Mayor Adams Reveals New York City’s Inaugural Nonprofit Advisory Council

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the city’s first-ever Nonprofit Advisory Council.

Comprised of leaders and experts in the nonprofit sector, the advisory council will work with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services to serve as a link between the Adams administration and the nonprofit organizations serving New Yorkers.

“When we came into office two years ago, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make this city more livable for everyday New Yorkers, and our nonprofits have a vital role in making all that happen,” said Mayor Adams. “We are fulfilling our mission and supporting nonprofits by investing $741 million in fairer wages for 80,000 human services employees working with the city, unlocking billions of dollars for nonprofits as we clear the contract backlog, and announcing the first-ever Nonprofit Advisory Council that will serve as a link between city government and nonprofit organizations. By convening this advisory council, we are making it easier to partner with nonprofits on everything from housing to health care to education. Nonprofit workers are our frontline workers, and we are going to make sure they have all the resources needed to thrive in our city.”

“The Adams administration is committed to strengthening the city government’s partnership with the nonprofit sector, which is central to providing services to millions of New Yorkers every day,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar. “The Nonprofit Advisory Council will help inform and guide our policymaking and programming to support the sector. The advisory council’s diverse membership reflects the vibrancy of nonprofits across all five boroughs, which will support our collective goal of creating a more resilient and equitable city for all.”

“Every day, in every borough, New Yorkers are interacting with nonprofit organizations, whether you are an older adult at a community center socializing with friends, a person with a disability receiving vocational training to help secure employment, or a family receiving navigation support to access various benefit programs,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Nonprofits play a vital role in our network of support for individuals, children, and families and they must have a seat at the table. The Nonprofit Advisory Council is an important mechanism to ensure regular and open dialogue between government and the sector, and ultimately drive towards our shared goal — to support every individual, child, and family to thrive.”

“The nonprofit sector is the heartbeat of the city, representing every New Yorker, regardless of their race, culture, or economic status,” said Chief Procurement Officer and New York City Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) Director Lisa Flores. “Through initiatives like clearing the backlog and the recent announcement of a cost-of-living-adjustment, this administration has shown that we’ve got the sector’s back. We are very excited to keep the momentum going with the Nonprofit Advisory Council, a dedicated forum for the sector to share feedback and ideas on how we can better support them, and our office looks forward to partnering with the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services as we turn those ideas into lasting change.”

“The establishment of the first-ever Nonprofit Advisory Council to the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services marks a significant milestone in fostering collaboration and innovation and supports the city’s vital nonprofit sector,” said Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services Interim Executive Director Diane Mamet.

The advisory council will convene regularly to discuss emerging challenges and opportunities facing the nonprofit sector, develop innovative strategies for capacity-building and sustainability, and advocate for policies to help nonprofits thrive. In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services, the advisory council will provide insights, guidance, and recommendations connected to policies, legislative agendas, and responses to programmatic issues within city government that impact nonprofit organizations.

The inaugural members of the advisory council represent a broad spectrum of nonprofit organizations, including those focused on social services, education, arts and culture, and advocacy. Their diverse backgrounds and perspectives will ensure that the advisory council effectively addresses the needs of the nonprofit sector. The Nonprofit Advisory Council will be co-chaired by Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services Interim Executive Director Diane Mamet, Union Settlement President and Chief Executive Officer Reverend Dr. Darlene Williams, and Urban Pathways Chief Executive Officer Frederick Shack.

The advisory council will include the following nonprofits:

• Yaw Appiadu, executive director, Harlem Independent Living Center, Inc.
• Tatianna M. Arguello, executive director, Nonprofit Staten Island
• Courtney Bryan, executive director, Center for Justice Innovation
• Catherine Calvo, community engagement officer, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
• Lisa David, president and chief executive officer, Public Health Solutions
• Beatriz Diaz Taveras, executive director, Catholic Charities Community Services
• Bibi Esahack, executive director, Bay Ridge Community Development Center, Inc.
• Janelle Farris, president and chief executive officer, Brooklyn Community Services
• Tara Gardner, executive director, Day Care Council of New York
• Wayne Ho, president and chief executive officer, Chinese American Planning Council
• Michelle Jackson, executive director, Human Services Council
• Chai Jindasurat-Yasui, vice president, policy, Nonprofit New York
• Wesner Joseph Pierre, chief executive officer, Partnership with Children
• Dr. Damyn Kelly, president and chief executive officer, Lutheran Social Services of New York
• Eichakeem McClay, executive vice president, United Way of New York City
• Jonathan McLean, chief executive officer, Center for Alternative Sentencing & Employment Services
• Annie Minguez, vice president, government and community relations, Good Shepherd Services
• Frankie Miranda, president and chief executive officer, Hispanic Federation, Inc.
• Peter Quinones, chief of government contracts and compliance, New York Edge, Inc.
• Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, president and chief executive officer, Brooklyn Org
• Mohammad Razvi, chief executive officer and co-founder, Council of Peoples Organization
• Arva Rice, president and chief executive officer, New York Urban League
• Ronald E. Richter, chief executive officer, Jewish Child Care Association
• Raysa Rodriguez, chief program and policy director, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies
• Joseph Rosenberg, executive director, Catholic Community Relations Council of New York
• Ronnie Silverman Messerschmidt, chief program development officer, HELP USA
• Marlon Williams, vice president, collaboration and policy, Philanthropy New York
• Rachel Watts, executive director, ArtsConnection

Today’s announcement builds on the Adams administration’s continued efforts to support, make significant investments in, and enact polices to support the nonprofit sector in New York City. Last month, the Adams administration announced a $741 million investment for an estimated 80,000 human services workers employed by non-profit organizations with a city contract as part of a new cost-of-living adjustment. The human services workforce — which is overwhelmingly female at 66 percent and 46 percent women of color — remains on the frontlines of the most pressing issues facing the city as they deliver vital services across housing, food access, health services, and asylum seeker services, among other areas. To date, the Adams administration has invested over $1.4 billion towards wage enhancements for the human services sector.

