Every day, nonprofits run the programs that keep New Yorkers housed, fed, and cared for
They find housing for families, cook meals, run after-school classes, provide healthcare, present cultural experiences, create access to legal help, and so much more. The people you and your family already rely on might just work for nonprofits. These services are as vital as buses, trains, and streetlights. If they stopped, neighborhoods across the five boroughs would feel it right away.
Nonprofits are not extra or optional. They are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods and #TheHeartofNewYork.
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New Yorkers Pay The Price
Nonprofits touch so many aspects of our lives, but unstable funding leaves all of us vulnerable. When nonprofits struggle, essential programs vanish and the burden falls hardest on low-income communities, immigrants, and people of color. New Yorkers deserve a strong nonprofit sector.
Nonprofits Keep NYC Running
13,000 nonprofits keep the city working. Every year, nonprofits generate $78 billion for the local economy and employ nearly one in five New Yorkers. City government relies on the nonprofit sector to implement services and cultural experiences that make New York City a home for all.
Nonprofits Keep NYC Running
Every day, 13,000 nonprofits keep the city working. They house families, feed neighbors, provide health care, teach after school, create jobs, and sustain culture. Together they generate $78 billion for the local economy and employ nearly one in five New Yorkers.
Nonprofits Aren’t Paid What They’re Due
In April 2025, the city still owed nonprofits $4.9 billion. Over 90% of contracts were late, and first payments came about six and a half months after programs began. They might not take a profit, but nonprofits still have to pay their rent, pay their bills, and pay their employees. It's only fair they're paid on time for the services they provide. To keep going, many nonprofits borrowed money, spent savings, or ended the year in debt. Nonprofits should be paid what they’re owed.
Nonprofits Aren’t Paid What They’re Due
In April 2025, the city still owed nonprofits $4.9 billion. Over 90% of contracts were late, and first payments came about six and a half months after programs began. They might not take a profit, but nonprofits still have to pay their rent, pay their bills, and pay their employees. It's only fair they're paid on time for the services they provide. To keep going, many nonprofits borrowed money, spent savings, or ended the year in debt. Nonprofits should be paid what they’re owed.
Nonprofits Keep NYC Running
13,000 nonprofits keep the city working. Every year, nonprofits generate $78 billion for the local economy and employ nearly one in five New Yorkers. City government relies on the nonprofit sector to implement services and cultural experiences that make New York City a home for all.
New Yorkers Pay The Price
Nonprofits touch so many aspects of our lives, but unstable funding leaves all of us vulnerable. When nonprofits struggle, essential programs vanish and the burden falls hardest on low-income communities, immigrants, and people of color. New Yorkers deserve a strong nonprofit sector.
Nonprofits Are Core City Infrastructure
13,000 nonprofits keep the city working. Every year, nonprofits generate $78 billion for the local economy and employ nearly one in five New Yorkers. City government relies on the nonprofit sector to implement services and cultural experiences that make New York City a home for all.
The City Works Because Nonprofits Do.
Every day, nonprofits run the programs that keep New Yorkers safe and cared for. They cook meals, run after-school classes, find housing for families, provide health care and counseling, and give legal help to people who need it.
Most of us walk past these services without noticing, but they are as vital as buses, trains, or streetlights. If they stopped, neighborhoods across the five boroughs would feel it right away.
Nonprofits are not extra or optional. They are part of the city’s core infrastructure. They are the people-powered system that makes daily life possible.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
#TheHeartofNY is a public education campaign affirming nonprofits as part of New York’s core infrastructure.
For too long, nonprofits have been treated as temporary fixes. But they help run the essential systems that make city life possible.
By lifting up the stories of nonprofit workers who do this work every day, #TheHeartofNY reminds New Yorkers just how vital nonprofits are to daily life. Their efforts are as essential as subways, schools, and sanitation, yet they remain largely unseen.
By making their labor visible and valued, #TheHeartofNY campaign invites every New Yorker to recognize nonprofits not as “nice-to-have,” but as the backbone of a fair, functioning city. We invite you to learn, to share, and to act!
Learn More
Read more about the state of nonprofits in NYC and the campaigns that fight for them.
Human services workers make 30% less than what government employees make for the same role.
The #JustPay Campaign is fighting to end government-sanctioned poverty wages for human services workers. They fight for government funding and systemic policy change to ensure human services workers get paid what they deserve.
1 in 9 New Yorkers work in the human services sector, which is overwhelmingly made up of women and people of color.
Bring Up Minimum Pay (BUMP) is an anti-poverty campaign with a mission to ensure that nonprofit human services workers in New York are paid the true cost of living for the crucial work they do.
Share the Campaign
Help more New Yorkers see how much our city depends on nonprofits.
Get Involved
Find Your Reps
Do you know which elected officials represent you and make funding decisions that shape your neighborhood?
Donate or Volunteer
Individual donations represent the largest source of charitable giving every year. When you give time or money, you help nonprofits bridge funding gaps and build resilience. Protect the services your community counts on with your time and talents!