This week, we witnessed extraordinary acts that demonstrate both the power and the fragility of democracy in this country. On the same day of a historic Senate runoff in Georgia, a victory for Black and brown women and the coalitions that they’ve built in their years-long organizing efforts in increasing voter turnout, we also experienced a violent attempt to disrupt democracy by white supremacists. These two moments in history remind us, in vivid strength, that our actions, both individually and collectively, truly matter.
Read moreA message from Ana Oliveira on the 2020 election results. Take this moment to commemorate the impact of democracy, and recommit yourself to making a difference.
Read moreDespite the tenuous nature of this moment, we’re energized by the many women fighting to strengthen our democracy. With a historic voter turnout, we are determined to continuously show-up not only for our democracy but for our livelihoods, and our communities.
Read moreWe’re a Foundation for the advancement, wellbeing and economic security of women— and the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court is a clear denial of these values. We’re deeply troubled by her legal track record, which demonstrates an inability to stand for equality, inclusion and civil rights.
Read moreWe join you in mourning the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a fierce champion for justice and women’s rights.
Read moreThe Foundation mourns the loss of Justice Advisory Committee member Russelle Miller-Hill, affectionately known as Rusti. As a member of the Justice Advisory Committee at The New York Women’s Foundation, Rusti brought her expertise and her vision for a stronger reentry and reengagement process for women, especially mothers and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Read moreWe’re pleased to announce new investments of $1,020,000 to 17 nonprofit organizations advancing economic, healing, housing and racial justice for women and families in New York City and beyond.
Read moreWe’re deeply disappointed with today’s Supreme Court ruling against reproductive freedom in the Trump vs. Pennsylvania case.
Read moreWe, at The New York Women’s Foundation, believe women are the authors of their own lives, and that our right to choose and shape our own families is a fundamental right.
Read moreThe Disability Inclusion Fund is a donor collaborative housed at Borealis Philanthropy, of which The Foundation is a funding member. These rapid response grants have been awarded to organizations that are working to support the needs of people with disabilities.
Read moreWe are heartened by this week’s twin decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold the rights of youth immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals, representing not one, but two steps forward in the long march to a just, equitable and inclusive country.
Read moreWe, at The New York Women’s Foundation, join our Black sisters and brothers who are fighting for their lives and the lives of their children and families. Our work is antiracist work. We center our initiatives around Black women and women of color—our grantee partners—who are resisting injustice and seeking its resolution.
Read moreAs of 4/28/2020, our COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund has awarded $400,000 to 28 organizations who are quickly using those dollars to meet the desperate needs of their communities and stabilize their operations.
Our COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund supports our grantee partners in stabilizing their operations, pivoting to remote work and online programming—and expands their ability to respond to this crisis. We’re proud to support these organizations as they meet the greatest needs of women and families in New York City.
Read moreIn an effort to support the work of our grantee partners through the COVID-19 crisis, and to support communities impacted by the pandemic, we have curated this resource list with various rapid response grants and other tools. We will continue to update this listing as more opportunities become available.
Read moreIn alignment with our mission and values to create a just and equitable future for all, The Foundation is launching the 2020 Resilience-NYC: COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund to support the growing organizational needs of current and former grantee partners and to support the adaptivity of community-led solutions to meet the immediate needs of girls, women, TGNCNB people and their families.
Read moreRooted in our Radical Generosity tradition, The New York Women’s Foundation is responding to the challenges posed by COVID-19 with an abundance of caution and an abundance of determination to support the needs of women and families in New York City.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is deeply saddened by the loss of Barbara Elaine Smith (B. Smith), our beloved board alumna (1990 to 1996). A former Celebrating Women® Award honoree and Mistress of Ceremonies at the 1998 Celebrating Women® Breakfast, B. Smith was a vibrant and passionate leader and supporter of The Foundation.
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The Foundation has a track record of responding to the needs of women leaders who are building transformational movements and investing in community-led solutions that confront gender violence. Our Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies is an extension of this history, and through this Fund, we remain committed to investing in the safety and healing of survivors along with our grantee partners.
Read moreAn open letter from the six women of the American Express Executive Committee reflects on the company’s progress, shares new commitments and programs and calls on leaders everywhere to proudly back women’s ambition. Ambitious Insights, commissioned by American Express and in partnership with The New York Women’s Foundation is a global study on women’s relationships with ambition.
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Through our partnership with the filmmaking team and Level Forward, as well as distributors Bleecker Street and the Screen Forward network, we are providing resources below for you to not only connect with the film, but delve deeper into the issues of workplace discrimination, abuse of power and the ways in which equity must be actively incorporated into every aspect of workplace culture.
Read moreIn recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance, The Foundation is awarding $180,000 to six transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary (TGNCNB) organizations which showed strong TGNCNB leadership, were experiencing threats to their work in this current political crisis, bring a racial and gender justice lens, and presented a clear and realistic plan for action. Each organization will receive $30,000 to help fund leadership development, organizational capacity building, partnership development, and strategy development. These organizations are Black Trans Media, LGBT Center Intercultural Collective Inc., New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG), Sylvia Rivera Law Project, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc., and Translatinx Network.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation mourns the loss of Marion Kaplan. An alumna of our Board of Directors, Marion served as Chair of the Board, chaired our programs committee and was a leader of many advisory councils here at The Foundation. A kind, gracious leader, Marion expertly and wholeheartedly guided The New York Women’s Foundation to where it is today. We are grateful for her passionate support and leadership. She will be deeply missed by our community.
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The New York Women’s Foundation mourns the loss of prolific nobel laureate Toni Morrison. Her profound work as a storyteller and thought leader have shaped the literary landscape, creating profound stories authentic to the experiences of Black women and families.
Read moreGrantee partner Center for Family Life has launched new Cooperative Startup Guides – tools to support coops and cooperative developers in doing what it takes to launch their businesses.
Read moreGrantee partner Sakhi for South Asian Women is featured in the article for their work at the intersection of food and social justice in New York City.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation community is deeply saddened by the loss of Janet Riccio, longtime board member and former Co-Chair of our Board of Directors (2011 to 2019). Janet was an extraordinary leader and champion of The Foundation and of women’s leadership. A transformational leader herself, Janet was Executive Vice President of Omnicom; Founder of Omniwomen, the in-house women’s network; and Dean of Omnicom University, which is recognized one of the preeminent executive education experiences.
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More than 40 years ago, Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to protect pregnant women in the workplace. The law made it illegal for employers to consider pregnancy in decisions about hiring, firing and promotion. Yet decades after the passage of the act, pregnancy discrimination persists. Dina Bakst, co-director of A Better Balance, says that it is still a “widespread problem” and pregnancy discrimination claims have soared over the past two decades.
Read moreBrightly was established as a cleaning cooperative by grantee partner Center for Family Life (CFL), a nonprofit social services organization in Brooklyn that incubates worker cooperatives. This is one of 21 worker co-ops that CFL has organized. She adds, “Eighty-seven percent of its co-op member-owners are immigrants; 85 percent are women. On average, members of these cooperatives earn over $18 an hour. They also share in annual profits, benefit from labor protections, and develop leadership skills.”
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation), one of the largest women-led grantmaking organizations in the United States, announces new leadership of its Board of Directors. Members Grainne McNamara and Yvonne Moore have been elected Co-Chairs. Michèle O. Penzer now serves as Vice Chair/Treasurer.
Joining them on the Board of Directors are five new members whose exceptional capabilities, experience and shared commitment to economic, gender and racial justice make them significant additions.
Read moreOn Monday, June 17th, New York State Senate passed the Green Light Bill which means that over 250,000 immigrants across New York State will be able to access driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status. It’s a monumental victory for immigrants rights and immigrant communities as well as our tireless grantee partners who have been working hard in their advocacy efforts.
Read moreIn the face of historic challenges ahead of the 2020 Census, New York’s foundations and nonprofits must step forward to invest in aggressive efforts to ensure those in marginalized, hard-to-reach communities are fully counted, according to a new report issued today. The report is funded by the New York State Census Equity Fund in which The New York Women’s Foundation is a proud contributor and supporter.
Read moreResilience NYC grantee partner Adhikaar has been working tirelessly to protect Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders around the country in the fight for permanent residency for all TPS and Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) holders.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is honored to be an investor in Level Forward, founded by our Chair Emerita, Abigail E. Disney. Created just one year ago in partnership with Killer Films, Level Forward has already made its mark on Broadway with Tony-nominated plays, “What the Constitution Means to Me” and “Oklahoma!” which won a Tony for best revival of a musical.
Read moreIt’s June and we’re celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots which occurred in New York City at the end of June 1969. Please watch this space as we will update it with news and events from our grantee partners in ways in which you can participate in Pride Month both in-person and virtually.
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At The New York Women’s Foundation, we recognize that immigrant communities are the cornerstone of this nation, and we must use our collective power to protect our most vulnerable from lingering threats to their health, safety and economic prosperity.
Read moreThe glaring income inequality in this country is a crisis that can’t be ignored. Calling attention to the growing wealth of a select few at the expense of a majority is none other than our fierce Board Chair Emerita Abigail E. Disney. She’s made headlines recently for bravely speaking truth to power and calling out companies to practice more humane ways of doing business by paying workers dignified, living wages.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is committed to supporting innovative solutions to achieve economic justice and security. One of those ways is supporting the growth and expansion of innovative business models such as worker-owned cooperatives by supporting Center for Family Life’s Cooperative Business Development Program which mobilizes community members and organizations to develop and launch cooperative businesses. They partner with immigrant and low-income workers to create new pathways to economic stability and opportunities for leadership. Up & Go, a worker-owned house-cleaning app that was started under CFL is featured in Wired Magazine.
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The New York Women’s Foundation remains steadfast in our commitment to fighting for health, sexual rights and reproductive justice for all women. We recognize the fundamental authority and necessity of women to control their health and sexual and reproductive rights. We will continue to drive our resources towards organizations, grassroots leadership and women who uplift women’s voices and experiences, and fight for access to quality healthcare and putting the decision to have children and how to parent them into women’s hands. We will support our sisters nationwide in the fight to maintain reproductive freedom.
Read moreOn April 4, 2019 the House of Representatives passed the 2019 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Since it was introduced in 1994, VAWA has helped millions of survivors. Our grantee partner, Women’s Justice NOW is sending their report, Survivors Speak Out: Why We Need the Violence Against Women Act to our country’s senators.
Read moreWith the cost of living rising at nearly three times the rate of wages, 2.5 million working-age New Yorkers are struggling to provide food, housing, and other basic necessities for their families.
