Investing in the potential of people is at the heart of our work to build a stronger New York City. With our interest in supporting and helping individuals step into their leadership, we are most interested in issue- or identity-focused programs that bring people from different groups together in a cohort that has sustained contact over a period of time.
Only 1% of philanthropic dollars are targeted to investment in people. The private sector invests 4x as much in its people than the nonprofit sector does. We believe that for the sector, and society, to be stronger, we need to invest more in people. Our grants support organizations that build the field of leadership development.
Grantee Partners
LEADERSHIP FOR EQUITY
Investing in Diverse NYC leaders
At the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, we believe that strong leadership is necessary to create a more equitable and vibrant New York City. Therefore, we are committed to investing in groups that develop the leadership of New Yorkers to advance equity and to address structural inequities].
This is our primary grantmaking stream. Through it, we support New York City-focused efforts that:
Approach leadership as a practice, rather than an identity. We don’t believe leadership development is for a select few or about superheroes. We see leadership as a practice that can be strengthened and honed through a variety of means, including gaining knowledge, perspective and skills, as well as engaging in individual and collective transformation processes. We invest in groups that identify, train, and support people and communities to grow their leadership abilities.
Develop leadership for equity, particularly race equity. Recognizing that structural inequities have been perpetuated by exclusionary approaches to leadership, we fund those developing leadership for equity, especially developing the leadership skills of people from racial identity groups that have been historically excluded.
Bring people together in sustained relationships over time. We’re looking for something that’s bigger than the sum of the parts. Some groups call this a “cohort,” which may be composed of member-leaders of an organizing group, different staff of multiple organizations, or other configurations of people engaged in relationship building toward action. We believe this type of approach expands the possibilities for systems-level change.
Can demonstrate a long-term commitment to leadership development and knowledge of how to run a leadership development program well. We’re interested in funding those that have the track record or have done the research to offer effective leadership development programs.
ADVOCACY INSTITUTE
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Advocacy Institute supports the legislative advocacy of social justice and movement-building organizations in New York City and State. The organization develops talent, builds networks, and provides tools and information to support creative legislative advocacy. The Advocacy Institute deepens its collaborative networks by using a cohort model that develops trust and builds relationships across issue areas.
ALLIANCE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) was founded to ensure that all students have access to the “sound, basic education” that is their New York State constitutional right. The Educational Warriors program supports the development and training of key parent leaders. Parent and family engagement are essential to improving the quality of education, and specifically parent leadership in advocating for school reform is proven to be very effective.
ASSOCIATION FOR NEIGHBORHOOD & HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Center for Neighborhood Leadership provides training and capacity-building infrastructure to support neighborhood-based grassroots organizing groups in New York City. They are interested in building an on-going network of the organizers who have come through their one-year training programs.
BLACKSPACE URBANIST COLLECTIVE
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The collective that brings together planners, architects, artists, and designers as Black urbanists, people who are passionate about the work of public systems and urban infrastructures. Committed to Black-centered planning and design, the organization works through cooperative design efforts to proactively bring Black voices and concerns into a development process.
BEND THE ARC
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Bend the Arc (BtA) is a movement of tens of thousands of American Jews who are working together to achieve a vision: to transform this country to be inclusive, equitable, and supportive of the dignity of every person across race, class, gender and faith. BtA believes in the unfulfilled promise of this country as a land of opportunity, justice, and equality for all. They believe there’s no acceptable level of racial injustice or economic inequality in our society, and that it’s imperative that American Jews be part of the solution by working in solidarity and in partnership with communities who are directly impacted by injustice.
CENTER FOR JUSTICE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Center for Justice seeks to harness the resources of Columbia University to solve a major social program: the criminal justice system. CFJ is a catalyst for interdisciplinary approaches to justice and connecting the university to community and national initiatives to achieve justice goals.
COMMON DEFENSE
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Common Defense is the nation’s largest grassroots organization of US military veterans. Through the Veterans Organizing Institute, the organization invests in the leadership of its members training and deployment in campaigns that connect directly to their history of service, including voting rights, climate justice, and anti-militarism. These diverse former service members are equipped with sophisticated political analysis and practical organizing skills.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE EXCHANGE
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
Community Resource Exchange is a nonprofit consulting firm that serves organizations working to fight poverty, promote equity and advance opportunity. CRE runs a variety of programs including the Leadership Caucus for executive directors and High Performing Management Institute for emerging leaders.
COOP CAREERS
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
COOP closes the social capital gap by recruiting and investing deeply in diverse, low-income, and first-generation grads from the City University of New York, San Francisco State, and other urban public colleges. The mission of COOP is to build a movement of diverse, upwardly mobile college grads overcoming underemployment through digital skills and peer connections.
