Membership Eligibility
Membership in Philanthropy New York is open to philanthropic organizations based in the greater New York City region or focusing substantial giving here. In addition, special memberships are available to other philanthropic organizations based outside of New York wishing to engage with our vibrant grantmaking community.
All prospective members should review Philanthropy New York's full eligibility criteria to determine an organization’s eligibility for membership. Additional membership criteria apply to grantmaking public charities, religious and religiously affiliated organizations, private operating foundations, individuals committed to sustained, strategic philanthropy, and professional philanthropic advisors.
If you have questions about PNY membership, please contact Donita Volkwijn, Senior Director of Member Engagement.
Regular Membership
Regular membership in Philanthropy New York is open to private foundations, including family foundations (either professionally staffed or family managed), independent foundations, private operating foundations and charitable trusts; corporate foundations and giving programs; community foundations; public foundations and grantmaking public charities; religious and religious-affiliated foundations; donor-advised funds; federated funds; and individuals committed to sustained, strategic philanthropy. (See below for membership for professional philanthropic advisors.)
Regular Membership Dues
All regular members calculate their dues based on their grantmaking totals, either during the last completed fiscal year or their average over the last three completed fiscal years. (The only exception is private operating foundations and members that meet the associate membership criteria; see below.)
- Up to $100,000: $750
- $100,001 – $250,000: $1,000
- $250,001 – $500,000: $1,400
- $500,001 – $1 Million: $1,900
- $1,000,001 – $1.5 Million: $2,700
- $1,500,001 – $2 Million: $3,900
- $2,000,001 – $3 Million: $5,600
- $3,000,001 – $5 Million: $8,000
- $5,000,001 – $7 Million: $11,800
- $7,000,001 – $10 Million: $15,100
- $10,000,001 – $20 Million: $18,100
- $20,000,001 – $30 Million: $20,500
- $30,000,001 – $40 Million: $23,000
- $40,000,001 – $50 Million: $25,000
- $50,000,001 – $100 Million: $28,000
- Over $100 Million: $40,000
Private Operating Foundation Membership Dues
Private operating foundations (a designation defined by the IRS) calculate their dues based on their total net assets, as listed on their most recent tax return (990-PF, line 30), or the average of their total net assets over the last three completed fiscal years.
- $2,000,001 – $10 Million: $750
- $10,000,001 – $30 Million: $1,400
- $30,000,001 – $40 Million: $1,900
- $40,000,001 – $60 Million: $2,700
- $60,000,001 – $100 Million: $3,900
- $100,000,001 – $140 Million: $5,600
- $140,000,001 – $200 Million: $8,000
- $200,000,001 – $400 Million: $11,800
- $400,000,001 – $600 Million: $15,100
- $600,000,001 – $800 Million: $20,500
- $800,000,001 – $1 Billion: $25,000
- $1 Billion – $2 Billion: $28,000
- Over $2 Billion: $40,000
Regional Discount
If a member organization is headquartered outside of New York and is not an Associate Member of Philanthropy New York, and they pay full dues to both their home regional association and Philanthropy New York, they qualify for and may elect to take a 20 percent discount on their dues.
Associate Membership and Dues
Membership in Philanthropy New York is open to philanthropic organizations based in the greater New York City region or focusing substantial giving here. Organizations outside the region but actively engaged in the funding community here are invited to consider Associate membership. Associate membership is open to organizations that meet the eligibility criteria for regular membership and that conform to the following statement:
“If your organization maintains at least 75 percent of its total employees AND at least 90 percent of its executive team in offices located outside the New York Metro Area (as defined below), it qualifies for associate membership at a flat annual rate, currently $1,200."
"Those staff members and trustees based within the New York Metro Area may attend Philanthropy New York programs and receive services at member rates and may serve on Board committees, but cannot serve on the Philanthropy New York Board of Directors. Associate members also cannot vote at Philanthropy New York’s Annual Meeting.”
(For corporate giving programs, the term “organization” refers to the corporate giving unit, not the entire corporation. For unstaffed foundations, trustees are considered staff for the purposes of the policy.)
Definition of New York Metro Area
Philanthropy New York defines "New York Metro Area" as the counties in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that are included in the US Office of Management and Budget's definition of the New York metropolitan area (Metropolitan Statistical Area and Combined Statistical Area).
- New York Counties: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, Westchester
- New Jersey Counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren
- Connecticut Counties: Fairfield, Litchfield, New Haven
Philanthropic Advisor Membership
Professional philanthropic advisors must affirm to Philanthropy New York that the services they routinely provide to their client(s) address the full-range of grantmaking practice, including at least half of the following:
- helping foundation staff (or, for family foundation clients, family members) develop their grantmaking priorities;
- developing foundation strategies for specific grantmaking program areas;
- crafting or managing grant application procedures;
- researching and/or forging relationships with prospective grantees;
- managing relationships with existing grantees;
- coordinating the grant evaluation process, including the creation of proposal dockets for board review;
- managing the disbursement of funds to grantees;
- developing and coordinating the evaluation of grant outcomes.
Philanthropic Advisor Membership Dues
Professional philanthropic advisors pay according to the prevailing dues schedule by following one of two methods:
- An individual advisor, whether operating on his/her own or a member of a larger firm, may elect to join Philanthropy New York as the representative of one or more of his/her client foundations. The client foundation will join as a regular member and pay standard PNY dues based on its grantmaking budget. The advisor will be listed as the Philanthropy New York liaison and enjoy full member status. No other staff, if any, at the advisory firm will have access to Philanthropy New York programs or resources under this membership option.
- An advisory firm may become a full member of Philanthropy New York and give its entire staff access to programs and resources. The firm determines its membership dues by multiplying Philanthropy New York’s prevailing Associate Membership fee [currently $1,200] by the firm’s number of FTE professional positions. A “professional” is defined as a staff member at or above the title of “Program Officer,” “Philanthropic Advisor” or equivalent, as well as administrative officers of equivalent rank. Trustees and staff of the advisory firm’s client foundations will not enjoy Philanthropy New York membership benefits unless those foundations join the association. Although we assess dues only on certain employees, the membership covers everyone at the firm.
Joint Membership Agreement with the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers
PNY is pleased to offer a discount on membership dues for philanthropic advisors who are full members of the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) and determine their PNY dues based on method #2 listed above. Under the agreement, philanthropic consulting firms pay reduced dues to PNY at the rate of $750/person for the first five full-time professionals at the rank of Philanthropic Advisor or above, and $250/person for each such employee beyond the fifth person.
Dues As a Grant
Our member organizations may elect to pay as a grant any portion of their dues that exceeds $750 (the fair market value of services and goods received in return for membership).