The Adams administration worked with MOCS on the Clear the Backlog initiative, which has already unlocked over $6 billion in funds that were long overdue, allowing nonprofits to get paid for their vital services. Together with New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, MOCS, and the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services, Mayor Adams announced a new reform for discretionary contracts that will eliminate red tape and make it easier for nonprofits that contract with the city to get paid on time. The innovative reform eliminates a total of nine months of discretionary, contracting process time for nonprofits every year, beginning in the out-years for applicable contracts.

“I am truly honored to serve as an inaugural co-chair for the Nonprofit Advisory Council with the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services,” said Dr. Darlene Williams, president and chief executive officer, Union Settlement. “As leaders dedicated to serving our community, the advisory council provides an invaluable opportunity to foster innovation, address the diverse needs of our city’s residents, and the integral role of nonprofit organizations. It is a privilege to stand alongside such dedicated community partners and organizations, united in our shared mission to enhance the well-being of all New Yorkers.”

“For a decade, the nonprofit sector — which employs over 125,000 people — has advocated for a mayoral office empowered to work alongside us in partnership, enhancing communication and collaboration for the betterment of the communities we serve,” said Fredrick Shack, chief executive officer, Urban Pathways. “We applaud Mayor Adams and his team for establishing the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services and creating this advisory council, comprised of nonprofit leaders from diverse service areas. This mandate to improve services to New Yorkers through our partnership is a significant step forward, and we look forward to the positive impact this collaboration will have on our city.”

“New York City’s incredible nonprofits are essential to building a stronger, more prosperous future for all of our neighbors and communities,” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, president and chief executive officer, Brooklyn Org. “To help nonprofits reach their full potential, we must do more to help connect them with the people, ideas, and resources they need to grow. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve on this council and to help empower our city’s dynamic and creative nonprofits.”

“I am honored to be a part of this advisory council as it is a new avenue to contribute to the dialogue shaping the future of our city’s vital nonprofit sector,” said Eichakeem McClary, executive vice president, United Way of New York City. “As we embark on this historic journey with the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services, we will continue to advocate for outcomes that enable community-based organizations to remove barriers and dismantle inequities for marginalized communities in New York.”

“I would like to thank Mayor Adams for establishing the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services and this advisory council,” said Wayne Ho president and chief engagement officer, Chinese-American Planning Council. “The Asian American community is the city’s fastest growing racial group and has the highest rate of poverty, so nonprofit organizations are critical to ensuring that this community not only survives but also thrives. Building off recent successes, I look forward to our work together to develop policies and practices to fully fund services, ensure a living wage for nonprofit workers, promote budget equity, and streamline the procurement process.”

“The Nonprofit Advisory Council will leverage the specialized expertise and unique insights of nonprofit professionals to support the city in fostering a more equitable environment for all residents of New York City,” said Yaw Appiadu, executive director, Harlem Independent Living Center.

“As chief executive officer of the Council of Peoples Organization, we recognize the invaluable role nonprofits play in fostering diverse communities regardless of difference,” said Mohammad Razvi, chief executive officer, Council of People’s Organization. “We appreciate the establishment of the Nonprofit Advisory Council and the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services as an essential step towards ensuring that the needs and contributions of nonprofit organizations are acknowledged and supported at the highest levels of governance. Council of People’s Organization stands ready to engage with this advisory council, leveraging our expertise and resources to advance the collective well-being of our communities.”

“The advisory council is an example of Mayor Adams’ steadfast support of the nonprofit sector and the close relationship between the executive agencies and nonprofit frontline work,” said Ronald Richter, chief executive officer and executive director, JCCA. “The advisory council will continue to facilitate the partnership between the city, the nonprofit sector, and the diverse communities within New York City.”

“As the chief executive officer of Partnership with Children, a resilient 115-year-old organization advancing mental health for New York’s most under-resourced schoolchildren, I am honored to contribute both our experience and sense of urgency to the growth and vitality of the nonprofit sector in New York City,” said Wesner Pierre, chief engagement officer, Partnership With Children. “We applaud the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services for forming the first-ever Nonprofit Advisory Council as protectors of our city’s equity and promise.”

“Nonprofits help make our city the vibrant, dynamic place we love,” said Chai Jindasurat-Yasui, vice president, policy, Nonprofit New York. “Every New Yorker, in every neighborhood, depends on nonprofits, and nonprofits need to play meaningful roles in problem solving and program development with our government partners. Nonprofit New York looks forward to continuing to work with the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services on the many policy and structural reforms needed to support a robust and thriving nonprofit sector that will benefit all New Yorkers.”

Photo credit: Arva Rice Source.