CORO NEW YORK LEADERSHIP CENTER
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
Coro’s cross-sector programs strengthen civic engagement and forge a diverse network of over 2,500 alumni interested in making New York City better. With a focus solely on leadership development, the organization has a portfolio of programs that work with young people, recent college grads, mid-career professionals, immigrants and neighborhood leaders.
DESIGN TRUST FOR PUBLIC SPACE
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Design Trust creates innovative solutions for urban planning. It assembles teams with expertise in an array of fields to engage the community, government and private sector, to coalesce around common goals and then advocate for them with policy makers. The Fellows Forum expands on this work with projects that are self-identified and self-organized.
EDUCATION PIONEERS
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Education Pioneers exists to identify, train, connect, and inspire a new generation of leaders dedicated to transforming the U.S. education system so that all students receive a quality education. EP recruits and advances education leaders in 13 core metropolitan areas nationwide to advance excellence and equity for the millions of students that our education system continues to underserve – primarily children of color and children from low-income households.
EDUCATION REFORM NOW
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Education Reform Now’s mission is to pursue education policies that enable all students, particularly students from low-income families and students of color to fulfill their potential. The Leaders of Color Initiative (LOCI) program identifies, trains, and supports community-based Black and Brown civic leaders in New York, empowering them with the tools and resources to advance educational equity and the broader cause of racial justice.
EMBODIED LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Embodied Leadership Community focuses on developing authentic, skilled leaders who ignite change on an individual, organizational and collective level. The project aims to dramatically change how social justice work is conducted. It is premised on the belief that in order to achieve societal advances, change-makers must first achieve and sustain themselves, since inner work is necessary to create longer-term outer change.
INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT PRACTICE
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The organization is focused on leadership development training with a focus on building the skills of individuals who show promise and potential, primarily people of color. INP runs two main initiatives: Core Certificate Program for nonprofit leaders and senior executives, and Community Fellows Program for early career individuals who show strong potential and possibilities.
INSTITUTE FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
In line with their mission to build capacity among government leaders and help educate the next generation of public service leaders, the Institute for State and Local Governance established the Lindsay Fellowship in Government Leadership & Practice. The Lindsay Fellowship is for newly elected legislators - who otherwise do not have extensive prior experience as elected officials – to broaden their understanding of pressing issues facing government and their constituencies in New York City.
INTERFAITH CENTER OF NEW YORK
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
The Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy is open to congregational clergy, lay leaders, and faith-based activists from all backgrounds. By offering the fellows a combination of civic engagement, legal literacy, and community organizing training as well as interfaith dialogue with their peers -and small grants for community-based projects – the program helps grassroots religious leaders build healthy, supportive, inclusive communities for all New Yorkers.
JUST LEADERSHIP USA
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
JustLeadershipUSA is dedicated to cutting the US correctional population in #halfby2030. JLUSA empowers people most affected by incarceration to drive policy reform. Mass incarceration is the most significant domestic threat to the fabric of our democracy. The reason for such high incarceration rates is not serious crimes but misguided policies such as mandatory minimums, three-strikes laws and reductions in the availability of parole and other early release mechanisms.
LAUNDROMAT PROJECT
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
The Laundromat Project envisions a world in which artists and neighbors in communities of color work together to unleash the power of creativity to transform lives. The Create Change Fellowship Program works with a cohort of artists, combining theory and practice, to cultivate a network of multi-generational, multi-racial visual artists who are committed to social change.
LITERACY ASSISTANCE CENTER
$20,000 unrestricted
The Literacy & Justice Initiative (LJI) is a project of the Literacy Assistance Center to advance adult literacy education as part of a broader vision for racial, social, and economic justice. This leadership development cohort program was developed in collaboration with community partners to advance adult literacy as a core value in our society and as a foundation for equal opportunity and social justice.
LOCAL PROGRESS
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Local Progress is a network of hundreds of local elected officials from around the country committed to a strong economy, equal justice, livable cities, and effective government. In 2016, the organization launched Local Progress New York, a statewide network of local progressive officials.
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF NEW YORK
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Lutheran Social Services of New York provides an array of social services for seniors, foster children, students with special needs, immigrants and refugees and vulnerable families. The Building Parent Leaders program bolsters parental involvement around leadership and democracy skills and as advocates for their kids while promoting the lifelong health, safety and learning of children.
NATIONAL DOMESTIC WORKERS ALLIANCE – NEW YORK
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The National Domestic Workers Alliance is the nation’s leading voice for domestic workers in the United States. The New York Chapter runs two leadership development programs, Groundbreakers Enforcement Program and We Rise Nanny Training Program, working to improve conditions for domestic workers and to build a pipeline of leaders to serve as advocates and spokespeople.
