West Side Community Fund Grant

The West Side Community Fund (WSCF) Grant is a bi-annual funding initiative designed to support community-based services for under-resourced residents living in Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen, which fall within New York City’s Community Board 4 catchment area. The grant is administered by Hudson Guild, a long-standing multi-service community-based organization operating in Chelsea. The fund itself is maintained by a consortium of private companies with a presence on Manhattan’s West Side. Their collaborative goal is to address local needs by empowering grassroots initiatives and institutions that directly serve these neighborhoods. The WSCF grant’s focus is on improving quality of life through a diverse set of funding areas. Specifically, the fund supports initiatives in food security, education, economic empowerment, community improvement, arts, and health and wellness. Previous awardees include community health centers, food pantries, youth programs, tenant associations, schools, NYCHA developments, arts organizations, and neighborhood news groups. The fund also welcomes applications from individuals such as teachers who deliver essential community services. Applicants may receive up to $10,000 in funding per grant cycle. However, grants may not be used for religious or partisan activities or for programs that promote any form of discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. Eligibility criteria are clearly defined. Applicants must be based in and serve the designated neighborhoods within the Community Board 4 area. In addition, the applicant organization's total annual operating budget must be under $15 million. The fund is open to a wide range of organization types including nonprofits, schools, public housing organizations, and individual service providers, provided that they meet the geographic and budgetary criteria. The application window for the Fall 2025 cycle is from August 20 to September 19, 2025. Applications must be submitted through a dedicated portal by midnight on the final day. Projects selected for funding will be announced in late October 2025. All funded projects must be completed by March 2026. The application includes multiple required components such as general information, eligibility confirmation, program or project description, budget requests, community impact goals, and performance metrics. Applicants are also asked to specify their target population, define their evaluation criteria, and list any potential opportunities for corporate volunteer involvement. Although the fund is not accepting rolling applications, it does operate on a recurring bi-annual basis. Given today’s date of August 25, 2025, and the bi-annual nature of the grant, the next cycle is expected to reopen in Spring 2026, with an estimated check-in date of March 20, 2026. No pre-application steps, such as a letter of intent or concept paper, are required before submission. Applicants requiring assistance or experiencing technical issues with the application process are encouraged to contact Jalen Lisbon at jlisbon@hudsonguild.org. Additional questions may also be directed to the main fund contact email: WSCF@hudsonguild.org. A downloadable PDF application overview is available to provide further detail on the application structure and requirements.