There appear to be several potential sources of public funding for improving Tribeca’s parks. Each has its own process, deadlines, guidelines, and qualifications. Below are the Cliff Notes and questions as they relate to Parks. Underlined words are links for additional information. If you see anything missing, incorrect or unclear — or if you can answer any of the questions in red — please let us know.
Participatory Budget
$1 million allocated to C. Marte to distribute to projects in the district.
C. Marte’s office looks to the city agencies to recommend projects that will be placed on the PB Ballot in March/April for the District to vote on the projects seeking PB funding. We have learned that a registered sub-contractor must produce the cost estimate, or the project seeking funding (or the sponsor-agency?) must issue an RFP to get to the cost. Even so, C. Marte’s office decides which projects will be placed on the ballot.
Who Qualifies and for How Much?
PB likes to be the sole source of a project’s funding.
Per the DPR: The normal process is that the Council Members submit the ideas for proposed PB projects to the Council, which forwards them to Parks for our review. Council members also sometimes sent proposed projects directly to the Manhattan Borough office as well.
Caution: There is very little (or late) visibility once a proposal is submitted. Also, “For Review” can result in a new price tag being attached to your project, unbeknownst to you.
Policies and Procedures
August: Districts Form Committees
Nov 2022: Preliminary Project Proposal Submission deadline..
Dec: Agencies provide Feedback
Jan: Final Project Submission Deadline
Feb: Ballots done and translated
March/April (2023) Vote Week
DPR Coordinator, Gabriella, can inform the process for estimating the cost of a parks project:
Steve.Simon@parks.nyc.gov is is the Capital projects liaison for the Manhattan borough office.
Budget Director in C. Marte’s office is very helpful BNavarrete-Perez@council.nyc.gov
Discretionary Funding
Member Local Initiatives: Each Member of the Council receives an annual amount to meet local needs in the Member’s district, known as “local initiatives.”
City Council Local Initiatives: Organizations may apply for funding directly to the Speaker, or Members may request that the Speaker fund an organization whose scope of services exceeds their individual ability to fund or which serves a larger geographical area. This is often referred to as the “Speaker’s list.”
In 2021, There were 97,000 applications for Discretionary Funding
Who Qualifies and for How Much?
Organizations whose legal existence began within the last two fiscal years may
not receive funding in excess of $20,000 total (and no more than $10,000 from a single member/source).
Organizations that have not received discretionary funding from the Council within the last three fiscal years may not receive funding in excess of $50,000 total (and no more than $25,000 from a single member/source). This restriction may be waived in exceptional circumstances.
Before agencies are authorized to process a discretionary funds contract with an
organization, it must appear on the list of cleared organizations maintained and distributed to agencies by MOCS
Policies and Procedures
Deadline: Feb 21, 2023
In 2023, many Dept of Parks (DPR) initiatives across the city were funded, up to $100k (Speakers List), but mostly low 5 figures.
Subcontractors or consultants may not be the primary service providers for programs funded by discretionary awards. In limited circumstances, the Council may permit an organization to utilize the services of subcontractors or consultants as an
ancillary/supplemental part of the delivery of services (must be approved by the contracting agency prior to any work commencing.)
All applications must be submitted online via the Council’s website. The application process opens annually in early January and closes in late February.
ALL organizations receiving City Council funding must create and register at PASSPort
Cultural Capital Funding
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) represents….humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens and historic and preservation societies.
We encourage you to contact the Program Services Help Desk at cdfhelpdesk@culture.nyc.gov with questions pertaining to eligibility well in advance of the application deadline.
Laurie Cumbois Commissioner of the NYC Dept of Cultural Affairs.
Who Qualifies and for How Much?
To receive capital funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs organizations must meet the baseline requirements below (edited):
Your organization is one of the 34 members of the Cultural Institutions Group or has received a baseline CDF recommendation from the Department of Cultural Affairs in fiscal years: City FY 2021, 2022, or 2023.
The types of capital projects that are eligible to receive funding (edited):
Construction/Renovation is the building, reconstruction or upgrading of real property and/or structures. All construction/renovation projects are subject to a $500,000 minimum cost.
Policies and Procedures
Are restorations of historic parks a “Cultural Project”
FY24 Cultural Capital Funding Request Webinars:
Organizations eligible to apply for capital funding through DCLA will receive instructions to RSVP. If you have questions on cultural capital eligibility, please email capitalrequest@culture.nyc.gov.
Thursday, January 19th at 2:00pm
Friday, January 20th at 10:00am
Capital Grants
Funds distributed to not-for-profits by:
C. Marte, Manhattan Borough President, City Council Speaker - one or all.
There are quite a few different applications for Capital Grants. Which is right for parks?
Who Qualifies and for How Much?
Are Park Restoration eligible for Non-City Capital Projects grants?
A Capital Funding Request Form for not-for-profit organizations must be submitted for
projects that are (i) on property that is not owned or leased by the City or (ii) owned by the City but are leased to the not-for-profit seeking to enter into a funding agreement or any other contract with the City to receive funds to improve the property (in which case, approval from
the City agency that acts as landlord is required and all improvements must comply with the terms of the City lease).
Projects involving land or buildings must have a minimum City contribution of at least $500,000.
For Projects involving real property (such as construction, reconstruction, or acquisition), the property must be used and owned by the recipient organization (i.e. not rented) except for:
Cultural Projects
Governmental Property
Policies, Procedures and Deadlines
Request to Boro President: Feb 23, 2023
Requests to City Council: March 23, 2023
Requests fo Both: Feb 23, 2023