Collaborative grantmaking to transform child welfare so NYC’s youth and families thrive.
Our Mission
We harness the collective action of philanthropy to support transformative initiatives to ensure NYC’s youth and families can thrive, free from the fear of surveillance and separation.
Open Funding Call
Our Participatory Grant-making Committee is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for community-based, grass-roots organizations dedicated to “Narrowing the Front Door” to the child welfare/family regulation system by supporting family integrity and justice without the involvement of harmful systems in NYC. Eligible organizations are invited to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) to be considered for 2-year grants of $50,000-$100,000 per year. Up to fifty applications will be accepted on a rolling basis between August 16th and September 16th 2024.
Accepting LOI's to Support Community Driven Work that Strengthens Communities and Families in NYC
We fund public-private partnerships, participatory grantmaking and advocacy efforts to ensure youth, families and communities are well-resourced and supported. Recent initiatives include Home Away from Home to recruit and retain kinship caregivers; Fair Futures to improve academic and wellbeing supports for young people who have experienced foster care; and youth-led grantmaking to prevent youth homelessness.
$6M
Committed since 2018
How we support youth and families to move forward
Support Advocacy
Invest in the vision of impacted communities to advocate for the systemic change they seek.
Center Lived Expertise
Center the perspectives of impacted communities to ensure our collective efforts are equitable and just.
Champion Youth & Families
Narrow the front door to the child welfare system by supporting children and families in the community while also supporting older youths' transition out of the foster care system.
Fund Innovation
Piloting, studying, and scaling system transformation in service of those impacted by, or at risk of being impacted by, the child welfare system.
Partner Highlight
Through a robust public-private partnership, the Youth & Families Forward Fund supported the research, model development, launch, advocacy and scaling of Fair Futures. This first-in-the-nation program for young people in foster care from 6th grade through age 26 provides 1:1 coaching, tutoring, and academic, career, housing, and independent living supports so young people can reach their potential and transition successfully to adulthood. In 2022, a youth-led advocacy movement and coalition of over 100 organizations in NYC was successful in securing and baselining $30.7 million in public funding for the Fair Futures model and its expansion to serve young people in the juvenile justice system. The Youth & Families Forward Fund helped to establish the Center for Fair Futures and continues to support the Center’s core infrastructure, operations and youth-led advocacy.