Read moreThe overall wage gap in NYS is 12%, but many groups of women, especially women of color, experience huge wage disparities. It’s time to dig deeper, push for solutions, and ensure that ALL Women in NY have Equal Pay!
Read moreAs an inaugural GUTC Pledge signatory committed to improving the wellbeing of #trans communities, we pledge to participate in trainings and professional development opportunities focused on supporting trans communities; improve our recruitment and retention of trans and gender non-conforming staff and board members; increase our grantmaking for trans communities, with a commitment to trans-led organizations; and publicly express our support for and solidarity with trans communities.
Read moreOur President and CEO, Ana Oliveira, is one of Women’s eNews honorees at their 21 Leaders for the 21st Century’ Awards Gala.
Read moreGrantee partner Mixteca Organization, Inc.‘s Promotoras program was featured in a local news channel this week featuring the work of Promotoras and their immigration outreach efforts. They were also recently awarded a 6-month grant by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to conduct immigration Know Your Rights workshops in Brooklyn this spring so that their member Elsa and others can continue supporting this work and engage with neighbors about their immigration rights. We love hearing that their important efforts are now being supported by city government!
Read moreSince 2006, grantee partner Center for Family Life has developed 21 worker cooperatives. Eighty-seven percent of its co-op member-owners are immigrants; 85 percent are women. On average, members of these cooperatives earn over $18 an hour. They also share in annual profits, benefit from labor protections, and develop leadership skills. See what CFL is doing in scaling up their worker co-ops as national franchises.
Read moreAARP estimates that 40 million Americans act as caregivers to a family member, and estimated the economic value of this work to be $470 billion in 2013. See what our grantee partners are doing to expand the caregiving conversation beyond childcare to elder care.
Read moreOn January 19th, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to make their voices heard at New York City’s third annual Women’s March and its first-ever Women’s Unity Rally. In the spirit of unity, collaboration and The Foundation’s long history of building cross-cultural alliances, we will participate in both events.
Read moreAs an early funder of Figure Skating in Harlem, we are proud to see the growing success of their program, which provides young women of color with a space to build confidence, nurture academic success and use figure skating as a vehicle to understand themselves and the world around them.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation has been named as one of the top ten funders of U.S. Trans Communities by Grantmakers United for Trans Communities, an initiative of Funders for LGBTQ Issues.
Read moreEvery year, more than 5,500 women, mostly women of color, are admitted to the jail at Rikers Island. Under pressure to close Rikers Island, one of the biggest and most notorious jails in the country, the city has already taken concrete steps to make closure a reality by reducing the number of people in jail and identifying sites for new jails in four of New York City’s five boroughs. Yet one of the risks in this moment of opportunity is that the needs of specific populations within the criminal justice system—especially women—will be overlooked.
New York City must be deliberate and focused in making sure that criminal justice reform does not overlook
the experience of justice-involved women. To this end, a group of stakeholders led by the Vera Institute of Justice and
The New York Women’s Foundation began meeting regularly over several months in 2017 to answer the question: “What would it take to get all women off Rikers Island now?”
On Wednesday, December 5th, our President and CEO, Ana Oliveira joined S&P Global Foundation for their Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap Panel. We also received a grant from their Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap Initiative to support our work in addressing the gender wealth gap for low-income women and women of color.
Read moreRead our President and CEO, Ana Oliveira’s Letter to the Editor in response to The New York Times’ 4 Ways to Make Giving Large Donations to Small Groups Easier.
Read moreIn New York City, women of color and immigrant women, age 25-59 bear the main brunt of responsibility for both raising and providing for their own families; for furnishing the labor force that undergirds the economy; and for leading the projects that sustain their communities.
For more than three decades, a roster of determined grassroots women-led organizations have worked to improve the economic security, safety, health, and empowerment of this critical segment of the population. Through advocacy, community organizing, and direct service programs, they have been helping women and LGBTQI individuals across the city’s low-income communities to access better employment options, escape and heal from violence, enjoy better health and reproductive health, and achieve more meaningful representation in vital decision-making forums.
Read moreSunday’s New York Times described the possibility that trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people could be denied basic protections in employment, health, safety, education—all facets of basic civic life.
At The New York Women’s Foundation, we believe any attempt to roll back rights for TGNC individuals is contrary to the core values of The Foundation and the interests of women.
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Philanthropy New York hosted a panel discussion focusing on centering women and families in criminal justice reform initiatives with Soffiyah Elija, Executive Director of the Alliance of Families for Justice, Julie Peterson, Senior Program Officer at The Pinkerton Foundation, Hon. Jonathan Lippmann, former Chief Judge of New York and Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals with discussion moderator, Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation.
Watch the live stream to listen in on the conversation and learn more about our Justice Fund, a seven-year initiative to help dismantle mass incarceration and its effects on women and families in NYC.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation joined Equality Now and other advocates in a signed advert in The Washington Post standing by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.
Read moreA tribute to America’s workers, Labor Day has evolved beyond a day of parades and festivals duly celebrating the achievements of workers to one emphasizing the economic realities and civic significance of the unsung heroes responsible for the prosperity of our country.
Of these everyday heroes, no one is more unsung than the women of color and immigrant women who, in the main, bear the responsibility for raising their families while at the same time working outside the home.
Read moreWomen’s Foundations across the U.S. condemn the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy and the continued detention of immigrant families.
Read moreWe had an inspiring morning at our 2018 Celebrating Women Breakfast! Check out the highlights and photos from that morning.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation mourns the passing of Lisa Garcia Quiroz, president of the Time Warner Foundation and SVP and Chief Diversity Officer of Time Warner. An advocate for women and inclusion, Ms. Quiroz worked across multiple platforms to ensure diversity in Time Warner’s programming. She will be remembered for her commitment to uplifting Latino voices and her role as a leader and mentor for a generation of Hispanic media professionals.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation mourns the loss of former board member Traci Gibson Little. Traci served on our board at a key time during our early years. She remained very civically involved in the Atlanta community, but her impact was also felt in cities nationwide. Our thoughts are with her family at this time.
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We have exciting news to share! The New York Women’s Foundation will be on NBC’s show, “Give“ on Saturday, October 28th at noon. NBC’s Give provides an inside look at the world of philanthropy and highlights the work of small charities that are making a big impact. In this Saturday’s episode, celebrity ambassador and Food Network personality Sunny Anderson visits two of The Foundation’s grantee partners: The Brotherhood/SisterSol in Harlem and the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park.
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The New York Women’s Foundation mourns the loss of Rita Henley Jensen, Founder of Women’s eNews and celebrates her powerful legacy. Nearly two decades ago, Rita launched Women’s eNews, the only independent daily news service covering women’s issues. She was an innovator, an award-winning journalist, a thought leader and a role model. We are grateful for her brilliant vision and her invaluable contributions to the lives of women.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation mourns the passing of Holly Block. Holly was a tremendous advocate for the arts in New York and around the world. We were proud to acknowledge her leadership at our Neighborhood Dinner in the Bronx in 2013. Our city is a better place thanks to Holly’s vision and commitment.
Read moreWe congratulate our Honorary Board Chair, Abby Disney for winning an Emmy in Outstanding Social Issue Documentary for Armor of Light.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation mourns the passing of Martha Baker. Martha was a key leader in the women’s rights movement, and worked tirelessly as a political activist, NY Paid Leave Campaign leader, and founder of former NYWF grantee partner Nontraditional Employment for Women. We were proud to acknowledge her significant efforts with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 for her lifelong advocacy for the advancement of women at the local and national level. We express deep gratitude for her unwavering commitment to economic security for women and families.
Read moreGay rights advocate, Edith Windsor was a groundbreaking woman. When her landmark Supreme Court case struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in 2013, she moved us forward as a nation. We mourn her passing, along with the many people who knew and loved her, who looked up to her, and whose lives were changed by her pioneering civil rights work. Her memory will serve as a reminder to stand up, speak up, and fight for justice.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is a 2017 recipient of The Women’s Funding Network’s Leadership and Diversity (LEAD) Award, for launching the first Young Women’s Initiative in partnership with the New York City Council and inspiring similar efforts by women’s foundations across the country.
Read moreLife took a better turn for Tere, a mother of two and a Mexican immigrant, when she became a worker-owner of the ecofriendly housecleaning service Si Se Puede!. As a partner in this Brooklyn cooperative, where the business is owned and controlled by the workers, she found stable work and had better wages than at any of her previous jobs. She could manage her own schedule, which meant more time for her children and less strain on her marriage.
Read moreOn Monday, June 26 The New York Women’s Foundation’s Director of Programs, Camille Emeagwali gave testimony to the New York State Department of Labor on the issue of the gender wage gap in New York and recommended solutions based on our 30 years of working with community-based organizations across New York City working to achieve economic justice for women and families.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation community mourns the passing of former Board President Virginia Ryan Joffe, known to us as Dinny.
Read moreCheck out our latest Huff Po blog post written by Ana Oliveira.
Read moreCatch up on Ana Oliveira’s Huffington Post blog with her article From the Grassroots Up: Leadership Lessons from Women Community Leaders.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation and the YWCA of the City of New York have launched Girls IGNITE! Grantmaking, a unique fellowship designed to empower the next generation through philanthropic education and giving.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) announced a total of $2,120,000 in grants awarded to 35 organizations working to promote economic security for women and families across New York City. This latest cycle of funding rounds out NYWF’s 2015 grantmaking year, which totaled $6,000,000.
Read moreSo many of us have been asking ourselves: What now for women, for immigrants, for communities of color, for LGBTQ people? Today’s media foreshadowing the first 100 days of a Trump presidency is frightening for so many of us.
Read moreSo many of us have been asking ourselves: What now for women, for immigrants, for communities of color, for LGBTQ people? Today’s media foreshadowing the first 100 days of a Trump presidency is frightening for so many of us.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) joined 27 public U.S. women’s foundations, along with the Women’s Funding Network, in announcing Prosperity Together, a five-year, $100 million funding initiative to create opportunities and break down barriers to women’s economic security across the United States. This announcement, made at the White House’s Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color Summit highlighted the dire situations of low-income women across the country who face poor working conditions, insufficient wages, and lack of support for their overall wellbeing.
Read moreThis week, our President and CEO, Ana Oliveira, was joined by leading women’s foundations at The White House’s United State of Women Summit (USOW) to announce the launch of seven new Young Women’s Initiatives (YWI) nationwide.
Read moreWe are excited to share with you the Young Women’s Initiative’s new report and recommendations that were released this morning at City Hall.
