Public support will go toward the “Building Community Through the Arts” initiative.
Sing for Hope is one of 1,171 cultural organizations across New York City to receive support as part of the City's largest-ever $74.3 million Cultural Development Fund
New York, NY - Sing for Hope has received an award of $111,155 from the City of New York as part of the city’s recent announcement of more than $74 million in Cultural Development Fund (CDF) grants to 1,171 cultural organizations across the five boroughs. The FY26 awards represent the largest-ever funding allocation for the CDF and the most-ever grantee organizations, supporting affordable, accessible cultural programming across the city.
For Sing for Hope, this CDF grant will support using the power of the arts to bridge the gap of social isolation for NYC’s older adults. From neighborhood senior centers to healthcare sites, SFH is deploying its creative workforce to provide monthly interactive performances that foster joy, connection, and cognitive wellbeing for thousands across the city.
“At its heart, art is an act of connection. This generous support from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs allows us to mobilize our incredible creative workforce to reach our city’s older adults, ensuring that New Yorkers of every age remain seen, heard, and inspired through the power of live performance,” said Camille Zamora, Sing for Hope Co-Founder.
“Public support is the lifeblood of a vibrant and inclusive city,” said Sing for Hope Co-Founder Monica Yunus. “We are honored to be part of this historic investment in New York’s cultural landscape, which enables us to bring ‘Building Community Through the Arts’ to sites across NYC, creating vital spaces for joy and belonging.”
“New York City’s cultural community brings meaningful, affordable, and accessible cultural programs to every corner of the five boroughs,” said DCLA Assistant Commissioner for Program Services Audrey St. Clair. “With this historic investment through our Cultural Development Fund, we’re proud to support and partner with more than 1,000 cultural nonprofits citywide – working across disciplines, communities, and geographies – to lift up the creative sector that is so vital to our city. Art and culture can change lives, and that’s something every New Yorker deserves to experience.”
“This historic investment through the Cultural Development Fund reflects the central role arts and culture play in New York City’s identity and economic vitality. Supporting more than 1,100 organizations across all five boroughs means investing in the artists, administrators, and cultural workers who keep our communities vibrant and connected,” said Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams, Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations.
“The fact that the overwhelming majority of grantees offer free or subsidized programming underscores the importance of public funding in keeping cultural access affordable and accessible for New Yorkers. As Chair, I remain committed to ensuring that our funding structures are transparent, stable, and responsive to the realities organizations face on the ground. Sustained investment in this sector is essential to preserving a cultural landscape that is diverse, community-rooted, and reflective of every neighborhood across our city.”
96% of all FY2026 CDF grantees offer free or subsidized programs to make cultural activity more affordable and accessible for New Yorkers. More than half of the recipient organizations are receiving funding as part of a multi-year award cycle following reforms that expanded eligibility for multi-year grants to all organizations, offering greater stability in funding for grantees. This year’s CDF also maintains a 15% increase in funding for the city’s borough arts councils, which goes support individual artists, collectives, and smaller organizations; support for the Language Access Fund, Disability Forward Fund, and Equity Fund to foster greater equity and access throughout the cultural sector; and discretionary funding from the City Council. With more than 84% of applicants receiving awards, DCLA continues to build on its commitment to leverage public funding in support of the broadest, most equitable group of cultural organizations possible.
Official award notifications were sent to FY26 CDF grantees in December 2025. The application for the FY27 cycle of the CDF opened on February 23, 2026 and applications are due April 2, 2026. Learn more and find a full list of this year's CDF grantees in the city’s official press release.
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Sing for Hope harnesses the power of the arts to create a better world. Our creative programs bring hope, healing, and connection to millions of people in hospitals, schools, care facilities, and public spaces worldwide. A non-profit organization founded in New York City in response to the events of 9/11, Sing for Hope partners with hundreds of community-based organizations, mobilizes thousands of artists in creative service, and produces artist-created Sing for Hope Pianos across the United States and around the world.
Sing for Hope’s work is made possible by the Sing for Hope Founders’ Circle: The International Foundation for Arts and Culture (Dr. Haruhisa Handa, Sing for Hope Global Patron), The Arnhold Foundation in loving memory of Sissy and Henry Arnhold, The Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, The Anna-Maria & Stephen Kellen Foundation, Jacqueline Novogratz and Chris Anderson, Pershing Square Philanthropies, The Seedlings Foundation, and Ann Ziff; The National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts; Fosun International; and the generosity of donors like you. Learn more at singforhope.org.
