New York Women’s Foundation
OVERVIEW: The New York Women’s Foundation supports organizations that address violence prevention, safety, criminal justice reform, economic security, health equity, sexual rights and reproductive justice to benefit women and girls in New York City.
IP TAKE: The New York Women’s Foundation, a GUTC signatory, is a participatory and trust-based grantmaker that gives through a gender, racial and economic justice lens. It prefers to invest in long-term relationships with its grantees in order to “foster organizational sustainability and empower lasting change.” NYWF ultimately believes in ceding “decision-making power about grants to the very communities impacted by funding decisions.” This funder largely gives to grassroots groups serving women, girls, transgender and non-binary groups in New York City. This foundation also participates in a variety of collaborative funds, partnerships and programs with other nonprofits and grantmakers.
NYWF accepts grant applications at specified internals when there are open calls. It does not have a year-round submission process, so grantseekers will need to check back often to catch the application windows when they open.
PROFILE: Established in 1987, the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) aims to create equity and justice for women and families with cross-cultural alliances and bold community-led solutions in New York City. NYWF is a “platform for women (cis and trans), non-binary and gender-expansive people and a force for change.”
NYWF supports organizations in all five boroughs and also donates to city-wide programs in New York City. Grantmaking programs include Health Equity & Reproductive Justice, Safety & Healing Justice, Economic Justice, and Expanding Democracy & Leadership.
Grants for Women, LGBTQ+, and Racial Equity
All of NYWF’s grantmaking benefits women and gender expansive people. Grantmaking occurs through a racial and gender justice lens.
Grants for Violence Prevention
The Safety & Healing Justice initiative “invests in approaches that center survivors, especially historically overlooked survivors, to end all forms of gender-based violence and expand economic, healing, and transformative resources.”
Groups funded through this initiative include Anti-Violence Project, Survivors Justice Project, and Malikah.
NYWF also participates in a funding collaborative focused on girls and young women of color, as well as transgender and gender non-binary youth, in NYC. The NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color works to create opportunities for success socially and financially. The fund has given $10 million to 60 organizations.
Grants for Economic Development
The Economic Justice initiative works to create “change in […] communities by organizing for wage equity, immigrant rights, safe and affordable housing, and accessible childcare, as well as through workforce development programs, advocacy for workplace safety, entrepreneurship, and micro-enterprise programs.”
It prioritizes support for groups whose work advocates for solutions originating from the communities they serve.
Economic security is a huge issue for NYWF, and grants are awarded for economic justice for women and girls through education, employment, work support, training, and asset building. Grants are regularly awarded to organizations and programs for high school completion, job training and placement, financial literacy, and basic adult education.
Organizations that have seen support through this initiative include Custom Collaborative, Worker’s Justice Project, and Brooklyn Economic Justice Project, a three-year initiative focused on addressing the negative impacts of gentrification.
Grants for Health
The Healthy Equity & Reproductive Justice program names abortion access and reproductive justice as its top priority, but it also supports groups taking a broader view of health equity.
Grantmaking here is focused on the health and sexual rights of women, girls, and transgender individuals so that they may take control of their own health and well-being.
Previously funded groups include If/When/How, Bx (Re)Birth and Progress Collective, and New York Abortion Access Fund.
Grants for Civic Engagement and Criminal Justice Reform
NYWF’s final priority area is the Strengthening Democracy & Leadership initiative, which seeks to “strengthen and expand democratic participation, political empowerment, and women’s leadership with a focus on building the power of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and communities of color.”
Organizations it has funded include the Higher Heights Leadership Fund, Young Invincibles, and the New Majority NYC (formerly 21 in ’21).
NYWF participates in a collaborative effort with other philanthropic organizations and donors that focuses on ending mass incarceration. The Justice Initiative and Collaborative Fund works to center “individuals with histories of justice system involvement, community leaders, CBOs and leaders from academia and research in order to leverage their local voices and visions.”
Important Grant Details:
Most grants awarded by NYWF range from $50,000 to $500,000; however the most common amount is closer to $60,000.
NYWF does not currently have open funding opportunities, but traditionally, there have been two grant cycles per year, one in the spring and the other in the fall: those are the best times to check this funder’s website about new grant opportunities.
A list of past grantees can be viewed on the foundation website.
Keep in mind that NYWF does not give money to public or private schools, capital projects, summer-only programs, loans, or needs assessments.
Only organizations located in and serving New York City are considered for grants.
Current financial data can be viewed here. Keep up with this funder at its Newsroom.
PEOPLE:
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