New York City is allocating $2 million in emergency funds for organizations that serve transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming residents through a program city officials are calling the first of its kind in the country.
The city health department will administer the funding, awarding up to $92,000 to each of roughly 20 community-based organizations. Applications are open through Jan. 5.
The Adams administration cited sweeping federal budget cuts as the reason for the city stepping in.
“We saw a need after federal budget cuts, and we are responding to it,” First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said in a statement. “There are essential services at stake for this community. Therefore, it was an imperative for us to take action and fill that need.”
The money will go toward nonprofits offering services such as health care, housing, legal advocacy, community-building and crisis response. To qualify for the funding, the majority of applicants' clients must be transgender, gender-nonconforming or nonbinary, officials said.
City Hall announced the fund in the final days of Mayor Eric Adams’ term. While his administration has enacted notable policies in support of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, such as a transgender “safe haven” executive order, Adams has faced criticism from some advocates over attempts to roll back protections for transgender residents.
City Hall did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to prioritize LGBTQ+ rights, is set to take office Thursday as the city’s first Muslim and Asian American mayor. His transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new fund.
