Who Applied for the Spark Prize? | Visiting Our Restorative Justice Partners | + More from Your Community Foundation

June 15, 2016

Who Applied for the Spark Prize? A Snapshot of Our Diverse Nonprofit Sector

150 organizations applied for our first annual Spark Prize, through which we’re offering up to $600,000 in general operating support to Brooklyn nonprofits – with five winners receiving $100,000 each.

The applicant pool is a dynamic mix of organizations representing the breadth, history, and depth of our borough’s nonprofit sector. Here are some highlights:

  • Brooklyn Born + Brooklyn Based: 80% of organizations are headquartered in Brooklyn  
     
  • Livable Wage for Employees: 82% of applicants reported paying more than 90% of staff a livable wage  
     
  • Diverse Leadership: Over a quarter of organizations are led by people of color – 20% African American, 5% Latino, and 2% Asian American. 58% of applicants have female EDs, and 2% identify as gender nonconforming 
     
  • Deep Roots, New Approaches: 10% of organizations were founded before 1900 while another 14% were founded in the last 10 years
     
  • Local + Citywide: 17% of organizations work at the neighborhood level, 36% work Brooklyn-wide, and 47% work across NYC

The Spark Prize is the signature initiative of our Brooklyn Accelerator, a capacity-building hub for Brooklyn's nonprofit sector. Sign up here for ongoing opportunities like 48in48.org – which will build free websites for 48 nonprofits in 48 hours this November. Apply by June 30 to participate.

Donor Spotlight: Our Partnership with Cleary Gottlieb

Like many nonprofits, we rely on the generosity of for-profit institutions’ pro bono support. Over the past year, we’ve been especially fortunate to partner with the firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, LLP. 

Experiencing Restorative Justice: A Visit to Our School Partners

Earlier this month we led our Youth Justice Funders Collaborative on a site visit to the School for Democracy and Leadership (SDL)—one of the four schools partnering in our Brooklyn Restorative Justice Project.

It was a valuable opportunity to see restorative practices first-hand, talk with school leaders, and experience the transformational power of Restorative Justice.

Located on the Wingate Campus in Lefferts Gardens, SDL serves just 300 students in 6th-12th grade but had one of the highest suspension rates in the city. Our support has enabled the school to have a full time Restorative Justice Coordinator through a four-year grant to Good Shepherd Services, which is also overseeing a holistic implementation plan.

Invest in Youth Grant Program: LOIs Due July 15

We are pleased to announce the timeline for our 2016-17 Invest in Youth Grant Program. All interested youth-serving organizations who are not current Invest in Youth grantees should submit a brief Letter of Inquiry from June 15-July 15, 2016. Grant awards will be announced this November. 

RSVP here for our LOI Information Session on June 22 from 3-4:30PM.