NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund 

2021 Systems Change Grant Application and Guidelines

Application deadline: By 12PM noon on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 

Overview of the NYC Green Fund

The NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund is intended to respond to the most urgent needs facing the nonprofit 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.

How to Apply + Timeline

Applications must be submitted by 12PM noon on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 via City Parks Foundation’s Grant and Funding Opportunity Portal. 

Applications will be reviewed and applicants notified of status by the end of January 2022. Projects must be completed by the end of January 2024 at the latest, with required interim and final reports.

Eligibility

Open to 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 be aware of both funder and nonprofit lobbying restrictions.

Past NYC Green Fund Systems Change grantees are eligible to apply for consideration and should clarify how their proposed project builds upon or differs from the 2020 project. Projects funded last year are avauilable for reference here.  

Purpose 

The NYC Green Fund Systems Change Grant 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.

• Support research and awareness building for improvements in equitable access to parks and open spaces including natural areas and waterfronts, identifying new locations for areas in need and improving access to and maintenance of existing spaces and related infrastructure.

• Build awareness around and create strategies to improve public-private partnerships and foster more collaborative relationships by identifying ways to reduce or eliminate bureaucracy and barriers, particularly around the capital process and between NYC Parks and its nonprofit partners.

The NYC Green Fund will also consider requests from 2020 NYC Green Fund Systems Change Grantees for projects that build upon their current project or are new projects entirely.

Amount and Types of Support 
Funders will award approximately 5-7 grants of $50,000 to $150,000, depending upon funding available. Grant funds may be spent over a period of up to 24 months.

Criteria Funding decisions will be based on: 

• Strategic alignment: The project aligns with at least one of the priorities as outlined. The submitting organization’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.
• Feasibility: The intended outcomes or results of the proposed project are feasible considering the activities and resources. The applicant is well-positioned to deliver on intended results and objectives within the project timeline and has the relevant relationships and experience needed to execute the proposed project. Pre-work should be evident and show readiness.
• Equity & Community Served: The proposal 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, an understanding of roles, accountability structures, and what each partner contributes. The proposed project is mutually beneficial and works to break down silos. The collaborative effort builds the capacity of the applicants and creates potential for continued collaboration after the grant period. 
• Budget: The budget is reasonable considering the activities, outputs and scale of the proposed project, and the applicant’s annual operating budget (suggested maximum request of no more than 25% of annual operating budget). The proposal should clearly demonstrate how funding will be used over the project timeline.

Reporting

The successful applicant(s) selected are expected to submit narrative and financial reports, as well as periodic information needed for overall project performance monitoring and management. Grantees may be asked to participate in bi-monthly meetings to give progress reports on the grant or share project updates at meetings. At the close of the grant, grantees will be required to provide a written report for the NYC Green Relief & Recovery Fund describing the results of the work and provide photos of the project if relevant.

Use of Grant Funds

Grant funds may be used for 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.

Grant Administration

City Parks Foundation (CPF) manages the day-to-day administration of the NYC Green Fund, which is governed by a 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