Read moreThis week, NYC Public Advocate Letitia James released a policy report, Advancing Pay Equity in New York City—An analysis of the gender wage gap in New York City’s workforce. This report, coinciding with Equal Pay Day on April 12, highlighted the disparities in earnings that women face compared to their male counterparts. Women of color are disproportionately impacted by the gender wage gap, and this racial disparity is great in NYC than the national average.
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Last week, Ana Oliveira, our President & CEO, was recognized by City & State with an Above & Beyond Award for her commitment to advancing economic justice for women and families and building a New York City that works for all.
Read moreToday is a historic day for New York City, the New York Women’s Foundation, and most importantly for girls, young women and trans youth of color in New York City. NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito just announced that the City Council will invest $10 million in the Young Women’s Initiative and that the philanthropic community–a group of foundations led by The New York Women’s Foundation and NoVo Foundation–will match it making for an unprecedented investment of $20 million in girls and young women in New York City.
Read moreProsperity Together, a nonpartisan coalition of public women’s foundations from across the country announced today its support of the investments outlined in President Obama’s Budget to expand opportunity, promote equality and build economic stability for women and working families in America.
Read moreEntrepreneurship provides a strong path for women when it comes to achieving economic security for themselves and their families. New York City has been a key leader in creating entrepreneurship opportunities for women including allocating funds towards worker cooperative business development, establishing accountability measures for contracting with minority and women-owned businesses (M/BWEs), and launching the Women Entrepreneurs NYC initiative (WE NYC).
Read moreOne of the broader strategies towards increasing the economic security of women and families is improving the wages and quality of working conditions in jobs where women are highly concentrated, including jobs in the fast food industry and domestic work. These efforts include increasing the minimum wage, increasing protections and resources regarding wage theft and overtime pay, and expanding paid sick and family leave.
Read moreImmigrants are the backbone of many New York City neighborhoods. For centuries, immigrants have brought with them new ideas, culture, and entrepreneurial energy. Between 1990 and 2000, foreign-born workers accounted for nearly all of the growth among self-employed New Yorkers, which has had a tremendous impact on the local economy. As new immigrant populations arrive in NYC, adjustments need to be made across the public sector to meet their changing needs.
Read moreWomen’s economic security is more critical than ever, as they are the sole or primary earner for 40% of American households with children under the age of 18[1]. A challenge that women face in attaining economic security is the gender wage gap. The gender wage gap highlights earning disparities between women and their white, male professional counterparts. Across the United States, women make about 78 cents compared to their white, male counterparts.
Read moreEntrepreneurship is a path that can provide great economic potential for women, and it is also a critical point of growth for local economies, but it remains a privilege as there are still many barriers that hinder women’s abilities to successfully pursue this venture. Despite much growth, particularly for African American women business owners who have grown 322% since 1977, making them the fast growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., women remain only half as likely as men to start a business.
Read moreThis week, the House of Representatives passed the Ruth Moore Act of 2015, which will ease the process of getting help from the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma (MST).
Read moreThis week, the House of Representatives passed the Ruth Moore Act of 2015, which will ease the process of getting help from the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma (MST). A challenge that sexual assault survivors in the military have faced is the burden of proof for sexual assault, which often results in further barriers that prevent them from gaining access to resources and benefits.
Read moreThis past Thursday, protestors hit the streets calling out for a living wage, construction of new homeless shelters, and space in affordable housing units for shelter residents. The protest was organized to publicize the fact that homelessness in the city has reached its highest point since the Great Depression, with 60,000 New Yorkers, 25,000 of them children, sleeping in homeless shelters every night.
Read moreOn Thursday, the YWCA of Queens hosted a discussion on the issue of Sex and Labor Trafficking in New York City. The panel included Rita Abadi, Clinician and Operations Manager, Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention; Mary Caparas, Project Free (Anti-Human Trafficking Project) Manager, New York Asian Women’s Center; and Jimmy Lee, the Executive Director at Restore NYC.
Read moreThis past week, the White House held its Conference on Aging, which has been hosted each decade since the 1960s to discuss the most pressing issues facing older adults. This year, recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, and the 80th anniversary of Social Security, the conference brought together older Americans, caregivers, advocates, community leaders and experts from across the country to discuss retirement security, healthy aging, long-term services and supports, and elder justice.
Read moreStrong policies that provide protections at home and in the workplace are critical to the economic security of women and families. These laws must be strictly enforced and effectively circulated in order to reach those who are most in need. Despite great progress for women, there is still much work that needs to be done as women and girls remain susceptible to unacceptable rates of gender discrimination and violence.
Read moreThe Nail Salon Worker’s Campaign addresses issues across a variety of areas including reproductive and environmental justice, and immigrant, labor, and women’s rights. Activists, including NYWF Grantee Partner Adhikaar, have been working to highlight and address the conditions faced by nail salon workers for almost a decade.
Read moreOn Thursday, June 18, 2015 our Director of Strategic Learning, Erin McDonald, PhD testified at the Fast Food Wage Board hearing. As a philanthropic partner, we are committed to supporting policies that create more just working environments for low-income women. Previously, we have supported ROC New York in their work to improve wages for restaurant workers and A Better Balance in their successful efforts to pass paid sick leave legislation for for all workers in New York City.
Read moreOne of the largest workforces in the United States is the fast food industry which employs 4 million people nationwide. There has been a growing activist movement around the wages received by these workers, as 52% of fast food workers receive some form of public assistance.
Read moreThis week, there have been many public discussions around diversity in leadership including NiemanReports’ Race and Reporting: The case for more inclusive newsrooms, Harvard Business Review’s Qualified Black Women Are Being Held Back from Management, Forbes’A New Take on Global Journalism, Led By Women, and the #BlackWomenAreLeaders hashtag on Twitter started by NYWF’s Celebrating Women Breakfast honoree, Patrisse Cullors. We are pleased to see these conversations happening and hope that people across all sectors are listening and reflecting on how they can further their commitment to creating more inclusive leadership. We know we are.
Read moreThis week, there have been many public discussions around diversity in leadership including NiemanReports’ Race and Reporting: The case for more inclusive newsrooms, Harvard Business Review’s Qualified Black Women Are Being Held Back from Management, Forbes’ A New Take on Global Journalism, Led By Women, and the #BlackWomenAreLeaders hashtag on Twitter started by NYWF’s Celebrating Women Breakfast honoree, Patrisse Cullors.
Read moreAs we as a nation make strides in our understanding of the challenges facing transgender people, it is important to highlight the policy successes and community work being done to support this population. The New York Women’s Foundation proudly supports community-based organizations working to meet the health, safety, and economic needs of transgender individuals across New York City.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) announced a total of $3,250,000 in grants awarded to 57 organizations across New York City as a part of The Foundation’s Spring 2015 grant cycle.
Read moreWe hosted our 28th annual Celebrating Women Breakfast on Thursday, May 14th. Our annual breakfast is New York City’s premiere women’s empowerment event, bringing together over 2,100 women acting as change agents in their communities, and supporters who help to ensure that over $6 million in grants can be provided to the 80 community-based, women-led, non-profit organizations throughout New York City in 2015.
Read moreOn a sunny Saturday morning in July, the East New York Farmers’ Market bustled with activity. Vibrant music filled the block between New Lots Avenue and Schenck Avenue as community residents participated in a zumba class. Others thronged the food stalls run by neighbors, choosing from a wide selection of locally grown produce.
Read moreRobert Corder of Boom!Health NYC and Eileen Newman of Center for Bronx Nonprofits at Hostos tells Bronx Net more about Boom!Health’s rebranding and how it is helping the Bronx Community.
Read moreNew York, NY – The New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) today announced a total of $2,515,000 in grants awarded to 40 organizations across New York City as a part of The Foundation’s 2014 Spring funding.
Read moreThe Boogie Down Booth, which opened on Wednesday is the second installation of an initiative called Under the Elevated, which seeks to reclaim some of the space underneath New York City’s nearly 700 miles of elevated track. NYWF grantee partner, WHEDCo, helped to open the Boogie Down Booth as part of a larger revitalization of the South Bronx.
Read moreWe are ever so proud to announce the appointment of our own NYWF Alumnae, Rosemonde Pierre-Louis as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. Mayor de Blasio could not have chosen a stronger leader to take that role!
Read moreThis past November, we invited 10 of our grantee partners to partake in a policy discussion on Advancing Economic Justice for Women and Families in New York City at the Talking Transition tent
Read moreNew York, NY – The New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) today announced a total of $2,305,000 in grants awarded to 32 organizations across New York City as a part of The Foundation’s Fall 2013 grant cycle. This latest cycle of funding rounds out a record grant making year for the Foundation, having awarded a total of $5,250,000 in 2013 – the most amount of grants awarded since NYWF was founded over 26 years ago.
Read more11.7.13 – New Yorkers now have a new mayor, so we are all coming to the table, engaging our communities and Talking Transition. Talking Transition is an open conversation about the future of New York City. The conversation will spread across the city – from an open tent filled with events on Canal Street opening this Saturday, to mobile “tents” that will be setup in public spaces throughout the boroughs, to online forums on talkingtransitionnyc.com.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) and AARP New York released an analysis report on the issues concerning New York City’s women voters 50+, and hosted a panel discussion with five of New York City’s leading aging experts and advocates to talk about the issues important to women voters.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation announces $2,470,000 in grant awards to support 43 women-led, community-based organizations, reflecting our commitment to strategically invest in solutions that promote economic justice for women and families in New York City.
Read more(NEW YORK, NY.) In an unprecedented look at the economic, health and well-being of New York City’s four million women and girls, The New York Women’s Foundation today released a report revealing that many women of means live side by side with women who struggle to provide for themselves and more often in trying to support their families.
Read moreWe are pleased to present The New York Women’s Foundation’s gender budget analysis “Closing the Window of Opportunity: The Impact of the Governor’s Proposed 2013-14 New York State Budget on New York City’s Women, Youth and Families. ”
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is proud to announce an unprecedented $5,250,000 in funding to support 96 women-led, community-based organizations, reflecting our commitment to strategically invest in solutions that promote economic security and justice for women and families in New York City.
Read moreFor 25 years, The New York Women’s Foundation has stood for the safety of women and families. We have funded community based nonprofits that work to eliminate violence, help rebuild families torn apart by violence, and advocate for laws that prevent, protect, and punish the perpetrators of violent acts. We have grown to understand the complex issues and challenges of poverty and violence that women and families have had to overcome.
Read moreTHE HURRICANE SANDY RESPONSE & RECOVERY GRANTMAKING CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED.
