. Grants to individuals will be limited to $2,000 or less, with sources of matching and in-kind funds considered.  

Grant Type

Organizations may apply for general operating (GO) and/or program/project funds, but larger organizations are limited to applying for program/project funding.

Individual applicants may only apply for project funds.

History

Emma Elizabeth Barnsley was born on December 10, 1926 in Crane County, Texas and grew up in the areas of Crane, Midland, and Odessa, Texas. She moved to New York City as a young woman where she spent most of her adult life. Ms. Barnsley had a deep love for animals of all kinds. It is because of this passion she established the Emma Barnsley Foundation for the purposes of the prevention of cruelty to animals and the study, care, protection, and preservation of animals, both domestic and wild, and their environment. Ms. Barnsley passed away on August 1, 2007 in New York.

Mission

The mission of the Emma Barnsley Foundation is to promote the prevention of cruelty to animals and for the study, care, protection, and preservation of animals, both domestic and wild, and their environment.

Giving

The Emma Barnsley Foundation awards grants exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes as follows:

• To aid and assist in the prevention of cruelty to animals, both domestic and wild.

• To aid and assist in the care, protection and preservation of animals, both domestic and wild, and the environment in which such wild animals may live.

• To provide scholarships for deserving young men and women to assist them in the study of veterinary medicine at any institution of higher learning in the state of Texas.

• To assist institutions of higher learning in the state of Texas in the operation and maintenance of courses of study in veterinary medicine and in the study of animals and animal life.

• To assist in research projects involving ecological, environmental, and wildlife studies, provided no funds shall be given to any organization utilizing animals for research or experimental purposes if such animals are in any way harmed, mutilated, intentionally inflicted with disease or any substance causing disease, or if such animals are killed in the course of such research.

About the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music

Chartered in 1962 as a not-for-profit private foundation, the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music preserves and perpetuates the legacies of composer Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and his actress-singer wife Lotte Lenya (1898-1981). Based in New York City, it encourages an appreciation of Weill’s music through support of performances, recordings, and scholarship, while nurturing talent more generally in the creation, performance, and study of musical theater. It maintains the Weill-Lenya Research Center; the annual Lotte Lenya Singing Competition; Weill-Lenya Artist Sponsorships, the Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship, and the Harold Prince/Kurt Weill Directing Fellowship. It has prepared and co-published twelve volumes of the Kurt Weill Edition, with more in preparation. It awards biennially the Kurt Weill Prize for scholarship about music theater. The Foundation’s ongoing communications include its semi-annual Kurt Weill Newsletter, monthly E-News, and lively presence on multiple social media platforms. Since 2012, the Foundation has also administered the musical and literary estate of Marc Blitzstein. The Foundation's eight-member staff happily assists individuals and institutions on a daily basis in response to inquiries about licensing, casting, performing materials, historical and biographical information, and other resources. Overseen and energized by a distinguished and diverse fourteen-member board of trustees, the Foundation functions imaginatively and responsibly as the heir, custodian, and administrator of the rights of Weill, Lenya, and Blitzstein.

Grants Program & Collaborative Initiatives

The Foundation's Grant and Collaborative Initiatives Programs award financial support to individuals and not-for-profit organizations for projects related to Weill, Lenya, or Marc Blitzstein. Since 1983 the Foundation has awarded more than $5,000,000 in grant funding to hundreds of organizations and individuals worldwide. Its Grants and Collaborative Initiatives Programs reflect the Kurt Weill Foundation's commitment to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, the Foundation ensures that its grant funding is awarded to organizations who have demonstrably committed to and implemented policies ensuring non-discrimination, diversity, and equality in its practices.

The Foundation's Grant Program accepts proposals in the following categories: Professional Performance, College/University and Amateur Performance, Media, Scholarly Symposia and Conferences, Publication Assistance, Research & Travel, and the Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship.

College/University and Amateur Performance

Funding of up to $15,000 may be requested by colleges, universities, and amateur performing arts organizations in support of general production expenses for performances of Kurt Weill’s and/or Marc Blitzstein’s stage works, and to cover musical expenses in connection with performances of Weill’s or Blitzstein’s concert works. Applications are reviewed by an independent advisory panel per the KWF’s Evaluation Procedures and Criteria.

