New York City Good Neighbor Committee Grants

The New York City Good Neighbor Committee Grants support local organizations in NYC focusing on arts, education, and human services. This initiative aims to strengthen the Ford Foundation's ties with community-based organizations, providing them with unrestricted funding to address local needs. Eligible applicants must be based in New York City, possess 501(c)(3) status, and be accountable to the communities they serve. The program is designed to enhance the quality of life for marginalized individuals and foster community engagement.

Note: Over the years, this program has been so successful that some of our regional offices in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have formed their own versions of the Good Neighbor Committee. These regional committees address the unique needs of neighbors in their communities. To learn more, contact each regional office directly.
Background
The New York City Good Neighbor Committee seeks to strengthen the Ford Foundation’s ties and support for local organizations working on issues related to the foundation’s mission. It is also an opportunity to provide Ford staff who are not grantmakers to experience the core work of the foundation. As part of this work, we seek to employ the Ford Foundation’s values and approaches to effective grantmaking practices, including by supporting our grantees through flexible support, approaching relationships with transparency and trust, and striving to keep burdens light.
Focus Areas
Every year, the Good Neighbor Committee provides unrestricted funding to a small group of organizations based and working locally in New York City, within three focus areas:

• Arts and Culture
• prioritizes funding for organizations devoted to the artistic and cultural life of the city.
• Education

prioritizes funding for organizations and educational initiatives that provide individuals with the access and opportunity to improve their socioeconomic circumstances and reduce barriers of inequality.
Human services
prioritizes funding for organizations, initiatives or projects that seek to improve the overall quality of life and well-being of marginalized individuals and/or their collective communities.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, applicant organizations must:Be based in New York City and primarily support local work within the five boroughsHave 501(c)3 status or work with a fiscal sponsor who doesWork in one of the three priority thematic areas of the GNCNot be a current grantee of other Ford Foundation programsBe led, informed by, and accountable to the communities they support