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Application deadline: Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Read moreThe New York Times article “Staying with Children and Out of Prison” reports on how our grantee partner, Housing + Solutions, helped launch a pilot program created by the office of the Brooklyn district attorney, Charles J. Hynes. Drew House is a residential alternative to incarceration, where mothers facing incarceration can live with their school’age children in a non–secured facility. The program is the first of its kind in New York City and the nation. Read more
Read moreOne of the founders of the New York Women’s Foundation, Alice Cardona, was a formidable woman. One of the most important activists of the Puerto Rican community, she dedicated her life to the service of others. For more than a decade, she was the Deputy Director of the Women’s Division of New York and a fierce campaigner against domestic violence and the impact of Aids in the Hispanic community.
Read moreIn January 2010 the Mayor Bloomberg appointed two leading experts on youth and families, Ana Oliveira, President & CEO of the New York Women’s Foundation and David Banks of the Eagle Academy Foundation to co–lead a steering committee to investigate the barriers that black and Latino young men encounter, and create a plan of action to meet the challenges.
Read moreOur grantee partner SWAN (Service Women’s Action Network) made news again. SWAN plays a critical role in getting fairer treatment for women veterans who have faced gender–based violence in the military. Read the New York Times editorial “Justice for Women Veterans” which wholeheartedly supports SWAN’s advocacy.
Read moreCongratulations to our grantee partner SWAN, whose tireless efforts on behalf of women veterans continue to yield big impacts. The Ms. Magazine blog reports that the Veterans Affairs Office “Decides To Trust Women about PTSD.” According to the agency it will ease its ‘standards of proof’ for sexual assault-related disabilities.
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The New York Women’s Foundation held its annual toast to honor our outstanding supporters and partners for their extraordinary work and contributions to advancing the work of The Foundation. For 25 years NYWF has funded groups working to bring economic security to women and girls in communities from the Bronx to Brooklyn. With our community of dedicated supporters we will walk hand–in–hand to transform the lives of women and girls in New York City.
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Following the tragic death of Nazish Noorani, Turning Point, an organization working directly with the New York Muslim community speaks to the critical importance of fighting intimate partner violence.
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Three of our grantee partners, The Urban Justice Center, Community Voices Heard, and Good Old Lower East Side partnered with other community groups to conduct a major survey of public housing residents in 71 public housing developments across the city. The newly released report card shows that public housing in New York City is in crisis, failing to meet the needs of its residents
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation, in partnership with the Fiscal Policy Institute, is proud to release a new gender budget analysis report, “A Harder Struggle, Fewer Opportunities: The Impact of the Governor’s Proposed Budget on Women, Children and Families”. This report reveals the disproportionate burden placed on New York City’s women across racial lines in the executive state budget proposal and offers specific recommendations for alternatives.
Read moreThis public education forum brought together philanthropists and activists to discuss the role of women as leaders in their communities.
Read moreOn a Wednesday morning in November, Dr. Diaz, director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, addressed more than 100 health care providers, advocates, funders, and young people at a forum at Brooklyn Borough Hall confronting the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS among young women of color in New York City.
Read moreA recent U.S. Conference of Mayors study shows that 57percent of homeless families identified domestic violence as primary cause of homelessness. This statistic, which links family violence to the enormous burdens accompanying homelessness, reveals why many battered women do not leave the batterer.On March 6th, The New York Women’s Foundation addressed this issue in its fourth annual Public Forum, “Unlocking the Door: Creative Solutions to Domestic Violence,” at the Center for New York City Affairs and the Nonprofit Management Program at the New School University’s Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy.
Read moreOn February 26, 2002 The New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) held its third annual Public Forum, entitled “Women on Welfare: Where are They Going?” Representatives from NYWF grantees Urban Justice Center, Welfare Rights Initiative, and Make the Road by Walking appeared with Trudi Renwick, an economist with the Fiscal Policy Institute, and Dr. Frances Fox Piven, a nationally renowned social welfare policy scholar.
Read moreAlliance-based initiatives led by The New York Women’s Foundation, Women’s Foundation California and Chicago Foundation for Women, are making a significant impact on communities pushing for economic justice, equal housing opportunities and financial stability.
Read moreThe Foundation is launching the 2020 Resilience-NYC: COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to provide organizations funding to solve critical issues facing vulnerable and marginalized communities in New York City.
Read moreThe Foundation advanced gender, racial and economic justice for women and TGNC people through critical funding to leaders on the ground fighting for safety and healing, justice reform and civic engagement and representation. The Foundation deepened its investments in the Me Too movement, justice reform on Rikers Island, and transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) communities. The Foundation’s grants supported community-led solutions to spark catalytic change and promote the economic security, safety, and health of the most marginalized women.
Read moreThe New York State Census Equity Fund (The Fund) is a collaborative of foundations that is housed and operated in The New York Community Trust. The Fund is working to ensure an accurate count of New York’s residents in the 2020 Census, and help secure a fair share of the more than $700 billion that the federal government is expected to distribute to state governments annually based on Census 2020 data. On Tuesday, December 5th, The New York Census Equity Fund announced its second round of grants, totaling $1,437,000, to 56 organizations to support efforts across the state to reach hard-to-count communities in the 2020 Census. In New York City specifically, a total of $344,000 was allocated to community-based organizations, several of whom are grantee partners of The New York Women’s Foundation.
Read moreThe dinner will also celebrate grantee partners of the Justice Fund, The Foundation’s first-of-its-kind, collaborative grantmaking and philanthropic mobilization effort that introduces a family-centered paradigm to help dismantle mass incarceration in New York City and supports organizations working to create new paths for stability in the lives of women, families and communities.
Read moreThe filmmakers, producers, and financiers behind Kitty Green’s THE ASSISTANT announced today the film’s partnership with
The New York Women’s Foundation, which will see 10% of their profits from the film set aside to support The Foundation’s grantmaking to women‐led, community-based organizations that promote the economic security, safety, and health of
women and families in New York City, where the film was made.
To honor the extraordinary life and accomplishments of former Member and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, the late Janet Riccio, The New York Women’s Foundation has established a grant in her name that will focus on assisting organizations furthering the pathways to economic justice and security for women with disabilities. A tireless champion for women, whose personal and professional advocacy spanned decades, Ms. Riccio served The New York Women’s Foundation from 2011 – 2019.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation), one of the largest women-led grantmaking organizations in the United States, announces new leadership of its Board of Directors. Members Grainne McNamara and Yvonne Moore have been elected Co-Chairs. Michèle O. Penzer now serves as Vice Chair/Treasurer.
Joining them on the Board of Directors are five new members whose exceptional capabilities, experience and shared commitment to economic, gender and racial justice make them significant additions.
Read moreMore than 2,200 supporters from community, philanthropy and business joined The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) on May 14 to honor six extraordinary leaders whose vision, energy and achievements have had a transformative effect on communities in New York City and beyond. The Breakfast also honored The Foundation’s grantee partners—dynamic community organizations working to advance economic, gender and racial justice.
Read moreThe Justice Fund at The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) announced grants totaling $700,000 specifically earmarked to support local criminal justice reform, with a focus on the closure of Rikers Island. Established in 2018, The Justice Fund is a collaborative grantmaking and philanthropic mobilization effort that introduces a family-centered paradigm to help dismantle mass incarceration in New York City and supports organizations working to create new paths for stability in the lives of women, families and communities. The Justice Fund is a first of its kind philanthropic partnership engaging in local criminal justice reform leading with a gender and racial equity lens.
Read moreContinuing to urgently respond to and invest in the needs of women leading movements and community solutions that confront economic, gender and racial injustice, The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) announced a record high of more than $11 million in grants for 2018. Grants were made to 175 community organizations working to advance women’s economic security, increase political leadership and civic participation, disrupt and prevent gender-based violence, and protect access to healthcare and sexual and reproductive justice.
Read moreThe funds we receive from CBS will make a significant impact on organizations that do critical work on behalf of survivors of sexual violence, and for women’s safety and equity at work. The contributions are a step to driving real progress toward ending the national epidemic of sexual violence and harassment. Our organizations serve on the front lines of this effort every day, and we continue to see enormous need for our work. We know these funds will help us create and expand a range of important programs that advance our collective mission and help many individuals get justice. We thank CBS for these donations. We also recognize these funds are not a panacea, nor do they erase or absolve decades of bad behavior.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) today announced receipt of a $2.25 million grant from the CBS Corporation. The grant will support The Foundation’s Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies (The Fund), to ensure that the movement is sustained beyond news cycles and hashtags. The Fund is focused on investing in organizations led by and for survivors of sexual violence and is announcing a partnership with women’s community foundations to expand its national reach.
Read moreToday, the Art for Justice Fund announced its cohort of 32 fall 2018 grantees that share a common goal of reforming and shifting the narrative around America’s criminal justice system through the transformational power of art.
The Art for Justice Fund is a five-year initiative created by Agnes Gund in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Ford Foundation. The Fund is dedicated to combating the injustices of mass incarceration through the collective action of artists, advocates, and philanthropists.
Grantees range from the Campaign for Fair Sentencing for Youth — a new network working to eliminate the sentencing of young people to die in prison — to Mural Arts — a leader in innovative public art projects based in Philadelphia that will launch the “Art for Justice Hub” and The New York Women’s Foundation, which is working to dismantle mass incarceration in NYC by investing in innovative and sustainable strategies for women, families and community.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation celebrated the achievements of three exceptional Brooklyn women who have a passion for economic, gender, and racial justice at its “Neighborhood Dinner in Brooklyn” on Thursday, November 15. As leaders and advocates, Julia Jean-Francois, LCSW, PhD, Co-Director at Center for Family Life in Sunset Park; Alyssa Aguilera, Co-Executive Director of VOCAL-NY; and Cynthia Gordy Giwa, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder, Black-Owned Brooklyn, exemplify the transformative power of commitment to community.
Read moreNew York City women—particularly those of color and who are immigrants—are hindered in what should be their prime years by challenges and barriers that limit their prospects and keep them in poverty, finds a new report commissioned by The New York Women’s Foundation.
