New York, NY (June 25, 2026) – The West Side Community Fund (WSCF), a consortium of leading businesses supporting neighborhood initiatives on Manhattan’s West Side, today announced the allocation of $250,000 to 19 organizations through a special Spring 2026 grant cycle supporting programs serving LGBTQIA+ community members and allies. This follows the Fall 2025 distribution of $100,000 to 20 organizations. Administered by Hudson Guild, the grant cycle was made possible through the support of a select group of WSCF donors who stepped forward to invest in one of Community Board 4’s most historically significant populations. 

The Spring 2026 grants support initiatives spanning health and wellness, food security, arts and culture, community improvement, education and economic empowerment. Collectively, the grantees serve some of the area’s most vulnerable residents by providing increased opportunities, affirming services and expanded community resources. With 13 first-time grantees participating in this cycle, WSCF continues to broaden its reach and deepen its investment in grassroots organizations across Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen and Hudson Yards. Since its founding in 2018, WSCF has distributed more than $1.6 million to organizations strengthening communities across Manhattan’s West Side. 

The 19 Spring 2026 grant recipients are: 

• Ali Forney Center – a 24/7 drop-in center for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, offering meals, primary care, mental health services, case management and vocational training 

• Alzheimer’s Foundation of America– LGBTQ+-focused dementia support through webinars and monthly gatherings for people living with dementia and their companions 

• Art Start – the Creative Connections program, which provides underserved youth with paid creative arts internships, training, wellness resources and college preparation to help them grow artistically and advance their careers 

• BADA Community Development Corporation – an 18-week entrepreneurship training cohort for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals of color, combining business instruction, mentorship and wellness programming 

• Callen-Lorde Community Health Center – an audit and restructuring of internal referral and resource directories to ensure they reflect accurate, current, and affirming care options for LGBTQ+ patients  

• Friends of Argentine Tango – an eight-workshop series on Queer Tango for older adults, culminating in an interactive performance with live music during Hispanic Heritage Month 

• Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) – expanded wellness programming for people living with HIV/AIDS, including health screenings, nutrition demonstrations, financial literacy workshops and movement classes 

• The Hetrick-Martin Institute– outreach, engagement, andservice navigation for LGBTQIA+ youth on the West Side experiencing economic hardship, housing instability and barriers to affirming care

• International Arts and Relations (INTAR) Theatre – a free annual showcase designed by and for queer Latine artists, featuring poetry, drag, music and open mic performances 

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (“The Center”) – integrated mental health care, case management, and wraparound support connecting clients to HIV services, housing, employment, insurance navigation and legal assistance 

• LGBTQ Community News – an emerging news source focused on New York City’s LGBTQ+ community and published by queer journalists

• New Alternatives for Homeless LGBT Youth– a weekly Sunday dinner program serving homeless LGBTQ+ youth alongside wraparound support services

• Parity Productions – the world premiere production of My Mother the Sun, supporting women, trans, and gender-expansive theater artists through the development and production of original plays 

• PFLAG NYC – monthly support groups for families seeking support, education and advocacy around LGBTQ+ issues 

• QARAVAN – an organization providing targeted, community-driven support for LGBTQ participants in unstable housing through creative workshops in art, writing and movement, along with small-group sessions on employment, financial literacy, housing navigation, gender-affirming healthcare, legal rights and English language learning 

• Refuge America – programs connecting LGBTQIA+ refugees and asylum seekers with supportive networks and direct stabilization services as they transition into new communities 

• The Stonewall Chorale – choral music performances at community venues in Chelsea, including the Hudson Guild Older Adult Center and the SAGE Edie Windsor Center 

• Translatina Network - bilingual healthand wellness services for transgender and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers, including education, nutritional services, and mental health support 

• Sylvia Rivera Law Project– a monthly food pantry offering fresh produce alongside housing services, affirming healthcare resources and hygiene products 

“The West Side Community Fund continues to demonstrate the impact that is possible when businesses and community organizations come together around a shared commitment to supporting New Yorkers,” said Julia Verbrugge, Secretary of WSCF and Director, Strategy & Operations at Jamestown. "This Pride Month, we are proud to direct that collective commitment toward organizations serving LGBTQIA+ residents and allies — and to celebrate the meaningful work they do to make the West Side a more inclusive, welcoming place for all." 

