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; however, funding has expanded to foundations across the U.S. that are deeply aligned with this funder’s mission and work. 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; and Civic Engagement, Democracy and 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 Gender-based Violence Prevention and Reproductive Justice
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.
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 Democracy
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.”
Grants for Housing, Economic and Environmental Justice
NYWF’s work towards economic and environmental justice prioritizes organizations in New York City, with a concentration of grantees in Brooklyn. Funding through this area seeks to forge new solutions to helping neighborhoods flourish against a changing climate. Funding via partnerships tend to focus on “organizing for equal pay, safe and affordable housing, and accessible childcare, as well as through workforce development programs, advocacy for workplace safety, green economy initiatives, entrepreneurship, and micro-enterprise programs.”
Important Grant Details:
Most grants awarded by NYWF range from $10,000 to $100,000; however, the most common amount is closer to $50,000. In 2023 to 2024, the Foundation invested more than $12 million across 211 community-based organizations led by and for women and gender- expansive people, across New York City and beyond.
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.
Organizations located in and serving New York City are primarily considered for grants; however, this funder also gives to organizations in other states that are deeply aligned with its mission and focus areas.
- Current financial data can be viewed here. Keep up with this funder at its Newsroom.
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