About the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music

Chartered in 1962 as a not-for-profit private foundation, the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music preserves and perpetuates the legacies of composer Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and his actress-singer wife Lotte Lenya (1898-1981). Based in New York City, it encourages an appreciation of Weill’s music through support of performances, recordings, and scholarship, while nurturing talent more generally in the creation, performance, and study of musical theater. It maintains the Weill-Lenya Research Center; the annual Lotte Lenya Singing Competition; Weill-Lenya Artist Sponsorships, the Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship, and the Harold Prince/Kurt Weill Directing Fellowship. It has prepared and co-published twelve volumes of the Kurt Weill Edition, with more in preparation. It awards biennially the Kurt Weill Prize for scholarship about music theater. The Foundation’s ongoing communications include its semi-annual Kurt Weill Newsletter, monthly E-News, and lively presence on multiple social media platforms. Since 2012, the Foundation has also administered the musical and literary estate of Marc Blitzstein. The Foundation's eight-member staff happily assists individuals and institutions on a daily basis in response to inquiries about licensing, casting, performing materials, historical and biographical information, and other resources. Overseen and energized by a distinguished and diverse fourteen-member board of trustees, the Foundation functions imaginatively and responsibly as the heir, custodian, and administrator of the rights of Weill, Lenya, and Blitzstein.

Grants Program & Collaborative Initiatives

The Foundation's Grant and Collaborative Initiatives Programs award financial support to individuals and not-for-profit organizations for projects related to Weill, Lenya, or Marc Blitzstein. Since 1983 the Foundation has awarded more than $5,000,000 in grant funding to hundreds of organizations and individuals worldwide. Its Grants and Collaborative Initiatives Programs reflect the Kurt Weill Foundation's commitment to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, the Foundation ensures that its grant funding is awarded to organizations who have demonstrably committed to and implemented policies ensuring non-discrimination, diversity, and equality in its practices.

The Foundation's Grant Program accepts proposals in the following categories: Professional Performance, College/University and Amateur Performance, Media, Scholarly Symposia and Conferences, Publication Assistance, Research & Travel, and the Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship.

Media

Support may be requested from non-profit organizations for radio, television, video, film, audio, or multimedia projects that feature Kurt Weill’s, Lotte Lenya’s, or Marc Blitzstein’s life and/or music. Applications are reviewed by an independent advisory panel per the KWF’s Evaluation Procedures and Criteria.

About the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music

Chartered in 1962 as a not-for-profit private foundation, the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music preserves and perpetuates the legacies of composer Kurt Weill (1900-1950) and his actress-singer wife Lotte Lenya (1898-1981). Based in New York City, it encourages an appreciation of Weill’s music through support of performances, recordings, and scholarship, while nurturing talent more generally in the creation, performance, and study of musical theater. It maintains the Weill-Lenya Research Center; the annual Lotte Lenya Singing Competition; Weill-Lenya Artist Sponsorships, the Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship, and the Harold Prince/Kurt Weill Directing Fellowship. It has prepared and co-published twelve volumes of the Kurt Weill Edition, with more in preparation. It awards biennially the Kurt Weill Prize for scholarship about music theater. The Foundation’s ongoing communications include its semi-annual Kurt Weill Newsletter, monthly E-News, and lively presence on multiple social media platforms. Since 2012, the Foundation has also administered the musical and literary estate of Marc Blitzstein. The Foundation's eight-member staff happily assists individuals and institutions on a daily basis in response to inquiries about licensing, casting, performing materials, historical and biographical information, and other resources. Overseen and energized by a distinguished and diverse fourteen-member board of trustees, the Foundation functions imaginatively and responsibly as the heir, custodian, and administrator of the rights of Weill, Lenya, and Blitzstein.

Grants Program & Collaborative Initiatives

The Foundation's Grant and Collaborative Initiatives Programs award financial support to individuals and not-for-profit organizations for projects related to Weill, Lenya, or Marc Blitzstein. Since 1983 the Foundation has awarded more than $5,000,000 in grant funding to hundreds of organizations and individuals worldwide. Its Grants and Collaborative Initiatives Programs reflect the Kurt Weill Foundation's commitment to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, the Foundation ensures that its grant funding is awarded to organizations who have demonstrably committed to and implemented policies ensuring non-discrimination, diversity, and equality in its practices.

The Foundation's Grant Program accepts proposals in the following categories: Professional Performance, College/University and Amateur Performance, Media, Scholarly Symposia and Conferences, Publication Assistance, Research & Travel, and the Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship.

