The West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC) is pleased to announce the 2023 Community Benefits Grants Cycle (2023 CBG), awarding two million dollars in six priority areas to 501 (c)3 nonprofit organizations (NPOs) headquartered in Manhattan Community District 9 (MCD9), as well as to outside NPOs whose projects demonstratively serve at least 75% of MCD9 residents.
Donor Name: West Harlem Development Corporation
State: New York
Neighborhood: West Harlem
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/23/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $30,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
WHDC intends to focus on programs that have a deep and significant impact on community by supporting efforts to protect and preserve affordable housing, support and promote equity in the arts, support their youth and older adults, help spur economic development throughout the district.
WHDC aims to support activities that benefit West Harlem by deploying funds pursuant to the CBA through WHDC’s Grantmaking Program and other activities. WHDC’s strategy is to address the needs of West Harlem through project specific collaborations with nonprofit organizations and institutions. WHDC requires its grantees to meet specified or negotiated measurable goals within WHDC’s vision. Funded projects of organizations must be located in, or provide services to Manhattan Community District 9 (MCD9) in West Harlem, bounded as: South to North: from 110th Street to 155th Street; and East to West: from Manhattan, Morningside, St. Nicholas, Bradhurst and Edgecombe Avenues to the Hudson River.
Community Benefits Grant Categories
WHDC’s priority is to support West Harlem-based community projects by deploying funds contributed by Columbia University pursuant to the CBA through its annual Community Benefits Grant (CBG) and other activities. WHDC’s strategy is to address the needs of West Harlem through collaborations and capacity enhancements of Community Based Organizations and institutions.
Selected CBG projects of organizations must be located in or provide services to the West Harlem community as defined by New York City, Manhattan Community District 9 (CD9): south to north: from 110th Street to 155th Street; east to west: from St. Nicholas, Bradhurst, Edgecombe, Morningside and Manhattan Avenues to the Hudson River. The CBG application must address one or more of the following need categories (Community-Need Categories) that are identified in the CBA. WHDC reserves the right to alter the list of needs and categories for CD9 and to set funding priorities
Priority Areas
- Health & Human Services
- Projects that demonstrate that they promote and protect the health of MCD9 residents and provide essential human services to many.
- Housing Affordability & Preservation
- Projects that preserve and sustain affordable housing, that support racial equity and economic security, access to permanent housing opportunities and that provide a mechanism to ensure that the residential units remain affordable over time for MCD9 residents.
- Economic Development
- Projects that engage MCD9 local businesses, tackling current challenges, and advancing entrepreneurial economic growth as well as workforce development.
- Youth & Older Adult Services
- Projects in this priority area provide instruction to support youth and older adults by creating a strong foundation for growth and stability that educate and empower them.
- Arts & Culture
- Projects that cultivate, support, and promote the works of West Harlem artists and arts & culture organizations who create and work in MCD9. Projects that have a commitment to public service and public participation that not only commemorates and preserves West Harlem’s rich cultural history but also celebrates its rich cultural diversity
- The Sub-Priority areas are:
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- Health & Human Services – food insecurity or social services
- Housing Affordability & Preservation – affordable housing
- Economic Development – workforce
- Youth – afterschool, arts, at-risk, college/career prep, mental health, preschool, sports, STEAM, workforce
- Older Adults Services – arts or social services
- Arts & Culture – presenters.
Funding Information
- Eligible organizations may apply for a grant ranging from $10,000 to $30,000
- Project activities take place within the grant term (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024).
Eligibility Criteria
- 2023 CBG will fund proposed project-based services where:
- The applicant organization has completed a prior year’s reporting requirement
- Project activities will not include clearly stated fundraising events, receptions, capital construction or renovation of facilities
- Project funding is non-sectarian and non-religious in content
- Project funding is not largely allocated to an individual
- Project funding is not used for lobbying or government advocacy efforts
- Payments are made directly to the grantee organization without a third-party fiscal sponsors
- An organization may submit only one application in response to each application cycle, either on its own or in collaboration with another group. To be eligible for funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- All applicant organizations must be incorporated as a nonprofit organization in a state within the U.S.A. If not incorporated in New York, the applicant organization must provide a certificate to do business in New York.
- All applicant organizations must be physically located and providing services in MCD9, or not located in MCD9 but able to demonstrate the provision of services to MCD9 over at least the last 12 months.
- All applicant organizations must have a nonprofit, tax-exempt status recognized by the Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Guidelines
- The applicant is a nonprofit organization currently recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)3 nonprofit and by the State of New York as a public charity. The applicant tax exempt status must not have changed since the issuance of the IRS determination letter, and no issue is presently pending before any office of the IRS that could result in any proposed changes in the applicant tax-exempt status.
- Eligible nonprofit organizations that have been funded for the 2021 and 2022 WHDC Community Benefit Grants are eligible to apply.
- Newly formed organizations, that is, within the last 12 months, may apply if they can demonstrate prior program service in MCD9 (Manhattan Community District 9).
- The proposed project should serve MCD9 residents, not the applicant organization (WHDC does not support expenses that are essentially general support or internal capacity building). However, if awarded funding and if the public services are delivered as described, the organization can use its 2023 CBG funding to cover any operating costs (such as staff salaries, space rental, etc.) directly associated with the proposed project.
- The proposed project must include as a principal goal a demonstrable priority area service within MCD9.
- The proposed project and its activities must be clear and contain measurable goals that can be evaluated during and at the end of the award term.
- The proposed project must be within the organization’s program services, administrative and fiscal capabilities.
- The proposed project budget must include diverse financial resources and cannot include in-kind donations or expenses. WHDC will not fund more than 50% of the proposed project budget. A funding mix that includes foundation and corporate support, other government support, private contributions, cash, and earned income (where appropriate) is desirable.
- Proposed projects that contain fees to individuals should be of a level consistent with a proper wage.
- The proposed project must be covered by the applicant organizations General Liability Insurance and its service activity must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
For more information, visit WHDC.
