Seventy community-based organizations serving communities of color in New York City received grants over the past year thanks to the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund. The grantees, who provide services ranging from health care to senior services—represent all five boroughs.
Established by the New York City Council in 2014, the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund (CCNSF) provides capacity-building support to Black, Latino and Asian-led community-based organizations (CBOs) throughout New York City. The Fund was created by the Council in partnership with the Hispanic Federation, New York Urban League, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, and the Asian American Federation. To date, the initiative has supported capacity-building projects for over 220 nonprofit organizations.
“This has been one of the most important and successful grantmaking programs we have seen in New York City’s communities of color,” said Hispanic Federation President José Calderón. “These grants provide support to organizations that are typically excluded from mainstream corporate and private philanthropy or whose needs don’t often dovetail with the priorities of traditional grantmakers.”
Since its inception the CCNSF has received more than 700 applications for support and awarded more than 220 grants. In response to this demand for grants, the lead agencies in the Fund received a $1.2 million increase this year from the New York City Council.
“We know that this model works,” Calderón said. “We know that in addition to grants, what makes the CCNSF program even more unique is the amount of technical assistance and support we provide to the organizations’ leadership. An increase in the allocation from the City Council allows us to expand and provide more grants to deserving organizations. Given the success we have had thus far, an increase in funding is a smart investment that will produce significant results.”
