New York Council for the Humanities
The New York Council for the Humanities, which operates as Humanities New York (HNY), is a New York, NY-based public charity founded in 1975 with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It supports public humanities work across New York State through grant programs, facilitator training, shared resources, partnerships, and networks that encourage reflection and dialogue.
New York Council for the Humanities at a glance
In short: New York Council for the Humanities gave $941K across 73 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), mostly in New York. 63% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $941,166
- +14.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 73
- +15.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,893
- -0.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $9,975
- Total assets
- $3,177,737
- -18.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 63% first-time grantees (45 of 72, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to New York Council for the Humanities
- Contact
Mailing address: 150 Broadway Suite 1700, New York, NY 10038
Phone: (212) 233-1131
Website: https://humanitiesny.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from New York Council for the Humanities
Humanities Centers Initiative (HCI) Grants
New York Council for the Humanities
Amount
$4,000 per student (15 students awarded $60,000 total in 2024)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership (PIHP)
New York Council for the Humanities
Amount
Up to $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Public Humanities Grant (PHG)
New York Council for the Humanities
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who New York Council for the Humanities funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Society of Fellows & Heyman Center Columbia University ($26K). Together the top 10 received $253K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($49,950), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
310 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 310 grants of 310 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
HNY’s work and grant programs are statewide. Its 2024 filing reports that all grant dollars went to New York recipients, including organizations in New York City, Buffalo, Syracuse, Ithaca, Centereach, and Annandale-on-Hudson.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 73 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is New York Council for the Humanities open to new grantees?
63%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 45 of 72 grantees (63%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 19% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $318K (2022) to $1.1M (2021). In 2024 it made 73 grants totaling $941K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Society of Fellows & Heyman Center Columbia University New York, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $26,450 |
| Bard College Annandaleonhudson, NY | Reading & discussion grant and post-incarceration humanities partnerhip (PIHP) grant for program support | $26,400 |
| Art Start Incorporated New York, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Center for Community Alternatives Syracuse, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Civic Ensemble Ithaca, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Correctional Association of New York New York, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Drama Club New York, NY | Action Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Herstory Writers Workshop Centereach, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| Music on the Inside Inc New York, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
| One Breath Rising Brooklyn, NY | Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnerhip (Pihp) Grant for Program Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with New York Council for the Humanities?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,177,737 | $2,597,970 | $3,368,261 | $941,166 | 73 | $56,755 |
| 2023 | $3,891,088 | $2,648,933 | $2,902,570 | $819,075 | 63 | $55,892 |
| 2022 | $3,151,975 | $3,317,326 | $2,478,562 | $318,357 | 34 | $82,109 |
| 2021 | $2,496,894 | $3,586,085 | $3,250,691 | $1,145,961 | 84 | $53,348 |
| 2020 | $2,227,535 | $3,310,549 | $3,206,821 | $555,797 | 56 | $44,206 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
HNY’s mission is to strengthen civil society through conversations that bring people together to remember the past, imagine new possibilities, and build a shared future. Its work includes public humanities projects, facilitated reading and discussion, and programs designed to support civic dialogue and connections among practitioners.
The 2024 filing lists grants for program support, including Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership grants, Reading and Discussion grants, and Action grants. Grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Center for Community Alternatives describes its mission as promoting reintegrative justice and reduced reliance on incarceration through advocacy, services, and public policy development. Civic Ensemble says it creates theatre exploring social, political, and cultural issues and brings audiences with different backgrounds together. Music on the Inside says it connects people impacted by incarceration with professional musicians as teachers and mentors.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, HNY reported 73 grants totaling $941,166. Individual awards ranged from $5,475 to $26,450, with a median of $9,975. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in New York.
The largest listed award was $26,450 to the Society of Fellows & Heyman Center at Columbia University for a Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership grant. Bard College received $26,400 for Reading and Discussion and Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership program support. Several other listed recipients received $25,000 for Post-Incarceration Humanities Partnership program support, including Art Start, the Center for Community Alternatives, Civic Ensemble, Herstory Writers Workshop, and Music on the Inside. Drama Club received $25,000 for Action Grant program support.
The website describes Action Grants as supporting projects that invite local audiences to reflect on values, explore ideas, and engage with others; Reading and Discussion Grants support series of thematically linked texts and facilitated conversations. Its 2025 grant page lists the Humanities Centers Initiative as supporting graduate students at participating universities in exploring the public application of their scholarly interests. The program listing describes those awards as annual and community-engaged. A sample 2022 Action Grant application required a match, but that application cycle is past.
The grant page says applicants must submit materials through HNY’s grant portal and that any tax-exempt organization based in and serving New York State may apply. The page also carries a notice that opportunities are paused; no application deadline is provided.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Timothy Murray as chair; Steven M. Berzin and Ulises Mejias as vice chairs; Damali Wynter as secretary; and C. Evan Stewart as treasurer. Directors listed are Jeff Arnstein, Herman Bennett, Laura Free, Joseph Haddad, and Lindsay M. Kryzak.
