PARTNERING FOR NYC YOUTH

Children with college savings of
$1-$499 are 3X more
likely to attend college and
4X more likely to graduate

At-risk students who have access
to the arts in or out of school
have better academic results,
better workforce opportunities,
and more civic engagement

Participating in school sports increases graduation and college attendance and decreases engagement in risky behaviors

The Gray Foundation is committed to improving the lives of children in New York City’s underserved communities. We partner with leading youth-serving nonprofits to provide children access to better education, healthcare and enrichment in athletics and the arts.

FEATURED PARTNERS

NYC KIDS RISE

In 2016, the Gray Foundation announced a $10 million commitment to establish NYC Kids RISE. NYC Kids RISE works to expand economic opportunity and equity by providing families, schools and communities with a way to work together to save for their children’s education. The organization’s Save for College program provides scholarship accounts for every eligible student entering kindergarten, empowers families with the tools and information to develop their own college savings plans, and partners with the NYC Department of Education to provide financial literacy training in the classroom.

GRAY NYC SCHOLARS

The Gray Foundation has teamed up with United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to support a cohort of future leaders from New York City as they pursue their path to success. In 2020, the Foundation established Gray NYC Scholars to provide last dollar scholarships and meaningful career connections, to talented NYC students who attend Duke, Morehouse, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale. This year, we are excited to expand the program in partnership with UNCF and the 28 college access organizations we support in NYC. Eleven new scholars, nominated by college access grantees and selected by UNCF based on their applications, make up the first cohort of UNCF Gray NYC Scholars. They will attend the historically Black college or university (HBCU) of their choice. While the selection and scholarship administration processes differ, UNCF Gray NYC Scholars will have access to the same resources–scholarships that allow them to graduate debt-free, enrichment funds for educational and career opportunities in the summer, and access to the Gray Foundation’s vast network–as our existing Scholars. Further, the additional student support services that UNCF offers–a designated college success coach, online academic support, and an HCBU alumni mentor network–will be available to all current Scholars as well.