Brooklyn Org

At our 2025 Brooklyn Org Spark Breakfast yesterday, over 400 dedicated New Yorkers came out to the Barclays Center to support racial justice and lasting change — sparking hope at a time when our communities need it most. We hope you left excited and energized to do even more good for Brooklyn, and as we enter the 9th year of the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize (applications are now open!), your support matters more than ever before. “The 2025 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize winning nonprofits embody the greatness of Brooklyn in every way,” said Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D., President and CEO of Brooklyn Org. “At a time when nonprofits have been rocked by federal funding freezes, rescinded government grants, and an onslaught of executive orders and legislation threatening our capacity to provide essential services to children, families, and older adults, these five nonprofits represent the values that unite us as Brooklynites – diversity, inclusivity, equity, justice, belonging, compassion. Brooklyn Org is proud to honor these organizations as a sign of our unwavering commitment to supporting our Brooklyn community and the nonprofits that are the backbones of our neighborhoods.” We celebrated the five winners of the $100,000 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize, organizations defined by an ingenuity that is distinctly, unapologetically Brooklyn: Brooklyn Book Bodega, Brownsville Community Culinary Center, CHiPS (Community Help in Park Slope, Inc.), Good Call NYC, and TechFIN. It was a morning filled with love, tears, and joy, and the stories shared by our partners underscore the urgency of our collective work and the critical importance of our borough’s nonprofit community. We hope you will receive their remarks as a call to action to deepen your commitment to Brooklyn. ?? Please consider an additional gift to support this vital grantmaking program; your gift enables us to invest $600,000 each year to ignite the work of our winners and finalists: https://lnkd.in/ey9Eqfwa Thank you to our generous sponsors for leading the way to our goal, including Debevoise & Plimpton, Stardust and Lawanna Kimbro, Esq., Peter Furci and Suzanne Elio, Michael Gillespie and Lauren Glant, Hilary and Edwin Jager, the Scout Fund, Diane and Joseph Steinberg, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. ??See more event highlights on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ehEjAXNi

I couldn’t wrap up the week without sharing what an incredible experience I had at Brooklyn Org event featuring Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D. and Dr. Angela Jackson, discussing Dr. Jackson’s new book, The Win-Win Workplace! Their deep expertise and passion for driving impact—both in the workplace and the broader community—were truly inspiring. The conversation around economic mobility as a driver of justice was especially powerful. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Win-Win Workplace—and if you’re a proud Brooklynite like me, be sure to check out Brooklyn.org’s upcoming events and insights! Sareeta Nethersole, Bret Leonard

Join the Social Justice Fund founded by Clara Wu Tsai and Brooklyn Org on Monday, April 7th for “Navigating the Changing Legal and Funding Landscape: Tools and Guidance for Brooklyn Nonprofits.” This free event, held in-person at the Barclays Center, will provide legal, communications, and fundraising expertise for Brooklyn nonprofits, featuring presentations from Debevoise & Plimpton, DKC and Hudson Ferris. A light breakfast will be offered. ?RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eBsh9GH5 Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D. Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation Gregg Bishop

Join the ranks of local nonprofits leading change across Brooklyn like this year's winners Brooklyn Book Bodega, Brownsville Community Culinary Center, CHiPS (Community Help in Park Slope, Inc.), Good Call NYC, and Technology for Families In Need. Our Brooklyn Org Spark Prize awards $100,000 in general operating support to organizations with deep roots and bold visions for the future of our borough. Applications close May 9 — learn more and register for the April 7 application clinic: https://lnkd.in/eXE8z5Q9

Last week, Brooklyn Org hosted another event in our series of Regional Nonprofit Convenings, this time for South Brooklyn! We were thrilled to have familiar and new faces join us at the iconic New York Aquarium in Coney Island. As part of our ongoing commitment to build the power of organizations that serve our borough, the convening was open to both our grantee partners and any Brooklyn-based and serving nonprofit in the region to network, share resources, and grow connections. ?Sign up for our upcoming programming for nonprofits: https://lnkd.in/eJ2SQJkb

What does it really take to build a workplace where people can thrive? Our CEO Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D. joined Dr. Angela Jackson, author of "The Win-Win Workplace," to share how investing in employees—through fair wages, transportation benefits, and real opportunities for growth—leads to stronger organizations and communities. Continue reading: https://lnkd.in/eYtvseEQ

Join Brooklyn Org for our next Nonprofit Leader Salon on Tuesday, April 1! We provide these events as opportunities for nonprofit leaders to share insights, exchange ideas, and build meaningful connections with peers; for this edition we're encouraging local Executive Directors to join us at our office in Downtown Brooklyn. Breakfast will be provided. ?RSVP today: https://lnkd.in/ef6qzAY9

Brooklyn Org believes that anyone and everyone can practice generosity — and we provide multiple pathways for you to help ignite change for our communities, from memberships to volunteering to Donor Advised Funds and more. This week, our President & CEO Jocelynne Rainey, Ed.D. joined a conversation hosted by the Founder of ImpactPro Tech Tina Duong, Director of 21/64 Andine Sutarjadi, and Philanthropy Advisor Rose Lavandero to discuss: - Opportunities for greatest social impact - Obstacles to giving - Who can support individual donors on their philanthropy path ??Watch the conversation to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eYpSzaxB

To celebrate Women’s History Month, Brooklyn Org is spotlighting our nonprofit partners shaping a stronger, more just future for women and girls in our borough. STEM From Dance is doing just that—equipping girls of color with the tools to thrive in STEM through the power of technology and dance. Learn more about our other partners on the list — Women's Empowerment Coalition of NYC, Girls for Gender Equity (GGE), Muslim Community Network, PureLegacee Inc, Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, and EXPECTING RELIEF — and how they are building safety and opportunities for women and girls: https://lnkd.in/ePx9y-Hj

Last summer, Brooklyn Org, City Point, and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership partnered?with Brooklyn Bridge Parents, a trusted resource for parents navigating life in the borough, on our first-ever "Show Brooklyn Some Love Fest" last summer?— and we are excited to team up with them again for this year's fest on May 10! RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/ejRZK_5m We spoke with Katharina Goetz, Founder of Brooklyn Bridge Parents, about her partnership with Brooklyn Org, her passion for creating inclusive family events, and what makes Brooklyn such a special place to raise kids: "Brooklyn Org's support for so many kid-centric nonprofits make them the perfect partner for our community events for families in Brooklyn." ??Continue Reading: https://lnkd.in/eV7jB74w