Equitable and thriving communities throughout New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.
MISSION
As New York’s community foundation, we foster and engage in enduring and innovative philanthropy.
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ON THE COVER: A panel from our Annie Tinker comic (page 15). Art by Jai the Sketch Guy
Kudos & updates
City & State named Vice President for Programs and Grants Irfan Hasan to its list of Trailblazers in Health Care.
Vice President of Development Mike Nuno spoke about the power of collective philanthropy at the Council of Urban Professionals’ 7th Annual Pipeline to Power Summit, hosted by White & Case.
The Trust’s Long Island office won the Best of Long Island Awards’ Best Philanthropist category for the third year in a row.
Order, a Brooklyn design studio, awarded The Trust and our rebranding firm Hyperakt its inaugural Change Order Fund award, which recognizes outstanding branding efforts in the nonprofit sector.
Staff recommendations
Program Director Eve Stotland recommends The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead and the film it inspired, directed by RaMell Ross. “This story follows two Black boys as they navigate a brutal, racist, and corrupt reform school in 1960s Florida. It speaks to the United States’ long practice of using the criminal justice system to terrorize and extract free labor from Black Americans. It also speaks to the widespread abuse of children and young people in detention centers, a history The Trust worked to overcome through our support of the Raise the Age campaign, which ended New York’s practice of prosecuting 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.”
Director of Planned Giving Audra Lewton recommends Central Park, on AppleTV+. “Three generations of my family loved watching this animated musical series about a family living in a fictional park manager’s residence in Central Park. It is filled with great New York characters, voiced by incredible Broadway talents. Daveed Diggs performs one of my soundtrack favorites, “If There’s a Will”—and while I wouldn’t suggest replicating this exaggeratedly comical approach to wills, of course I whole-heartedly encourage thoughtful consideration of legacy and estate planning.”
A new strategy for gender equity
Leigh Ross Program Director for Gender Equity, Early Childhood, and Arts Education
As a grantmaker at The New York Community Trust, a big part of my job is finding ways to better understand the policies and systems that affect the communities we serve. One way my colleagues and I do this is by periodically reviewing our grantmaking strategies to make sure we’re supporting work that actively addresses inequities, meets service needs, and sets the stage for positive, long-term change in the city.
I recently completed this process for The Trust’s gender equity program. As I reviewed research and interviewed experts from nonprofits, academia, and the government, it was clear that girls, women, and genderexpansive people continue to face pervasive gender-based discrimination and violence— affecting their economic mobility, health, and intimate relationships.
More broadly, recognizing that, in recent years, people have begun to define gender more expansively—and that the nonprofits serving them have done the same—we revised our guidelines so that our grants explicitly support not only girls and women, but also genderexpansive people. (“Gender expansive” is a term that includes transgender people and those who identify as nonbinary, which means they don’t identify as a man or woman.)
This led me to four main areas of focus for our new strategy: developing youth leadership, addressing genderbased wage gaps, improving
services for survivors of genderbased violence, and improving reproductive, maternal, and mental health care—including advocacy to expand access to high-quality, age-appropriate sexual health education.
These areas are, of course, interrelated. For example, recent studies show that early access to sexual health education helps young people of all genders learn to recognize the characteristics of, and develop, healthy intimate relationships. And some of our youth leadership grants have involved young people in campaigns to raise awareness about issues like teen dating violence and employment discrimination.
Programs that offer leadership and advocacy training to girls and gender-expansive young people are a powerful way to support gender equity and advance systemic change. Participants get the opportunity to speak out about issues they care about and directly influence policies that affect them. They
also develop transferable skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
As these young people move into the workforce, they are likely to face economic discrimination. Women and gender-expansive people continue to make less money than men, even as young women finish high school and attend college at higher rates than young men. In NYC, women earn an average of 90 cents for every dollar a man earns. For Black and Latina women, that number plummets to 57 and 54 cents, respectively.
