Public Policy

We connect Philanthropy New York members to policymakers and act as a voice on local, state and federal public policy issues that promote effective philanthropy and build stronger communities.

We monitor and address legislation and regulations that directly affect our sector.

We engage our member foundations in public policy that directly affects the issue areas they fund, such as education, health, social justice and the arts.

We see policy work as a way to achieve our mission of promoting — and protecting — philanthropy and a strong nonprofit sector in the region. We are strengthening the voice of our foundation community to create greater giving impact. more >>

How We Engage in Public Policy

Weighing in on policies directly affecting the sector: We monitor and address legislation and regulations that directly affect foundations and the larger nonprofit sector. We will only take a position on a proposed bill or rule if it is clear that the majority of our members agree and we have engaged in a substantial process of engaging them. Our board developed that process to determine when — if at all — Philanthropy New York should take a position on sector-related matters.

Promoting solutions in issue areas: We engage our members in public policy that directly affects the issue areas they fund, such as education, health, social justice and the arts. Although we don't anticipate Philanthropy New York will take positions on proposed bills or rules in those areas, we work to ensure our members have the policy data, skills and connections they need to achieve their missions and help their grantees.

Connecting funders and policymakers on shared areas of work: We regularly host programming with funders and policymakers to engage in critical cross-sector conversation about shared areas of work. PNY also participates in Foundations on the Hill (FOTH), an annual trip to Washington D.C. with more than 300 philanthropy representatives from around the country, to speak with our elected officials about the policies that matter most to philanthropy. The goal of FOTH is to inform and educate congressional leaders about philanthropy and encourage our elected officials to view foundations as resources on key public policy issues.

PNY's Policy Priorities

Philanthropy New York's Public Policy Priorities elaborates why we engage in policy work, our organization's core principles for our policy work and our advocacy agenda for the year. 

Read PNY's Public Policy Priorities.

PNY Official Positions

Philanthropy New York follows a process laid out by our Board of Directors to determine whether or how to take an official stand on public policy issues.

New Views on Policy

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

In the face of the numerous challenges confronting our democracy, the significance of election-related work led by nonprofits cannot be overstated. Yet every election year, these groups tell us the same thing: the funding came too late.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

After the 2020 election, the issue of how (and even whether) American democracy would survive rose to the top of many Americans’ concerns.

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Learning on an empty stomach is nearly impossible, but this is the reality for too many students across New York. 

Thursday, October 6, 2022

For so many New Yorkers, economic hardship is an ever-present reality.

Issue Based Working Groups

Philanthropy New York organizes local issue-focused working groups to help members connect. In addition to providing valuable professional connections, these groups enable members to pool resources, develop initiatives and programs and draw on the collective expertise to work on common interests.