Nonprofits awarded $9.9 million in grants from New York Community Trust

The New York Community Trust awarded 9.9 million in grants to 55 nonprofits, including $17.6 million in support to organizations advancing health equity and environmental justice across New York City.

This grants  addressed a wide range of needs, from supporting young people with disabilities, environmental preservation efforts, asylum seekers’ access to health care, to helping nonprofit workers secure living wages. Grants were also renewed to nonprofits aimed at improving conditions in city jails, including those rallying to close Rikers Island and protecting young people during police interrogations. 

“These nonprofits are doing vital work to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers across the city,” said Shawn Morehead, The Trust’s vice president for grants. “They are also helping our city evolve into a more just and equitable place to live, paving the way for more opportunities for residents today and tomorrow.” 

The Trust also directed nearly $1 million in grants to advocates for local wind and solar installations, global reduction of fossil fuels, and organizations advancing climate mitigation and resilience efforts. 

Among the recipients receiving grants between $125,000 and $200,000 were  the Ocean Foundation and National Wildlife Federation. A $200,000 grant went to World Commission on Fossil Fuel Phase Out Project for their efforts to establish an international commission that will help phase out the global use of fossil fuels, and $175,000 to Columbia University School of Law to provide legal support for local efforts to site utility-scale wind and solar installations.  

Other recipients include nonprofits serving the health sector. A $350,000 grant went to Community Health Care Association of New York State to establish New York’s first medical assistant apprenticeship programs in community health centers, and $200,000 to Helen Keller International and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University for health research. Among recipients of $225,000 grants were the Bangladeshi American Community Development and Youth Service, My time, Community Inclusion and Development Alliance, Extreme Kids and Crew— all to provide support and services to young people suffering from disabilities. 

Nonprofits who offer rehabilitative programs within jails and advocate for the closing of Rikers Island also were among grant recipients, with $100,000 going to Transformative In-Prison Workgroup and $80,000 to Urban Youth Alliance International, which aims to engage young people in campaigns to relocate Rikers Island inmates and protect young people during police interrogations. A $170,000 grant was awarded to the Women's Community Justice Association which advocates for better jail conditions for women. Fund for New Citizens also received $200,000 to help migrants and refugees navigate the city’s immigration laws and policies.

Funding to directly support the nonprofits included $300,000 to Bringing Up Minimum Pay which advocates for living wages to workers in the human service sector, $100,000 to F.Y. Eye, which helps nonprofits develop and publicize public service announcements; and $150,000 to The New York Landmarks Conservancy for the emergency repairs of historic buildings owned by nonprofit organizations.. Nearly$1 million also was allocated to nonprofits equipping young people with job skills, including $200,000 each to ExpandED Schools, New Jewish Home, New Settlement and Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. 

“As we celebrate our centennial anniversary, we recognize our incredible community of generous New Yorkers who have made these grants possible,” said Amy Freitag, The Trust’s president. “As New York’s community foundation, we are committed to working with our donors to create systematic change in our region.”