NEW AMERICAN LEADERS
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
New Americans Leaders Project is leading a movement for inclusive democracy by preparing first and second generation Americans to use their power and potential in elected office. NALP is meeting increased interest by creating a Train the Trainer program to equip individuals with the skills to facilitate and lead cohorts of individuals preparing to run for office.
NEW YORK ASSOCIATION FOR TRAINING & EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS
$20,000 unrestricted
NYATEP advances the workforce development community by advocating for systems change that will foster and promote economic mobility. It promotes research, and provides leadership development training to create opportunities for advancement and exposure to practices that will strengthen and enhance the delivery of services.
NEXT100/THE CENTURY FOUNDATION
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Century Foundation is a progressive, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to foster opportunity, reduce inequality, and promote security at home and abroad. Foundered by Edward Filene (of basement fame) in 1919, the Foundation has been at the forefront of positive change in some of the most critical areas of domestic policy including social security and voters’ rights. Today, TCF continues this legacy by researching issues that range from pursuing fairness and opportunity in education; protecting workers and further strengthening the social safety net; encouraging democracy and ensuring personal rights in the tech age; and promoting stability and prosperity abroad.
NORTH STAR FUND
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
North Star Fund’s Movement Leadership Program mobilizes and develops promising community organizing groups. The initiative brings ‘teams of three’ from each participating organization and cohorts this group with five others during the year-long program which uses peer-learning and peer-consultation as its primary model.
PARALEGAL PATHWAYS INITIATIVE
$20,000 unrestricted
Housed at the Center for Constitutional and Institutional Change at Columbia Law School, the Paralegal Pathways Initiative aims to build on the talents of formerly incarcerated individuals by providing preparation and connecting them with professional mentorship in preparation for careers in the legal field.
PARTNERSHIP FOR AFTER SCHOOL EDUCATION
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Partnership for After School Education is focused on developing a more skilled and able workforce of professionals to serve students in their formative years. Its leadership development efforts are focused on two programs that work the executive directors of smaller organizations and the other with talented individuals in larger agencies.
PRINCETON ALUMNICORPS
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Founded as Princeton Project 55, by the Class of 1955, this independent nonprofit was created to mobilize individuals around civic leadership and to address systemic problems. The Emerging Leaders program is open to all, and designed to bring together talented individuals from the nonprofits and public sectors with leadership training and a focus on personal growth.
SEEDING POWER
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Seeding Power Fellowship is an18-month, cohort-based food justice fellowship program for experiences leaders working across sectors to build equitable food systems. Seeding Power is unique both in the region it serves and the focus on movement-building in food systems, as opposed to more traditional leadership programs that focus on individual skill-building. It places racial equity and social justice at the core of a curriculum customized to the specific needs and assets of each cohort.
UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
United Neighborhood Houses is the umbrella for 38 settlement houses and community centers ensuring the well-being of over 500,000 New Yorkers. UNH’s leadership programs and functional groups equip talented staff members with new tools and strategies to do their work more effectively and to build their careers through new experiences.
URBAN DESIGN FORUM
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Forefront is an annual program dedicated to cultivating emerging leaders in urban design, development and policy. Each year, the Forum invites 20 individuals to become Forefront Fellows. Fellows typically have five to ten years of working experience and must live or work within the five boroughs for the duration of the program. Urban Design Forum is committed to promoting the achievements of traditionally underrepresented groups in planning, design and development. They encourage nominators to identify women, people of color, and professionals with experience in diverse community settings.
WORKFORCE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The organization is committed to generating pathways out of poverty through employment. The Workforce Solutions Leadership Program is a response to a rapidly changing labor market, as well as a shifting approach to workforce development at the citywide level, with emphasis being placed on career development and advancement rather than rapid job attachment. Aligned with the program’s goal of increasing the leadership pipeline, 70 percent of participants are people of color.
FIELD BUILDING
Making the case for investing in diverse leaders
We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who meet the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program. While most of our grantmaking is NYC-focused, another stream of our funding goes to nonprofits in the US that strengthen the field of leadership development for equity.
Through this funding stream we support organizations that:
Share the core values that underlie our approach to leadership development in New York City. We welcome innovation while also seeking grantees who philosophically embrace the values embedded in the criteria articulated for our New York City grantmaking program.
Can demonstrate a track record in one or more of the following leadership field building areas: conducting leadership development research, developing promising leadership program models, and/or experimenting with leadership program practices.