Meanwhile, child care remains unaffordable for 80 percent of families in the city—and studies show that women are twice as likely as men to leave jobs or reduce working hours because they can’t find or pay for reliable child care.
To advance gender equity, we also need to address inequities in health care. For example, studies show that Black women in New York are nine times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than white women. This is a consequence of racial bias—it cuts across income and education level—as well as a lack of access to quality medical services, paid time off, and other important supports. At The Trust, we want to encourage service providers to consider gender- and race-based differences in health and mental health outcomes and provide services that address those disparities.
Our new strategy will help guide our grantmaking to support programs designed not only to meet today’s needs, but also to work towards building a city, region, and hopefully world, that offers equal opportunities, care, and safety to all. n
Photo by Casey Kelbaugh
Coalitions win faster commutes & cleaner air for New Yorkers
The long road to congestion pricing
Several groups rally for congestion pricing in front of MTA headquarters in Lower Manhattan. Photo courtesy of the Riders Alliance
New York’s first-in-the-nation congestion pricing program brought New Yorkers less traffic, easier commutes, better bus speeds, and safer streets within days of its implementation in January 2025. But the program took decades of collaboration between nonprofits, advocates, and funders to become a reality.
“It’s gratifying to see immediate benefits from a program that took a dizzying amount of coordinated advocacy to set in motion,” said Arturo Garcia-Costas, program director for the local, national, and international environment at The New York Community Trust. “Of course, the long-term effects will be even greater. Thanks to congestion pricing, New Yorkers can look forward to cleaner air, less climate pollution, an updated and more accessible public transit system, and a city that’s safer for pedestrians and drivers—among many other benefits.”
After making a grant in 2005 to help the Partnership for New York City research a congestion-pricing zone south of 60th Street in Manhattan, The Trust continued to invest in the movement, collaborating with diverse coalitions that doubled down in the face of frequent setbacks.
Instead of throwing in the towel after the State Assembly defeated the Bloomberg administration’s effort to introduce congestion pricing legislation in 2008, the movement regrouped. In 2011, The Trust partnered with MOVE NY, a coalition led by Alex Mattheissen, former president of Riverkeeper, and “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz, a former city traffic commissioner who began advocating for congestion pricing in the 1970s. Their coalition included Trust grantees the Riders Alliance, TriState Transportation Campaign, Regional Plan Association, and New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.
MOVE NY rallied political support when public momentum for congestion pricing grew once more in 2017, during what became known as the “Summer of Hell” as major subway breakdowns highlighted the urgency of updating an aging transit system.
The movement’s broad coalition building paid off in 2019. New York’s Traffic Mobility Act enshrined congestion pricing in state law for the first time and slated it to begin in 2021.
“Transportation is an intersectional issue. It relates to public health, economic opportunity, and providing accessibility for all folks. It was important to have that represented in our coalition effort,” said Renae Reynolds, Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s executive director. “We had advocates who worked in the disability space, environmental justice organizations, and even corporations like
Uber and Lyft. It was a very big table of organizations working together to accomplish this victory.”
Instead of starting in 2021, the congestion pricing legislation faced further delays, including a lengthy environmental review period. But advocates were shocked in June 2024 when Governor Hochul reversed course and paused the program indefinitely, just days before it was slated to begin. That decision threatened to leave a $15-billion shortfall in the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s fiveyear capital plan.
The Trust responded swiftly with a grant to Earth Justice, the world’s largest nonprofit environmental law firm, to support nonprofits filing a lawsuit to challenge Governor Hochul’s suspension of the initiative.
In September, The Trust worked with the New York Environmental Funders Network at Philanthropy New York to convene frontline nonprofits that included the Riders Alliance, League of Conservation Voters, and Regional Plan Association, to determine how funders could help them sustain the legal, advocacy, and communication efforts needed to “turn on” congestion pricing. The group established a budget of $850,000.
Days after the briefing, an anonymous New York donor approached The Trust with a matching grant of $300,000 to help reach the budget goal, and the Congestion Pricing Go Fund was born. The Trust rapidly rallied other donors, including individuals, foundations, and corporations, to raise the remainder in time to start making grants in late October.
