Organization

The New York Community Trust is seeking a full-time Program Associate for its Thriving Communities grant portfolio, which includes arts and culture, community development, and the environment. Established in 1924, The Trust is the community foundation for the New York area and one of the largest and oldest community foundations in the U.S. It has approximately $2.5 billion in assets from funds established by thousands of New Yorkers over the past 90 years. In addition to $120 million in designated and donor advised grants, it makes more than $40 million in competitive grants each year to ensure healthy lives, promising futures, and thriving communities throughout New York City. Grants support exemplary service provision, advocacy, and research to improve policy. For more information, please visit The Trust’s website.

Position Description

The Program Associate will work with a team of three program officers on efforts that:

• promote diversity in the arts; strengthen arts groups; develop talented and young minority and disadvantaged artists; improve arts education in the public schools; and strengthen arts advocacy.
• support preservation in low-income and minority communities and the boroughs outside of Manhattan, and restore historic places that represent significant and overlooked aspects of City history.
• build and sustain strong community and create economic opportunities for residents of low-income neighborhoods.
• ensure a representative political process and improve the function of government by encouraging voting, holding state and local government accountable, and promoting civic literacy for children and new immigrants.
• help New York become a climate-smart metropolis; create healthier, more livable communities, and protect urban ecologies.
• mitigate climate change; make disadvantaged and other communities more resilient to climate change; protect public health from the hazards of toxic chemicals and pollutants; and preserve biological diversity by establishing wildlife migration corridors and supporting connectivity on a national scale.
• improve the management capacity of nonprofits and strengthen the sector.

Initially, half of the Program Associate’s time will be spent administering the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund, a collaboration of seven foundations supporting cultural advocacy, policy, and equity in the City. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assisting with new grant investigations, including reviewing and summarizing research on current topics and attending funder briefings and other information sessions;
• Assisting with docket preparation, including arranging site visits, gathering all necessary documents, and drafting internal memos for grant recommendations and declines;
• Monitoring grantee progress, including reviewing and summarizing grantee reports, liaising with grantees, and attending grantee events and programs; and
• Supporting activities specific to the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund, including writing grant proposals and reports to donor foundations, providing periodic updates to the Fund’s Advisory Committee, working with technical assistance consultants, writing blog posts, and organizing meetings with arts advocates, funders, and City officials.

Qualifications

Candidates should have clear and accurate writing skills, strong proofreading and research skills, good attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and knowledge of New York City and the ability to get around the five boroughs. Candidates with experience and/or familiarity with arts, community development, and/or environmental nonprofits in the City are strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of work experience required.

Compensation is competitive with a generous benefits package. The New York Community Trust is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should email their resume, cover letter, and two brief writing samples (500-1500 words a piece). Please write in the subject line [Full Name] – PA Thriving Communities. Applications should be received at The Trust by 5:00 pm on May 2, 2016. Email application to Joan Reedy, at jmr@nyct-cfi.org. No phone calls regarding the positions will be accepted.