Agree to share data and models with RSCF’s NYC grantees. As a trust-based funder, we do more than give grants. We believe in the power of convening grantees to learn from each other. We seek grantees here who will share research, models, and practices to advance these discussions.
BUILDING MOVEMENT PROJECT
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Building Movement Project works on initiatives surrounding social change. One of its major research initiatives has been conducting a Nonprofit Leadership & Race survey to get a benchmark on diversity in the sector. BMP also facilitates and convenes the Leadership Funders Group that shares ideas and thoughts about work that they all do in the field.
CENTER FOR POPULAR DEMOCRACY
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Center for Popular Democracy works to create equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with high-impact base-building organizations, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. CPD strengthens the collective capacity to envision and win an innovative worker, immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda.
CHANGE ELEMENTAL
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Change Elemental embraces the growing complexity of today’s problems as an opportunity to collaborate and connect. In partnership with leaders, organizations, networks, and funders, they explore what is needed to spark transformative, equitable change. They work to overcome habits and practices that hold the field back and they craft creative, nimble, and authentic strategies for change.
ELECTORAL JUSTICE VOTER FUND
$60,000. $55,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Through their Electoral Justice League leadership development program, a cohort of fellows learn to develop and support voter outreach and engagement strategies. Fellows have training and support retreats, and access to a ‘help desk’ a network-driven full-service technical assistance support suite of leadership development tools.
NYC CAPACITY BUILDING COLLABORATIVE
$15,000. $10,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The NYC Capacity Building Funder Collaborative began to take shape over a decade ago, when several foundations including New York Foundation partnered to provide technical assistance trainings. They began to reach out to other peer funders with the goal of creating a more lasting partnership structure that could support and provide capacity-building to more organizations across a wide range of topics on an ongoing basis. Today, the Collaborative includes 12 foundations, which each contribute financial resources and staff time. The current structure involves shared leadership among the staff of participating foundations.
LEADERSHIP FOR DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ) is an institute of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. LDSJ is led by movement leaders with experience and investment in grassroots organizing. It supports diverse cohorts of leaders from the communities at the forefront of social justice movements understand how to build lasting power and use it for our collective good.
LEADERSHIP LEARNING COMMUNITY
$55,000. $50,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
The Leadership Learning Community is at the vanguard of research and learning how the field of leadership development is changing with its racial equity lens and network approach. LLC serves as resource and hub as a place where organizations that ‘run, study and fund’ these endeavors come together to share and exchange knowledge.
RVC
$40,000. $35,000 general operating + $5,000 professional development
Rainier Valley Corps matches emerging leaders of color with grassroots, immigrant organizations in Seattle, many with few or no paid staff. The cohort program spans two years to provide enough time for the Fellow to grow, to develop and use skills, and benefit the organization. It’s a unique model and might help small immigrant organizations in New York.
ROCKWOOD LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
$82,500. $75,000 general operating + $7,500 professional development
Rockwood Leadership trains, nurtures and supports social justice leaders so that they can continue to do their work for the long haul. Through a combination of week-long intensive programs and year-long cohorts of like-minded reformers, Rockwood is considered one of the premier organizations of its kind in the country.
How To Apply
Please note that RSCF accepts new proposals on a rolling basis. Although we will continue to accept and review new proposals on a rolling basis, we will not be able to update applicants of your status until July 2024.
No need to re-send your materials, just please know you will not be hearing back from us before that time. Thank you for your work and for your patience with our process.
Please submit a recent grant application that represents your organization well, and reflects our funding interests. Feel free to share one that you’ve used to apply to another funder.
As part of the submission we ask for your IRS determination letter and your most recent financial statements.
Our approach reflects our desire for your organization to keep the focus on your work, serving constituents and the community—instead of spending an inordinate amount of time creating grant applications. We consider it our responsibility to learn more about your organization and the possible alignment of our interests. This approach is rooted in a philosophy of trust-based philanthropy.
Application
Please fill this out if you are applying for an organizational leadership/network development programmatic branch grant that is cohort based, meets regularly over a sustained period of time, and actively convenes leaders after the program concludes.
Your program must be housed in a 501(c)3 organization and center its work on New York City. It must have dedicated staff or volunteers who can take advantage of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation’s support beyond the check. The program also must focus on a particular issue or identity group and involves individuals from a variety of organizations.
The foundation does not fund staff development programs, youth leadership, service year or social enterprise programs. We also do not fund startups or staff development programs within a single organization.
You can’t save your progress and there are 18 questions. Please have the following information ready before beginning the application:
Organization Head and Primary Contact Information
Fiscal Sponsor Contact Information
Copy of a Grant Proposal you’ve submitted in the past, financial statements, and IRS Determination Letter
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