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NONPROFITS
How NYN Media covered nonprofits during the pandemic
Trinity Church, near City & State’s office in lower Manhattan, is also a major philanthropic institution.
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City & State’s sister publication was a valuable resource during a time of extreme need.
By Kay Dervishi
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has exacerbated numerous needs for vulnerable New Yorkers. Hunger has spiked, educational disparities have worsened, mental health needs have increased and housing stability has been threatened by job losses.
This year has only further highlighted the degree to which New York City and state officials have come to rely heavily on human services nonprofits to operate homeless shelters, food pantries, group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other institutions helping residents in need. New York City spent about $5.9 billion contracting with nonprofits in fiscal year 2018, according to an analysis from SeaChange Capital Partners.
Also, the pandemic has been difficult for nonprofits beyond the human services field. Arts and cultural organizations have faced particularly steep job losses. Philanthropic groups and foundations reevaluated their approach to grant-making and launched new ventures to fund urgent needs throughout the health crisis. In addition, a nationwide outcry against systemic racism prompted questions about whether organizations led by people of color have received sufficient funding to support and advocate for their communities.
While publications dedicated to covering business and industries like real estate are common, reporting solely focused on the nonprofit sector is harder to find. Several notable publications do exist, such as the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Inside Philanthropy and Nonprofit Quarterly. But City & State’s sister publication, New York Nonprofit Media, stands out as a rare resource focused on the nonprofit sector in a specific state.
NYN Media started out as New York Nonprofit Press in 2002, when founder Fred Scaglione launched its inaugural issue. Since then, the publication has mor-
phed significantly. City & State acquired, renamed and redesigned it in 2014. The once-print publication went online, and NYN Media launched its daily newsletter, now known as NYN First Read, and even dabbled in podcasts at one point.
When I came to NYN Media two years ago, I did not have experience as a reporter covering nonprofits. I threw myself into learning as much as I could. I sat down with nonprofit executives to learn about their biggest challenges. I attended events where people debated philanthropic policies and discussed how to improve diversity in the sector.
It took several months for me to understand the importance my reporting had for some organizations. I wrote an article in November 2019 explaining how New York City’s new initiative to cover additional government-funded nonprofits’ indirect costs, typically understood as administrative expenses, would work. While trying to translate procurement jargon into clear language, I wondered how many people would actually read it. The day it ran, I went to a rally where small organizations called for the New York City Council to pass a bill to protect property-owning nonprofits from being caught up in the city’s tax lien sale. I introduced myself to a nonprofit executive – who promptly smiled and told me he had forwarded the indirect costs article to several colleagues.
I hadn’t even been a year into this position by the time the coronavirus began to spread across New York last year. I reported my first article about COVID-19 after asking my editors if I would be able to work from my home, which was within walking distance of the New Rochelle containment zone in Westchester County. Nonprofits were scrambling to decide whether to cancel their fundraisers or commit to hosting events. Days later, it became apparent that nonprofits would be playing an important role in addressing needs that were growing as a result of the coronavirus, and I began to pivot NYN Media’s coverage to those challenges.
The crisis placed a heavy burden on New York’s nonprofits. Essential workers at nonprofits were often unable to access personal protective equipment amid nationwide shortages. Organizations on the front lines were financially strained as the certainty of government payments came into question and as they took on additional costs to establish new safety measures. Nonprofits had to shift many services and programs to be virtual, while many clients and people who used them lacked internet access or the technology needed to access them. I remember interviewing a nonprofit executive who began to nervously laugh while describing the never-ending challenges associated with helping vulnerable New Yorkers during the crisis.
The number of subscribers to our newsletter jumped up as people sought answers to questions during such an uncertain time. I started a running list of COVID19 relief efforts from foundations supporting organizations in New York and began to outline what new federal aid would be available to nonprofits in need, such as the Paycheck Protection Program. I continued to track the rollout of the Indirect Cost Rate initiative that launched in 2019. The effort ended up facing pandemic-related budget cuts in 2020, disappointing organizations that ended up being reimbursed for less than they had anticipated. Finally, the initiative regained funding this year.
Over the past year, I’ve come to appreciate the unique position I have had covering a niche beat. I’ve been able to uncover stories and topics that otherwise would have likely gone unexplored. I explained why New York’s case against the Trump Foundation was a rare example of charitable enforcement and looked into Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s controversial attempts to get nonprofits to disclose their donors. The nonprofit sector is ripe for more targeted and focused coverage – especially in New York state, which is home to more nonprofit jobs than any other state.
I am now transitioning away from reporting for NYN Media to take on a new role as an associate editor working on City & State’s lists. We’re now taking the opportunity to see what the next publication’s next phase will look like through a newsletter redesign, expanded coverage of the sector and additional guest writers. I look forward to seeing what’s next for our unique look at such a diverse and fascinating field. ■ For 15 years, City & State has provided us with meaningful coverage of New York politics, publishing important stories about New York and the people who keep it moving. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to be interviewed by their hardworking reporters on a number of occasions, as well as to participate in their issue-based programming. One of my most notable memories from over the years was a morning bike ride interview from my home in Bedford-Stuyvesant through the streets of Central Brooklyn. I wish City & State continued success in the years ahead.