In November 2024, Governor Hochul unpaused the program, and advocates witnessed their vision become a reality as congestion pricing went into effect on January 5. But the work is not over. The Trust will continue to support frontline nonprofits and coalitions to ensure a robust implementation of the program.
“Now we need to win the win and show what congestion pricing can deliver for all New Yorkers. Congestion pricing, just as it is today, is transformative. But it can be so much more transformative if we keep building on it,” said Betsy Plum, executive director of the Riders Alliance. “We should absolutely have bus prioritization so that more New Yorkers are able get where they need to be going quicker. This is part of what makes people want to live, raise families, and build their lives in New York.” n
Help us protect congestion pricing. Give today at qrco.de/CongestionPricing.
25 years of launching careers
Celebrating The Trust's graduate student fellowship program
“Every spring, The New York Community Trust enjoys an infusion of new energy and perspectives as we welcome our annual cohort of graduate student fellows.
Trust fellows work with our grantmaking, marketing and communications, donor, and legal teams for a full year, providing high-level support to our work while learning the ins and outs of our region’s nonprofit and philanthropy scene.
“
To mark The Trust’s graduate student fellowship program’s 25th anniversary, we’re checking in with a handful of alumni to see where they are now and how their time with The Trust influenced their professional journey.
Our history of tapping graduate students goes back to 1976, when former Trust President Lorie Slutsky joined the foundation as an intern. For the next 25 years, The Trust continued to sporadically invite graduate students to join us for paid internships, typically for just a summer.
The Trust’s graduate student fellowship program, as currently configured, began in 2000 when we expanded it to a year-long paid opportunity with a more focused learning and working agenda. Fellows work full-time in the summer between their first and second years of graduate school and part-time
Irfan Hasan, vice president of programs and grants, leads The Trust’s graduate student fellowship.
Each new cohort of fellows has brought fresh outlooks, skills, and passions to The Trust.”
during the academic year. Marlyn Torres (featured) and Jocelyn Felter were our inaugural fellows. (In fact, both began their Trust fellowships right around the same time I started working at The Trust!)
More than 70 students have participated in the program, which is now one of the longest-standing and most well-known graduate student fellowships in the field of philanthropy. In keeping with The Trust’s passion for permanence, the fellows, not surprisingly, span three generations—Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
Each new cohort of fellows has brought fresh outlooks, skills, and passions to The Trust. As the region’s community foundation, we rely on diverse voices to inform our work. The fellows have added theirs, and each one has left a lasting mark. Here’s to many more years of The Trust’s fellowship program helping new generations of changemakers launch their careers.”
Scan this QR code to read the full interviews on The Trust’s site or visit qrco.de/trustfellows.
MARLYN TORRES
Senior Advisor in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management
New York University Fellowship: 2000 - 2001
“I was one of two fellows selected for the program’s inaugural year. This fellowship helped launch my career in philanthropy. One lesson I draw from my time at The Trust is the value it placed on collaboration and awareness. We can’t achieve change alone or in a vacuum. We need to include other voices at the table, acknowledge the innate power imbalance in philanthropy, and increase grantee involvement in decision-making.
DANIEL PATRICK
Associate Attorney Cuddy & Feder LLP
Pace University School of Law Fellowship: 2015 - 2016
“I was drawn to the opportunity to focus on the environment and economic development, two areas I was pursuing in my law school studies. My role as a fellow let me engage with a range of nonprofits, from global organizations seeking to address climate change to local organizations providing employment
The fellowship gave me a bird’s eye view of our local nonprofit sector. Going on site visits across the city, even for a native New Yorker like myself, solidified the love I have for New York City. It’s a multicultural gem where, for all its challenges, it continues to be a place of opportunity and potential. As one famous New Yorker, Alicia Keys, puts it, “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothing you can’t do.” I would add, there’s nothing we can’t do with a little help, and philanthropy—and The Trust in particular—is one of the many helpers.”
