New York Foundation

The New York Foundation operates from a singular, decades-long conviction: lasting social change in New York City comes from communities organizing to build their own power. Founded in 1909 and one of the oldest foundations in the country, NYF has sharpened this thesis under President Rickke Mananzala — who succeeded longtime Executive Director Maria Mottola in July 2021 — into a clear, unapologetic investment in grassroots community organizing as the primary vehicle for racial, economic, gender, disability, and climate justice.

Giving philosophy. NYF is explicitly not a services funder, a research funder, or an arts funder. The foundation backs organizations that mobilize people directly affected by injustice to take collective action and advance equitable policy. The concept of power — power building through political activation, leadership development, base building, and coalition work — recurs throughout all their materials and grant purpose descriptions. Organizations that frame their work as service delivery with an advocacy add-on typically do not make it past staff screening.

Who they favor. NYF explicitly prioritizes organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color; trans and nonbinary individuals; and women. They skew toward emerging and newly-formed groups with limited access to institutional funding — meaning an organization just starting to build its philanthropic portfolio is more competitive than one with a large, diversified donor base. Geographic focus is tightly New York City: 95% of their 442 tracked grants flow to NYC-based organizations, with Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan community organizations representing the vast majority of grantees.

Relationship progression. The standard arc runs: online letter of inquiry through GrantInterface → staff review (all applicants notified within 2 weeks of deadline) → selected applicants asked for additional materials → site visit scheduled → grant decisions communicated in April. The foundation describes its approach as relationship-driven and transparent. Staff accessibility via phone and email is genuine, not performative, and first-time applicants who engage with staff informally before applying report stronger outcomes.

What first-timers must know. NYF's renewal culture is strong — only approximately 5 new grants are made per cycle against hundreds of applications. Rejection on a first attempt is common and should not be read as permanent disqualification. The foundation publishes a public grantee directory at nyf.org/grantees that is worth studying carefully to understand the specific organizations and approaches they have sustained over many years before drafting your own proposal.

NYF's endowment has held relatively stable between $54M and $67M over the past decade, supported by investment income and contributions. Annual payout has grown meaningfully: from approximately $4.2M in total giving in FY2014 to $10.5M in FY2022, before settling at $8.2M in FY2023 (grants paid: $4.97M). The foundation's announcement of a 12% payout target for 2026 — up from approximately 8% in 2025 — signals a significant increase in grant dollars flowing to the field, potentially pushing total giving to $6.8M or more in grants paid in FY2026.

Core grant structure. Current core grants are $55,000 per year, renewable for 3 years for established organizations and 5 years for emerging organizations. A parallel small grants program provides up to $10,000 for organizational development and unanticipated needs accessible to current grantees. The dataset of 442 recorded grants shows an average grant of $31,129 — lower than the core floor because the dataset includes one-time capacity grants, honorariums, and internship stipends ranging from $250 to $10,000.

Range and depth. Among the top 50 grantees by cumulative funding, multi-grant totals range from $100,000 to $700,000 across 2 to 8 grants. The top recipient, Bronx People's Platform, received $700,000 across 4 grants (average $175,000/grant), reflecting the foundation's willingness to make large multi-year commitments to anchor campaigns. Make the Road New York received $460,000 across 7 grants; Housing Justice for All received $405,000 across 4 grants. Most single grants in the dataset fall in the $25,000–$100,000 range.

Program area breakdown. Based on grant purposes in the grantee dataset, housing and tenant justice accounts for the largest share (approximately 35% of all grants), reflecting deep investments in campaigns like Housing Justice for All, Right to Counsel NYC Coalition, and Gowanus rezoning oversight. Criminal justice and decarceration represents approximately 15% (Freedom Agenda, Alliance of Families for Justice, Clemency Coalition). Immigrant rights and workers' organizing each represent approximately 10–15%. Environmental and climate justice, civic engagement, food sovereignty, and LGBTQ+ justice each receive roughly 5–10%.

Geographic concentration. All funding is NYC-focused by mandate. Of 442 tracked grants, 421 (95%) went to New York state addresses. Nine grants flowed to DC-based organizations, likely for policy coalition support; nine to California; two to Arizona; and one to Georgia — all consistent with statewide or national campaign investments originating from NYC-based grantees.

