PNY is Headed to Capitol Hill - Learn More about Foundations on the Hill and Why We're Going

Wednesday, February 22, 2023


On February 26th, members of the Philanthropy New York staff and membership will be traveling down to Washington D.C. to join PSOs from around the country at Foundations on the Hill (FOTH). Over the next few days, our group will be meeting with New York City and State Representatives to advocate for the vital issues that impact the philanthropic sector and the communities we serve, Philanthropy New York, and our member's public policy goals.

Below, we've answered a list of questions about why we're attending FOTH, what we’re advocating for, and how you can engage and participate!

What is Foundations on the Hill?

Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) is organized every year by the United Philanthropy Forum, a membership network of which PNY is a member. The goal of FOTH is to bring philanthropy-serving organizations together so they can collectively go before members of Congress to advocate on issues that are important to the philanthropic sector. It provides a centralized date and time to share resources with policymakers about how critical issues are affecting the sector.

This year is the 20th Annual Foundations on the Hill.

What is the focus of FOTH?

The focus of FOTH is to make sure that legislation that happens at the federal level can be done in a way that supports the philanthropic sector doing the work of supporting everyday Americans.

We know that federal rules, particularly around philanthropic giving, and the nonprofit ecosystem are really critical. Attending Foundations on the Hill provides an important platform for our members to be heard by policymakers and share their insights, experiences, and what they're seeing on the ground from the folks that they serve. 

Community is a core value of Philanthropy New York, so bringing together the philanthropy serving community from across the country is a really critical show of strength, collaboration, and coordination around these issues.

What is Philanthropy New York advocating for at FOTH? How does this align with our Strategic Framework and policy goals?

Right now, we are advocating that our New York representatives support bills, legislation, and policies that create a thriving nonprofit ecosystem. This includes issues around:

  • Nonprofit contracting,
  • The rates at which nonprofits are reimbursed, and
  • The general policies that allow the experience and expertise of the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors to be taken into account as public officials are making policies that impact New Yorkers. 

We believe that this is an equity issue. The nonprofit sector largely employs women and people of color, and nonprofits largely serve and support the women and people of color within our country, state, and city who have been disproportionately impacted by negative policies. We believe that by working to create a stronger ecosystem, we will support the workers in that space, and the folks who benefit from the work of the nonprofit sector and the generosity of the philanthropic sector.

Who is attending FOTH with Philanthropy New York?

The group of Philanthropy New York staff and members will be attending FOTH this year includes:

  • Kyung Yoon, President, Korean American Community Foundation 
  • Channon Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation 
  • Ariane Cruz, Philanthropy Fellow, Philanthropy New York
  • Kathryn O’Neal Dunham, CEO, Philanthropy New York
  • Marlon Williams, Vice President of Collaboration and Policy, Philanthropy New York
  • Nora Cusanelli, Communications Manager, Philanthropy New York
  • Don Chen, President, Surdna Foundation 
  • Shawn Morehead, Vice President of Grants, The New York Community Trust 
  • Kenneth Austin, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, The Wallace Foundation
  • Neill Coleman, Principal, Mission Magnified

How can you stay up to date with our FOTH experience?

  • Follow us on LinkedIn (Philanthropy New York) and Twitter @PhilanthropyNY to learn about our meetings with our Representatives and see what we're up to in Washington D.C.
  • Follow the United Philanthropy Forum on Twitter @unitedphilforum
  • Follow #FOTH2023 on LinkedIn and Twitter to see more updates from the week
  • Sign up for our newsletter, The Weekly Phil, to receive an in-depth recap of our experience on The Hill and learn more about the policy work PNY and our members are engaging in
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