Lower Manhattan Funding
Lower Manhattan Funding Opportunities
Trinity distributes place-based funding specific to Lower Manhattan, throughout neighborhoods south of 14th Street. This financial support includes targeted gifts via The Downtown Fund and strategic grantmaking through our Lower Manhattan initiative and our collaboration with New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) District 1.
The Downtown Fund
The Downtown Fund provides targeted support for nonprofit organizations serving Lower Manhattan that are dedicated to advancing the well-being of children, families, and the community. Funding supports arts and cultural events, food access, and meeting basic needs. Gifts ranging from $500 to $10,000 are available. Visit our FAQ page for more information about what we support through The Downtown Fund.
Application Process: Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Lower Manhattan Grants
Trinity’s Lower Manhattan grantmaking initiative offers financial assistance to nonprofit organizations supporting community wellbeing in neighborhoods below 14th Street. Grant amounts typically range from $50,000 to $250,000.
Demonstration of the following qualities will strengthen an application:
- Cultivates true collaboration that brings the strengths of various organizations to bear on their neighborhoods.
- Launches or tests new approaches that have the potential to provide a foundation and meaningful learning for the field.
- Advances creative and innovative solutions that push the boundaries of traditional models of community care.
In recent years, grants have largely gone to organizations working with economically marginalized communities in the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and the Financial District.
Application Process: You can submit an idea via our grantee portal on a rolling basis, but new grants will be made according to our standard six-month fall and spring grant cycles. Frequently asked questions about our grantmaking process are answered here.
Submit an idea via Trinity’s grantee portal
District 1 Support
District 1 support is designated for public schools and organizations serving children and families within New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Community School District 1. Allocations of this funding are decided in collaboration with school district officials.
Application Process: If your organization has been invited to apply, you will be contacted directly with the steps for accessing the application.
For questions about our funding in Lower Manhattan, please email philanthropies@trinitychurchnyc.org.
Impact Stories
Celebrating the Lower East Side Through The Downtown Fund
Loisaida is a nonprofit community organization that facilitates access to education, training, and employment opportunities that ensure the overall improvement and economic development of the Lower East Side. A gift from The Downtown Fund supported the 38th Loisaida Festival, celebrating the heritage and resilience of the Lower East Side’s Puerto Rican and immigrant communities. Watch a video capturing highlights from the festival, here.
Expanding Spaces of Welcome and Wellbeing Through the Lower Manhattan Initiative
Gotham Park is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to reopening, revitalizing, and reactivating the forgotten spaces under the Manhattan side of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Grants from Trinity’s Lower Manhattan initiative have helped the organization activate public space with creative programming. Our partnership created the opportunity for Lower Manhattan residents to take part in free wellness classes, learn about environmental stewardship, participate in youth mentorship, and build community-centered connection. Learn more about Gotham Park in a New York Times video highlight, here.
Building Literacy Across Lower Manhattan Through District 1 Support
Literacy Academy Collective (LAC) helps struggling readers achieve academic success by bringing culturally relevant, structured literacy to the classroom. In partnership with District 1, Trinity’s funding of LAC enabled the organization to continue its Summer Literacy Academy, which provides intensive reading intervention to students while supporting teachers in planning a complete evidence-based reading lesson. To learn more about Literacy Academy Collective, watch their most recent documentary, here.