Professional Performance

Funding may be requested by professional opera companies, theater companies, dance companies, orchestras, ensembles, and other concert groups for performances of musical works by Kurt Weill and/or Marc Blitzstein. Applications are reviewed by an independent advisory panel per the KWF’s Evaluation Procedures and Criteria.

WHDC'S Grantmaking

WHDC aims to support activities that benefit West Harlem by deploying funds pursuant to the CBA through WHDC Grantmaking and other activities. WHDC’s strategy is to address the needs of West Harlem through project specific collaborations with nonprofit organizations and institutions. WHDC requires its grantees to meet specified or negotiated measurable goals within WHDC’s vision. Funded projects of organizations must be located in, or provide services to Manhattan Community District 9 (MCD9) in West Harlem, bounded as: South to North: from 110th Street to 155th Street; and East to West: from Manhattan, Morningside, St. Nicholas, Bradhurst and Edgecombe Avenues to the Hudson River.

The CBA contains a list of activities for which its original $76 million, payable over 16 years, may be spent. Included are activities to address eight need-categories namely: Arts and Culture, Community Facilities, Education, Workforce and Economic Development, Environment, Historic Preservation and Housing. In 2014, WHDC’s board decided to condense these into four categories: Education, Community Facilities, Housing, and Workforce & Economic Development. In 2015, WHDC’s Board further prioritized these into Affordable Housing, Education (including youth development), and Workforce & Economic Development. The prioritization aims to ameliorate the endemic issues of public school failure, rising unemployment and limited skills, and rising housing costs and displacement.

In 2018, WHDC’s Board made the decision to shift from two funding cycles per year to one cycle titled Community Benefits Grant Awards. WHDC continues to examine the impact of its grantmaking and thus reserves the right to set new priorities. 

Priority Areas

Health & Human Services

Projects that demonstrate that they promote and protect the health of MCD9 residents and provide essential human services to many.

Housing Affordability & Preservation

Projects that preserve and sustain affordable housing, that support racial equity and economic security, access to permanent housing opportunities and that provide a mechanism to ensure that the residential units remain affordable over time for MCD9 residents.

Economic Development

Projects that engage MCD9 local businesses, tackling current challenges, and advancing entrepreneurial economic growth as well as workforce development.

Youth & Older Adults Services

Projects in this priority area provide instruction to support older adults and youth by creating a strong foundation for growth and stability that educate and empower them.

Arts & Culture

Projects that cultivate, support, and promote the works of West Harlem artists and arts & culture organizations who create and work in MCD9. Projects that have a commitment to public service and public participation that not only commemorates and preserves West Harlem’s rich cultural history but also celebrates its rich cultural diversity.

Background

Furthermore grants assist nonfiction books having to do with art, architecture, and design; cultural history, the city, and related public issues; and conservation and preservation. We look for work that appeals to an informed general audience, gives evidence of high standards in editing, design, and production, and promises a reasonable shelf life.

Funds apply to such specific publication components as:

• writing,
• research,
• editing,
• indexing,
• design,
• illustration,
• photography, and
• printing and binding.

Please refer to FAQ for additional informations.

Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF)

Title 9 NYCRR (sections 439.1 – 443.4) implements the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Act of 1993 (Title 9 of Article 54 of the Environmental Conservation Law), which created OPRHP's program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage Grants. The EPF is a matching grant program for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within the physical boundaries of the State of New York. Funds may be awarded to municipalities or not-for-profits with an ownership interest. To ensure the public benefit from the investment of state funds, all properties acquired or developed with grant funds will receive long-term protections. The method and term of the protection is dependent upon the type of applicant and project undertaken (see sample documents on the Consolidated Funding Application tab). Municipal parkland acquired or improved with EPF funding must remain parkland in perpetuity (see the Handbook on the Alienation and Conversions of Municipal Parkland). All applicants must use the online Consolidated Funding Application to apply. Parks Program

A matching grant program for the acquisition, development and planning of parks and recreational facilities to preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures for park, recreation or conservation purposes and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects. Funds may be awarded for indoor or outdoor projects and must reflect the priorities established in NY Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) found here.

Historic Preservation Program

A matching grant program to improve, protect, preserve, rehabilitate, restore or acquire properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects.

Heritage Areas Program

A matching grant program for projects to acquire, preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures, identified in the approved management plans for Heritage Areas designated under section 35.03 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and for structural assessments or planning for such projects. Projects must fall within a New York State Designated Heritage Area.

Mission

The mission of the Lily Auchincloss Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in New York City.

