Community Partner Grants (General Grantmaking)

Community Partner Grants

Overview:
The New York Women's Foundation provides catalytic grantmaking to social entrepreneurs and changemakers. The foundation is known for pioneering trust-based grantmaking and employs a participatory grantmaking model that gives decision-making power to community members impacted by funding decisions.

Key Characteristics

• Early-stage funding: Often the first investors in grantees
• Strategic and sustainable: Multi-year unrestricted grantmaking
• Trust-based approach: Streamlined applications and reporting
• Participatory model: Community members, philanthropists, volunteers, and advocates engage in transparent decision-making

Geographic Scope

• Primary focus: New York City (all five boroughs)
• Secondary focus: State and national level work that impacts NYC and beyond

Focus Areas

• Gender, racial, and economic rights
• Economic & Environmental Justice
• Safety, Health & Bodily Autonomy
• Civic Engagement, Democracy & Leadership

Eligible Organizations

• Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or those with 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsors
• Serve and/or impact the five boroughs of New York City
• In existence for at least six months
• Over 95% of grants support organizations serving low- to moderate-income families and communities

Target Communities

• All women, including girls and young women
• Immigrants
• People with disabilities
• LGBTQI community
• Gender-nonconforming individuals

Grant Philosophy

• Rooted in belief that those with lived experience are best placed to solve problems
• Long-term relationship building
• Capacity-building assistance
• Building enduring partnerships based on transparency, dialogue, and mutual learning

Impact

• Funded over 500 community-based organizations
• In 2025, invested more than $8 million across 138 community-based organizations
• 50% of community partners reported achieving a policy breakthrough

Contact Information

• Address: 39 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006
• Phone: 212-514-6993
• Email: hello@nywf.org
• Tax ID: 13-3457287
• Website: nywf.org

Application Notes

• Applications accepted at varying times throughout the year
• Prospective grantees can sign up to receive open call notifications

Application Process

Getting Notified:

1. Sign up to receive open call notifications when grant guidelines are released
2. Monitor website at nywf.org for application periods
3. Applications accepted at varying times throughout the year

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
• Must serve and/or impact the five boroughs of New York City
• Must be in existence for at least six months

Application Materials:

• Specific application materials and requirements released with each open call
• Streamlined application process (simplified compared to traditional grant applications)

Contact for Application Information:

• Email: hello@nywf.org
• Phone: 212-514-6993