How We Work

Why We Do What We Do: The Solon E. Summerfield Foundation engages in grant partnerships in the NYC-Metro area that seek to transform systems and pathways of opportunity so that young people most impacted by social, racial, and economic injustice can live choice-filled lives.

Current Priorities: Because we believe systems need to change over time and young people need opportunities now, we engage in partnerships with organizations transforming pathways of opportunity for youth in the NYC-metro area as well as the broader systems in which they operate. In light of this, our current grantmaking priorities are: 

• Pathways of opportunity for low-income students that allow them the opportunity to lead financially secure, choice-filled lives.
• Careers that address young peoples’ top priorities including:
  • Mental and behavioral health
  • Climate change and the environment
• Innovations and systemic changes that open pathways of opportunity for young people that improve the wellbeing of people and society, such as teaching, healthcare/caregiving, and public service.
• Youth participation in civics and government, including:
  • Youth organizing, advocacy, and engagement with system leaders and policymakers on policymaking and system-level change.
  • Youth-led research and other efforts that elevate youth voice in public discourse or budgetary and policy priorities.
• Collaborative and capacity-building efforts that substantially increase the effectiveness and well-being of multiple organizations and efforts that align with our mission and priorities.  

How We Work: Because we believe that communities hold knowledge and solutions for change, SESF takes a community- and youth-centric approach to our grantmaking. This shows up in: 

• How we interact with community and grant partners: 
  • We value and cultivate relationships with nonprofits, other funders, and relevant networks in our community that are built on respect, trust, and meaningful connection.
  • Because we respect the knowledge, expertise, and experience of our nonprofit partners and acknowledge the limitations of our own, we strive to share our learnings and be a thought-partner to our grantees and fellow funders only where helpful.
  • We support our partners beyond the grant dollars, including through capacity building, promoting their visibility, connecting them to other funders, and supporting them in adopting and evolving anti-racist practices in their programs, organizations and beyond.
• How we find and prioritize grant partnership opportunities: 
  • We move with deep respect in the circles of talented leaders in the nonprofit field. With these leaders and youth, we learn, research and seek to understand opportunities for partnership.
  • We follow the lead of and partner with organizations that center and elevate proximate leadership, who authentically and robustly include youth and community voice.
  • In exploring grant partnerships, we consider “why us” (is our approach, flexibility, risk-tolerance and all-around partnership a true value-add to this organization or effort?); and “why now” (does the size, timing or duration of our funding partnership meaningfully contributes to the effort’s launch, momentum, visibility, or success?).
  • How we look for partnership opportunities that significantly enhance an organization or collaborative effort’s ability to advance equity of opportunity and outcomes for youth, typically by: 
  • Catalyzing or resourcing a new effort or idea; 
  • Filling a gap by establishing a unique and missing service or function; 
  • Bridging to or making accessible larger, ongoing funding; or 
  • Leading to policy or systems-level change. 
• How we structure grant support: 
  • We provide flexible, multiyear grants.
  • We seek opportunities for collaborative funding partnerships, knowing that no organization or funder can tackle these challenges alone. 
  • As much as we would love to be able to provide support indefinitely to our grant partners, we concentrate our grant resources on a smaller number of organizations at a time, partnering with them for a specific time, phase or purpose.