A women’s giving circle at The New York Community Trust has donated over $4.3 million in catalyst grants to more than 250 emerging nonprofits across NYC since its founding in 2000.
One of the biggest hurdles new nonprofits face is getting their first grant. A women’s giving circle at The New York Community Trust has spent the past 25 years solving that problem for promising new organizations in New York City.
It all began when New Yorker Deborah McManus gathered some like-minded friends to create a women’s giving circle called WellMet. McManus turned to The New York Community Trust to establish a donor-advised fund and receive support with vetting and identifying nonprofits, grantmaking, and managing the giving circle.
Over 25 years later, WellMet’s more than 40 members invest more than just dollars in their grantees. They also volunteer, attend program events, host technical assistance webinars, and build long-term relationships for sustained impact. Some grantees have even become WellMet members over time.
In 2008, WellMet gave a new nonprofit, Mentoring in Medicine, its first grant. A decade later, the nonprofit’s cofounder, Dr. Lynne Holden, joined the giving circle.
“I know the power of WellMet’s life-changing mission firsthand,” Holden said. “I wanted to be in a community of ladies dedicated to supporting bold leaders with a bold vision. Together we can take risks and explore new possibilities that would be difficult to pursue alone.”
WellMet members donate to the fund and meet four times a year to make early grants to emerging nonprofits in New York City. “Not only do our grants give nascent nonprofits time to find their voice and balance, but they also provide the new kid on the block with an endorsement, so that their next grant application will have a bit more muscle, a bit more credibility,” said McManus. “We are one of the few groups in NYC that targets and supports this vulnerable, but oh-so-valuable, class of charities.”
A $20,000 grant from WellMet in 2002 helped the Adaptive Design Association, a new nonprofit with a mission to make adaptive equipment more widely available to children and adults with disabilities, grow into an organization that today serves thousands of families.
“WellMet’s early support was catalytic. It gave the Adaptive Design Association the confidence and capacity to grow from a bold idea into a sustainable organization,” said Jennifer Hercman, the organization’s executive director. “That seed funding empowered us to start building a more inclusive world—one custom adaptation at a time.”
About WellMet Philanthropy
WellMet Philanthropy is a women’s giving circle at The New York Community Trust. It focuses on funding New York City grassroots organizations making life better across the five boroughs. In addition to providing seed funding to small and nascent organizations, it also helps organizations become more sustainable through technical support and guidance. It welcomes new members. Learn more at: https://wellmetphilanthropy.org/
About The New York Community Trust
The New York Community Trust is New York’s largest community foundation, serving New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. For more than 100 years, The Trust has brought together the local knowledge and diverse expertise of its team and nonprofit and philanthropic partners to support thriving and equitable communities and help donors champion the causes they love. The Trust makes approximately $200 million in grants each year from its charitable funds set up by individuals, families, foundations, and corporations.
