NYC Connect Grant Program

World Connect’s NYC Connect initiative supports community-led change in New York City through catalytic seed funding. The program is designed to empower visionaries—individuals or groups—who are deeply familiar with local challenges and are positioned to drive meaningful, localized progress. World Connect's mission emphasizes trust, flexible funding, and respect for applicants’ time, offering an efficient application process with minimal administrative burden. NYC Connect accepts Expressions of Interest (EOI) from May 1 through May 30, 2025, until 5 PM. Applicants must submit a short form and a 2-4 minute pitch video describing their project. This phase serves as an introduction to the project; it does not guarantee funding but may lead to an invitation to submit a full application. Projects should be locally led and demonstrate potential to be catalytic, sustainable, collaborative, and impactful within one or more of the five NYC boroughs. Funding is typically in the range of $15,000 to $25,000 for general applicants and $2,000 to $5,000 for student and teacher-led projects. Eligibility is broad and inclusive: individuals, groups, nonprofits, and social enterprises without 501(c)(3) status are welcome to apply. NYC Connect also supports new and pilot initiatives over ongoing ones. However, organizations may not submit more than one proposal. Projects from small to mid-sized organizations seeking to partner with larger institutions are encouraged, as long as the proposed work is new and substantially unfunded. There is no funding for scholarships, direct advocacy, or endowment funds. Finalists from the EOI process will be selected in June 2025 and invited to submit a detailed application over July and August. Selected projects will receive funding by October 2025. Grantees join a cohort that meets four times over the grant year and receive tailored support from NYC Connect staff. Previous grantees may apply again, but only for distinctly new initiatives and upon submission of final reports from their prior grants. Support and guidance are available via connect@nycconnect.org. Applicants are advised to clearly articulate their project’s impact in one sentence and share their ideas authentically in the video. The Advisory Committee, composed of professionals from social justice, education, arts, urban planning, and environmental advocacy, plays a key role in evaluating submissions and supporting grantee development.