ST. CLAIR LOGAN
Senior Policy Analyst
New York City Housing Preservation & Development
The New School Fellowship: 2018 - 2019
JASMINE THOMAS Senior Director Microsoft
Columbia University Fellowship: 2005 - 2006
“My fellowship at The Trust cultivated my permanent commitment to prioritize the needs of communities and stakeholders directly impacted by the issues when developing grant strategies and solutions. I cherish numerous memorable projects, from supporting the Design Trust for the city’s first yellow taxi compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to reviving the New York City AIDS Fund with Vogue and CFDA. As I have gone on to work in philanthropy—at the Surdna and Citi foundations—as well as my current role at Microsoft, the learnings from The Trust have stayed with me.”
“I applied to the fellowship because I knew it would expose me to a breadth of program areas while I was deciding what I wanted to do after graduate school. It introduced me to nonprofits providing valuable services, including affordable housing advocacy and community development. This is useful in my role working for the city, where I continue to see how The Trust intersects across many areas and makes our region a better place for all.”
DIENTA ROCHANI Program Analyst Fortune Society
SUNY Downstate Fellowship: 2022 - 2023
“My most memorable fellowship project was analyzing grantees’ administrative rates. My recommendations contributed to The Trust creating a more flexible approach for grantees with operating budgets of less than $4 million: The Trust now allows these groups, on a case-by-case basis, to use up to 25% of their grant—typically focused on a project—for organizational needs. I’m proud that this work left a tangible legacy, both at The Trust and for dozens of nonprofits.”
Jennifer Quinones, Pass Me The Purrrmegranate Meow, 2023. Colored pencil on paper, 13 x 10.5 inches
Image courtesy of Summertime
Brooklyn art space celebrates artists with disabilities
Jennifer Quinones has just turned Summertime Gallery—a Williamsburg nonprofit art studio, residency, and gallery for artists with and without disabilities—into an Egyptian tomb. She’s painted hieroglyphics on the walls, welcomed the ghosts of King Arthur and Joan of Arc, and filled the space with her captivating portraits of charismatic cats.
“When I started drawing cats as warriors, Hollywood stars, movie characters, or historic characters, I said to myself, ‘This is really good.’ I just love cats,” said Quinones, who is Summertime’s current artist in residence.
In addition to her residency, Quinones works at YAI Arts, a studio in Manhattan for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her art reimagines “iconic eras in history and pop culture with cats as their protagonists,” and her show at Summertime, which opened on April 10, focuses on medieval times and ancient Egypt.
“This has been my dream,” Quinones said. “To have my own show with my two favorite periods.”
Sophia Cosmadopoulos and Anna Schechter, Summertime Gallery’s founders, are in the business of helping artists realize their dreams. They founded Summertime in 2019 to fill a void in the city’s art world.
“We realized that there were a lot of local art studios that worked with artists specifically with intellectual disabilities, but no spaces with neurodiverse artists working alongside neurotypical artists,” said Cosmadopoulos. “We really wanted to create that inclusive space where we’re celebrating artists first.”
The gallery’s residency program provides artists with support that includes studio space, mentorship, funding for materials and a stipend, a public exhibition, and opportunities to sell their work.
Its application process prioritizes artists who are often excluded from traditional residencies, including artists with intellectual disabilities.
“We think of our jobs as vision fulfillers—to remove barriers and help artists achieve their boldest creative goals,” said Schechter.
A recent Trust grant is supporting Quinones’ residency at Summertime. Trust Program Director Rachel Pardoe recognized the unique service the gallery provides and wanted to help expand its residency program to reach more artists.
“Summertime is doing a great service to both artists and the art world at large—giving the work of talented artists with disabilities the platform it deserves,” said Pardoe.
Located on a wide and inviting sidewalk on a residential block, the gallery’s street-level storefront and large windows engage the local community.
