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Community Leaders Grants is sponsored by Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC). These microgrants support projects that bring New Yorkers together to improve neighborhood life, strengthen local leadership, and scale community partnerships. Projects can be in areas such as arts and culture, education and youth, environment and climate, health and wellness, economic development, and public safety.
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Community Leaders Grant - CitizensNYC Our Grants Community Leaders Grants Grant applications are currently open! Apply by July 27th. What Are Community Leaders Grants?
Our Community Leaders Grants offer up to $5,000 for projects that bring New Yorkers together to improve neighborhood life, strengthen local leadership, and scale community partnerships. Our grantee partners define their community priorities, and as a result we support a diverse range of projects in the areas of arts and culture, education and youth, environment and climate, health and wellness, economic development, and public safety.
Frequently Asked Questions What is a Community Leaders Grant? A Community Leaders Grant is a microgrant given out to New Yorkers by CitizensNYC. CitizensNYC awards microgrants of up to $5,000 to community-building projects carried out by resident-led groups to improve neighborhood life, strengthen local leadership, and scale community partnerships.
Who is eligible to apply for a Community Leaders Grant? Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for a Community Leaders Grant: They must live in one of New York City’s five boroughs. Their group or project must be “community-oriented,” meaning it currently has, or will have, two or more volunteers associated with it.
Their group or project must not be profit-generating. They must be nonprofits or grassroots volunteer groups. Their group or project must have a budget of less than $250,000 (schools and school programs are exempt).
Their group or project must not an affiliate or chapter of a larger organization. Their group or project cannot promote religious, political, or any other ideology. As long as you meet the above criteria, we want to hear about your ideas for improving New York.
We score applications based on a number of areas, including: Clarity , Quality of Life Impact , Community Engagement , and Need . For more details about our scoring criteria and what each of these areas mean, you can reference our evaluation criteria at the bottom of the page. Where can I apply for a Community Leaders Grant?
What is the timeline for applying for a Community Leaders Grant? Each year, we have two grant cycles. One in the fall and one in the spring.
Grant Applications Open: November 3, 2025 Application Deadline: February 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM Grant Decisions Announced: May 2026 Application Deadline: July 27, 2026 Grant Decisions Announced: September 2026 Applicants who are awarded grants through the first cycle are ineligible to apply again during the second cycle.
Applicants for the first cycle who did not receive an award are welcome to submit an updated application for the second cycle. I have other questions. Where can I find more information?
We encourage you to join us for one of our information sessions, or for online office hours, where our team will be available to discuss any questions or concerns you have about these grants, your application, and your project idea. If you are unable to attend an info session or office hours, or if you have any other questions, you can email: grants@citizensnyc. org.
You can reference our evaluation criteria here and view a sample application here .
The Community Leaders Grant program is made possible by support from our philanthropic partners including Altman Foundation, Apple Bank, Bessemer Trust Company, Brooklyn Org, Con Edison, Deutsche Bank, Google, MetLife Foundation, Morgan Stanley, National Grid, The Pinkerton Foundation, Ralph Lauren, Siegel Family Endowment, Sony, The Staten Island Foundation, The Wells Fargo Foundation, New York City and New York State elected leaders, our Board of Directors, and many generous individuals.
CitizensNYC creates the space and provides the resources for us to dream out loud CitizensNYC Grantee Partner, PaleFO Cinema Our Community Leaders Grantee Partners The Flossy Organization in Canarsie, Brooklyn has begun building a new New York ? one where they? ve joined with neighbors to successfully fight against harmful government decisions and fought for investments into transit equity.
They are also recruiting six high school... James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center’s The Mosholu Teaching Forest Project is an adaptation process to transform an abused and neglected urban forest area. Through explorative and learning nature walks, participants will broaden their knowledge of trees and...
88th Precinct Youth Council 88th Precinct Youth Council 88th Precinct Youth Council’s “Painting for Change” is a project that seeks to cultivate the artistic skills of youth, primarily young women of color. Through this project, participants learn how to create murals based on themes such as poverty,... The best way to reach the team at CitizensNYC is by email, and please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or ideas.
If you have a question about our Community Leaders Grants, contact grants@citizensnyc. org . If you have a question about our Neighborhood Business Grants, contact businessgrants@citizensnyc.
org . You can also find CitizensNYC staff emails on our People page.
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Applicants must live in one of New York City's five boroughs. Their group or project must be 'community-oriented' with two or more volunteers, not profit-generating, and be a nonprofit or grassroots volunteer group. The group or project budget must be less than $250,000 (schools and school programs are exempt), and it must not be an affiliate or chapter of a larger organization, or promote religious, political, or any other ideology. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows up to $5,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for Community Leaders Grants are due July 27, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Community Leaders Grants is funded by Citizens Committee for New York City (CitizensNYC). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in New York. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
The Homeless Youth Program is a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services that funds services for homeless and at-risk youth across Illinois. Administered through the Office of Community and Positive Youth Development, it supports nonprofit organizations delivering shelter, outreach, and support services to young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Eligible applicants are Illinois-based nonprofits with demonstrated capacity to serve youth. Awards range from $100,000 to $800,000 per year under CSFA number 444-80-0711. This is a FY 2026 funding opportunity with an application deadline of May 21, 2025.
Community Investment Tax Credit Program (CITC) is a grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development that provides state tax credit allocations to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, enabling them to attract private donations from individuals and businesses. Donors contributing $500 or more to approved projects receive tax credits equal to 50% of their contribution. The program has leveraged nearly $27 million in charitable contributions to approximately 700 projects statewide. Eligible project areas include education, housing, job training, arts and culture, economic development, and services for at-risk populations. Projects must be located in or serve residents of Maryland's Priority Funding Areas. The application period is typically held annually.
The Families First Community Grant Program is a competitive grant initiative from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) offering approximately $27 million in funding to support nonprofit organizations serving low-income Tennessee families. Grants fund programs across four priority areas: education, health, economic stability, and family well-being, aligned with TANF goals of promoting self-sufficiency. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits based in Tennessee that provide direct services to economically disadvantaged families. The 2025 application cycle closed July 10, 2025. This program reflects Tennessee's broader commitment to strengthening communities through strategic investment in local organizations that address the root causes of poverty.
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