Philanthropy New York Announces Fundraising Breakthrough, New Philanthropy Center at Times Square

Philanthropy New York, the “regional association of grantmakers with global impact,” announced today that it will establish a new Philanthropy Center at the “crossroads of the world” – Times Square’s 1500 Broadway ‐‐ and a breakthrough of over $2 million in early pledges to its Fund for 2025 campaign to grow the capacity of the region’s philanthropic sector. The Fund for 2025 aims to raise at least $2.5 million for its next decade of growth, including the new Center, technology upgrades, programming expansion and establishment of a public policy fellowship program.  

 

Philanthropy New York is the principal professional community of approximately 285 private, corporate, family and public grantmaking organizations based in the New York City region, and provides a broad range of services to over 3,500 individual philanthropic professionals and trustees of those organizations. Taken together, PNY’s members provide support totaling over $7 billion each year to thousands of nonprofit organizations located in New York and around the world, which in turn focus on an almost endless range of issues and concerns.  

 

“Today, we recognize that that the philanthropic community is in a new era of increased visibility and expectations for the sector,” said Ronna Brown, President of Philanthropy New York. “In 2005, Philanthropy New York raised a funds that coincided with a move to our current space, which resulted in a decade of remarkable organizational progress.  With the Fund for 2025, Philanthropy New York is embarking on a new campaign to meet the philanthropic community’s needs for the decade to come.”  

 

“If our members are to be fully positioned to tackle the complex issues our city, nation and international communities face, we must be able to provide the appropriate level of educational programming and convening that undergirds their work,” said Fund for 2025 Co‐Chair and Altman Foundation President Jane B. O’Connell. “The need to move presents a particularly well‐timed opportunity to create the physical space that will support the ambitious elements of our new strategic plan, and position PNY to respond to the demands of the growing foundation community.”

 

Over the past several months, the leaders of the Fund for 2025 Committee have worked with current and former PNY Board members to communicate with a portion of PNY member organizations and secure over $2 million in pre‐launch pledges (¹⁾ toward the $2.5 million goal. Today, Philanthropy New York is publicly launching the campaign and inviting all philanthropic organizations and individual donors to join the community of philanthropists supporting the vision outlined in PNY’s long‐term plan. A case statement for the Fund for 2025, the current Strategic Plan for Philanthropy New York and other related

materials are online at www.PhilanthropyNewYork.org/fund‐2025.   

 

“Collaboration is a critical element of our work,” said Phillip Henderson, President of Surdna Foundation and Co‐Chair of the Fund for 2025 Committee. “Neither we nor any grantmaker can hope to have real impact without creating partnerships.  Philanthropy New York understands the importance of collaboration and plays a special role bringing prospective partners together.  As the field of organized philanthropy continues to grow, we must ensure that PNY is well‐equipped to continue as a convener and a leader in the field.”

 

The Fund for 2025 is being led by a committee of philanthropists who are among the most respected leaders in our field today.  The committee includes:

Co-Chairs:

Jane O’Connell, Altman Foundation
Phil Henderson, Surdna Foundation

Committee:

Doug Bauer, Clark Foundation	Melanie Mortimer, SIFMA Foundation
Mark Bodden, Rudin Family Foundation	Maria Mottola, New York Foundation
Eric Eckholdt, Credit Suisse Foundation	Mike Pratt, The Scherman Foundation
Stephen Heintz, Rockefeller Brothers Fund	Hildy Simmons, Brooklyn Community Foundation
Kevin Jennings, Arcus Foundation	Darren Walker, Ford Foundation
Leisle Lin, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

                                                            

⁽¹⁾ PNY has been asked by leadership of 43 of its 285 member organizations to submit grant requests totaling over $2M, which have not been reviewed by foundation boards.