Fiscally-Sponsored Projects

Local Economies Project

The Local Economies Project (LEP) explores and promotes strategies for cultivating “local living economies” within an initial geographic focus on the Hudson Valley of New York State. Local living economies are rooted in local ownership of businesses, local government and public institutions (eg. schools and hospitals) procurement practices and policies that are based on principals of fair trade, living wages, democratic practice, and environmental stewardship. LEP has designated local food systems as a key entry point to building a sustainable economy.

In early 2011, the Project initiated a number of planning grants to selected organizations to bolster capacity and design strategies for advancing efforts in farmer development, value added processing, research, and farm-to-school programming. Initial grant making has centered largely on the Rondout Valley, a fertile watershed within the greater Hudson Valley, but additional grant making is planned for organizations throughout the Hudson Valley and the larger New York City foodshed. The Local Economies Project aims to develop and nurture models of localization that can be replicated throughout the country.

Because of its nimble status as a funding project of The New World Foundation, LEP is able to work directly with associations of farmers who are involved in social enterprise efforts in their communities.

The Local Economies Project intends to be a force in sustainable economic and civic development that favors creating social wealth through interconnected democratic institutions rooted in local communities that support responsible, fair and equitable ecosystems.

For more information, please contact:
Bob Dandrew, Director, Local Economies Project
o: (212) 497-3473 e: bdandrew@newwf.org

The New American Leaders Project

The New American Leaders Project (NALP) is a civic education initiative specifically focused on preparing Americans of direct immigrant origin and their children for political leadership. Nearly one in five Americans is an immigrant or a child of immigrant parents. NALP believes that through political engagement and leadership, immigrants and their children can help strengthen the fabric of American democracy.

The New American Leaders Project recruits recognized individuals with a track record of civic involvement and trains them in the key skills needed for leadership -- from local government to Washington DC.

The project’s goals are threefold: to expand the number of immigrants in political leadership positions, increase voter participation in immigrant communities and allow immigrant voters more opportunities to engage with leaders who reflect their unique experiences.

In partnership with existing candidate training and voter engagement programs and nonprofits currently serving immigrant communities, NALP aims to help grow the number of immigrant elected officials to more closely represent the rising immigrant share of the American population. To this end, NALP leaders receive training and support in the skills and strategies needed to become effective political leaders. In addition, NALP offers voters opportunities to learn about political and governing processes through trainings and opportunities to connect with candidates and elected officials as active citizens.

STAFF:

SAYU BHOJWANI - Founding Director

MARIO LUGAY
NINA SPENSLEY
JUBEL MIAH