The foundation supports arts, preservation and community programs which serve to enrich the lives of the people of New York City. Our focus is to reach and support small to mid-size organizations throughout the five boroughs.

Fall Cycle - Arts Grants

Please note that Lily Auchincloss Foundation has narrowed the scope of its Arts Grants. Given an overwhelming number of applications in recent years, the Foundation will focus its arts funding on organizations providing the experiences and services described below. Please review this information carefully to assess your eligibility.Lily Auchincloss Foundation recognizes the arts as an essential component of life in New York City. Arts and culture enhance our lives in countless ways, subtle and profound. The Foundation’s Arts Grants support organizations that help to make the city affordable and welcoming for audiences and for artists.Organizations may request general operating support or program support in the following areas:

• Access for Audiences: Lily Auchincloss Foundation funds organizations with a history (3+ years) of providing FREE exhibitions, performances, and events that welcome audiences to take part in arts-based experiences, including arts education programs.
• Access for Artists: Lily Auchincloss Foundation funds organizations providing artists with FREE AND LOW-COST professional support, including studio space, specialized equipment and workshops (i.e. papermaking, glass-making facilities, printmaking studios), and career services.

Arts grants are awarded during our fall cycle.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund wants to encourage collaborative and participatory efforts among citizens in rural communities that will help to strengthen their towns and regions in a number of civic areas including, but not limited to, economic development, business preservation, arts and humanities, public space improvements, and education.

Priority is placed on projects that: 

• Bring together a broad range of community members and institutions
• Provide the opportunity for diverse community members to work together
• Contain measurable short term outcomes within the first 12 to 18 months
• Include community members actively in all phases of the process 
• Work toward an outcome of positive change within their community

Projects must demonstrate:

• Support from a diverse cross-section of community members and institutions
• Matching financial and/or in-kind support from the local community
• Significant volunteer participation
• Reasonable plans to complete the project within 18 months or less

Funds will be available for: 

• Planning (up to $5,000) - These funds may support costs like: consultant or staff time, meeting costs, mailings, secretarial support, refreshments, local travel, childcare, etc.
• Note - this stage is optional and not a required phase prior to applying for or receiving an implementation grant. If an organization receives a planning grant from the Musser Fund, this in no way implies a commitment on the part of the Musser Fund to provide the organization with any subsequent implementation grant.
• But organizations that receive a planning grant may apply for subsequent implementation support after their planning activities are completed.      
• Implementation (Up to $25,000) - These funds are available to implement community based rural projects that originate in, have been planned by, and involve diverse people from the local community.
• Capital campaigns will not be supported.
• The projects should result in a tangible outcome within at least the first 18 months.
• Projects will be eligible for either planning or implementation funds during any one grant period.

What the Program will Cover:

• New programs or projects within their first three years
• A planning, and/or implementation phase

PSEG Corporate Giving

The PSEG family of companies provides support for dinners, events and targeted sponsorships serving the places we do business in New Jersey, New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut; Albany and Long Island, New York

• Sustainable Neighborhoods
• Building safe, healthy and sustainable communities
• Our company’s commitment to environmental stewardship stretches beyond our own operations. We invest in public parks that improve the quality of life for local residents and in the environmental organizations that protect and preserve natural resources, address climate adaptation, and build sustainable communities.
• Safety and Preparedness
• Complementing PSEG’s safety vision, we seek to keep people and their homes safe, particularly around electricity and natural gas, and to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

PSEG Corporate Giving

The PSEG family of companies provides support for dinners, events and targeted sponsorships serving the places we do business in New Jersey, New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut; Albany and Long Island, New York

Since 1984, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation has been working to improve the quality of life for the residents of Stamford and Worcester, New York, and Winchendon, Massachusetts.

Mission and Areas of Interest

The Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation is a private foundation operating and granting funds at the complete discretion of the Directors, to fund charitable 501(c)(3) organizations in the following endeavors, but not limited to:

• Provide a better quality of life for all community members.
  • For example; Hospice, senior housing, health clinics.
• Provide support for historical preservation in the communities served.
• Enhance opportunities for a quality education for all ages.
• Support projects that would promote community spirit and cooperation.
• Support community volunteer organizations that qualify.
• Support youth programs that encourage responsibility, community interest, citizenship and healthy life styles.
• Support religious organizations in their service to the community.
• Support municipalities to improve and maintain infrastructures.
• Support efforts to improve public safety.