Civic Helpers Revives $475,000 of Funding to New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network
For three years, funding appropriated by New York State to LGBT community nonprofits went undelivered. Then Civic Helpers got to work.
If a state appropriates $475,000 to support the health needs of its LBGT community but doesn’t pay the money out for years, has it really funded that endeavor? That’s the question Civic Helpers sought to address when we were approached earlier this year about the lack of payouts reaching the members of the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network. The Network is a coalition of 62 non-profits serving all regions of New York State. New York State’s adopted budget for fiscal year 2022-2023, which began April 1, 2022, included $475,000 to support these community centers and organizations. And yet, in 2025, the money had not been distributed.
Civic Helpers was alerted to this situation by its fellow White Plains-based non-profit, The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center, which serves all of Westchester County. Led by Civic Helper’s Executive Director, David Buchwald, the organization got to work contacting members of the Network and officials at the New York State Department of Health, which administers the grants. As with many Civic Helpers projects, the effort focused on one aspect of the problem -- tracking down the missing grant award to The LOFT -- to shed light on the broader issue -- the entire set of delayed funds to the statewide Network members.
This past week, the funds began to flow, with award letters going out across the State.
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman’s office was very helpful in pushing appropriate authorities in Albany. When the New York State Department of Health recently began issuing award letters to the nonprofit grant recipients, they included 2023 correspondence from the State Senate to DOH that said “Please... expedite the application and contract process with the organization indicated as soon as possible.” Two years later, the award letters were sent.
— Danté Reda, CEO, The LOFT, White Plains, NYCivic Helpers rescuing $475,000 of state funding for health services is a lifeline for LGBT+ organizations around New York. We can't thank them enough
Civic Helpers is one of New York State’s and Westchester County’s newest 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organizations. This is only the latest example of Civic Helpers unearthing seemingly dormant state grants, but the $475,000 is by far the largest dollar amount obtained to date through our efforts. Tremendous thanks to The LOFT for inviting us to help them, and through them to help others.
Civic Helpers does this work for no charge to the non-profit grant recipients it assists. If you’d like to support Civic Helpers in efforts like this, please consider making a donation now.