About

The Fund for the City of New York was established in 1968 with the mandate to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers. For over five decades, and in partnership with government agencies, nonprofit institutions and foundations, the Fund has developed and facilitated innovations in policy, programs, and practices that advances and strengthens the functioning of and recognizes the excellence in government and nonprofit organizations in New York City and beyond.

The Fund began working with mainframe computers to create Sanitation Scorecard, the first systematic methodology that used direct observation to measure government services in the United States. Sanitation Scorecard remains a vital tool for New York City government and is currently managed by the Mayor’s Office of Operations.

In 1973, the Fund for the City of New York launched the Public Service Award program to recognize and bring to the public’s attention exceptional city employees. New York City government employs more than 300,000 people who work in almost 70 different departments, agencies, authorities, commissions, boards and offices. Winners come from all ranks, levels and agencies.

Since its inception in 1976, our Cash Flow Loan Program has made over 17,000 loans totaling over $1.45 billion. In the last 10 years, loans were made to over 300 nonprofits per year. Our loan default rate is less than 0.4%.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation begins supporting the Public Service Awards.  The Sloan Foundation will go on to support the Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics.

Mary McCormick came to the Fund in 1981 with the ambition to create programs to improve city government. After becoming President, she oversaw the creation of various projects such as the Center for Internet Innovation, the Center on Municipal Government Performance, and many more. She remained President of the Fund until 2020.

Too often, promising ideas fail to take root because the task of setting up administrative systems is time–consuming and difficult. The Fund created the Partner Project Program in the 1990’s to help nonprofits concentrate their energy and resources on program and fundraising.  The program provides financial management services, human resources functions, insurance coverage, and access to a team of operational experts.

Among the emerging partner projects (then called incubator projects) emerged the Youth Development Institute. YDI sought to create school-based community centers for children, youth, and their families where they could receive programming, professional development, and training.

The Returnable Grant Fund (RGF) was created in 1992 in a collaboration among the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Management and Budget and the Fund for the City of New York so that a nonprofit could receive an advance on its contract prior to contract registration.

PASE was started at the Fund in 1993. The goal was to support youth-serving professionals in NYC so that they could provide high-quality afterschool programming to young people and meet the needs of their communities.

Fast Company Magazine recognized Fund President Mary McCormick and named the Fund as one of the 16 “fastest” technology companies in the U.S. The article, which highlights Mary McCormick’s social entrepreneurship and rise to Fund Presidency, focuses on multiple programs and projects the Fund was working on in the year 00’s–many of which, such as the Partner Project Program–are still running strong today.

National Center for Civic Innovation and the International Institute for Community Solutions is created expanding the Fund for the City of New York’s reach beyond just New York City.

The Fund for the City of New York Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science in New York City Public High Schools recognizes superb and innovative mathematics and science teachers who achieve exceptional results and inspire their students to pursue STEM majors in college and careers in STEM professions. The winners and their schools represent the diversity and complexity of the New York City school systems. They come from all 5 boroughs, represent the 8 different categories for high school admissions, ranging from those with a competitive test, to those whose students are chosen randomly by a computer, and come from schools of fewer than 400 students to schools with more than 3,000 students.

After a 30-year presidency, Mary McCormick stepped down and passed the baton to public sector leader, Lisette Nieves.

During the 55th Anniversary Reception held at Gracie Mansion for the Fund for the City of New York, NYC Mayor Eric Adams presented a proclamation declaring Tuesday, July 18th, 2023 as the Fund for the City of New York Day in the City of New York.