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Awardees Announced for Groundbreaking NYC Council Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund

Coordinating organizations for the newly-created Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund today announced grant awards for 80 New York City-based nonprofit organizations. The Fund is the first of its kind in New York City and provides capacity building support to emerging and seasoned social services organizations.

The coordinating organizations – the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Hispanic Federation, New York Urban League, Asian American Federation and Black Agency Executives – leveraged $2.5 million from the New York City Council in 2014 to launch the initiative, which addresses the need for capacity-building funding for nonprofit organizations in communities of color. The initiative has broad support among Council Members including the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and the Bronx and Manhattan delegations. Oversight of the funding will be provided by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD).

Through a competitive Request for Application (RFA) process, interested nonprofits were screened by the coordinating organizations. Grant awardees were selected by independent allocation committees including individuals with significant knowledge of the nonprofit sector and the capacity building challenges they face.

The 80 awardees are community-based organizations from all five boroughs. They offer a varying array of services to New Yorkers, and are being funded to address a comprehensive menu of infrastructural needs including leadership development, financial management, and outcomes system development, among others. In addition to awarding the capacity building awards, the coordinating organizations will conduct several trainings on board development, financial management and fundraising for the awardees.

At a reception hosted by the Ford Foundation, government and community leaders – including several grant awardees – spoke on the need for such a fund and the increased commitment to community based organizations.

"The Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund will provide valuable support for community based organization in all five boroughs," said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. "The Council is proud to support this fund with an investment of 2.5 million dollars to offer vital aid such as language  services for immigrants, educational programs for youth, and support for seniors. Our community based organizations have the ability to strengthen neighborhoods and empower entire communities."

“The Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund works to address the historic neglect of Asian, Black and Latino community based organizations,” said José Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation. “These institutions have been historically underfunded and under-capitalized by city government, foundations, and other funding entities. After decades of neglect, this investment in our nonprofits is an overdue, wise and responsible step forward towards ensuring we have a healthier and more robust safety net for our city’s majority communities of color population.”

“NYUL is pleased to partner with Hispanic Federation, Asian American Federation, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, and Black Agency Executives to better serve New York City neighborhoods,” stated Arva Rice, President and CEO of the New York Urban League.  “We believe that the peer support and concrete support in core areas of nonprofit management will greatly strengthen selected organizations and in turn help improve the lives of New Yorkers throughout the City. We thank Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, City Council Members Inez Dickens, Andy King and Debi Rose, who along with the Council Black, Latino and Asian Caucus and several borough delegations, made this initiative a major priority.”

“We are pleased the New York City Council has chosen to take a bold step to invest in true capacity building for the Asian Pacific American community in New York City,” said Sheelah A. Feinberg, Executive Director of Coalition for Asian American Children and Families.  “The Nonprofit Stabilization Fund, the first of its kind, is an innovative way of investing in our communities who are not getting the adequate resources they need to thrive.  We know from our members that the needs are great and resources are short.   We look forward to the grant recipients achieving great success for themselves and the communities they serve.”

“My Council colleagues and I worked to establish the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund because we recognize the fundamentally important role that community-based organizations play in neighborhoods all across New York City,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “The grantees supported by this initiative are doing exactly the kind of work that we must continue to sustain, as we strive every day to affirm and strengthen our commitment to all the communities of color that have long kept our city so uniquely vibrant and diverse.” ‎

“Collectively, our member agencies serve in every corner of the city, working with some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” stated Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation.  “The resource that these groups need is infrastructure support to ensure that they are able to serve their neighborhood for years to come.  This first investment by the City Council is a recognition of that we must build capacity to ensure that the good works of these group continue for years to come.”

“Since 1973, Black Agency Executives has stood tall with neighborhoods across this city to ensure that the leadership and services of the nonprofit sector in New York are reflective of the social, economic, and political realities facing marginalized people of color, and are respectful of the cultural norms and traditions of these communities,” stated Danielle Lee Moss, President of Black Agency Executives. “CCNSF is an historic and transformational collaboration with city government that will ensure a balanced and diverse perspective in how we address issues of access and opportunity.”

“The communities of Color initiative is a welcome proactive approach to growing our city's nonprofit organizations,” stated Dr. Demetrius S. Carolina, Sr., Executive Director of the Central Family Life Center. “These organizations are the backbone of real grassroots change and growth that could equate to lasting credible empowerment for thousands of New Yorkers. The Central Family Life Center and I are humbled and grateful to be a part of this refreshing movement.”

“We are thrilled to receive the NSF grant that is crucial in building our capacity to serve our communities,” stated Sudha Acharya, Executive Director of the South Asian Council for Social Services. “This funding will allow SACSS to create a Client Relationship Management (CRM) portal that will maintain a holistic view of every client.  This new system will assist in generating progress and needs-assessment reports, provide a framework for increased accountability and efficiency. Our warm thanks to CACF and the City Council for this much needed boost.”

“The Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund is a long overdue investment in community-based organizations that are on the front lines of addressing critical needs,” stated Luis Garden Acosta, Founder and CEO of El Puente. “We thank the city for this groundbreaking initiative that will begin to equip our neighborhood institutions with the infrastructure needed to address the larger social and economic challenges facing our city.”

2015 Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund Awardees (Pending Contract Approval)