According to the Blueprint for Investing in Women Age 25 – 59, prepared by Susan Leicher of Thompson & Columbus, Inc., in New York City, women of color and immigrant women aged 25-59 bear the main brunt of responsibility for both raising and providing for their own families; for furnishing the labor force that undergirds the economy; and for leading the efforts that sustain their communities.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation announced the creation of The Justice Fund, a new collaboration to help dismantle mass incarceration. Part of a seven-year grantmaking and philanthropic mobilization effort, the initiative will focus specifically on incarceration and its effects on women, girls and TGNC communities. The fund is the first of its kind in the country to engage in criminal justice reform through a lens of gender and racial equity.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation celebrated the anniversary of the Me Too Movement on Monday, October 15 at its annual Radical Generosity Gala, co-hosted by Jean Shafiroff and Lola C. West, honoring actress and activist Alyssa Milano and Sony/ATV recording artists and songwriters Haley & Michaels. Tarana Burke, Founder and Leader of the ‘me too.’ Movement presented their awards. Also recognized for their leadership and contributions to empowering women were Mary T. Bassett, MD, MPH, Director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and the co-founders of media company Level Forward, Abigail E. Disney, Adrienne Becker, Rachel Gould, and Angie G. Wang.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation), a leading advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment, and Tarana Burke, founder and leader of the ‘me too.’ Movement has announced the first recipients of grants from the Fund for The Me Too Movement and Allies.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation), the largest public women-led grantmaking organization in the United States, welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors. Their exceptional capabilities, experience and advocacy on behalf of underserved communities, plus a shared commitment to empowering women and their families, make them
significant appointments to the Board.
The Foundation awarded $4.135 million in grants for the first half of 2018, to 43 organizations that address the complex needs faced by women, girls, trans and gender fluid individuals and families living at or below the poverty level in New York City.
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More than 2,000 of New York’s most prominent and promising women joined The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) for its 31st Celebrating Women® Breakfast on May 10, 2018. The annual event honors extraordinary women who, through their careers, activism and philanthropy, are at the forefront of the fight for social justice and women’s rights.
Read moreIn this moment of national dialogue and activism about gender-based violence, The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) is launching a Fund to support the work of Tarana Burke, Founder and Leader of the ‘me too.’ movement and organizations working to end sexual violence.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation and Ms. Foundation for Women joined members of Prosperity Together, a nonpartisan partnership of 32 public U.S. women’s foundations located in 26 states and Washington, D.C., to announce Year 2 Two (2017) results of its collective five-year, $100 million funding commitment to ensure economic security for low-income women and their families across the country. This month, in alignment with Women’s History Month, the partnership is leveraging social media channels (Twitter, Facebook) each week to share successes and engage the public at #ProsperityTogether.
Read moreRadical Generosity at Work will engage employees by offering a simple and direct way to become philanthropists that impact communities where they live and work. Funds raised through the initiative will underwrite local workforce development, a proven way to help expand access to professional opportunities for women of color entering the workforce, and the best way to ensure that women and their families have the means to move toward economic security.
Read moreAs a proud key leader of Prosperity Together, a nonpartisan partnership of 32 public U.S. women’s foundations, we are excited to share the Year Two Impact Report. In the second year of this five-year, $100 million funding commitment, the collective has already achieved 58% of its goal with $58,421,499 being invested in economic security for low-income women and their families across the country.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) announced an additional $4,210,000 in grants for 2017, awarded to 69 organizations throughout New York City. The recipients pursue strategies and offer services integral to producing long-lasting change for women and girls across a range of issues through individual transformation, community engagement, mobilization, and systemic reform.
Read moreWomen’s economic security is more critical than ever with now more than two-thirds of American households being supported by women as the primary or co-breadwinner. And yet, the racial and gender wage gaps persist with Black women in the U.S. making 64 cents and Latina women making 54 cents as compared to their white male counterparts for the same work. New York has made great progress on advancing economic security for women and families, and yet there is much work to be done.
Read moreTwenty-two grassroots organizations have been awarded a combined total of $1,000,000, the first recipients of Resilience-NYC grants from The New York Women’s Foundation, it was announced today by Ana Oliveira, The Foundation’s President and CEO.
Read moreMembers of Prosperity Together, a nonpartisan coalition of 29 public women’s foundations dedicated to empowering low-income women and their families, are joining together for a #GivingTuesday campaign. #GivingTuesday is a one-day initiative on November 28 that encourages collective action and philanthropy throughout the world as the season of giving (and shopping) begins.
Read moreOn the October 28 episode of “Give,” NBC’s reality show highlighting the work of small charities making a big impact and its first episode to highlight women’s philanthropy, celebrity ambassador and Food Network personality Sunny Anderson visits two New York charities building expansive futures for girls and women.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation honored four leaders from the fields of philanthropy, health and criminal justice at its 2017 Fall Gala at The Plaza on October 2.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) honored four inspiring Manhattan women at its Neighborhood Dinner on September 19th.
Read moreEach year, Ms. Shafiroff brings together a diverse group of women leaders to discuss pressing social issues confronted by The Foundation and its grantee partners.
Read moreAwards 37 organizations working to advance economic security and justice for women and families across NYC
Read moreIn its first-ever round of grants, the Girls IGNITE! Grantmaking Fellows, a group of racially and culturally diverse teenage girls and gender-fluid youths, have awarded $30,000 to seven community-based organizations to help address some of the most pressing social issues faced in their community.
Read moreAna Oliveira is featured in this powerful Forbes piece alongside visionary women like Alicia Garza and Melinda Gates to share insights and expertise, speaking to how we can ensure the world that emerges post COVID-19 is more just, sustainable and equitable.
Read more“The New York Urban League (NYUL) announces the release of its seminal report “The State of Black New York,” the first in over a decade, in conjunction with Robin Hood Columbia University Poverty Tracker with support from United Way of New York City, White & Case and New York Women’s Foundation.”
Read moreThe “Twin Peaks” creator and “X-Files” actress join four other luminaries, including NYWF President & CEO Ana Oliveira, weighing in on this month’s topic: Breakthroughs.
Read more“On October 20th, the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) hosted Women Lead: A Conversation on Social Justice. This live fundraising event was centered around the importance of putting conversations about social justice at the forefront of our efforts in philanthropy.”
Read moreThe billboards, newsstand and bus station signage are a project of The New York Women’s Foundation, an anti-racist organization that is focused on supporting minority women and girls and elevating their roles in society.
Read more“These extraordinary times call for extraordinary giving. This is the time for philanthropy to increase our investments in the communities of women who are hardest hit by the COVID pandemic,” says Ana Oliveira, President & CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation.
Read more“As an organization that pushes back on systemic imbalances in our grantmaking, we understand that community changemakers aren’t in boardrooms – they’re in the communities,” says Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation, which launched a $1 million Resilience and Recovery Fund to respond to COVID-19, talks about how their flexibility is being manifest in their current funding.
Read moreIn New York, one of the places hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York Women’s Foundation launched in March a $1 million response fund, to helping women, transgender, gender nonconforming, non-binary individuals, and their families most impacted by COVID-19.
Read moreWhen Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, the storm killed more than 4,600 people and left millions without power, running water, or other basic services. The storm also intensified the violence and inequality women and girls there had faced for decades. The New York Women’s Foundation is proud to have invested $100,000 to help start the Women’s Foundation in Puerto Rico (Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico), which will start providing financial and other support to local women’s charities and nonprofit advocacy groups that are fighting gender-based violence and inequality, promoting economic security, and protecting reproductive rights for women, girls, and gender-fluid people.
13 inspiring quotes on leadership, allyship, and the changes the food and restaurant industry needs from grantee partner Hot Bread Kitchen’s inaugural Kitchen Conference.
Read moreRape kits (sexual assault forensic evidence kits) can be a linchpin of the prosecution of these crimes. Supporting their stewardship is one way funders can directly help survivors.
Read moreLeaders should think about how they use their platforms and privileges to help others.
That’s the challenge Dr. Carmen Rojas, CEO of The Workers Lab, which funds projects that aim to find solutions for workers, puts to those in leadership. It’s a way of wielding a kind of power that gives more than it takes, and starts with one question, best asked daily: “Am I using my position of authority, power, and resource to be of service to a broader community?”
Read morePresident and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation, Ana L. Oliveira, in an op-ed with Ruby Bright, Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM): “By embracing and supporting local solutions, philanthropy can enhance the work nonprofits are doing to create measurable, positive changes in the lives of women, their families, and communities.”
Read more“The question for people working in philanthropy is whether they are willing to move past the need for security and safeness and toward taking on racial equity more intentionally,” says Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation.
Read moreThere are new board co-chairs at the New York Women’s Foundation. Grainne McNamara and Yvonne Moore were recently elected to serve jointly in that role, and Michèle Penzer was elected as vice chair and treasurer. Joining them are five new board members, according to a June 26 press release.
Read moreFellow-in-residence Imara Jones asks where are our pro-Black institutions in the growing crisis against Black transgender women.
Read moreCity and State reached out to insiders and experts to compile a list of 100 LGBTQ leaders who have worked tirelessly to alter public opinion and enact gay rights laws. Our President & CEO, Ana Oliveira, is listed among other leaders who have been in the front lines of these battles who are standing up for their rights.
Read moreWhat’s the right way to give back to your community? Is it volunteering each week at the local shelter, or tutoring after school, or attending your local political marches? Is the only way to make an impact by gaining a coveted political seat or C-suite office? See what Ana Oliveira, our President and CEO has to say about giving back to the community.
Read moreIt was a packed house at the Marriott Marquee in New York City where more than 2,200 women (yes, there were a few men there too!) joined The New York Women’s Foundation to honor six extraordinary leaders whose vision, energy and achievements have had a transformative effect on communities in New York City and beyond.
Read moreMore than 2,200 supporters from community, philanthropy and business joined The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) on May 14 to honor six extraordinary leaders whose vision, energy and achievements have had a transformative effect on communities in New York City and beyond. The Breakfast also honored The Foundation’s grantee partners—dynamic community organizations working to advance economic, gender and racial justice.
Read moreMore than 2,200 supporters from community, philanthropy and business joined The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) on May 14 to honor six extraordinary leaders whose vision, energy and achievements have had a transformative effect on communities in New York City and beyond. The Breakfast also honored The Foundation’s grantee partners—dynamic community organizations working to advance economic, gender and racial justice.
Read morePhilanthropy and participatory grantmaking, in particular, can potentially enable teen girls to take the reins in their lives and communities. The New York Women’s Foundation is mentioned in this article for our innovative Girls Ignite! Grantmaking initiative.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF) created a Justice Fund in 2018 to address mass incarceration and its effects on women, girls and transgender and gender nonconforming communities in New York City. The Justice Fund’s first round of grants in 2019 focuses on the closure of Rikers Island, which has a long history of violence and other problems and is slated to shut down in 2027. The fund intends to amplify the voices and power of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated and their relatives while four new city jails are established in Rikers’ place.
Read moreWe are proud to be a founding member of The Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy which is comprised of foundation presidents who are committed to disability inclusion as part of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within philanthropy.
