The Altman Foundation’s mission is to enrich the quality of life in New York City by supporting programs and institutions that promote opportunity and equity for individuals, families, and communities.

Focus areas:

Cultural Engagement, Youth Development, and the Arts

• Strengthen the arts infrastructure in the city and build capacity at critical junctures for organizations providing high-quality arts and cultural programming.
  

-Here, a particular focus will be: 

• Neighborhood-based arts and cultural organizations that serve as anchors for arts, culture, community-building, and youth development; and

• Efforts that help multiple institutions or segments of the arts sector improve their capacity to meet new operating demands.
  

Health

• Expand and strengthen quality out-of-hospital health care for the most underserved and vulnerable populations.

• Expand access to health care for underserved, uninsured, or vulnerable populations or communities.
  
  Here, a particular focus will be:

• Tackling social determinants of health and barriers to health and healthcare that -- at a structural, community, or individual level -- contribute to inequity and result in health disparities;

• Strengthening and expanding access to home- and community-based coordinated physical, mental, and social care for vulnerable low-income New Yorkers;

• The need to invest in and embrace the role of trusted and culturally/linguistically competent messengers/service providers in advancing public health priorities.
  

Strengthening Communities

• Build and preserve economic security and independence among low-income individuals and families.

Here, a particular focus will be:

• Resources and services that help low-income young adults 18-24 to become employed or re-employed in jobs that support economic independence.

Grants

Education

Provide disadvantaged children and youth with more high-quality learning time through early childhood education and afterschool, summer, and expanded learning programs.

Results Sought:

1. Significantly improve the social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children

2. Measurably improve the academic performance of disadvantaged students

3. Significantly improve students’ ability to learn, work, and thrive in a digital society

4. Demonstrably improve the effectiveness of leadership, faculty, and staff

Health

Expand access to health care for underserved, uninsured, or vulnerable populations or communities.

Results Sought:

1. Increase in number of New Yorkers with adequate health insurance, particularly public and/or publicly subsidized health insurance

2. Decrease in system- or community-wide barriers to health care or particular health services due to, e.g., immigration status, economic means, or provider capacity

3. System- or community-wide increase in number of New Yorkers able to seek, navigate, and manage their health care and health insurance, either alone or with the help of a caregiver

Strengthening Communities

Build and preserve economic security and independence among low-income individuals and families.

Results Sought:

1. Increase the number of low-income New Yorkers who are placed in and retain jobs that support economic independence

2. Increase the number of low-income New Yorkers enrolled in public benefits that complement work

3. Enable vulnerable populations (e.g., the elderly) to remain in their own homes and communities, with a focus on systemic efforts to address barriers to independence

Cultural Engagement

Promote access to arts and culture for all New Yorkers, with a special focus on people from underserved communities.

Results Sought:

1. Increase sustained engagement and participation of underserved populations in high-quality programming at established arts and cultural organizations

2. Strengthen the arts infrastructure in the city and build capacity at critical junctures for organizations providing high-quality arts and cultural programming

Services to Not-for-Profits

The Foundation provides support to achieve the following:

Results Sought:

1. Significantly enhance the ability of key umbrella organizations to help their member or constituent agencies address critical community issues in the Foundation's areas of interest

2. Measurably improve organizational effectiveness or program quality of community-based or other organizations working in the Foundation's areas of interest

If we have suggested that you follow your Letter of Inquiry with a full proposal, or if you are a current grantee applying for renewed funding, please log in to the grant portal, where you will find the related application form in the “Proposals in Progress” section. Please fill out the application and submit it with the required documents. 

In the application form, please select from the three types of investments most relevant to your request:

• Investments in Direct Service
  In this area we support programs and projects that create human gain for people in our areas of focus. Historically, most of the grants in our portfolio have fallen into this category.

• Investments in Capacity Building*
  At times we believe that making an investment in an organization so that it can achieve and sustain stronger gains for those served is the best investment we can make.

• Investments in Systems Change
  At times, we believe that the most pressing need is to make an improvement in the larger context of factors and forces that affect programs and organizations. The Foundation will consider requests for strategic policy, advocacy, and applied research initiatives that advance the Foundation's grantmaking priorities.
  

Foundation staff review letters of inquiry on a rolling basis.