Robert Sterling Clark Foundation: Field Building Grant

The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation's Field Building Grant aims to enhance leadership development within the nonprofit sector, which currently receives significantly less investment than the private sector. By focusing on innovative programs in New York City and beyond, the foundation supports organizations that share its core values and demonstrate a commitment to equity. This grant is vital for fostering diverse leadership and collaboration among nonprofits dedicated to advancing the field.

NOTE: Please submit a recent grant application that represents your organization well, and reflects our funding interests. Feel free to share one that you’ve used to apply to another funder.
Only 1% of philanthropic dollars are targeted to investment in people. The private sector invests 4x as much in its people than the nonprofit sector does. Our grants support organizations that build the field of leadership development.
Making the case for investing in diverse leaders
We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who meet the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program. While most of our grantmaking is NYC-focused, another stream of our funding goes to nonprofits in the US that strengthen the field of leadership development for equity.
Through this funding stream we support organizations that:
We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who philosophically embrace the values embedded in the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program.Can demonstrate a track record in one or more of the following leadership field building areas: conducting leadership development research, developing promising leadership program models, and/or experimenting with leadership program practices.Agree to share data and models with RSCF’s NYC grantees. As a trust-based funder, we do more than give grants. We believe in the power of convening grantees to learn from each other. We seek grantees here who will share research, models, and practices to advance these discussions.

Eligibility

Your program must be housed in a 501(c)3 organization and center its work on New York City.It must have dedicated staff or volunteers who can take advantage of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation’s support beyond the check. The program also must focus on a particular issue or identity group and involves individuals from a variety of organizations.

Ineligibility

The foundation does not fund staff development programs, youth leadership, service year or social enterprise programs. We also do not fund startups or staff development programs within a single organization.