NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund 

2022/ 2023 Systems Change Direct Round Funding Guidelines

Overview of the NYC Green Fund 

The NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund was established in May 2020 as a pooled fund by a collective of national, family, and community foundations to support stewardship organizations that care for New York City’s parks and open spaces. The Fund is intended to respond to the most urgent needs facing the city’s parks and open spaces, while spurring policy-makers to address ongoing systemic challenges that prevent adequate funding for parks overall within the city’s operating budget. The Fund was launched in response to the efforts of the Parks and Open Space Partners - NYC coalition to raise awareness of the financial impacts of the pandemic on open spaces.

Deadline and Timeline  

In advance of applying, prospective applicants are encouraged to submit project ideas and opportunities for collaboration here. Please review opportunities for collaboration here and contact potential partners directly. 

Applications must be submitted by 12PM on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 via City Parks Foundation’s Grant and Funding Opportunity Portal. 

Applications will be reviewed and applicants notified of status by the end of March 2023. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2025, with required interim and final reports.

Eligibility

The 2022 NYC Green Fund System Change Round is open to solo applicants, coalitions, or collaborations of organizations based in New York City. The submitting applicant’s mission must be aligned with advancing parks and open space issues, and applicants must have a track record of collaboration. The submitting applicant should have a demonstrated history of managing funds from foundations or government and following both funder and nonprofit lobbying restrictions. Government agencies may be a project partner, but may not serve as submitting applicant. 

2020 and 2021 NYC Green Fund Systems Change grantees slated to complete their project by March 2023 are eligible and should clarify how their proposed project builds upon or differs from the past project. 2021 NYC Green Fund Systems Change grantees will be required to share a narrative and budgetary update on their project for consideration.   

Examples of eligible applicants include:

• NYC open space-focused nonprofits 

• Coalitions or collaborations of open space-focused organizations 

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

Priorities of the NYC Green Fund Systems Change Round:

The NYC Green Relief and Recovery Fund Systems Change round seeks to fund projects that address one or more of the key areas identified below. 

• Support an interagency vision for open space that focuses on parks, public health, transportation infrastructure, climate resiliency, and equitable economic development. 

• Highlight parks and open spaces as essential infrastructure and spur policy-makers to provide sufficient, stable maintenance and operations funding.

• Improve access to open space by identifying new locations or addressing impediments to public access. 

• Address challenges in the construction process including capital reform and provision of a flexible procurement budget.

• Improve public-private partnerships, fostering more collaborative relationships by championing stewards and identifying ways to reduce bureaucratic barriers including contracting and procurement.

• Leverage partnerships and share resources to pursue state and federal funding.  

• Develop and implement collaborative adaptation projects to prepare our parks and open spaces for climate change impacts now and in the future. 

Amount and Types of Support 

The NYC Green Fund will distribute approximately 5-8 grants with an anticipated average grant size of $70,000 depending upon funding available. Grantees may request up to $150,000. Grant funds may be spent over a period of up to 24 months. 

Eligible expenses include project staff salaries, consultant fees, data collection and analysis, meetings, supplies, project-related travel, and other direct project expenses, including a limited amount of equipment essential to the project. Grant funds may not be used to support an organization’s overhead or facilities costs, to construct or renovate facilities, or as a substitute for funds currently being used to support similar activities.

No portion of the grant may be used to lobby or otherwise attempt to influence legislation or to participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Criteria

Funding decisions will be based on: 

• Strategic alignment: The project aligns with at least one of the priorities as outlined. The submitting applicant’s mission aligns with the grant purpose. 

• Innovation: The project should address key outstanding questions, have the potential to lead to a significant change, or test out new ideas and processes. Funding is intended to be catalytic and will prioritize work that would otherwise not be possible.

• Feasibility: The intended outcomes or results of the proposed project are feasible considering the activities and resources. The applicant is well-positioned to deliver intended results and objectives within the project timeline and has the relevant relationships and experience needed to execute the proposed project. Preparedness should be evident and show readiness. 

• Equity & Community Served: The proposed project is serving a priority neighborhood identified by the Taskforce for Racial Inclusion and Equity and/or will help address systemic inequities. The proposed project should demonstrate an understanding of the historical and current structural and institutional barriers faced by underserved communities and communities of color in accessing open spaces and a commitment to advancing equity. 

• Collaboration: The proposal should clearly demonstrate a purpose for working together, clarify roles and responsibilities, and accountability structures. The proposed project should be mutually beneficial, build the capacity of the partners, and offer the potential for continued collaboration post-grant period.  

• Budget: The budget is reasonable considering the activities, outputs, scale of the proposed project, and the applicant’s annual operating budget. The request should not exceed 25% of the annual operating budget for solo applicants.

Reporting

Grantees selected for funding will be required to submit narrative and financial reports, as well as periodic information needed for overall project performance monitoring and management. Grantees may be asked to share project updates at meetings with City Parks Foundation staff, funders of the NYC Green Fund, and/or with the Parks and Open Space Partners-NYC coalition. Final reports must describe the results of the work, final budget, deliverables, and provide photos of the project.

Grant Management 

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

For More Information 

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