What We Built Together in 2025
Looking back on our year with an abundance of gratitude
When we launched Abundance New York in 2024, we believed something simple but powerful: that New Yorkers were ready for a governing strategy that actually delivers. In 2025, our community turned that belief into action.
This year wasn’t about just one campaign, one policy, or one win (though there were many!). It was about building a durable power center that can move New York forward.
Here’s what we accomplished together.
We Organized a Community Into a Power Center
Abundance New York exists because thousands of New Yorkers chose to show up—not just to watch politics, but to participate in it.
In 2025:
Our community tripled, growing from 1,400 to over 4,300 members
Members came from 45 of 51 City Council districts
1,600+ people attended events, up from 600 the year before
100+ members now serve on Community Boards, with another 100+ in our 2026 application pipeline
We identified 750+ advocates and volunteers, 400+ future Community Board members, and 250+ future local candidates
As you’ll see in the following sections, building a new power center was critical to driving policy outcomes. But the community itself is worth celebrating. Our monthly gatherings are an entry point into deeper organizing and leadership development—but they’re also the glue that binds our community together. They’re spaces where everyday New Yorkers, advocates, government staffers, and elected officials come together to share ideas and start building the relationships that make all of our work possible.
We Drove Real Political and Policy Victories
Building community power was just the start; we harnessed it to drive real outcomes for our city.
Together, we helped deliver:
13 wins out of 18 endorsed candidates
The passage of 4 citywide ballot proposals, modernizing the City Charter to speed housing production
Major neighborhood rezonings in Midtown Manhattan, Long Island City, and Jamaica
The advancement of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal plan, unlocking 6,000 new homes alongside jobs, transit, and climate infrastructure
Congestion pricing implemented, popular, and delivering tangible benefits
These wins didn’t happen on their own. They were the result of sustained, coordinated work by our community—and by the incredible coalition of advocacy organizations who lead the way on these policy fights, and whom we are proud to work alongside.
When congestion pricing was threatened, members rallied, canvassed, and called elected officials to make the case for keeping the cameras on—and then stayed engaged to “win the win.” When the Brooklyn Marine Terminal plan faced intense opposition, our members directly engaged decision-makers who were on the fence, helping move a stalled proposal across the finish line.
Across campaigns, ballot questions, and land-use fights, our community knocked doors, testified at hearings, and kept pressure on leaders to do the hard things required to build a city that works.
We Shaped the Political Conversation
As our community sprang into action to influence key votes and policies in 2025, we also worked strategically to shape what would feel politically possible in 2026 and beyond.
In 2025:
Our NYC Voter Guide filled a major civic gap, with 375,000+ views across the primary and general elections
We helped orient the mayoral field toward abundance, influencing housing plans and policy commitments across campaigns
We appeared in national and local publications, from The Washington Post to City and State to Slow Boring
Our narrative work required both earning public attention and engaging in behind-the-scenes conversations. When we uplifted Zellnor Myrie’s million-home plan early in the mayoral campaign, several other candidates reached out to us to discuss how they could win our endorsement. We engaged in deep, substantive conversations across the field, consistently pushing for more ambitious housing goals. Over the following months, Brad Lander released a plan calling for 500,000 new homes, and Zohran Mamdani told The New York Times that the most significant issue he had changed his mind on was the need for market-rate housing. As our one-on-one conversations showed up in campaign policy and debate talking points, we saw the Overton window on housing supply shift in real time.
We Flexed Donor Power Through Our Affiliated PAC
Aligned political change also requires resources. Through our affiliated PAC, committed donors helped translate shared values into electoral impact.
Since our launch, the PAC has:
Generated $800,000 for aligned candidates and organizations
Supported 26 abundance champions and 2 aligned organizations
Brought together a 30-member donor circle in ongoing political education and relationship-building
These efforts showed candidates that they could win support not just from the opponents of change, but from an organized constituency of pro-abundance New Yorkers.
We Did This Together
This work happened because thousands of people decided that the status quo wasn’t good enough—and that building something better was worth the work. Thank you for building that with us, brick by brick.
As we look ahead to 2026, our priorities are clear:
Grow, diversify, and deepen this community. We’ll grow our presence in districts with persuadable electeds, launch more member-led programming, and expand our leadership offerings.
Equip members and policymakers with a concrete agenda. Our Abundance Agenda will unify our community around shared legislative priorities and serve as a practical resource for aligned policymakers who want to deliver results.
Build durable legislative power: We’ll continue to support abundance champions already in office, and we’ll endorse aligned, viable candidates in 2026 legislative races.
We welcome everyone who wants to help shape what comes next. A few ways you can show up in 2026:
Applying to serve on your Community Board with our support
Coming to Abundance New York Fund’s happy hour on Tuesday, January 13
Signing up to volunteer, advocate, or take on leadership roles
Replying to this email if you have another idea that’s not listed here!
Finally, we can always use financial support to fund our operations. Many of you are already paid subscribers or donors—thank you for your generosity! If you’d like to make an end-of-year contribution, you can support our 501(c)(4) work here or our affiliated 501(c)(3) work here.
Thank you for being a part of our community. The work continues, and we’re grateful to be doing it together.