Read moreWhile LGBTQ communities have made huge strides over the last decade, including with marriage equality in the U.S., a backlash of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies has risen in response. Trans communities have borne the brunt of many attacks, with their basic rights being challenged or withdrawn, ranging from freely using the bathroom to serving in the military. See what The New York Women’s Foundation and other funders are doing to support our transgender communities
Read moreOur Board Chair Emerita, Abigail Disney, was recently interviewed by The Cut to discuss wealth and inequality. She credits The New York Women’s Foundation for being the entry point in forming strong relationships to building a cross-cultural and cross-class alliance in creating positive change for underinvested women.
Read more“These extraordinarily demanding times call for increased responsiveness, investment, and collaboration from philanthropy,” said Ana Oliveira, The New York Women’s Foundation’s President and CEO, upon announcing a record $11 million in grants for 2018 to 175 community organizations. “Our 2018 grantmaking expresses the Foundation’s increased response to the needs of historically underinvested communities most impacted by poverty and violence.”
Read moreOur Fund to Support the Me Too Movement and Allies and our support for A CALL TO MEN, which runs programs to help men develop healthy perspectives and behaviors toward women.
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The New York Women’s Foundation gave a record number of grants last year. About $11 million went to 175 community organization in support of women pursuing economic advancement, political inclusion, anti-violence initiative, and other women-oriented programming, according to a March 11 press release.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation has announced that it awarded grants totaling $11 million to a hundred and seventy-five community organizations in 2018.
New initiatives launched by the foundation during the year include the Fund for the #MeToo Movement and Allies, which is focused on survivor-led organizations working to strengthen communities affected by sexual abuse, and the Justice Fund, which seeks to dismantle mass incarceration in New York City through a family-centered paradigm. Grant recipients included the New Economy Project, which is working toward an economy rooted in cooperation, equity, social and racial justice, and ecological sustainability; Girls Write Now, which encourages underserved young women to find their voice with the help of mentoring, community engagement, and the written word; and the Fostering Progressive Advocacy Foundation, which works to build the capacity of underserved communities and organizations focused on social justice issues.
Read moreIn 2013, The New York Women’s Foundation decided to produce a series of “Voices from the Field” reports exploring the roles and circumstances of NYC women at four major stages of their lives—i.e., ages 0-8, 9-24; 25-59; and 60+. And—true to The Foundation’s primary focus on issues of equity and justice—it opted to concentrate on the girls and women whose opportunities for progress are most constricted by societal attitudes about race, background, sexual orientation, gender identity and class.
Read moreThis is the final in a number articles in our series, IN FOCUS: Eye on Changemakers,a collaboration between Women’s eNews and The New York Women’s Foundation to shed light on some of New York City’s most inspiring women-led non-profit organizations dedicated to empowering women and girls of diverse racial, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation said it is receiving $2.25 million from CBS to support its “Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies,” which is co-led by #MeToo founder Tarana Burke. The fund invests in community organizations nationwide dedicated to fighting sexual violence and harassment.
Ana Oliveira, the foundation’s president and CEO, said the donation will help give survivors of sexual misconduct a voice in developing solutions. But she urged CBS to do the same within its own organization.
“Those who have lived through the issues have some of the best solutions. This is not a conversation about the perpetrators. CBS needs to do its own work there,” Oliveira said.
Read moreOther organizations included in CBS’ donation are The New York Women’s Foundation, Producers Guild of America Foundation, the Women’s Media Center and the Sundance Institute’s Momentum program.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation said it is receiving $2.25 million from CBS to support its “Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies,” which is co-led by #MeToo founder Tarana Burke. The fund invests in community organizations nationwide dedicated to fighting sexual violence and harassment.
Ana Oliveira, The Foundation’s president and CEO, said the donation will help give survivors of sexual misconduct a voice in developing solutions. But she urged CBS to do the same within its own organization.
“Those who have lived through the issues have some of the best solutions. This is not a conversation about the perpetrators. CBS needs to do its own work there,” Oliveira said.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) today announced receipt of a $2.25 million grant from the CBS Corporation. The grant will support The Foundation’s Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies (The Fund), to ensure that the movement is sustained beyond news cycles and hashtags. The Fund is focused on investing in organizations led by and for survivors of sexual violence and is announcing a partnership with women’s community foundations to expand its national reach.
Read moreAs part of the grantmaking from CBS, The New York Women’s Foundation received $2.25 million in funding to support The Foundation’s Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies (The Fund). The Fund will take a systemic approach to addressing the problem of gender-based violence by beginning a new partnership with women’s funds in the community.
The #MeToo Fund is led by Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation, and Tarana Burke, Founder and Leader of the ‘me too.’ Movement. Based in New York, the #MeToo Fund recently made its first set of eight grants to support organizations around the country working to address gender-based violence and support healing.
Read moreCBS Corporation today selected 18 organizations to receive a total of $20 million to help eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation said it is receiving $2.25 million from CBS to support its “Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies,” which is co-led by #MeToo founder Tarana Burke. The fund invests in community organizations nationwide dedicated to fighting sexual violence and harassment.
Ana Oliveira, the foundation’s president and CEO, said the donation will help give survivors of sexual misconduct a voice in developing solutions. But she urged CBS to do the same within its own organization.
“Those who have lived through the issues have some of the best solutions. This is not a conversation about the perpetrators. CBS needs to do its own work there,” Oliveira said.
Read moreThe money comes from the Art for Justice Fund – a five-year-old initiative started by philanthropist Agnes Gund in partnership with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Ford Foundation – and will support the Justice Fund, which aims to mitigate the effects of mass incarceration on women and girls. The seven-year initiative launched this fall, according to a press release.
Read moreThe grantees, which include Aperture Foundation, the Bard Prison Initiative, Civil Rights Corps, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the New York Women’s Foundation, and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, were chosen based on their work spanning four categories: keeping people out of jail and prison, shortening excessive prison sentences, improving reentry into the community, and changing narratives about criminal justice.
Read moreCFW believes men can be powerful advocates for women and girls, and it’s not alone. As we’ve reported, sexual assault is an area where men are already being asked to play a greater role in prevention and advocacy. Funders like the New York Women’s Foundation, NoVo and Verizon are backing the nonprofit A Call to Men. It provides training to engage men and boys in the prevention of domestic violence, sexual abuse, harassment and assault, and educates “them on healthy, respectful manhood.” It runs programs in schools, businesses, community organizations, college campuses and other settings in the U.S. and around the world.
Read moreSaturday was a day of empowerment for young women of color in the Bronx at a teen leadership summit.
The Casita Maria Center for the Arts and Education hosted its second annual The Future is Femme-inist event celebrating women and femmes of color.
The New York Women’s Foundation provided a grant for girls and young women to support the event, which featured keynote speaker Naiomy Guerrero, a writer and founder of Gallery Girl NYC.
Read moreIn the fall of 2018, the foundation released part of a series called, Voices from the Field, which explores challenges and support strategies for low-income women in NYC during four major developmental periods: ages 0-8, 9-24, 25-59, and 60 and up. The newly released “Blueprint for Investing in Women Age 25 – 59” draws on data and expert interviews across academic, policy, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to identify systemic barriers and potential solutions for these populations.
Read moreLeaders of the New York Women’s Foundation named Dr. Julia Jean-Francois a winner of the group’s Neighborhood Leadership Award at the Nov. 15 celebration for her work at Sunset Park’s Center for Family Life, which offers programs that help low-income immigrants to Kings County get on their feet, including family counseling, foster care, and employment services.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) celebrated the achievements of three exceptional Brooklyn women who have a passion for economic, gender, and racial justice at its “Neighborhood Dinner in Brooklyn” on Thursday, November 15. As leaders and advocates, Julia Jean-Francois, LCSW, PhD, Co-Director at Center for Family Life in Sunset Park; Alyssa Aguilera, Co-Executive Director of VOCAL-NY; and Cynthia Gordy Giwa, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder, Black-Owned Brooklyn, exemplify the transformative power of commitment to community.
Read moreA new video from the nonprofit aims to answer the question of how to ensure that a grantmaking committee adequately represents the people a nonprofit seeks to help.
Read moreStarting when she was 24, Karina de Sousa volunteered for around six years with the New York Women’s Foundation’s participatory grantmaking process while working at the National Urban League. She joined groups of other young women of color, people of all ages, religions, and backgrounds to make grant decisions. That experience inspired her to pursue an MBA, and she’s eventually planning on working in philanthropy.
Read moreThis trend makes the Justice Fund—a seven-year grantmaking and philanthropic mobilization effort recently announced by the New York Women’s Foundation (NYWF)—a timely endeavor. It aims to address mass incarceration and its effects on women, families, girls, and transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) communities in New York City (foundation President and CEO Ana Oliveira often stresses that the foundation includes members of TGNC communities when it speaks generally about women).
Read moreMost recently, The New York Women’s Foundation announced it was awarding a total of $840,000 to the first eight recipients of grants from its “Fund for The Me Too Movement and Allies,” which it created in the spring of 2018. The Foundation provided an initial $1 million to launch the fund and aims to raise $5 million toward it annually. The goal is to sustain the #MeToo cause and support organizations working to prevent sexual violence and promote healing. The grants were announced in partnership with Tarana Burke, founder and leader of the Brooklyn-based organization called the Me Too Movement.
Read morePeople who have been incarcerated face a number of barriers in reintegrating into society. For women, girls and transgender communities, the difficulties can be even steeper. Oftentimes, the effects of incarceration can worsen problems related to housing and employment, and can have a devastating impact on children. To address these problems, particularly for women, The New York Women’s Foundation recently announced the creation of The Justice Fund, which will aim to do more to dismantle mass incarceration, particularly for women, girls, and transgender people.
Read moreBy the end of her impassioned speech last week in front of a crowded hotel ballroom, Alyssa Milano was choking back tears. The words “Me Too,” the actress and activist told her audience, would continue to ring out as long as society needed them, “reverberating off every closed door, bouncing off every glass ceiling.” “This movement is not going anywhere,” she declared, “until our work is done.”
Read moreWomen are the fastest-growing population in U.S. jails, but the “damage” this has wreaked on families has been largely ignored. A seven-year initiative from The New York Women’s Foundation aimed at reducing female incarceration in New York City has been launched in support of this effort.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation has a new fund dedicated to reforming criminal justice. The Justice Fund will invest in community-based efforts to decrease the effect of the justice system on women and families. Closing Rikers Island is among the issues the new fund will approach with gender and racial equity issues in mind, according to an Oct. 17 press release.
Read moreAs awareness about the detrimental effects of sexual assault continues to grow in our culture, the New York Women’s Foundation is fostering real efforts to aid #MeToo survivors. In May of 2018, the foundation created the Fund for the Me Too Movement and Allies, and now that fund has made $840,000 in its first round of grant funding.