“The West Side Community Fund and the companies sponsoring its grants continue to strengthen our west side neighborhoods,” said Ken Jockers, Executive Director at Hudson Guild. “In Hudson Guild’s fourth year administering the Fund, we are pleased to play a role in this special grant cycle supporting initiatives serving the local LGBTQ+ community.” 

"We are thrilled to celebrate the work of the West Side Community Fund and its grantees,” said Reggie Thomas, Head of Government Affairs for Google New York and board member of the West Side Community Fund. “These vital grassroots initiatives ensure the West Side remains a vibrant and supportive home for everyone, and we look forward to honoring their impactful work at the upcoming Celebration on June 23rd." 

“The West Side Community Fund embodies NY-12 values by investing in organizations dedicated to improving the lives of residents in the Chelsea and Hudson Yard neighborhoods,” said Congressman Nadler. “Every member of our community should be empowered to live proudly, authentically, and safely. I am proud to see this year’s funding recipients addressing every facet of daily lives for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers, from educating our youth to feeding hungry neighbors, and more. Caring for LGBTQIA+ communities, through advocacy and legislation, has shaped my time in Congress and I am grateful to The West Side Community Fund for supporting these organizations, during Pride Month and all year long, with the resources needed to build upon their missions." 

“Through its neighborhood-focused grantmaking, the West Side Community Fund plays an important role in helping the West Side thrive,” said Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “I’m especially proud to congratulate the recipients of the Fund’s first-ever grant cycle dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, and I look forward to seeing these organizations continue uplifting communities across Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen.” 

"As attacks on LGBTQIA+ people continue across the country, it's more important than ever that we invest in the organizations doing the work to keep our communities safe, healthy, and connected,” said Councilmember Carl Wilson. “This grant program is a powerful commitment to the people and nonprofits that make New York stronger every day. I'm grateful to the West Side Community Fund and its partners for recognizing that supporting LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers isn't just about celebrating Pride, it's about investing in housing, health care, the arts, economic opportunity, and the future of our community."

“When the LGTBQIA+ community is under attack, we, on the West Side, stand up and fight back," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing. "The West Side Community Fund's decision to fund 19 exceptional grantees that further the work of the LGBTQ community is the type of leadership that is sorely needed in communities across the state right now. I am very proud to partner with many of these organizations in Albany and across the district as we fight to protect the civil rights of LGBTQ individuals in New York, and I offer my heartfelt congratulations as we celebrate their incredible work."  

“Congratulations to this year’s grantees of the West Side Community Fund,” said Assemblymember Tony Simone. “For years, the Fund and its generous donors have invested in the organizations that make Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea stronger, more connected neighborhoods. This year's grants. focusing on the LGBTQ community, will support the local groups doing the day-to-day work of housing homeless youth, strengthening local journalism, providing health care, boosting arts and culture and caring for our elders. I’m grateful to everyone whose support makes these highly impactful grants possible.” 

WSCF will resume distributing $100,000 in microgrants to a broader spectrum of initiatives serving under-resourced West Side residents this fall, with applications opening in August 2026. 

Current and recent donors supporting the West Side Community Fund include Amazon, Brookfield Properties, Con Edison, Cooley, Douglaston Development, Google, Jamestown, James Beard Foundation, KKR, Promethean, Related Hudson Yards, RXR, SL Green, Tapestry, Turner Construction, and Wells Fargo. 

To learn more about the fund’s impact over the past year, please read the 2025 Annual Impact Report. A full 2026 Spring Impact Report will also be released in the coming months. 

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About West Side Community Fund

West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a consortium of leading businesses and firms that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan. Through a bi-annual grant program, WSCF supports initiatives that deliver improved or expanded services to residents along the West Side, particularly underserved populations.

About Hudson Guild

Hudson Guild–a multi-service community-based organization serving those who work, live, or go to school in Chelsea and the west side–administers the grant process on behalf of the West Side Community Fund. Hudson Guild’s programming helps support, enrich, and empower community members. For more information, visit hudsonguild.org.