At a time when non-profit organizations experience steep funding cuts from Washington, five Brooklyn-based non-profit organizations celebrated a funding boost at Brooklyn Org’s annual Spark Prize Breakfast at the Barclays Center on March 3.
Since its launch in 2016, the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize has invested over $5 million in local nonprofits for their work to improve the lives of Brooklynites. Winners are selected by a committee of leaders from Brooklyn’s civic, business, and philanthropic sectors following application review and interviews, and this year’s Spark Prize recipients are the Asiyah Women’s Center, Black Trans Femmes in the Arts (BTFA), Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), The B.R.O. Experience Foundation, and YVote. Each org will receive a $100,000, no‑strings‑attached grant to to expand and support their communities.
Addressing the crowd, Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President & CEO of the Brooklyn Org, emphasized that, despite the challenging times, she found strength in the organization’s work, supporting Brooklyn’s nonprofits that provide “stability, care, and opportunity” across the borough.
“Brooklyn can be a national model for what it looks like to build community around philanthropy, and in truly challenging moments like the one we are currently facing, it becomes even clearer: the way forward is to build strength globally,” Rainey said. “When national systems fail us, community becomes the safety net, neighborhood institutions become the backbone. And the world of nonprofits is not just enriching, but essential.”
James Jefferson, a 19-year-old participant at B.R.O. — Brothers Redefining Opportunity — recalled that for a long time, people only saw him as the kid who couldn’t sit still, who talked too much or too little, or who got frustrated too easily. The B.R.O. Experience gave him time to grow without judgment, even when he made mistakes, and taught him to turn the behavior others judged him for into his spark, like strength, passion, and creativity.
“They believed in my spark. They believed it wasn’t something to extinguish. It was something to be nurturing,” he said. “We all need someone to see our spark and say, ‘Yeah, I see it, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you.’ That’s what the B.R.O. Experience gave me, and now I’m connecting with my spark. I’m using it; I’m owning it, and I’m believing in it.”
Former Asiyah Women’s Center resident Soraya accepted the award on behalf of the organization and shared her personal story of overcoming hardship with the center’s support. Her family had abandoned her after ignoring her abuse for years, and the Asiyah team treated her with dignity and patience, supported her in rebuilding her life, and also helped her move into her first own apartment.
“They gave me dignity. They gave me patience. They sat with me in my pain. They spoke to me like I was a whole person,” Soraya said of the Asiyah team. “These people love us. They genuinely, deeply love us.”
Obie Award-winning actress N’Yomi Allure Stewart, who accepted the prize on behalf of BTFA, described the organization not only as a “lifesaver” but also as an artistic incubator for Black trans femme artists seeking sisterhood and mentorship on their artistic journey.
“The evolution of N’Yomi Allure Stewart as an artist in New York would not be possible without the support of Black Trans Femme in the Arts,” said Stewart, who is making her debut as associate director of the Broadway show “CATS: The Jellicle Ball. “ I understood that all it takes is one person to say yes, and with that yes came support, an action that granted me permission to be here today.”
YVote participant and youth leader Ariel Segura, who accepted the award on behalf of the organization, said that with the rise of undemocratic actions, civic engagement and holding lawmakers accountable were more important than ever.
“We must learn about their actions. We must interact with them, but most importantly, we must vote,” Segura stressed.
U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-Brooklyn/Manhattan) also attended the breakfast and told Brooklyn Paper that organizations like Brooklyn Org are essential for identifying smaller nonprofits and community-based organizations that make a significant impact in their communities but don’t have the resources to expand their missions. The Spark Prize winners are “outstanding organizations,” he said, and groups like YVote are “exactly what our democracy needs.”
“The way we are going to make sure that we’re preserving our democracy is by people leaning in and becoming more involved. And when we see kids really take an interest in it, then we know we’ve got a bright future,” Goldman said.
Hildy Simmons attended the breakfast with her friends Katharine Darrow and Anita Nager.
Simmons was a board member of the Brooklyn Community Foundation — the foundation was transformed into Brooklyn Org in 2023 — when she came up with the concept for what is now known as the Spark Prize, honoring outstanding nonprofit organizations that weren’t necessarily participating in the foundation’s programs, but that offered great services that Brooklyn should know about.
She told Brooklyn Paper that she was “ecstatic” about the important role the Spark Prize had manifested.
“[The Spark Prize] has evolved to more than I could have ever imagined. And I think the groups that have been selected over the years are fabulous. It really introduces people to extraordinary work that they might not otherwise know about, and it raises the profile of all the good things that are going on in Brooklyn. So I think it’s great. It makes me very happy, very, very happy,” Simmons said.
