From New Rochelle to Peekskill, The Trust is dedicated to working with nonprofits and donors who share a common goal: ensuring everyone across the county has the rights, resources, and opportunities to thrive.
1975
While The New York Community Trust had been making grants in Westchester since 1926, it wasn’t until 1975 that we opened our Westchester office, originally known as The Westchester Community Foundation. In 1976, we made $25,000 in grants to nonprofits throughout the county focused on housing, health care, and social services for young people. Today, our annual Westchester grantmaking totals more than $7.5 million.
1986
We established the Westchester Fund for Women and Girls to address the dearth of philanthropic dollars dedicated to this population. The fund has awarded more than $2 million in grants to nonprofits providing legal aid for domestic violence survivors, leadership programs for high school girls, support for female veterans, and more.
2002
Hispanics in Philanthropy and the Westchester Community Foundation opened the Apoyo Fund to invest in promising nonprofits and emerging leaders serving the Hispanic community. Today, many of the fund’s historic grantees, including Neighbors Link, El Centro Hispano, and the Community Resource Center, have grown into multiservice agencies with leaders who are recognized statewide as powerful advocates for immigrant rights.
2011
We marked the beginning of Community Matters, a decade-long collaboration with the Jacob Burns Film Center. More than 30 films were screened, covering issues from disability rights to nuclear power. Post-film discussions sparked debate and encouraged thousands of attendees to drive positive change for their communities.
2014
The Dominican Sisters of Hope partnered with our Westchester office to create the Dominican Sisters of Hope Empowerment Fund, which promotes social justice and systemic change. The fund has granted over $2.3 million to more than 50 nonprofits working to build a more equitable county: improving pay equity and protections for immigrant workers, winning affordable housing for kinship caregivers, delivering justice to incarcerated older adults, and more.
2025+
In 2025, we established The Westchester Fund for Civic Engagement to support local journalism, voter participation, Census 2030 outreach, and other community-led efforts that nourish civic life.
An Incubator and Innovator
We’ve been an early investor in Westchester nonprofits, including:
