NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund 

2022: Direct Relief Funding Application Guidelines

Purpose of the Fund   

The NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund is intended to respond to the most urgent needs facing the stewardship organizations managing the City’s parks and open spaces and provide adequate funding to maintain and improve them, while spurring policy-makers to address ongoing systemic challenges that prevent adequate funding for parks overall within the city’s operating budget.

Deadline and Timeline  

Applications are due by 11:59AM 11:59PM (EXTENDED) on Monday, June 6, 2022. In fairness to all applicants, late or incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Applications will be reviewed and applicants notified of status by the end of July 2022. Projects must be completed by July 31, 2023 at the latest. Reporting is required by January 31, 2023 and within 1 month of project completion, by August 31, 2023.

Eligibility

Any organization with demonstrated experience working in NYC’s open space arena with annual operating budgets of $50,000+ is eligible to apply. Joint applications from two or more organizations (with one identified as the lead recipient of funds) that propose to share services and/or solve problems jointly are welcomed. An applicant may only be the lead on a single application, but may participate as a partner in other submissions. 501(c)3 status is not required, applicants may utilize a fiscal sponsor.

• Past NYC Green Fund Direct Relief grantees must have submitted a report (interim or final) prior to applying for additional funding. 

• Past grantees must have submitted the final report prior to receiving a new award.

Examples of eligible applicants include:

• Parks-focused maintenance and programming organizations

• Community park groups with annual budgets larger than $50,000

• Organizations stewarding open spaces (including gardens, public plazas, water bodies, etc.) that are open to the public for the majority of the time

Amount and Types of Support 

Grants of $15,000 to $50,000 will be awarded. This includes funding for:

• Operations that help keep spaces open, provide adequate maintenance and care of the public space

• Landscape maintenance and restoration, horticultural care, volunteer support, environmental education, and/ or public programs

• Volunteer or service project coordination and supplies 

• Workforce development, employee morale and retention programs

• Adapting health and safety measures as needed

Eligible expenses include:

• Staffing (full time/ part time/ seasonal/ internships/ apprenticeships/ etc.)  

• Consultants, contractors, or professional fees 

• Equipment and supplies 

• Office expenses/ occupancy/ rent/ utilities

We do not fund: Electioneering, lobbying, or litigation.

Criteria

Funding decisions will be based on: 

• Equity and community served:  Priority will be given to open spaces located in and serving environmental justice communities and applicant organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.  

• Strategic alignment: The project aligns with the priorities of the grant as outlined and should demonstrate a clear and pressing need for relief funding. Proposals that support open space maintenance directly will be prioritized.

• Feasibility: The intended outcomes or results of the proposal are feasible considering the activities and resources. The applicant is well-positioned to deliver on intended results and objectives and they have the relevant relationships needed to execute the proposed project. If a partnership application, the proposal demonstrates that the partnership is mutually beneficial to all parties involved. 

• Budget: The project budget is reasonable considering the activities of the proposal and  the applicant’s annual operating budget. For solo applicants, applications should request no more than 25% of their annual operating budget. Organizations with budgets less than $10M will be prioritized. The proposal should demonstrate a clear and pressing funding need.

Reporting

Projects must be completed by July 31, 2023 at the latest. Reporting is required by January 31, 2023 and within 1 month of project completion, by August 31, 2023.

Grant Management 

City Parks Foundation (CPF) manages the day-to-day administration of the NYC Green Fund, which is governed by a steering committee of funders. Grants will be made from City Parks Foundation and all reporting information will be submitted to CPF.

For More Information 

For more information visit CityParksFoundation.org or email NYCGreenFund@cityparksfoundation.org