Carmel Hill Fund

We believe that clarity and transparency about our priorities make us more thoughtful partners—and better stewards of the philanthropic resources we’re entrusted to deploy. Our goal is simple but ambitious: a New York City where young people find power in reading and where their mental health and wellbeing are prioritized. To that end, we’re proud to share an update on our grantmaking priorities through 2029: 🧠 Mental Health 
We will focus the majority of our funding on efforts that: 
• Screen and treat mental health challenges among children and adolescents in NYC using comprehensive, evidence-based approaches—including partnerships that expand access to care 
• Strengthen the mental health workforce to increase access to high-quality, culturally responsive care 📚 Literacy 
We will prioritize funding for initiatives that: 
• Support young people in becoming confident, capable readers by investing in meaningful reading experiences with parents, families, and community members 
• Nurture young people’s identities as readers by fostering positive attitudes, confidence, interest, motivation, and agency In addition to these core priorities, we will continue to support a smaller number of aligned initiatives (detailed on our website) and remain flexible in responding to emerging needs and opportunities. If your work connects to the focus areas, we welcome the opportunity to learn more about your organization and explore whether there may be an opportunity to partner. https://lnkd.in/e2_X3dUa

If you work with young people in New York City, please take a moment to read and share. The Contribution Project is offering NYC youth ages 14–25 $400 to design and lead a project that gives back to their community. The model is intentionally youth-driven... young people identify an issue they care about and receive funding to take action. For teens and young adults who want to contribute but aren’t sure where to begin, this can be a meaningful entry point: a small, accessible grant that builds confidence, leadership, and tangible impact. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/eb5B6tB7 🗓 Application deadline: February 22 Please share this widely with your networks... colleagues, educators, youth workers, parents, family members, and any young person in your life who may have an idea worth bringing to life. Sometimes all it takes is a modest investment and someone opening the door.

Keeping families engaged builds trust and improves academic outcomes for children. Join Campaign for Grade-Level Reading on 1/20 at 12:30pm ET for a funder-focused session to learn how findings from new research from Learning Heroes (US) & The Brookings Institution inform philanthropic leaders in their efforts to support the practitioners who are effectively engaging families and building community every day.     REGISTER: http://bit.ly/42ib7dv     Panelists include Eyal Bergman, Ed.L.D., Bibb Hubbard from Learning Heroes, Emily Garcia from the Flamboyan Foundation, Ambika Kapur from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Tarilyn (T) Little of the Carmel Hill Fund, and Emily (Markovich) Morris from The Brookings Institution. Gregg Behr from The Grable Foundation will moderate! 

We are excited to welcome Megan Burak as our new Operations Manager. Megan brings more than a decade of experience strengthening organizational systems, supporting senior leadership, and building the structures that help mission-driven teams do their best work. At Carmel Hill Fund, Megan will play a central role in ensuring CHF’s internal operations run smoothly, managing essential systems and processes that support our work on behalf of young people across New York City. Her work will help ensure that our grantmaking, partnerships, and strategic priorities are supported by thoughtful processes, strong communication, and a steady cadence of coordination. By strengthening CHF’s operations, Megan will help our small team strive for significant impact as we support an ecosystem of actors working towards our vision of a city where young people find power in reading and where their mental health and wellbeing are prioritized. Please join us in welcoming Megan to the CHF team!