Read moreEight groups across the nation have been awarded funding from The New York Women’s Foundation for their efforts to fight sexual violence. The groups, chosen in consultation with #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, are focused on marginalized and underserved communities, including immigrant communities and communities of color as well as LGBTQ people, the foundation says.
Read moreBurke founded her group in 2006 to support survivors of sexual violence, particularly girls and women of color. Its visibility skyrocketed after actress/activist Alyssa Milano, responding to the Weinstein revelations, tweeted a request for survivors of sexual assault or harassment to use #MeToo to illustrate the extent of the problem. Within days, 1.7 million people had used the hashtag.
Read moreOther groups in the first round of funding include Black Women’s Blueprint and the Violence Intervention Program, both in New York; Equality Labs, a national group; and the Los Angeles-based FreeFrom, which works with survivors of domestic violence.
Read moreThe groups, chosen in consultation with #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, are focused on marginalized and underserved communities, including immigrant communities and communities of color as well as LGBTQ people, the foundation says.
Read moreThe eight groups range from the DC Rape Crisis center in Washington, to the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective in Los Angeles, to the Firecracker Foundation in Lansing, Michigan, which works with teens and children who’ve survived sexual abuse.
Read moreAna Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation, was named to City & State’s “2018 Nonprofit Power 50.” The list compiles New York City’s top nonprofit leaders, whose individual accomplishments have impacted the diverse communities their organization serves.
Read moreMe Too Movement Founder and Leader Tarana Burke on the next steps on building and expanding the movement including partnering with The New York Women’s Foundation to create a #MeToo Movement fund.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation joined grantee partners, activists, advocates, and city and elected officials on the steps of City Hall to center the voices of survivors of sexual violence and to stand with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Jen Agmi, Director of Programs, at The Foundation was interviewed.
Read moreIt’s time to put an end to the ongoing misery of the Rikers Island jails. Doing so will require wholesale justice reform and investments in community programs to divert people out of the system in the first place.
Read moreTwenty-five enthusiastic but slightly wary young women signed on for a free introductory United Women Firefighters (UWF) Training Program Open House last month in New York City. During the four-hour event, co-sponsored by The New York Women’s Foundation, participants learned not only about the type of fire-retardant gloves they are required to wear, but where to buy the 50-pound weighted packs they’ll need for training, as well as key details about filling out forms and decoding other New York Fire Department (FDNY) expectations.
Read moreOur 6th article in partnership with Women’s eNews, IN FOCUS: Eye on Changemakers, profiles LaLa Zannell, Lead Organizer at the New York Chapter of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.
Read moreAccording to the New York Women’s Foundation, Queens is the epicenter for trafficking on the East Coast due to its large population of vulnerable immigrants who do not have family, face language barriers, and struggle trying to find a job. All of these factors easily lead many victims into the hands of exploiters.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation is always worth keeping an eye on, as a longtime leader in funding for gender equity and related issues.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation welcomed 7 new board members to their Board of Directors.
Read moreOur board member, Grainne McNamara, talks about the intersection of philanthropy and the corporate world. This is the 4th article for In Focus: Eye on Changemakers, a collaboration between Women’s eNews and The Foundation.
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Not long ago, Tarana Burke took the podium in a hotel ballroom full of admirers — a scenario that’s become somewhat familiar this past year — and told a favorite childhood tale about the time she was forced to run a three-legged race with a cousin who wasn’t, like her, competitive or athletic.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation announced $4.1 million in grants to 43 organizations working with poor people. The individual amounts range from $40,000 to $150,000 and cover a variety of programs focused on violence, sexual rights, poverty and other issues, according to a June 21 press release.
Read moreCity & State has recognized 5o people in the LGBT community who are key players in the world of New York politics and government. Our President and CEO, Ana Oliveira, is included in this list for her dedication and work in steering The Foundation to invest more heavily in working with programs that support LGBT minorities.
Read moreThis week’s The Last Sip explores diversity, immigration, and travel trends for people of color. Host Imara Jones catches up with Jorge Rivas, Spliter National Affairs Correspondent, Katrina Jones, Vimeo’s Director of Inclusion, Joah Spearman, CEO of Localeur, and Ana Oliveira of the NY Women’s Foundation.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation will soon start making five- and six-figure grants through a new fund dedicated to advancing the #MeToo movement and bolstering frequently overlooked community activist like Tarana Burke.
Read moreImara, a veteran journalist and media expert as well as a transgendered woman of color has created “The Last Sip,” a steady stream of in-depth insights and interviews that include people not featured nearly often enough on mainstream news broadcasts.
Read moreHosted by Women’s eNews Executive Director Lori Sokol, Women’s eNews Live presents the most important and urgent issues affecting women and girls today. From politics, religion, economics and health, to science, education, sports and legislation, guests include notable experts discussing each of these topics in a live format.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation threw its weight behind the #MeToo effort against sexual harassment and assault by announcing the creation of a $1 million fund to support the movement and its allies, they announced at a recent fundraiser.
Read moreThis year’s honorees, Tarana Burke, Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw and The New York Community Trust and its president, Lorie A. Slutsky, stand out as advocates for ending sexual violence, protecting civil liberties, furthering gender equality and supporting non profit organizations that are the backbones of communities.
Read moreAs the global conversation on gender-based violence continues to gain momentum, The New York Women’s Foundation is stepping up to fund more of this unprecedented social change.
Read moreThis summer, me too. and Girls for Gender Equity are launching an online community for survivors, allies, and advocates to provide resources for healing, preventative measures for communities, and more so that we can all live in a safer world.
Read moreTarana Burke and her MeToo movement are getting a financial boost for their work fighting sexual violence. The New York Women’s Foundation said it has raised an initial $1 million for a fund to support Burke and the movement she founded 12 years ago, with a goal of raising at least $2 million a year.
Read moreTarana Burke and the #MeToo movement have been awarded $1 million from The New York Women’s Foundation to continue their fight against sexual assault. Ana Oliveira, president of the foundation, said she doesn’t want #MeToo to just be “a moment,” rather a movement “supported in a sustainable manner.”
Read moreLatinas on the Verge of Excellence, a.k.a. L.O.V.E. mentoring program. Founded in fall, 2012 by Claudia Espinosa, this NYWF-funded organization partners with New York City schools to address the specific challenges that high school girls face as Latinas.
Read moreBurke said on Wednesday the new funding will help with the continuing work of MeToo and will help people understand the movement is expansive and is “not about one person.” She called the collaboration with the foundation “a new model,” and she hailed the group for “trusting in the people who do the work to know what’s best and who’s best served by the resources.”
Read moreTake a handful of startling statistics, add a dynamic Colombian immigrant with a vision of helping young women fulfill their dreams, and you’ve got Latinas on the Verge of Excellence, a.k.a. L.O.V.E. mentoring program. Founded in fall, 2012 by Claudia Espinosa, this NYWF-funded organization partners with New York City schools to address the specific challenges that high school girls face as Latinas.
Read moreParticipatory grantmaking is a powerful tool with enormous potential to change how we think about and carry out philanthropy. That’s why, for more than three decades, it has been the cornerstone of The New York Women’s Foundation’s approach to funding. We have deployed it successfully to award more than $66 million to local, women-led organizations working to disrupt the cycles of poverty, and gender and racial injustice in their communities.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation has announced fall 2017 grants totaling more than $4.2 million to organizations in New York City pursuing strategies and providing services that are integral to producing long-lasting change for women and girls.
Read moreAna Oliveira, the president and CEO of the New York Women’s Foundation, sums it up: “We are being exposed to individual behaviors, but we know the culture of those institutions and the culture at large have condoned those individual behaviors. Not only condoned, but enabled.”
Read moreOur nation is continuing to reckon with our culture of rape and violence. You can read about our perspective on the situation and insights from some of our grantee partners in this Huffington Post blog.
Read more“Paid parental leave must be a basic right to support families and reduce inequality for all municipal employees.” says Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation in a Letter to the Editor in response to “Parental Leave Omits Teachers,” by Ginia Bellafante (Big City column, Dec. 3).
Read moreTwo female-led investor groups are lining up to save the Weinstein Company, which has been straining to avoid bankruptcy since dozens of allegations of sexual harassment and rape were made against co-owner Harvey Weinstein.
Read moreA coalition of filmmakers, activists, philanthropists and investors is exploring the possibility of buying assets from the film company and directing the profits to groups that serve survivors of assault, harassment and discrimination.
Read moreIf Killer is successful, the expectation is that Weinstein Co. would cease to exist as a company. Management of Weinstein Co.’s film development and library would be largely handled by Killer Films principals Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, both respected veterans of the indie film biz. The New York Women’s Foundation, a public foundation with more than 10,000 donors, including blue-chip corporate backers, would handle the distribution of profits from Weinstein Co. titles to various non-profit organizations.
Read moreUnder the draft plan, The New York Women’s Foundation would be tasked with holding and distributing proceeds to other organizations. “The idea that we could transform these assets into generating opportunities for safety, opportunities for solutions, is an extremely powerful idea,” said NYWF President Ana Oliveira. “We do have the means to translate this cultural uproar into sustainable change over time.”
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation’s marked their 30th anniversary with Neighborhood Gatherings in all 5 boroughs. Our Gathering in Staten Island was featured in NY1.
Read moreStaten Islanders care about their community, especially when it comes to issues facing women and families. That message was heard loud and clear Wednesday night during a neighborhood conversation sponsored by The New York Women’s Foundation.
Read moreIn 2016, The New York Women’s Foundation and the YWCA of the City of New York partnered to create the Girls IGNITE Grantmaking Fellowship and put the power of participatory grant-making into the hands of those who would be most directly affected – namely, in this instance, culturally diverse girls and gender-fluid youth.
Read moreThere are about 1.3 million people of color with fortunes of at least $1 million in the U.S., but little is being done to engage them in philanthropy, according to a report compiled by a group calling itself the People of Color Donor Collaborative which includes Board alumnae, Hali Lee and Tuhina De O’Connor.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation’s Generosity Awards Gala at The Plaza honoring Emmett Carson, Dr. Angela Diaz, Verna Eggleston and Hon. Jonathan Lippman received coverage in The New York Times Style Section.
Read moreNew York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s opinion about whether to shut down the Rikers Island jail complex has shifted significantly in less than a year – thanks in part to the efforts of nonprofits serving on the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform, and the persistence of its chairman, former state Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation’s President and CEO, Ana L. Oliveira has been named a member of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s newly launched New York State Council on Women and Girls, whose mission it is to ensure that the rights and needs of women and girls are taken into consideration in policies and programs across New York State agencies, initiatives, and other efforts.
