2009 NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
DEADLINE:
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13th, 2009 BY 4:00 P.M.
NO FAXED OR E-MAILED PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED
This time last year, there were already unmistakable warning signs of tough economic times ahead, and 2008 NRP applicants responded accordingly. Many proposals sought to help people access Earned Income Tax Credits and other income supports; others emphasized helping low-income homeowners at risk of foreclosure. We received 43 proposals altogether: 2 from Staten Island, 5 from Queens, 9 from the Bronx, 10 from Manhattan, and 17 from Brooklyn. Eleven of the 43 proposals were approved for grants of $40,000 each, and two additional applicants received grants of $10,000 each. These grants were part of a total of more than $13 million that the NRP program has awarded since 1978.
In light of the deepening recession, this year we will continue our focus on projects designed to help residents cope with economic hardship. Our emphasis will be on funding community development corporations that have shifted from a housing-only focus to a more holistic approach to community development, thereby serving as ‘community anchors’ that are delivering neighborhood recovery services. Eligible activities would include benefits counseling, employment counseling, eviction prevention and housing court advocacy for tenants, and helping working poor families access safety net services and benefits.
In keeping with the NRP tradition, only organizations that are community resident-driven – i.e., governed by a board composed of a majority of community residents with a mission focused on a specific geographic area or a cluster of adjacent communities – are eligible. We will consider requests for renewal support, but the hurdle for these renewal requests will be higher given the competition for dollars in these extraordinary times.
Patricia Swann
June 2009
ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS: Applicant organizations must demonstrate in their proposal that they meet the following program criteria:
• At least one year of work in community-based housing or economic development work;
• Evidence of the successful completion of a project that improved conditions in your neighborhood;
• Strong neighborhood base, including community resident participation on your board of directors; and
• The ability to work with other organizations and constituencies in your community, such as community boards or other nonprofit organizations.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS: Please submit the following items as part of a proposal:
1. A statement no longer than 2 pages discussing the community context for your proposal.
2. A statement no longer than 5 pages describing project activities and the specific objectives to be met. List expected outcomes or accomplishments that will be realized with a grant and how the work will be supported after the grant expires.
3. A detailed one-year project budget including other sources (if any) that are committed to covering project costs.
4. The organizational budget for the current fiscal year and proposed budget for the next fiscal year, if available, showing sources of revenue and itemized expenses.
5. Your most recent audited financial statement.
6. A completed copy of our Proposal Cover Sheet, which can be downloaded at the end of this page.
Please submit two copies of items #1, 2, and 3 and one copy of items #4, 5, and 6. Do not use folders.
Proposals must be postmarked or hand delivered by 4 P.M. on Thursday, August 13th, 2009. Our office location is 909 Third Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets). Hand delivered proposals should be dropped off at the message center at 909 Third Avenue by 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 13th. Due to building policy, you will not be permitted to deliver proposals directly to NYCT offices on the 22nd floor.
Grants will be announced in early December 2009. Please call Patricia Swann at 212-686-0010 ext. 530 if you have any questions.
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