Insights to Impact

This is a record-breaking total in the Foundation’s nearly 10-year history and a huge milestone for our growth.

As 2019 shapes up to be even more politically volatile than last year, there are lots of national issues and organizations grabbing our attention. But the greatest impact we can make as individuals is often right at home.

With a bit of planning—and consultation with your tax professional—your year-end giving can be a highly effective tool for long-term investing in charitable organizations in Brooklyn and beyond.

Brooklyn Community Foundation is setting out to prove that Brooklyn is not just New York City’s biggest borough, it also has the largest heart this holiday season with #BrooklynGives on Giving Tuesday, a 24-hour local giving campaign that aims to raise over $1 million for community-based nonprofits across the borough.

As we enter the final months of 2018, we are pleased to announce $170,000 from our Immigrant Rights Fund to support immigrant-serving nonprofits across Brooklyn providing social services, legal aid, and advocacy. These new grants bring our total funding to date to $837,300 since the Fund was launch in the weeks following the 2016 presidential election.

On Tuesday, October 23rd, we proudly launched the #MakeBrooklynCount campaign and the Brooklyn Complete Count Committee for Census 2020 in partnership with the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. 

Brooklyn Community Foundation is pleased to announce the election of Ingrid H. Benedict to its Board of Directors, effective Friday, September 28, 2018.

#BrooklynGives aims to give Brooklyn nonprofits an extra boost by providing them with an innovative and exciting way to both fundraise and build awareness for their work. This year, our goal is to raise more than $1 million for 100+ Brooklyn nonprofits on Tuesday, November 27th from 12:00am to 11:59pm.

As this summer’s Program intern, I have had the opportunity to read applications from organizations seeking funding through our grant programs, as well as reports from grantees on their progress over the past year. Getting to know these organizations has deepened my understanding of the needs of Brooklyn community members. One of my favorite projects has been mapping the neighborhoods and communities our Immigrant Rights Fund (IRF) grantees serve. 

The second stop on my Neighborhood Strength tour of Crown Heights this summer was to Repair the World NYC, located at 808 Nostrand Ave, where I met with Alli Lesovoy, the nonprofit’s Program Manager.

As the Foundation’s Communications Intern for the summer, I was given the opportunity to dive into Neighborhood Strength. Earlier this Spring, the Crown Heights Council voted to renew three Neighborhood Strength projects. This summer, I’m stopping by each organization to document their space and learn about their process for engaging the community.

In the third year of Neighborhood Strength — our resident-led grantmaking model — the Crown Heights Advisory Council has recommended that we renew support for three community-based organizations addressing the challenge of limited public space for community engagement in the neighborhood.

While celebrating the theme of justice and healing, the Brooklyn Youth Fellows presented the 2018 recipients of The Youth Voice Awards in a ceremony held at the Foundation on Friday, June 8th.

This year’s Spark Prize Committee is made up of people from all walks of life across Brooklyn, including but not limited to filmmakers, writers, attorneys and olympic medalists!