“The neighborhood is a very active part of Summertime,” said Priscilla Frank, the gallery’s studio supervisor. Passersby often stop in to learn more about the gallery and even donate supplies they notice artists using.
“People walking by get kind of a preview, and then get excited,” said Schechter. “Sometimes kids, or other artists, will say, ‘What’s happening in here? When can I come back and see it?’”
This reflects another goal of the gallery: to create a welcoming space that invites audiences to immerse themselves in its artists’ unique visions.
Audiences hoping to experience Quinones’ vision of medieval times and Ancient Egypt “rendered from a cat-centric point of view” can visit the gallery through May 10.
“There’s a lot of crazy stuff that’s happening today. When I escape to do art, I escape from chaos,” Quinones said. “I get into the zone. I get focused on a piece.” n
Photo courtesy of Summertime Gallery
More than a meal Westchester food programs serve up comfort & care
Among the growing number of Westchester residents struggling to put food on the table are homebound older adults, families with special medical needs, and newcomers who made strenuous journeys to flee danger in their home countries.
Nonprofits like Episcopal Charities and Hillside Food Outreach are taking this bigger picture into account as they work to address food insecurity in the county.
“We wanted to be able to provide clients with foods that they recognize, that they want to eat—to provide dignity to families,” said Lauren Chung, chief advancement and operations officer at Episcopal Charities, of its efforts to offer food and comfort to recently arrived asylum seekers. “Some of these families didn’t expect to be in New York and are dealing with a lot of new things. This was our way of providing a welcome.”
While many New Yorkers
associate Westchester County with a comfortable suburban lifestyle and well-resourced public schools, the reality is far more complex. One in three households in the county live paycheck to paycheck and lack access to adequate nutritious food. As housing costs continue to rise, many residents find themselves unable to make ends
“
also putting a financial strain on the food pantries that are a real lifeline for so many.”
With a grant from The Trust, Episcopal Charities is addressing this issue by running a bulk-buy program for the food pantries and soup kitchens it supports. The nonprofit helps pantries purchase food from wholesalers at lower costs and with fewer
We wanted to be able to provide clients with foods that they recognize, that they want to eat—to provide dignity to families.”
- Lauren Chung, Episcopal Charities
meet, even for basic necessities.
“Food insecurity isn’t just about hunger. It’s a challenge fueled by unemployment, lack of access to transportation, poverty, and sudden financial hardships,” said Lauren Perkins, a Trust program director for Westchester. “As more and more neighbors struggle to feed their families, rising food costs are
administrative burdens.
“A lot of our smaller programs can’t access large wholesalers,” said Chung. “We wanted to meet the need, which is still growing by at least single—if not double— digits.”
Wholesalers offer a greater variety of produce and proteins, allowing partners to provide foods that incorporate cultural culinary traditions—for example, by following halal guidelines—for the growing number of recently arrived asylum seekers in the county.
Episcopal Charities also is using The Trust’s grant to stock pantries with more nutritious foods by working with Hudson Valley farms, through its farm to pantry program, to provide more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and support the sustainability of local agriculture. Combined, Episcopal Charities’ programs provide more than 56,000 pounds of fresh food throughout Westchester County each year.
Another grantee, Hillside
Meals On Main Street’s Mobile Food Pantry in Port Chester, NY, participates in programs provided by Episcopal Charities. Photo by Andrew Filippone Jr.
Food Outreach, works with wholesalers to provide produce and deliver meals tailored to the medical needs of chronically ill clients, many of whom are homebound older adults and families with children. Hillside structured its delivery program to offer comfort and companionship along with nutritious food.
Hillside’s volunteers make monthly deliveries to more than 1,300 homes across Westchester County. Each volunteer serves a maximum of six clients, allowing them to develop personal
relationships and provide companionship and emotional support to those who may otherwise feel isolated.
“For many of our clients, proper nutrition is critical to managing chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension,” said Kathy Purdy, Hillside’s executive director. “You don’t want to just fill someone’s stomach—that’s not helping them in the long run. It’s about more than just delivering food. It’s about enabling them to live their best lives.” n To
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The Community Center of Northern Westchester participates in Episcopal Charities' bulk-buy program.
