The Saint Thomas Church Grants Program

Photo courtesy of the Washington Heights Choir School.

Each year, the Vestry of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue provides in its budget for the potential provision of grants by the Church. Grants, if authorized, are awarded to not-for-profit organizations that support the ill, the elderly, those who work with children, and otherwise underserved citizens of New York City and within the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

The grants are intended to have immediate positive impact. Grants are also given to degree-awarding Episcopal divinity schools, to charities furthering the work of ecumenism, and to organizations fostering the life and mission of the Anglican Communion in New York City.

The application period is now closed. It will resume on September 1. Thank you.

Thank you for your interest in the Saint Thomas Church Grants Program. Please see our grant application guidelines and a list of 2022 recipients below.

Grant Application Guidelines

  • The request is local to New York City or to the New York Diocese.
  • The request falls within the region of $5,000. (Although we will consider requests for larger grants.)
  • Arts and music programs are encouraged to apply, especially where they assist underserved communities or populations.
  • Grants are made only to tax-exempt organizations and institutions.
  • Support is not provided for scholarships, endowment funds or for general operating expenses.
  • Grants are not awarded in support of political organizations or programs.
  • Grants are not awarded to individuals.
  • Multiple-year grants are not usually considered, but an organization may be funded on an annual basis on its merits for up to three to five years.

Grants are awarded on a yearly basis and are awarded by June of that year.

The annual report for Saint Thomas lists the organizations that have received grants that year, the amount, and the purpose for the grant.

Future grants are contingent upon a review of the use of funds for prior year grants.

2023 Grant Recipients

Photos courtesy of the Doula Program

Anglican Center in Rome
Ecumenism and hospitality

Anglican Centre at Santiago de Compostela Project
To provide pilgrims on the Camino de Compostela safe and welcoming accommodations and a religious haven.

 Berkeley at Yale Divinity School
Theological education

Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST)
To fund NYC Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training for hotel employees.

Church of the Good Shepherd
Little Lambs Closet, to provide urgently needed clothes, diapers, and other articles to refugee families arriving in NYC.

The Doula Program to Accompany and Comfort, Inc.
To serve vulnerable New Yorkers with serious illness who are at end-stage of life by matching them with trained volunteers to visit and/or accompany them.

Grannies Respond/Abuelas Responden, Inc.
To obtain winter clothing and supplies for asylum-seekers.

The Harmony Program, Inc.
To help launch borough-based Harmony Program Youth Orchestra System to provide beginner musicians with orchestral experience that will be geographically and financially accessible, foster emotional-social growth, and strengthen love of music-making.

Health Advocates for Older People, Inc.
To help support the Healthy Aging Program, which aims to improve seniors’ physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.

Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
To provide food for hungry adults.

 Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service
To support the Parenting and Childhood Development Program (PCD), which focuses on helping ensure that children from families with limited resources receive a strong beginning in formal education, by identifying developmental delays.

Rural & Migrant Ministry, Inc.
To help support youth programs (1-week summer camp and two 2-week summer day camp program

Saint Thomas Church Soup Kitchen
To provide meals to homeless people in NYC through some of the funds which have been satisfied for this purpose.

Washington Heights Choir School
To provide individualized vocal instruction to students attending the school.

WHIN Music Community Charter School
To offset the cost of purchasing new high-quality instruments for rising first grade classes from WHIN’s partners at New York Quality Strings. This support would help to provide access to quality instruments and music education to more youth of Washington Heights and Inwood.