ORIGIN STORY
New York is an exceptionally diverse state - demographically and geographically. Home to more than 20 million people and 10 distinct regions, New Yorkers are facing challenges because of the increasing rise of racial and economic inequities, environmental negligence, insufficient quality and affordable housing, decaying infrastructure, and a carceral system in desperate need of reforms. New York is home to the largest number of foundations, but many don’t fund in our State or only invest in New York City.
A predominately rural state that has the most famous city in the world attached to it, New York is often a tale of 2 states that share 1 government. And at the same time, New York is often uplifted as a model for other states to emulate in regards to policy, and decisions in Albany influence national public policy. These contradictions and tensions created a pathway for foundation leaders from across New York to work together to bridge the upstate/downstate divide, to uplift community solutions and resident voices, and address systemic inequities.
In 2010, Engage New York was initiated by a group of funders who were seeking better ways to support community-driven policy change and increase the community organizing infrastructure that existed. As we worked to coordinate our collective resources and address struggles that affect both rural and urban communities, the network expanded to include funders from every region in the state.
Seven years later, Engage New York hired a project director to formalize its role as an ecosystem steward and clearinghouse for information sharing. We conducted a statewide survey that identified opportunities for our network to align and leverage resources in four key areas: immigration and refugees, safe and healthy homes, criminal justice reform, and Census 2020.
Since then, Engage New York has supported funders to work together to pilot and test various ways of strengthening the philanthropic infrastructure at the state level. We are testing new models, conducting research, and developing tools to advance how philanthropy works to address some of our State’s greatest challenges. Through insights we’ve gained along the way from our nonprofit partners and grantees, we have broadened our focus from single issues to support for movement building that advances racial equity and systems change.
THEORY OF CHANGE
Engage New York believes that relationships form the basis for transformation and that authentic, durable relationships take work to build and sustain. We know growing philanthropic infrastructure happens over time and requires consistent attention to the changing circumstances of our members and the social, economic, and political landscape in our state.
Our network creates the conditions for funders across the state to magnify their collective impact by deepening ties with each other, providing a brave space to learn and take action together, and nurturing a shared understanding of what our communities need to advance equity and systems change.
VALUES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Our values guide the decisions we make on how we do our work and who we do it with:
Racial Equity
Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led strategies and solutions are the clearest path to transform unjust systems. We believe in centering the needs of communities that have been most harmed by historical divestment and discrimination.
Interconnection
The level of change we seek requires us to simultaneously work across many struggles, in many locations, and with many communities. We recognize the abundance of resources that exist in our sector and are committed to giving equal priority to the multiplicity of needs in our state.
Collaboration
We are most powerful when we work together to identify shared struggles and achieve common goals, which is why we facilitate trust-based relationships that enable funders to partner in ways that allow us to accomplish together what our institutions cannot do alone.
Learning
We cultivate ways of thinking and being that are grounded in actively listening to and incorporating the knowledge, wisdom, and expertise of our communities. Our approach reflects the understanding that we will learn as we go, share the insights we gain, and integrate what we learn into the actions we take.
WHO WE ARE
Engage New York is a statewide network led by philanthropy practitioners who learn and take action together to advance equity and systems change.
Contact us at info@engagenewyork.org
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Sol Marie Alfonso Jones, Co-Chair, New York Community Trust - Long Island, Melville, NY
Syed Ali, Trinity Wall Street, New York, NY
Gisela Alvarez, Scherman Foundation, New York, NY
Ingrid Benedict, Daphne Foundation, New York, NY
Iris Bieri, Rochester Area Community Foundation, Rochester, NY
Monica Brown, Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Rochester, NY
Jennifer Ching, North Star Fund, New York, NY
Sabrina Fong, Ford Foundation, New York, NY
Denise Herkey-Jarosch, Rowboat Foundation, Buffalo, NY
Randi Hewit, Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Horseheads, NY
Sue Kittel, Co-Chair, Park Foundation, Ithaca, NY
Rickke Mananzala, New York Foundation, New York, NY
Cara Matteliano, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Jessica Maxwell, Redlich Horowitz Foundation, New York, NY
Joan Minieri, Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock, Manhasset, NY
Dimple Patel, New York Women’s Foundation, New York, NY
Gabriella Quintanilla, North Star Fund, Hudson Valley
Lindsay Ryder, Neighborhood Funders Group
Sophia Silao, New York Health Foundation
Bea Stern, Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, Mountainville, NY
Lisa Stern, Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, Mountainville, NY
Allie Urbanski, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Kara Williams, Allyn Family Foundation, Syracuse, NY
Morgan Williams, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, New York, NY
Qiana Williams, Central New York Community Foundation, Syracuse, NY
Vickie Walsh, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, New York, NY
Julia Yang-Winkenbach, Unbound Philanthropy, New York, NY
* Names in italics signify members of the Executive Committee.
Other funders and PSOs involved in Engage New York projects:
Adirondack Foundation, Andrus Family Fund, Community Foundations for the Hudson Valley, Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, Dyson Foundation, Elias Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, New York Community Trust, Open Society Foundations, Philanthropy New York
APPROACH
Engage New York identifies and incubates opportunities for funders across the state to work together to design, pilot, and test approaches that move resources in ways that build their collective capacity to meet the needs of communities.
PROJECTS (present)
PROJECTS (past)
NETWORK
Engage New York is a statewide network led by philanthropy practitioners who learn and take action together to advance equity and systems change.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
To become a member of our statewide network, email info@engagenewyork.org
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Individuals who would like to participate in our network should:
Make grants in the New York State
Be aligned with our values: equity, interconnection, collaboration, learning
Commit to share information and resources with the network
Be willing to invest financial resources to support network initiatives
NEWS + RESOURCES
Explore the ideas, information, and effective practices that we have surfaced through our collaborations.