Long Island
Long Islanders cross party lines to take a stand for clean water
“The people have spoken—red, blue, and independent. Water quality is a bipartisan issue,” said Robyn Silvestri, executive director of Save the Great South Bay, after an impressive 72 percent of Suffolk County voters supported a ballot measure in the November 2024 general election to fund the improvement of local water quality.
Renowned for its hundreds of miles of scenic shorelines, Long Island faces a crisis that started beneath the surface and has affected its diverse ecosystems. Nitrogen pollution from more than 380,000 outdated septic systems and cesspools in Suffolk County has created thriving conditions for dangerous waterbased organisms that can harm humans, animals, and plants.
Thanks to the ballot measure’s success, efforts are now underway to fix the source of the problem. The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, also known as Proposition 2, funds the expansion of sewers and the installation of modern
septic systems throughout the county. These efforts will go a long way to reduce levels of nitrogen released into ground and surface water from the Island’s wastewater.
For decades, The New York Community Trust has partnered with a coalition of nonprofits and advocates, including grantees Save the Great South Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Group for the East End, and Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment, to study the effects of nitrogen pollution and create public health solutions, laying the groundwork for Proposition 2 and its popular support.
The measure increases the sales tax by 12 cents for every taxable $100 spent in Suffolk County, while generating an estimated $6 billion over the next 35 years to invest in cleaner water, augmented by federal and state matching funds that could bring the project’s funding up to $12 billion. The plan will install several hundred thousand new individual wastewater systems and thousands of
sewer connections in existing or expanded sewer districts. It also will invest in protecting water sources through land conservation.
“I like to tell this story to young people, because they can feel dejected, like nothing can ever happen,” said Bob DeLuca, president of Group for the East End. “I think the message here is that you can get things done if you build the campaign strategically, and if you’re prepared to put your shoulder into it for the long-term.”
For decades, Trust grantees have conducted research, mobilized communities, and advocated for policy change. A broad coalition, encompassing nonprofits, foundations, universities, developers, labor unions, and others, created a comprehensive campaign strategy that included rigorous water quality testing, public education, securing support from state and county officials, and robust grassroots organizing to rally voters behind the tax increase.
“It was crucial to consistently engage the public about water quality,” said Melissa Greenberger, a Trust program director for Long Island. “You have people experiencing gastrointestinal illnesses and skin irritation from contaminated water, you have fish dying off, you have dogs getting sick or dying, and you have a whole ripple effect from this problem.”
The campaign to win public support for the proposition highlighted how important water is to Long Island residents. DeLuca said this helped unite
Long Island nonprofits worked together to advocate for cleaner water. Photo courtesy of Group for the East End
Islanders across party lines.
“The Long Island way of life is something people believe in and agree on, even though they may disagree about everything else,” said DeLuca. “They agree that we are on an island, that we are close to the coast, and all of us have an investment in protecting the water and being able to continue fishing, going to the beach, and doing all the things that we enjoy here.”
Reliable water quality monitoring was also critical to the campaign’s success. In 2015, as part of the Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund, The Trust supported Save the Sound’s efforts to launch the first-ever ecosystem health report card for the Sound’s water quality.
Recently, The Trust made a grant to Save the Great South Bay
to work with other nonprofits to replicate the report card and water monitoring standards for the south shore. The groups will collect and analyze water quality data to develop a bi-annual water quality report card, which will provide a critical accountability measure for the effectiveness of Proposition 2.
The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force, staffed by trained community volunteers, monitors bacteria from human and animal waste to provide crucial data on drinking water and water recreation safety.
