Greater New York AFN is a regional chapter of grantmakers who advance equitable wealth building and economic mobility. Members can include private, public, corporate, and community foundations, public-sector funders, and financial institutions who want to help those in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and the surrounding regions secure economic stability, for now and for years to come. Greater New York AFN seeks to connect funders and their peers in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Together they will be able to share promising programs and smart strategies, gather knowledge to make their grantmaking more effective, and work to increase investments in asset building.
Greater New York AFN was launched in 2017 as a regional affiliate of national AFN by JPMorgan Chase & Co., First Republic Bank, Philanthropy New York, Citi Foundation, Capital One, Ford Foundation, Prudential, MetLife, Cities for Financial Empowerment, Guardian Life Insurance Co., and other national AFN members located in New York. Membership is open to funders who invest in a range of initiatives that build assets for New Yorkers and the surrounding regions, from early childhood education, college access, or workforce development to health, financial education, or micro-enterprise. Today, Greater New York AFN members gather periodically for funders-only sharing of ideas, and to develop plans for increased impact in the region.
Grantmakers from the Greater New York area should contact Leah Mayor if interested in joining this chapter.
How We Work
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Inform: Greater New York AFN members learn from each other and from other organizations as they seek solutions to local challenges in underserved areas and focus on increasing their impact. The chapter hosts funder forums to explore asset-building strategies with both local leaders and national experts that builds knowledge and serves as an information resource to grantmakers and the asset-building field.
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Connect: Greater New York AFN is positioned to highlight promising practices, key issues, and innovations in the field through funder-only dialogues as well as other convenings. Members provide an insightful East Coast voice to develop and expand the networks of funders for peer-to-peer learning, as well as cross-sector and collaborative efforts and inform national conversations.
- Influence: Greater New York AFN engages key stakeholders to grow their knowledge and support. This includes efforts to raise the visibility of asset-building within the broader community of foundations, public-sector funders, and financial institutions on issues such as financial coaching, work and wealth, children’s savings accounts, and closing the wealth gaps.
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Build: Greater New York AFN seeks to build the number of grantmakers and resources focused on strategies and investments for low and moderate income people to build and protect assets increasing economic opportunities and prosperity. AFN staff spend time one-on-one with local grantmakers to learn, share, encourage participation, align strategies, and increase ROI.
Regional Focus Areas
- Closing the racial and gender wealth gaps
- Small business
- Quality jobs and benefits
- Employee Ownership
- Housing and homeownership
- Care economy
Upcoming Events
Contact
Are you a grantmaker in New York, Northern New Jersey, or Connecticut interested in joining this chapter? Contact us to learn more.
Leah Mayor, leah@assetfunders.org
Steering Committee
Social Venture Partners
Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial
New York Women’s Foundation
Principal
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund
Citi Foundation
Upcoming Events
May 2 @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am EDT : Greater New York Economic Justice Roundtable Discussion
As Asset Funders, we understand that racial and economic justice are inextricably linked. Greater New York AFN Economic Justice Roundtable Discussions seek to provide a … REGISTER
CLICK HERE for more information and resources from our past events.
““Asset building is a critical key to closing the racial wealth gap. Having a table where we as funders can come together to learn and share about asset building, helps me be more effective in my grant making. AFN serves as that convener that allows me to partake of the rich funder brain trust that exists in the NYC Metro Area.”
Jeanique Riche-Druses | JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Chapter Highlights
Baby Bonds — a Racial Wealth Building Solution
Presented on December 13, 2022, in partnership with SVP Connecticut — A presentation and discussion with experts in Baby Bond legislation, a policy that provides children with a nest egg for their future. LEARN MORE
New York City Speaks
On May 24, 2022, GNY AFN sat down with New York City Speaks and learned how their work connects to the AFN Table. Members of New York City Speaks shared what the New York City community has to say about how to make neighborhoods safer, jobs more secure, and to make sure that race and neighborhood in New York City do not limit life choices and prosperity. The program included a 45 minute information session with the New York Speaks team followed by a short funder-only conversation to discuss what this means to our grantmaking and shared strategy.
CDFI Series
Hosted by Greater New York AFN and open to all, GNY AFN held 3 sessions to examine the practices and federal and local policies that help CDFIs build capacity and support entrepreneurs of color.
March 10, 2022: Building Capacity of CDFIs to Support Entrepreneurs of Color
Speakers shared proven on-the-ground strategies, key learnings, and best practices to build capacity for CDFIs. LEARN MORE
March 29, 2022: Policies that Support a Thriving Small Business Ecosystem: Session 2
We examined the federal, state, and local policies that can help CDFIs build capacity, increase and ease investments, and support entrepreneurs of color to thrive. LEARN MORE
May 3, 2022: Building Capacity of CDFIs & Supporting Entrepreneurs of Color
A funder-Only conversation to discuss gaps and opportunities to support and sustain support for CDFIs and entrepreneurs of color. LEARN MORE
Economics, Equity, and the Case for Supporting the Care Infrastructure
On January 11, 2022, Greater New York AFN and the New York Women’s Foundation checked-in on how the caregiving infrastructure is changing and what opportunities exist for philanthropy to support better care. LEARN MORE
