Community Leader (All In Neighborhood) Grants

Community Leader (All In Neighborhood) Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Citizens Committee for New York City
Amount: Up to US $5,000
Last Updated: December 26, 2025

Summary

The Community Leader (All In Neighborhood) Grants by CitizensNYC offer microgrants of up to $5,000 to support resident-led projects in New York City, focusing on enhancing neighborhood life and fostering community engagement. Eligible applicants must be community-oriented groups or nonprofits with budgets under $250,000. The grants aim to address quality of life improvements and empower local leadership, thereby directly impacting low-income areas and strengthening community ties.

Overview

NOTE: For 2025 grantmaking, CitizensNYC is moving to a two-grant cycle model to more rapidly respond and provide funding for your project ideas. Our Mission To help New Yorkers—especially those in low-income areas—come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Community Leader (All In Neighborhood) Grants 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. Selection Criteria ClarityAre the descriptions of the project and its goals clear? Is the outreach strategy clear? Is the work plan adequately detailed, focused, realistic and clear? Does it support project goals?Quality of Life ImpactIs the project expected to improve quality of life issues identified by residents and community members?Major ImprovementThe impact of the project is anticipated to be lasting (longer than one year) and notice on a daily or almost daily basis. For example: Transforming an abandoned, crime-ridden lot into a multi use community garden where residents begin growing produce and feel safe within the timeline of the project, or creating a new summer internship program for local youth to lead a community farmers market, where youth train new interns for the following year.Moderate ImprovementThe project is anticipated to either initiate or complete an effort that is anticipated to have a strong impact on the quality of life. The impact is anticipated to last for several months or longer and is noticed on a weekly basis. For example: Cleaning up an abandoned, crime-ridden lot in preparation for establishing a multi-use community garden, creating an athletic program that will last for a season or creating a new youth internship program that lasts for a year.Minor ImprovementThe project is anticipated to create a temporary (a few weeks or less) impact on the improvement to the quality of life issues identified by residents or community members.For example: Making improvements to an established community garden, hosting a weekend job fair, or continuing an internship program that existed a previous year.Community EngagementIs the project expected to build community engagement and capacity for the future?Major ImprovementThe community group will expand the number of members within the group who are representative of the community; the community group will strengthen its relationships to other organizations, community groups, city services, or public representative (i.e. co- facilitating workshops or engaging partners in ongoing work); the project involves a newly formed group that has an established organizational structure.Alternatively, the project will establish an ongoing forum, space, or activity for community residents to interact around common interests such as history, art, culture, or physical activities.Moderate ImprovementForming a new community group that has an established organizational structure; expanding group membership; the group is strengthening relationships with other organizations, community groups, city services, or public representatives. (i.e. having a partner organization take part in a workshop series as a participant)Minor ImprovementBringing community members and residents together to participate in a one-time social or stewardship activity (i.e. learning/artistic/cultural event, clean-up or gardening event); making small steps towards building relationships with other organizations, community groups, city services, or public representatives (i.e. sending a newsletter to community groups to inform them of a workshop)NeedDoes the proposal clearly convey that the project is warranted and needed in identified neighborhood or for a particular community (identity-based)?

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. EligibilityApplicants must live in one of New York City's five boroughs. Their group or organization must be "community-oriented" meaning it currently has, or will have, two or more volunteers associated with it.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).You can apply for funding for more than one project. However, you should submit a new application for each additional project that you are seeking funding for, and we will assess each project separately.

Ineligibility

Budget RestrictionsGrants cannot be spent towards payroll, but stipends at a reasonable level ($250 maximum per person) for volunteers and participants are okay.Groups can purchase computer equipment, i.e., tablets and cameras, but please do not purchase luxury items, such as MacBook Air or a professional DSLR cameraGrants cannot cover scholarship, litigation fees and 501c3 application feesWe do not support regrantingWe strongly encourage groups to purchase items that will be housed in a publicly accessible location and think through how you can make the item accessible to the communityOur grant cannot not go towards past project expenses retroactively. Their group or project must not be profit-generating. Their group or project must not be an affiliate or chapter of a larger organization Their group or project cannot promote religious, political, or any other ideology.