New York Council for the Humanities is led by Sara Ogger, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 3 of 19 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sara Ogger
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$141K (2020) → $185K (2024)
Timothy Murray
Chair
Director → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Taylor To
Director of Finance & Administrator
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$122K (2024)
Adam W. Perry
Director
Director → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bridget Williams
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Herman Bennett
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Haddad
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Gantz Zahler
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Free
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay M. Kryzak
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert J. Vanni
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Valerie Paley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jasmine K. Syedullah
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Arnstein
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alyson Casey
Deputy Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$149K (2024)
C. Evan Stewart
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven M. Berzin
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ulises Mejias
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Damali Wynter
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Deva Woodly (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: James Taylor (2020–2023) — Director of Finance & Administrator
- Former: Wendy Walters (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Eric Aboaf (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jean Ashton (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Philip Lewis (2020–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Sarah Carney (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Wendy Gellman (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $185K, to Sara Ogger (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about New York Council for the Humanities
How much does New York Council for the Humanities give each year?
New York Council for the Humanities gave $941K across 73 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $819K across 63 grants.
What is New York Council for the Humanities's typical grant size?
New York Council for the Humanities's median grant in 2024 was $9,975, and its average grant was $12,893, across 73 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from New York Council for the Humanities that year got $11K on average.
Where does New York Council for the Humanities give grants?
New York Council for the Humanities gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (24 grants), Brooklyn, NY (10 grants), Buffalo, NY (5 grants) and Ithaca, NY (3 grants).
Does New York Council for the Humanities give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 73 grants with a stated purpose on New York Council for the Humanities's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Action Grant for Program Support" (51 grants) and "Vision Grant and Action Grant for Program Support" (3 grants).
Who are New York Council for the Humanities's largest grantees?
New York Council for the Humanities's largest 2024 grantees include Society of Fellows & Heyman Center Columbia University ($26,450), Bard College ($26,400) and Art Start Incorporated ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($49,950), which are not listed by name. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is New York Council for the Humanities?
New York Council for the Humanities reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.6M.
What does New York Council for the Humanities fund?
HNY’s mission is to strengthen civil society through conversations that bring people together to remember the past, imagine new possibilities, and build a shared future. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from New York Council for the Humanities?
New York Council for the Humanities has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check humanitiesny.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is New York Council for the Humanities's EIN?
New York Council for the Humanities's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0152266. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in New York Council for the Humanities's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Hyde and Watson Foundation
Warren Township, NJ
The Hyde and Watson Foundation funds capital projects in human services, education, health, arts and culture, and the environment. Most awards are $5,000–$20,000, with a 2024 median of $10,000, for eligible nonprofits in New York City and Essex, Morris, and Union counties in New Jersey. It accepts applications through an online portal during its stated application periods; the profile does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$88.2M
Grants
611
Total Given
$6.1M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
The Ford Foundation funds organizations and initiatives working to reduce inequality and advance social justice, including work on civic engagement, civil rights, climate justice, disability rights, and technology and society. In 2024, its grants ranged from $45 to $15 million, with a median of $100,000, supporting work in the U.S. and internationally. It says most grants are identified by the foundation and it does not accept unsolicited proposals by mail, email, or phone; limited opportunities may be offered separately.
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
The New York Community Trust funds nonprofit programs in areas such as arts, education, health, the environment, workforce development, and youth development, including projects that improve services, build organizational capacity, or advance policy and systems change. Its competitive grants mainly serve New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, with some national and international environmental funding; the 2024 median grant was $20,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
Lily Auchincloss Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Lily Auchincloss Foundation supports arts, the built and natural environments, and human services to improve quality of life in New York City, primarily for organizations serving its five boroughs. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $1 million, with a median of $20,000. Its filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, though its website describes application-based Foundation Grants and nomination-only Discretionary Awards.
Assets
$55.2M
Grants
168
Total Given
$4.3M
JM McDonald Foundation Inc
Wilmington, DE
The JM McDonald Foundation supports organizations working in areas such as community, arts and culture, the environment, health, education, preservation, and recreation, primarily in upstate New York. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median of $5,000. It accepts online applications and considers grants beyond preselected organizations.
Assets
$35.0M
Grants
203
Total Given
$1.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). New York Council for the Humanities funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/new-york-council-for-the-humanities-morg_e4cd8a89387f4ab6bbe1d8b748266a95
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510152266_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{New York Council for the Humanities funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/new-york-council-for-the-humanities-morg_e4cd8a89387f4ab6bbe1d8b748266a95},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from New York Council for the Humanities's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
New York Council for the Humanities down — hundreds of funders to go?