Thriving Communities Grants: Community Development

The Thriving Communities Grants program by The New York Community Trust focuses on community development initiatives. It supports non-profits that enhance affordable housing, promote job creation, and strengthen civic engagement in low-income neighborhoods. With ongoing proposals accepted, this grant aims to empower organizations dedicated to building equitable communities through innovative strategies and effective practices that foster economic opportunities and protect the environment.

NOTE: For work in New York City, we accept proposals from nonprofits anytime through our ongoing competitive grants proposal process.
We make grants to groups that protect and create affordable housing, promote equity in the arts, improve civic engagement, and protect our environment. We support agencies working on these issues at the neighborhood level, as well as government and nonprofit institutions developing strategies. We also support efforts to improve the functioning of nonprofits and government.
Focus Area: Community Development
Program goal: To build and sustain strong communities and create economic opportunities for residents of low-income neighborhoods.
We support a mix of citywide and local community development activities as well as policy research and advocacy.
Grants are made to:

• Preserve affordable housing in low-income neighborhoods.
• Promote strategies for job creation and linking low-income residents to jobs.
• Develop new sources of capital and innovative community development tools.
• Enhance the capacity of community development organizations to function effectively.
• Monitor and document the effects of community and economic development policies on poor communities.
• Read the background paper that informed this grantmaking strategy here.

Eligibility

Most of our competitive grants go to public charities, or groups sponsored by one. While our focus is on New York, we support some organizations headquartered outside the City. Grantees (or fiscal agents) should have a board of directors with at least four members, and no more than one paid board member. We fund programs that promote change in policy or systems, build capacity of organizations, and expand and/or improve direct serviceOur general practice is to make grants for one year.

Ineligibility

We do not make grants to individuals, or for general operating support, capital and building campaigns, endowments, equipment, deficit financing, or religious purposes.