Brooklyn Org Spark Prize

Celebrating Exceptional Brooklyn Nonprofits

Each year, five nonprofits are selected to receive the $100,000 ‘no strings attached’ Brooklyn Org Spark Prize

How to Apply for the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize

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A Black man is standing at a lectern with a microphone, smiling as he addresses an audience, with a sign reading "Brooklyn Org Spark Prize" visible on the front of the lectern.
Dupree Wilson, Drive Change Alum and Kitchen Operations Associate, accepting the award at the 2024 Brooklyn Org Spark Breakfast

Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Application Clinic

Virtual
9:00 AM–10:00 AM EDT

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Brooklyn Org’s Spark Prize provides $600,000 annually to outstanding Brooklyn organizations advancing racial justice and addressing critical challenges in our communities. The Prize is named for and informed by our mission to spark change for a fair and just Brooklyn. Founded in 2016, the Spark Prize has since awarded over $4 million. Winners and finalists are selected by the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Committee, a distinguished group of 30 Brooklynites.

2024 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Winners:

Each year, five nonprofits are selected to receive the $100,000 prize based upon three primary criteria:

  • Born in Brooklyn: Organizations that have a deep history in Brooklyn and a continued commitment to serving the borough.
  • Commitment to Equity: Organizations that address systemic challenges and advance racial and social justice for all Brooklynites.
  • Vision for Future: Organizations that have a strong vision for the future of their work in Brooklyn and beyond.

Twenty finalists for the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize also receive up to $5,000 in matching funds through our Brooklyn Gives on GivingTuesday campaign—celebrated each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—to encourage local donors to support their work.

 

A group of six adults gather at an event holding an award
2023 Spark Prize winners KAVI pose with Brooklyn Org President and CEO Dr. Jocelynne Rainey (center left) and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso (second from right)
Brooklyn Org has its ear to the ground and has been very intentional about supporting organizations that weren’t necessarily the most well known — but they are definitely organizations that are doing their level best to have an impact. Dr. Raymond Codrington, President and CEO of Weeksville Heritage Center, 2022 Spark Prize Winners

Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Winners

2024 Winners
2023 Winners
Three girls stand together in dance pose

Arab-American Family Support Center

Kings Against Violence Initiative

Mixteca Organization

STEM From Dance (pictured)

Workers Justice Project

2022 Winners
Two hijabi women distribute flyers on the street

Arab American Association of New York (pictured)

Black Women’s Blueprint

Brooklyn Movement Center

Groundswell Community Mural Project

Weeksville Heritage Center

2020 Winners
A seated woman with her arms around 3 boys who are standing in front of a red curtain

Brownsville Community Justice Center

Children of Promise, NYC (pictured)

Noel Pointer Foundation

North Brooklyn Coalition

Sadie Nash Leadership Project

2019 Winners
A younger Black woman kneels over a patch of cabbages in a green house

The Campaign Against Hunger (pictured)

Cypress Hills Child Care Corporation

Girls for Gender Equity

Red Hook Community Justice Center

VOCAL-NY

2018 Winners
A group of smiling older adults of mixed races gather in a room, some are sitting some are standing

Cave Canem

Center for Law and Social Justice

exalt

GRIOT Circle (pictured)

Red Hook Initiative

2017 Winners

Audre Lorde Project

Common Justice

Make the Road New York (pictured)

MoCADA

Neighbors Together

Four individuals wearing hairnets and gloves are engaged in food preparation activities, with one person in focus slicing an avocado.
2024 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Winner Drive Change
The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize will enable us to serve more young, formerly incarcerated New Yorkers and invest in additional resources and tools to prepare them for successful careers in the hospitality industry. Kalilah Moon
Executive Director of Drive Change
A Black man in a black adidas jacket and glasses standing outdoors during golden hour.
Anthony Rowe, Program Director, Neighbors in Action
The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize is an incredible opportunity to expand our work in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant...to increase safety, economic opportunity, and community well-being, and empower young people as leaders. Anthony Rowe
Program Director, Neighbors in Action
A woman with dreadlocks leaning against a wall.
Coleen Stevens Porcher, Executive Director of Power of Two
The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize is game changing for our communities...allowing us to help more families heal from intergenerational trauma and toxic stress, setting their babies up to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. Coleen Stevens Porcher
Executive Director of Power of Two
A man in a black jacket and beanie standing in front of baled recyclables.
Ryan Castalia, Executive Director of Sure We Can
The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize inspires us to keep focusing on how we can make Brooklyn more sustainable, compassionate, and a leader in creating a dignified industry for canners, who are essential workers on the frontlines of the waste crisis. Ryan Castalia
Executive Director of Sure We Can
A Black man in a black hoodie sitting on a desk.
Quardean Lewis-Allen, Founder and Executive Director of 2024 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Winner Youth Design Center
The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize marks a pivotal moment, fueling the evolution of our new maker space into a cutting-edge facility for creative exploration, truly befitting the aspirations of our youth. Quardean Lewis-Allen
Founder and Executive Director of Youth Design Center