The table below compares NYF to four peer foundations that share similar geography and/or social justice focus areas (financial figures are approximate, based on available public 990 data).

NYF distinguishes itself in this peer set by combining a fully open application process — uncommon among ideologically aligned NYC social justice funders — with explicit BIPOC and women's leadership requirements and a strict community organizing methodology filter. The Scherman Foundation, its closest peer in NYC social justice philosophy and issue alignment, is invite-only, making NYF the more accessible entry point for organizations not yet embedded in established funder networks. North Star Fund is philosophically nearly identical but operates at roughly one-eighth NYF's asset base, limiting grant size and duration. Organizations seeking NYF funding should simultaneously explore North Star Fund and the New York Women's Foundation as complementary funders given overlapping eligibility criteria and significant grantee list overlap.

The most significant recent development at NYF is the announced increase in payout to 12% for 2026, up from approximately 8% in 2025, with a commitment to maintain elevated spending through 2028. All additional dollars from the increase flow directly to grants — not to operations or staff — representing a meaningful expansion of resources available to community organizing groups in New York City. President Rickke Mananzala and Board Vice Chair Trish Adobea Tchume announced the change as part of the 2025 year-in-review published in late 2025.

In December 2025, the Board adopted values-aligned governance adaptations enabling faster, more accountable decision-making between staff and trustees. The Foundation also launched initiatives for mission-aligned endowment investing and shareholder engagement, signaling that NYF intends to align its full $57M balance sheet — not just grantmaking — with its justice values.

The Foundation welcomed five new grantees and six new trustees in 2025. The leadership under Rickke Mananzala (who assumed the presidency at ~$89,739 in the partial-year of FY2021, rising to ~$204,474 by FY2023) represents a generational shift from the Maria Mottola era and a sharpened emphasis on grassroots power building language throughout all communications.

A structural change with immediate applicant implications: NYF moved from three annual grant cycles (previously March 1, July 1, and November 1) to a single cycle in 2026 with all applications due March 2. This consolidation eliminates any second-chance window in 2026 — organizations that miss March 2 must plan to apply in 2027.

Timing is the most urgent factor in 2026. NYF previously offered three grant cycles annually. In 2026 there is only one: March 2. All applications must be submitted via GrantInterface by that date. There are no exceptions and no second window this year. Organizations planning to apply should begin drafting in January and aim to submit 2–3 days early to allow for technical issues in the portal.

Community organizing must be your primary strategy — not a feature. NYF's application reviewers specifically screen for organizations where grassroots organizing and advocacy are the core methodology. If your proposal spends more than 30% of its narrative describing direct services, legal representation, research, or program delivery, you will likely be declined. Frame everything around base building, leadership development, political activation, and collective action toward systemic change.

Lead with your leadership demographics. NYF's written criteria explicitly prioritize organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color; trans and nonbinary individuals; and women. Do not bury this in an appendix — name it in the first paragraph of your organizational history section. Reviewers look for this signal immediately.

Use the 3-page limit strategically. Structure the brief in four clear beats: (1) organizational history and proof of organizing track record, (2) the specific systemic problem you are addressing and why it requires organizing, (3) concrete goals for the coming year, (4) exactly how NYF's $55,000 enables those goals. No filler language and no aspirational statements disconnected from specific campaigns or constituencies.

Emerging organizations have a structural advantage. NYF explicitly favors newly-formed groups with limited institutional funding. If your organization is under five years old and has thin philanthropic support, state this clearly in your brief — it is an asset in this specific application context, not a liability.

Relationship-building before submission matters. NYF staff respond to email at info@nyf.org and phone at (212) 594-8009. A pre-application conversation to gauge fit is not only acceptable but improves outcomes. The foundation hosts informational webinars in English and Spanish that provide direct guidance on current review priorities.

Study the grantee directory. The public directory at nyf.org/grantees reveals the exact framing, issue areas, and organizational types that have received sustained multi-year funding. Misalignment between your framing and their framework — not the quality of your work — is the most common reason for early rejection.