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Philanthropic Partners

Creatives Rebuild New York represents a $125 million funding commitment, anchored by $115 million from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and $5 million each from the Ford Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). 

CRNY was also a fiscally sponsored project of Tides Center. As a champion for progress and innovation, Tides provided CRNY with the organizational and operational support to help CRNY reach its mission. For details on Tides’ charitable status and fundraising disclosures, visit www.tides.org/state-nonprofit-disclosures/.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.

The Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation is a globally recognized philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing social justice, equity, and human dignity. Founded in 1936, the foundation provides grants and supports initiatives across a wide range of issues, including economic opportunity, human rights, creativity and free expression, and democratic values. With a deep commitment to addressing inequality, the Ford Foundation partners with organizations and leaders worldwide to drive meaningful, lasting change.

Stavros Niarchos Foundation

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a global philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting projects that promote education, arts and culture, health, and social welfare. Established in 1996, SNF provides grants to organizations worldwide, with a focus on creating lasting, positive impact through collaboration and innovation. Committed to public benefit, the foundation funds initiatives that strengthen communities, expand access to resources, and foster cultural and educational opportunities.

The Tides Center

The Tides Center is a nonprofit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship and operational support to social change initiatives. As part of the larger Tides Network, it helps mission-driven projects grow by offering financial management, legal compliance, and strategic guidance. With a focus on equity, justice, and sustainability, the Tides Center supports a wide range of initiatives in areas such as human rights, environmental justice, and economic empowerment, enabling leaders to focus on impact while navigating the complexities of nonprofit administration.

Leadership Council

The Leadership Council served as the caretaker of the CRNY mission and provided financial, programmatic, and administrative oversight.

Alejandra Duque Cifuentes
Cultural Strategist, Principal, ADC Consulting LLC
David Erickson
Senior Vice President and Head of Outreach and Education, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Rahwa Ghirmatzion
Senior Fellow at the Just Solutions Collective
Emil Kang
Leadership Council Chair and Former Program Director, Arts and Culture, Mellon Foundation
Margaret Morton
Senior Advisor, Mellon Foundation and Former Director, Creativity and Free Expression. Ford Foundation
Arturo O’Farrill
Founder and Artistic Director, Afro Latin Jazz Alliance
Kaneza Schaal
Independent Artist
Carrie Mae Weems
Independent Artist
Constantina Zavitsanos
Independent Artist

Think Tank

The Think Tank served as the co-designers of CRNY’s programs, guiding the work by providing technical expertise, strategy, and advocacy. The Think Tank, which convened in bi-monthly gatherings from September to December 2021, included a diverse coalition of New York State artists, scholars, strategists, and organizers whose wide-ranging identities and lived experiences represented the communities that CRNY’s programs aim to reach. The Think Tank co-created both the Guaranteed Income for Artists and Artist Employment programs through collaborative decision-making processes. These processes were documented and archived for others interested in co-design. Special thanks to the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives for co-designing and facilitating these Think Tank meetings. 

Ali Rosa-Salas
Artistic Director, Abrons Arts Center
Alma M. Carillo Lopez
Executive Director, Buffalo Arts Studio
Almaz Zelleke
PhD Professor of Practice in Political Science, NYU Shanghai
Caroline Woolard
Independent Artist, Co-Founder of Art.coop, and Assistant Professor, Pratt Institute
Chris Myers
Actor, Writer, Producer, and Educator
Constantina Zavitsanos
Independent Artist
Ed Murphy
Advocate, Organizer, Vietnam Veteran, and Workforce Development Leader
Jared Owens
Multidisciplinary Artist
Jean Cook
Music Workers Alliance
Jeanette Jemison
Program Director, Friends of Ganondagan, and Member of the Snipe Clan of the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation
Jeremy Dennis
Contemporary Fine Art Photographer
Keiko Sono
Independent Artist and Founder of Forge Collective
Lee Heinemann
Artist Relief & Initiatives Manager, United States Artists
Marco Carrión
Executive Director, El Puente
Marie E. Saint-Cyr
Visual Artist, Muralist, and Owner of Saint-Cyr Art Studio
Melanie Greene
Dance Artist, Writer, and Organizer
Naomi Zewde
PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Economics at the CUNY School of Public Health
Prerana Reddy
Independent Cultural Producer
Ricky Flores
Photojournalist
Ryan J. Haddad
Actor, Playwright, and Autobiographical Performer
Sean McLeod
President & CEO New York Institute of Dance & Education
Seyi Adebanjo
Director, Filmmaker, Cultural Worker, Educator, and Thought Leader
Sol Aramendi
Socially Engaged Artist
Dr. Stephen Nuñez
Lead Researcher on Guaranteed Income, Jain Family Institute
Sylvia Diaz Arts
Education Coordinator, Arts Mid-Hudson
Ted Berger
Board Member Emeritus, Joan Mitchell Foundation and Executive Director Emeritus, New York Foundation for the Arts
Tom Finkelpearl
Curator, Museum Director, and former Commissioner of Cultural Affairs of NYC
Yanira Castro
Interdisciplinary Artist
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