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Grants were awarded to thirty-seven nonprofits working in the foundation’s core areas of economic security, anti-violence and safety, health, sexual rights, and reproductive justice, and most encompass key change strategies, including individual transformation, community engagement, and grassroots mobilization.
Read moreNew York State may be raising the age of criminal responsibility, but women inmates of all ages are in need of help and reform now. An inside and intimate look at their life behind bars.
Read moreA study released last month in the journal Science found that by age six, girls are already less likely to see themselves and other girls and women to be as brilliant and capable as boys. While this applied to girls regardless of race and income, a report released by The New York Women’s Foundation highlights the particular challenges faced by low-income girls, particularly immigrant girls and girls of color, and the critical need to support their mothers and caretakers in order to promote their progress.
Read moreSaturday morning, anti-abortion protests were held in multiple cities across the United States to urge President Trump to follow through on his promises to defund Planned Parenthood. It’s been nearly a month since the rallying cry that was the Women’s March—originally organized in direct response to the new administration’s attacks on reproductive rights and general disregard for the sovereignty of women’s bodies. As long-time activists know, taking to the streets, while effective, is just a jumping off point for both small and large actions that need to be taken every day to ensure that human rights are respected here and abroad.
Read moreAccording to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, more than half of men in the United States think sexism is over, while nearly two-thirds of women say obstacles continue to make it harder for women than men today.
Consider this glaring example. Despite women outnumbering men at the college and graduate levels, and presumably moving into the types of higher paying jobs that higher education leads to, in the workplace the gender and racial pay gap stubbornly persists.
Here’s a statistic you might not know but will find appalling: One in every three women experience abuse in her lifetime. That comes out to more than a billion women globally. With the election spotlighting—for better or worse—gender inequality and sexual assault, organizations helping women are seeing an enormous influx of requests for services and support. Now, Bon Iver has teamed up with The New York Women’s Foundation…
Read moreThis week’s issue of Time Out New York is all about activism—you know, the ways in which New Yorkers can help speak up and fight for those who need it. Here are a few ways to do just that.
Policy-wise, women in New York have it better than those in other places around the country (in terms of ease in obtaining birth control and abortion services), but…
Read moreLow-income girls in New York City face a precarious future even before they hit their tweens, according to a report set to be released Tuesday.
The study by the New York Women’s Foundation found that by age 8, a “solid segment” of black and Latina girls start to struggle with malnutrition, obesity or asthma.
Read moreThis fall, 15 racially and culturally diverse teenage girls and gender-fluid youth became the first recipients of the Girls IGNITE Grantmaking Fellowship, a partnership between The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) and the YWCA of the City of New York (YW) to empower the next generation through philanthropic education and giving. The fellows are exploring social justice issues, leadership, advocacy, peer…
Read moreLater this term, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the issue of bathroom rights for transgender people. The heated national debate, ostensibly over restroom access, reflects the extreme prejudice and hostility that transgender people face every day in America. And now the 2016 presidential election has served to compound the anxiety of the LGBTQ community. Several LGBTQ suicide hotlines have reported…
Read moreSince 2006, under Ana Oliveira’s leadership, the grant-making of what is billed as the largest women’s fund in the country increased from $1.7 million to $6 million to help women and girls in poverty across New York City.
Oliveira talked about the foundation’s philosophy about philanthropy and how she encourages donors and foundations to support riskier…
Read moreIts Gala Season in NYC…
Important Charities and Not-for-Profits who serve the community in significant ways present sparkling Benefit Galas – vying for recognition and funds.
Headlining the sold-out benefit for the Irish Arts Center at Cipriani 42nd Street, the “Spirit of Ireland”, was the beloved Irish-born musician Hozier (Andrew Hozier-Byrne), His sincere deep melodic sounds delighted the audience.
Despite summerlike temperatures, the fall social calendar was in full swing. The Frick Collection held its autumn dinner on Oct. 17 at its Upper East Side house. Keep a Child Alive, co-founded by Alicia Keys, hosted its annual ball on Oct. 19 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, raising $2 million for H.I.V. care in sub-Saharan Africa. The National Committee on American Foreign Policy held a dinner on Oct. 19 at the Metropolitan Club. And the New York Women’s Foundation, which bills itself as the nation’s largest women’s grant-making fund, presented its fall gala at the Plaza Hotel on Oct. 13.
Read moreOn Thursday, October 13th, The New York Women’s Foundation hosted its 2016 Fall Gala, which honored three women who have dedicated their lives to empowering others. The honorees included, Saru Jayaraman, Co-Founder & Co-Director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United; Dina Habib Powell, Head of Goldman Sachs’ Impact Investing Business and President of The Goldman Sachs Foundation; and Laurie M. Tisch, the President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. With 300 guests in attendance, this celebration raised nearly $600,000 to support The Foundation’s mission to achieve sustained economic security and justice for New York City’s undeserved women and girls.
Read moreOn Thursday, October 13, the New York Women’s Foundation honored three of the City’s most socially conscious ladies at their 2016 fall gala held at The Plaza. The honorees included Saru Jayaraman, co-founder & co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, Dina Habib Powell, head of Goldman Sachs’ Impact Investing Business and president of The Goldman Sachs Foundation, and Laurie M. Tisch, the president of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation honored three of the city’s most socially conscious women at its 2016 Fall Gala last week: Saru Jayaraman, co-founder and co-director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United; Dina Habib Powell, head of Goldman Sachs’ Impact Investing Business and president of The Goldman Sachs Foundation; and Laurie M. Tisch, the President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.
Read moreAna Oliveira is the President and CEO of the New York Women’s Foundation. Since 2006, under Ana Oliveira’s leadership, the grant-making of what is billed as the largest women’s fund in the country increased from $1.7 million to $6 million to help women and girls in poverty across New York City. Oliveira joined us to talk about the foundation’s philosophy about philanthropy and how she encourages donors and foundations to support riskier causes.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation honored three of the city’s most socially conscious citizens at its 2016 Fall Gala at The Plaza. The honorees, Saru Jayaraman, Co-Founder & Co-Director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United; Dina Habib Powell, Head of Goldman Sachs’ Impact Investing Business and President of The Goldman Sachs Foundation; and Laurie M. Tisch, the President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, are extraordinary women who have dedicated their lives to empowering others.
Read moreNew York plays host to some of the most glamorous gala events where local philanthropists and nonprofit colleagues gather to learn about and support critical causes. We know your organizations put a lot of effort into producing these essential events so NYN Media is excited to highlight your successes…
New York – The New York Women’s Foundation (The Foundation) honored six outstanding Queens women who lead at its September 22nd Neighborhood Dinner. Martha Baker, Barbara Wynne, Katherine H. Kim, Patricia Simon, Nataly Rubio-Torio and Andrea Ormeño were recognized for their outstanding contributions to community and their work promoting social change. More than 200 people attended the dinner held at LaGuardia Community College, which raised $200,000 for The Foundation.
Read moreThe New York Women’s Foundation gave its annual Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award to Andrea Ormeño from the Queens Economic Development Corporation on Sept. 22. 2016.
Ormeño, who is the Director of QEDC’s Women’s Business Center, was praised for her efforts to help female entrepreneurs launch and/or improve their businesses. The Queens College graduate is a leading expert on permits and licensing laws in New York State and teaches classes on start-up strategies and procedures. Plus, she leads QEDC’s Spanish-language efforts.
Read moreIssues related to police violence and community-police relations have received national attention in recent years due to events in places like Staten Island, Cleveland and Ferguson, Missouri. However, nonprofit organizations like the Justice Committee (Comite de Justicia), which has been working since the 1980s to help support families affected by police brutality and racial violence, know the challenge of these issues has been with us for a long time.
Read moreOn Thursday, September 8th, The New York Women’s Foundation held their annual luncheon hosted by author and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff. Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem, moderated a panel discussion between prominent female philanthropists Laurie Tisch of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund and Anne Delaney, founder of the Starry Night Fund and the Lambent Foundation. New York’s notables from the worlds of business, nonprofits and philanthropy attended the invitation-only event, a prelude to the Foundation’s October gala.
Read moreWomen’s philanthropy and how it can further art as a means of social justice was the topic of conversation at The New York Women’s Foundation Luncheon hosted by author and philanthropist Jean Shafiroff at Le Cirque in New York City on September 8th. Thelma Golden, mover and shaker of the art world and Director and Chief Curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem moderated a panel discussion between prominent female philanthropists Laurie M. Tisch of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund and Anne E. Delaney, founder of the Starry Night Fund and the Lambent Foundation. The panelists were invited by Ms. Shafiroff to explore the ways that women, through philanthropy, can advance causes and affect change.
Read moreDeb Gordon’s guest was Ana Oliveira President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation, a women-led alliance dedicated to funding and fostering economic security and justice for underserved women and girls, including transgender women.
Now in its 30th year, The Foundation has distributed over $50 million and impacted millions of women and girls in poverty across New York City, and Ms. Oliveira stressed the importance of investing in young women and girls of color.
Read moreWomen working in the nonprofit sector are not the first source that business people would look to for advice, but they should be.
Community leaders, especially women, do some of the hardest work under the least forgiving circumstances. And they get results. At The New York Women’s Foundation, we know because we’ve been investing in women-led, community-based organizations for 29 years, seeking high returns on our investments.
Here’s some good news this week, in case you need a little cheering up: The Obama administration hosted the first-ever United State of Women Summit in Washington, D.C. With Michelle Obama and Oprah headlining the event, this convergence included many old and new fighters for gender equality including Darren Walker, Gloria Steinem, Matt McGorry and Amy Poehler.
Read moreI am Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation. It is an honor to stand here today with my colleagues from women’s foundations around our country to share how we are creating solutions.
Last November, we came together at the White House to announce Prosperity Together. Prosperity Together is a partnership of 27 women’s foundations who – together – committed $100 million dollars over 5 years to support economic well-being for all women and families in the United States.
Read moreTomorrow, ahead of the first-ever United State of Women Summit, the Obama administration, private-sector companies, foundations and organizations are announcing $50 million in commitments, along with new policies, tools and partnerships that will continue to expand opportunity for women and girls.
Read moreAn investment of $100 million has the potential to create many, diverse solutions to a social problem. But funding that goes toward one issue in particular — women’s economic security — has the power to multiply change.
Women’s economic well-being is inextricably linked to their health (including their sexual and reproductive freedom), their participation in the work force, and their ability to raise and support families. There are intergenerational benefits to increasing women’s earnings and economic independence, including a decrease in maternal mortality and in cycles of violence. There is an important ripple effect in communities where women have access to the resources to lift themselves up.
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