BE SURE TO READ THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA BEFORE CONSIDERING SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund Request for Applications
APPLICATION DEADLINE: TUESday, November 12th, 2024 by 5pm
BACKGROUND
In 2014, the Hispanic Federation (HF), Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), New York Urban League (NYUL), and Asian American Federation (AAF) formed an alliance to provide capacity-building support to Black, Latino, and Asian-led community-based organizations (CBOs) throughout New York City’s five boroughs. These four organizations, along with the Black Agency Executives, developed this initiative to generate new levels of support for the city’s organizations. As a result, the New York City Council allocated $2.5 million to establish the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund (CCNSF) This initiative has supported over 600 capacity-building projects for nonprofit organizations to date. Thanks to continued support from the New York City Council, we are pleased to announce the release of the Request for Applications (RFA) for a tenth round of awards.
The first New York City Council fund of its kind, CCNSF aims to build the capacity of New York City nonprofits in recognition of the fact that organizations led by people of the community are best equipped to meet the needs of the community. CCNSF is also intended to promote learning among CBO leaders.
Applications will be reviewed, and awards will be determined by the partner agencies in three separate funding streams, whose allocations were determined by U.S. Census data. An organization may apply to only ONE partner agency, even if it serves more than one ethnic group.
Awarded organizations will be required to participate in a minimum of three technical assistance seminars on the subject of organizational development and may be visited by CCNSF staff and/or Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) staff for project monitoring, to showcase progress, and for delivery of additional technical assistance.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS (PLEASE NOTE NEW CHANGES BELOW)
To be eligible for funding, organizations submitting applications must meet the following requirements
Registration in PASSPort is mandatory, and for those who are not enrolled in PASSPort, please complete prior to applying. If you have any questions please reach out to help@mocs.nyc.gov.
Have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and a history of at least two years as an incorporated nonprofit, including faith-based institutions.
Be current in registration with the Charities Bureau of the New York State Office of the Attorney General.
Be a New York City-based, direct social service organization that serves primarily (75%+) New York City residents (i.e., not an association or a re-granting or referral service).
Have experience serving and currently serve communities where 51% or more of the population are people of color.
Have a demonstrated record of outreach to communities of color for recruitment of the executive director or CEO and members of the board of directors.
Have an operating budget of at least $150,000 and a maximum of $3.5 million. Organizations with budgets OVER $3.5 million will NOT be eligible.
Have demonstrated commitment to equal employment opportunities.
Have demonstrated commitment and capacity to deliver culturally competent services.
Please note: Organizations that utilize fiscal sponsors/conduits are not eligible.
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL REVIEW AND ORGANIZATIONAL VETTING
All finalist organizations and consultants will be subject to a vetting process and database searches regarding any outstanding financial obligations, conflicts of interest, or other disqualifying issues. Sources used for vetting purposes will include, but not be limited to, the following:
I. Agencies
Lexis Comprehensive Business Report (related entities, principals, tax warrants, liens, workers compensation violations, addresses)
Lexis News Review (search for negative news)
IRS Database (tax-exempt status)
New York State Department of State Corporations Database (incorporation status)
New York State Tax Warrant Notice Database
New York City Department of Buildings (location occupancy status)
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Group Child Care Services
Day Care Center Inspections
Review of use of funds to ensure that monies are not used in any prohibited manner
Conflict of Interest forms
Charities Exemption, if applicable, and
Authorization forms review
II. Consultants
Lexis Comprehensive Business Report (related entities, principals, tax warrants, liens, workers compensation violations, addresses)
Lexis News Review (search for negative news)
Registration with State Attorney General’s Office
Google and social media
Conflict of Interest forms
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
The purpose of the CCNSF capacity-building program is to help organizations identify and address their most pressing organizational needs. Organizations can apply for funding in one of seven areas. Organizations MAY NOT apply for a project under an area that they previously were funded for through CCNSF:
DESCRIPTION
This includes securing and/or designing software and building related staff skills necessary for managing work more effectively (e.g., tracking client demographic data, service utilization, and progress toward outcomes).
This includes assessment, planning, and development of financial systems, as well as staff skill-building to improve reporting systems and enable organizations to identify the most cost-effective services.
This includes efforts to implement systems to keep information related to client needs, referral sources, and services provided; implement systems to measure and/or service recipient satisfaction and/or service recipient outcomes; develop programmatic success measures; and develop evaluation capacity.
This includes leadership succession planning; creation and implementation of volunteer management/recruitment plan; management/leadership training for staff; training for board of directors; and creation of board policies.
This includes conducting a needs assessment of community needs and assets, planning of new programs through research on effective practices, and staff development in support of the new initiatives.
