Gregory Kimble

The Project

Westchester County, New York is simultaneously one of the richest counties in the United States yet home to one of the country’s largest income gaps, with significant disparities between wealthy, racially homogeneous communities and economically challenged, racially heterogeneous communities. While just 6 percent of white residents live in poverty, rates are much higher for black and Latinx residents, at 18.3 and 19.4 percent, respectively. As a result, many low-income residents rely on local legal services organizations to fulfill basic needs.

When so much depends on the viability of individual nonprofits, it’s crucial that the organizations themselves are strong and well-run. Gregory’s project aims to transform the Westchester communities most in need by providing comprehensive transactional legal assistance to existing and newly-formed nonprofits in economically challenged municipalities.

Fellowship Highlights

In the first six months of his Fellowship, Gregory has worked with nine local nonprofit clients to provide them with transactional legal services. He has also attended 27 coalition-building meetings, with local government officials and nonprofit network groups alike, and held two educational workshops: “The Pros and Cons of Starting a Non-profit,” and “Volunteer Risk Management.”

Now, Gregory aims to develop stronger partnerships with non-legal services organizations that exist to help nonprofits. He will begin leading discussions and programs in target communities, develop and deliver an all-day training program for nonprofits and prospective nonprofits, and continue to provide transactional legal services and education to organizations in target communities.

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