How often should I make grant suggestions?
Some donors make multiple grant suggestions each month, and others prefer to accumulate income over longer periods in order to make larger grants. We will work with you to accommodate your preferences while complying with applicable law and regulation.
If you’re not sure where to give, our quarterly digests and annual reports are great sources of information about work that might interest you. Learning Central on MyGrants offers giving guides and more information on important causes, and we’re always happy to set up a time to talk with you about your giving goals.
We know life gets busy. If you simply forget to make grants recommendations for more than a year, we’ll remind you.
Still looking for help? Contact one of our donor services team members below.
How do I suggest a grant?
You can let us know which nonprofits you would like to support in one of three ways:
The best way is to use our online donor portal, MyGrants, which you can access through our homepage.
You can also send your grant suggestions in writing to The New York Community Trust, 909 Third Avenue, 22nd Floor, New York NY 10022, or fax them to (212) 532-8528, Attn: Donor Relations
What information do I need to suggest a grant?
The name and address of the charity, the grant amount ($250 or more), and the grant purpose (general support or a specific project). This information allows us to ensure that the charities suggested are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt and that they meet our standards for responsible management and effective programs. Including a contact person and email address for the charity is also helpful to us.
Assuming there are funds available to make the grant, and the organization is already in our database of approved charities, payment will generally be sent within three to five days of receiving your request.
If we need to review the charity to make sure it meets our standards, it may take longer and depends on the extent of the information needed and the nonprofit’s responsiveness. Your Trust contact will keep you updated on progress and timing.
Am I the only person who can make grant suggstions?
The founder of a fund can name other people—relatives, friends, or business associates—as advisors to recommend grants from the fund they established. To add or remove an advisor, simply fill out our advisor appointment form and email or mail it to us at our regular mailing address.
Will I get a receipt for tax purposes?
Absolutely. We send you acknowledgements of your contributions to your fund. If when tax time rolls around you can’t find your original, we’ll send you a copy.
Do you accept matching gifts from my employer?
Yes, but some companies have restrictions on the kinds of contributions they match, so be sure to check with your employer first; your gift acknowledgement should have all the details your employer needs.
What are my investment choices for my fund?
You can find your investment choices on our Investment Vehicles page.
May I make a grant to an organization that is in a foreign country?
Many U.S. charities are active overseas and we are happy to consider grants to them. We do not make grants to nonprofits organized outside of the United States. Many major foreign organizations have established “American Friends of …” groups, and these, as U.S. charities, are often good substitutes. If the grant you are contemplating is at least $10,000, we may be able to find a third party to manage the expenditure responsibility required by law.
I always support my university's annual campaign. Will you pay my pledge?
We can’t make a grant earmarked to pay your legally binding pledge. The IRS has recently issued guidance that says, in effect, that it is okay if a grantee organization applies a donor-advised fund grant to a pledge, but we cannot direct an organization to do that.