This includes efforts to create a staff performance review process; a strategic or operational/annual plan; a communications or marketing plan; and a fundraising or donor development plan.
This includes efforts to establish partnership agreements, create action plans to collaborate with other agencies, and develop a plan for organizational mergers.
PROJECT AREA
Management information systems design and development
Financial management and planning
Evaluation and outcomes system development
Leadership development
New program planning and development
Strategy and organizational development
Collaboration and strategic alliances
TOTAL AWARDS
Under this RFA, CCSF will make awards of up to $35,000 for organizations with organizational budgets between $150,000 to $500,000 and awards of up to $45,000 for organizations with budgets that are $500,001 to $3.5 million. Community-based organizations with budgets over $3.5 million are NOT eligible to apply. All awarded funds must be expended, and all services must be completed by June 30, 2025. There are no exceptions to this requirement. The possibility of future awards is contingent on the New York City Council’s decision to continue funding CCNSF in FY 2025. Funding during one year of the program will not guarantee funding in subsequent years. However, successful implementation of a CCNSF grant may contribute to favorable consideration for renewed funding. In the event that additional funding becomes available, organizations will have to re-apply with a new project and proposal.
Award decisions will be made by three allocations panels, each organized by one of the CCNSF partners (HF; CACF; or NYUL). Each panel will be an independent body, composed of at least five voting members with expertise in philanthropy and capacity-building, as well as at least two non-voting representatives from each of the other CCNSF partners.
Awards will be subject to terms of the contract between the City of New York and Hispanic Federation, New York Urban League, or Coalition for Asian American Children and Families. Awardees will be required to enter into an Awardee Agreement with the organization to which they applied. Funds will not be distributed to any awardee unless and until all contract requirements are met.
MONITORING AND AWARD RECIPIENT LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Awardee organizations will be required to submit a mid-year progress report in April 2025, and a final report in July 2025. During the award period, awardee organizations will also be required to send at least one staff member to three seminars on organizational development topics held by one of the four partners. In addition, each awardee may be asked to host a site visit for CCNSF representatives to showcase progress and activities, as well as identify gaps or additional assistance needed.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The strongest applications will be those that meet all or most of the following criteria:
Project is focused, well-defined, and clearly aligns with one of the project areas. Organizations MAY NOT apply for a project under an area that they previously were funded for through CCNSF.
Needs statement is compelling, relates to organizational effectiveness and fulfillment of mission, and addresses (when relevant) how increased capacity will enhance organization’s ability to offer services in a culturally and linguistically competent manner. If you received an award in the last five years, briefly describe the project(s), results, and any impact.
Organization demonstrates linguistic and cultural capacity; a track record of providing culturally competent and language accessible services; an understanding of cultural and linguistic needs of population served; demonstrated and successful record of outreach to communities of color for recruitment of the executive director or CEO and members of the board of directors; and a record of involving the community in the planning, implementation, or promotion of programs.
Staff and consultants leading the project must show the necessary qualifications and experience needed to implement the project successfully. Project includes a plan to sustain the newly developed capacity after the award period ends.
Project identifies a clear and realistically achievable timeline (project MUST be completed by June 30, 2025), as well as outcomes and indicators of success, and how outcomes will be sustained.
Plan identifies a reasonable process for measuring progress towards benchmarks and overall success of project.
Project budget is clear and relates to the program design.
Project budget costs are reasonable, and revenue is sufficient to accomplish goals of the project.
Consultant is chosen with the following considerations:
Consultant cannot be existing staff, a current/former intern, or family/relatives of staff or board members
Consultant has been properly interviewed and references checked
In line with CCNSF goals to support and build capacity within communities of color, the initiative also encourages the use of consultants of color, organizations that are led by people of color, or organizations that are M/WBE certified or otherwise eligible.
Note: There is a monetary cap on how much each Consultant can be paid under this grant; it is a collective cap across all awardees. The cap on for-profit consultants is $50,000, and the cap on nonprofit consultants is $75,000. A list of consultants used over the last nine years, nonprofit and for-profit, will be provided at the information sessions. This is not an endorsement of the consultants themselves or the services they provide.
COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend any of the Virtual Community Briefings, to learn more about the grant and application process:
Virtual Community Briefing #1: October 22, 2024 at 2pm - RSVP HERE
Virtual Community Briefing #2: October 31, 2024 at 11am - RSVP HERE
Virtual Community Briefing #3: November 7, 2024 at 11am - RSVP HERE
For FAQ answers, updates, and for RSVP links, visit: www.ccnsfund.org
deadline
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12th, 2024 by 5PM ET
Incomplete applications and applications received after the stated date and time will not be considered.