For students, families, and teachers, the close of summer marks the start of a new school year. This September, over a million students across the city will enter classrooms to learn, interact with their peers, and gain critical thinking skills to help them navigate an increasingly complex world.
Education helps people pursue their dreams and seize opportunities; it also promotes connectedness, empathy, and understanding. By giving to the following organizations, you can help our region improve equitable access to quality education, invest in strong student and teacher support systems, and sustain arts education as an essential tool for learning in New York.
Advancing Equity in the School System
Despite being one of the most diverse cities in the nation, New York City’s school system is among the most segregated. Many New Yorkers continue to advocate to address racial and socioeconomic inequities across our schools. Consider a gift to any of the following groups that are working to end disparities in funding and access for our most under-resourced student communities, and to promote culturally responsive learning that reflects our region’s diversity.
Coalition for Asian American Children and Families is a network of 50 diverse Asian-led and Asian-serving community groups working for educational reform. It partners with families, students, and other educational groups led by people of color to advance school integration efforts, culturally competent curricula, and educational policy that meets the needs of immigrant students and English language learners.
Composed of parents, students, educators, and community organizations, the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice advocates for school reforms that would help to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education. It has led longstanding advocacy efforts for culturally responsive curricula that reflect students’ diversity and incorporate their cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
ERASE Racism raises awareness of and seeks to eliminate racial disparities and discrimination on Long Island, particularly in education and housing, through research, advocacy, and organizational trainings. It leads the Education Equity Working Group, a coalition of educators and advocates that promotes racial integration in Long Island schools, advocating for diverse learning environments and the recruitment and professional development of teachers of color.
Building Educational Supports
Our education systems foster critical thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity. And a student’s access to out-of-school enrichment, skills training, mentoring, and mental health resources can make the difference between surviving and thriving in school. The following nonprofits build brighter futures for students—equipping them with the skills they need to pursue careers and higher education, discover new learning opportunities, and nurture their mental wellbeing.
ExpandED Schools supports more than 900 afterschool programs throughout New York City, offering learning enrichment opportunities with public schools and community groups. It has led successful afterschool reading instruction initiatives as well as a campaign to make skills-based and career-oriented learning a right for all city high school students.
I’RAISE Girls and Boys International is a Black- and women-led nonprofit that provides free mental health services on-site in public schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens to address increasing rates of depression and anxiety among students. Staff screen for trauma, suicidal ideation, and depression, and provide individual and group counseling, including art therapy. I’RAISE also trains teachers to recognize and understand the ways mental health challenges manifest in the classroom and offer simple techniques to support their students.
The Knowledge House closes gaps in the education-to-employment pipeline by running a free community-based program that teaches coding and design to young people of color in the Bronx and Westchester. Through digital skills training, career support, and a comprehensive network of partners, it helps young job seekers prepare for and secure rewarding, high-demand careers in the tech economy.
Yonkers Partners in Education improves educational outcomes and opportunities for students in Yonkers. It provides college readiness training, academic support, career exploration, mentoring and coaching, and parent and community engagement to create a supportive and nurturing educational environment.
Uplifting the Arts
Arts education can engage children and transform their academic outcomes. It is uniquely suited to use learning materials that reflect and engage with students’ diverse cultures, identities, and experiences. It provides opportunities for social and emotional learning, which is critical as educators work to address the effects of pandemic-related isolation. The following nonprofits support students and teachers through programs that meaningfully respond to young students’ interests, connect learning to their social worlds, and advocate for increased arts education in schools.
Through the joyful art and practice of social dances, Dancing Classrooms cultivates engaged learners, collaborative leaders, and inclusive spaces. The nonprofit uses ballroom dance as a teaching method to promote social awareness, confidence, and teamwork among elementary and middle school students, building essential life skills and respectful relationships through the art of dance.
The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is a professional community of arts educators that reaches more than 6,000 people each year through professional development opportunities, job fairs, and conferences. It is a leading arts education advocate, pressing for continued funding and support for arts education in the city’s schools and communities.
Based on Long Island, Stage the Change brings together students from different high schools and socioeconomic backgrounds to develop their artistic skills while also fostering their social consciousness and activism. The group’s theater programs, workshops, and performances provide a safe space for dialogue and help students creatively engage with themes that affect their daily lives, such as social justice and cultural difference.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many incredible nonprofits helping to make our city a better place for all; we are highlighting a few that may not be on your radar, but please reach out to our philanthropic advising department at info@nyct-cfi.org if you would like recommendations tailored to your charitable goals.