In 2016, the Heckscher Foundation for Children celebrated over ninety-five years of support to underserved children and youth in the tradition of its founders and early leaders: August Heckscher, Arthur Smadbeck, and Ruth Smadbeck.

The foundation serves the needs of youth in New York City and nationally through impact-driven programs in education, college access and persistence, workforce training and jobs access, health, recreation, social services, juvenile justice, and the arts. Our grants promote programs, partnerships, and innovative projects consistent with our mission to level the playing field for young people. Our goal is to foster venture philanthropy using three principal funding strategies: catalytic giving, strategic partnerships, and targeted problem solving.

Using an outcomes-based logic model to inform our grantmaking, we seek to evaluate organizations that demonstrate measurable results in our priority areas. We operate in partnership with other funders in both the public and private sector and look for opportunities to provide catalytic support in areas of fundamental concern for underserved youth. Representative initiatives funded in 2016 are featured in our Highlighted Projects.

In all of our giving, we honor the generosity of spirit and dedication of our leaders through the years; their commitment and foresight make it possible for us to continue making a difference for youth in New York City.

Peter Sloane
Chairman and CEO
January 2017