58 CityAndStateNY.com
How NYN Media covered nonprofits during the pandemic
Trinity Church, near City & State’s office in lower Manhattan, is also a major philanthropic institution.
City & State’s sister publication was a valuable resource during a time of extreme need.
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HE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has exacerbated numerous needs for vulnerable New Yorkers. Hunger has spiked, educational disparities have worsened, mental health needs have increased and housing stability has been threatened by job losses. This year has only further highlighted the degree to which New York City and state officials have come to rely heavily on human services nonprofits to operate homeless shelters, food pantries, group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other institutions helping residents in need.
New York City spent about $5.9 billion contracting with nonprofits in fiscal year 2018, according to an analysis from SeaChange Capital Partners. Also, the pandemic has been difficult for nonprofits beyond the human services field. Arts and cultural organizations have faced particularly steep job losses. Philanthropic groups and foundations reevaluated their approach to grant-making and launched new ventures to fund urgent needs throughout the health crisis. In addition, a nationwide outcry against systemic racism prompted questions about whether organizations led by people of color have received sufficient funding to support and
advocate for their communities. While publications dedicated to covering business and industries like real estate are common, reporting solely focused on the nonprofit sector is harder to find. Several notable publications do exist, such as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Inside Philanthropy and Nonprofit Quarterly. But City & State’s sister publication, New York Nonprofit Media, stands out as a rare resource focused on the nonprofit sector in a specific state. NYN Media started out as New York Nonprofit Press in 2002, when founder Fred Scaglione launched its inaugural issue. Since then, the publication has mor-
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By Kay Dervishi
