Philanthropy Fellowship; One- Fellowship

Hiring Organization:

The New York Community Trust

Description:

POSITION: Philanthropy Fellowship (One-Year Fellowship) – 5 Positions Available

As New York's largest community foundation, The New York Community Trust (The Trust) fosters and engages in enduring and innovative philanthropy, making grants that bring together the local knowledge and expertise of its team, nonprofits, and partners to help donors fulfill their vision for the causes they love. From education and the arts to health care and the environment, The Trust seeks to improve every aspect of the cultural and civic life of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.

The Trust is a regional philanthropic leader. In addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds (DAFs) that make grants throughout the United States as well as funder collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers. In 2025 it made close to 11,000 grants totaling close to $230 million and has made more than $2 billion in grants in the past decade.

Having celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2024, The Trust has long been a leader in the field, with innovations ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including some of the first to fight AIDS, build The High Line, support immigrant communities in the region, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Trust seeks three Program Fellows to work with The Trust’s New York City grantmaking staff (program directors) on The Trust’s competitive grants program that supports efforts to advance healthy lives, promising futures, and thriving communities. Specifically, Trust grantmaking covers the following areas:
Accessibility;
Animal Welfare;
Arts, Culture, & Historic Preservation;
Civic Affairs;
Community Development;
Environment;
Gender Equity;
Health, Behavioral Health, and Biomedical Research;
Human Justice;
Human Services;
Jobs and Workforce Development;
Older Adults;
Social Work Practice;
Technical Assistance; and Youth Development.

Each Program Fellow will be assigned, based on their topics of study, experience, and interest, to work with grantmaking staff responsible for several of these areas. The Fellows will review and summarize grantee reports, attend site visits, collaborate in writing grant recommendations, and assist with other grantmaking activities. The Fellows will work directly with teams of three to four program staff, and indirectly with donor and communications/marketing staff.

The Marketing and Communications Fellow is a dynamic role that allows the candidate to gain a deep understanding of nonprofit communications and marketing in a collaborative and fast-paced environment. The Fellow will be involved with social media production, press and media outreach, developing and executing communications strategy, event publicity, research on communications products and software, user experience optimization, and accessibility.

The Marketing and Communications Fellow will help share and publicize The Trust’s work. Through a range of assignments, the Fellow will learn about promising work being done by leading nonprofits across a wide range of issues facing New York City and beyond. They will work directly with a five-person team, and indirectly with our donor and grantmaking staff.

This Fellowship is named for the third President of The Trust and endowed through contributions from Trust donors, board, staff, and other foundations. This Fellow will be housed in the General Counsel’s office but will work with other Trust departments. The Fellow will focus on significant issues affecting community foundations and the philanthropic sector (e.g., proposed changes in donor-advised fund rules, trends in philanthropy, assisting with collaborative funds, etc.).

The Fellow will support Trust staff in specific administrative, programmatic, donor, and legal projects and work closely with other Fellows.