NoVo and NY Women’s Foundation Match $10 Million NYC Commitment for Girls, Young Women of Color

The New York Women’s Foundation and NoVo Foundation, co-chairs of the New York City Philanthropic Table for Girls and Young Women of Color (Philanthropic Table), announced an initial commitment of $10 million in new philanthropic funding for programs targeting girls, young women and trans youth of color in New York City, matching a $10 million public commitment announced today by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

 

The Philanthropic Table, a group of more than 15 local and national foundations, began meeting last year to drive greater philanthropic investment, grow the field of well-resourced organizations, find new ways to collaborate, and leverage diverse resources to address structural inequities facing girls, young women and trans youth of color in the city.

 

The initial $10 million commitment will consist of philanthropic funds that are targeted specifically for efforts to improve the lives of girls and young women of color; are newly committed or newly targeted to these communities; and are aligned with the priorities of the Table.

 

The New York City Council’s $10 million dollar commitment will be invested in the Young Women’s Initiative (YWI), created by Speaker Mark-Viverito as the nation’s first-ever effort solely dedicated to supporting young women. YWI will propose programming, policy changes, data collection, and long-term research geared towards closing the gaps in outcomes experienced by girls, young women and trans youth of color in New York City.

 

“We applaud Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and The New York City Council for their steadfast commitment to the Young Women’s Initiative, which declares that the lives of girls, young women and trans youth of color deserve greater attention and investment. The New York Women’s Foundation is a proud co-chair of YWI and remains committed to advancing the lives of girls and young women across New York City as we have for the past 29 years.” Ana Oliveira, President & CEO, The New York Women’s Foundation

 

The foundations are working closely with YWI, experts and girls and young women themselves to uncover opportunities for collaboration and to elevate the priorities and perspectives of girls and young women of color in the city.

 

By galvanizing cooperation across philanthropy in New York, the Philanthropic Table also hopes to demonstrate what is possible in other communities across the country. The $10 million commitment is a first step in a long-term effort to bring many more resources to the table for girls and young women of color in the city.

 

“The challenges facing girls and young women of color in New York City demand the sustained attention, resources, and resolve of leaders from across every sector,” said Pamela Shifman, executive director of the NoVo Foundation. “We believe that this is just the beginning of a city-wide movement to ensure that girls and young women of color finally move from invisibility to investment, and we invite others to join us in this effort.”