The Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice is now accepting applications for events during the 2026 UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Climate Week NYC (CWNY). 

During this period, the Center operates as a highly curated convening hub, prioritizing a limited number of mission-aligned events that advance meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and impact.

This page outlines key dates, deadlines, and requirements. We strongly encourage you to review all guidance before submitting a request. Please see our event guidelines for more information.

2026 Dates

• UNGA: September 14-25
• CWNY: September 20-27

Request Timeline

• Priority deadline: Friday, June 19
• Decision window: Rolling notifications starting Monday, July 13
• Late submissions: Considered as space allows; decisions by early August

Due to significant demand, only a small percentage of requests can be accommodated – we strongly recommend identifying alternative venues in parallel. Approval is based on mission alignment, timing, and space availability. We are unable to provide interim status updates prior to the decision window.

UNGA/CWNY Application Guidelines

When can my event be hosted?

Regular event hours are Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The Center is closed on weekends.

What is the maximum capacity?

The Center can accommodate events of varying sizes, with a maximum capacity of approximately 150 attendees.

However, large-capacity spaces (50+ attendees) are extremely limited and in high demand. The majority of our spaces are designed for small to medium-sized convenings (under 50 attendees), all contingent on setup.

We strongly encourage applicants to:

• Propose realistic attendance numbers, aligned with confirmed audience and program needs
• Consider whether their goals can be achieved with a smaller, more focused gathering
• Requests with inflated or unclear attendance estimates may be deprioritized.

Are there additional considerations for UNGA and Climate Week?

• To maximize availability, events should be limited to 4 hours or less. Events over 4 hours will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Events should be designed to fit within a single primary space. We are unable to accommodate all-day or multi-day events, programming requiring breakout rooms, or additional production space.
• If your flexibility should shift after your application is submitted, please email us at [email protected]. Flexibility in preferred date and time significantly increases the likelihood of approval.
• To accommodate the volume of requests, we often schedule multiple events in the same space on a single day. As a result, events may need to align with standardized room setups to enable efficient transitions between programs.
• Requests that require extensive room flips or highly customized setups may be more difficult to accommodate during this period.

What should I prepare before applying?

Each request should include a draft agenda indicating guest arrival, program start and end times, and meal times. Only complete applications with this agenda, a defined audience, and confirmed organizing partners will be considered. See our example agenda for reference.

Are there costs associated with hosting?

Event space at The Center is free of charge from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Audio/Visual support, catering, and special event services incur associated fees. Please factor these into your planning before applying.

For more information, please contact [email protected]