“We’re all going for the same cause,” said Jenna Schwerzmann, the Surfrider Foundation’s Eastern Long Island chapter manager. “We know that sewage pollution is a huge problem for Long Island’s water bodies. We’re
Nonprofits working to improve Long Island’s water quality include:
• Citizens Campaign for the Environment
• Community Development LI
• Concerned Citizens of Montauk
• Friends of the Bay
• Friends of Bellport Bay
• Grassroots Environmental Education
• Group for the East End
• Long Island Pine Barrens Society
• The Nature Conservancy
• Peconic Baykeeper
• Peconic Land Trust
• Save the Great South Bay
• Seatuck Environmental Association
• Surfrider Foundation
coming at it from a public health angle to try to inform people who are recreating.”
After the act passed, the coalition shifted focus to its implementation. The tax increase took effect in March 2025, with grants for homeowners and larger-scale sewer projects expected in 2026. A 21-member board will oversee the grant process, and advocates are committed to ensuring it is accessible and responsive to public needs.
“Preserving water quality isn’t only about protecting a natural resource; it’s about safeguarding the health, prosperity, and stability of Long Islanders and the Island’s ecosystems for future generations,” said Greenberger. “Getting this act passed was a monumental victory.” n
Save the Great South Bay’s work monitoring water quality on Long Island helped lay the groundwork for this landmark victory for water quality advocates.
Meeting the moment: Five things you can do right now
From food pantries and afterschool programs to cultural groups and public health providers, local nonprofits are vital to the well-being of our region and its diverse communities.
But being a nonprofit has never been easy: unpredictable fundraising needs, making payroll when government contract payments are late, and retaining staff while stretching resources are just some of the common challenges. Today, many nonprofits must also contend with a climate of fear, uncertainty, and dramatic threats to funding.
We’ve heard from many in our community who are eager to find meaningful ways to support this sector that brings so much to our region. Here are our top suggestions:
1. Stay true to the organizations & causes you care about. Stand with the nonprofits you love and remain constant in your support. This matters more than ever when they may face threats to their funding and operations. Give early and often. Many donors favor end-of-year gifts, but a gift today will help nonprofits plan in uncertain times.
2. Give general operating support. Flexible funding is what nonprofits need most—and especially now. It helps them respond rapidly to urgent needs and allocate their resources strategically.
3. Give your time and talent. Hold a house party fundraiser for your favorite organization or show up to its event. Offer pro bono services. Join a board or advisory committee. Be an ambassador and connect others with great groups you already support.
4. Fund advocacy and organizing. While funding direct services is important, your philanthropy can also support advocacy that will help shift policies and practices to advance systemic change. You can fund groups that advocate on behalf of the nonprofit sector; fight to increase public resources for education, social services, housing, and more; and promote policies that safeguard the rights and well-being of working families, immigrants, women,
people of color, LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, and all the communities of our region.
5. Invest in nonprofit resilience & infrastructure. If you are passionate about long-term impact, consider directing some of your giving to capacitybuilding efforts, such as leadership training, strategic legal counsel, or staff support. These investments equip organizations to meet urgent needs, advocate effectively, and continue delivering meaningful impact across our region.
Together, our collective generosity and expertise can secure a healthy, safe, and just region for future generations. The Trust is here for you if you’d like to talk about how we can support your charitable goals during this pivotal time. n
Julia Chang Associate Director of Philanthropic Strategy jchang@thenytrust.org
Grantee Floating Hospital provides primary care services to a young New Yorker. Photo by Rebecca Smeyne/CKA
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Inside: Breaking down barriers in the art world, giving to the meet the moment & more!
Transform your IRA into a force for good
Are you 70 ½ or older? You’re in luck! You can make a tax-smart contribution from an IRA directly to The New York Community Trust, where your gift can help a variety of nonprofits serving our region.
In many cases, you can exclude from taxable income an IRA distribution that goes directly to The Trust—a qualified charitable distribution, sometimes called a QCD. While a distribution to a donor-advised fund does not qualify for this special treatment, 100% of your donation can be put to use through our Community Needs Fund, which addresses the emerging needs of our region—and meets the requirements for a taxadvantaged IRA charitable distribution.
Audra Lewton Director of Planned Giving alewton@thenytrust.org
