FY24 Community Project Funds
FY24 Community Project Funding
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has secured funding for 14 community projects in New York’s 14th Congressional District.
Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, the Congresswoman requested funding for 15 projects for fiscal year 2024 – although the committee had final say on which projects were funded. Community Project Funding is restricted to a limited number of project categories, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. Additional information on the guidelines governing Community Project Funding can be found here.
If your project was not funded, or you missed the deadline to apply, there may be an opportunity for funding next year - though Congressional leaders have not yet confirmed that this process will repeat for fiscal year 2025. Some of the considerations for strong proposals include depth of project planning, clear objectives and scope of work, demonstration of community support, and ability to manage federal grants.
An explanation of the Office’s selection process and criteria is outlined below.
Outreach: In order to inform our funding requests, our office posted widely about the opportunity and shared eligibility criteria with interested applicants. We then encouraged potential applicants to complete the appropriate forms on our website for the office’s consideration.
Evaluation process: After our submission deadline of April 17th, 2023, our internal team screened applications according to 1) non profit status 2) service to NY14 and 3) eligibility according to committee guidance. We then had a short list of applications which team members scored against the following criteria: service to historically underserved communities, project justification, project feasibility, project sustainability, and alignment with the office's priorities. Project justification criteria included rationale, significance of proposed work, and whether it addresses specific need(s) in the community. Multiple considerations went into determining feasibility criteria such as an organization’s ability to manage federal funding, project detail and scope. Sustainability consideration included whether the project or its impact can be sustained locally beyond the funds period, if results warrant.
The House Appropriations Committee included the below 14 projects in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills.
Compliance:
In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has certified that she, her partner, and her immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects she has requested.
The following 14 projects will receive funding:
1. MALIKAH - MALIKAH Center
$1,200,000
25-61 Steinway St, Queens, NY 11103
MALIKAH is eligible to receive $1,200,000 to acquire a three story mixed use property in NY14 to serve as a violence prevention focused community center. The facility will serve as a mental health center (peer to peer lead and 1:1), civil education (know your rights, citizenship classes), economic empowerment incubator (financial literacy, apprenticeship training), and self-defense studio (de-escalation, bystander intervention). It will provide both survivors of gender and hate based violence, and the immigrant community on Steinway Street in the Astoria neighborhood with a multifaceted grassroots approach to violence prevention and healing. It will lessen the burden on direct service providers, government offices and local municipalities by offering a proactive solution to economic, political and safety challenges facing working class people in NY14. MALIKAH, the nonprofit host, is an organization that has served the Astoria, Queens community for the past 14 years and is committed to violence prevention and community safety through mental health, financial literacy, community organizing and self-defense programming.
Member certification of no financial interest can be foundhere.
2. The Riverbay Fund, Inc. - Northeast Bronx Youth Center
$1,500,000
2049 Bartow Avenue, The Bronx, NY 10475
The Riverbay Fund is eligible to receive $1,500,000 to transform and renovate an existing 9900 square ft space to create an enrichment hub for education, recreation, culture, arts, and wellness services targeting children, adolescents and young adults in the Northeast Bronx. This renovation will transform a former movie theater space located at 2081 Bartow Avenue into a welcoming, state-of-the art 21st century facility where the area's youth can explore their passions and discover new ones. This space will serve as a center for performing arts, wellness programming and educational programming including STEM, financial literacy, and college and career preparation.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
3. Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens - Redevelopment
$1,166,279
21-12 30TH ROAD, Long Island City, NY, 11102
Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens (VBGCQ) is eligible to receive $1,166,279 to demolish and construct a new five-story Club located at 21-12 30th Road in Astoria, to meet the needs of the growing population in Long Island City and Astoria. This project will more than triple the size of the building, increasing the number of youth and families that the Club serves each year through after school, summer camp, weekend workshops, and athletics programs.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
4. GrowNYC - New York State Regional Food Hub
$1,000,000
100 Gold Street Suite 3300, New York, NY 10038
GrowNYC is eligible to receive $1,000,000 to build the New York State Regional Food Hub (the Hub), a new 60,000-sq. ft. building in Hunts Point. GrowNYC will use the Hub to store, aggregate, and distribute produce from regional farmers to underserved communities throughout the 5 boroughs. The project will add critical infrastructure to New York State farmers by providing expanded capacity and access to New York City’s wholesale marketplace, and creating new jobs in the process. Additionally, the new facility will feature cold storage helping GrowNYC meet food storage safety requirements, and enabling us to source farm fresh produce to large institutions such as universities, hospitals, and public schools.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
5. NY Public Library - Pelham Bay Library ADA Restroom Upgrade
$500,000
476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
NY Public Library, Pelham Bay Branch is eligible to receive $500,000 to ensure greater accessibility for patrons at the Pelham Bay branch. The core objective to meet this goal is to conduct a comprehensive renovation of the restroom at the branch to bring it into compliance with current code and ADA standards.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
6. New York City Housing Authority - Bronx River Houses Playground Revitalization
$1,000,000
90 Church St, New York, NY 10007
The New York City Housing Authority is eligible to receive $1,000,000 to ensure greater community safety and engagement by providing a safe space for children to gather and provide a 3rd place for socialization outside of home and school by rebuilding the playground at Bronx River Houses located at 1630 E 174th St, Bronx, NY 10472.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
7. New York City Housing Authority - Sotomayor Houses Basketball Court Revitalization
$1,000,000
90 Church St, New York, NY 10007
The New York City Housing Authority is eligible to receive $1,000,000 to ensure greater community safety and engagement by providing a safe space for children to gather and provide a 3rd place for socialization outside of home and school by rebuilding the basketball court at Sotomayor Houses located at 1090 Rosedale Ave, Bronx, NY 10472.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
8. New York City Housing Authority - Monroe Houses Playground Revitalization
$1,000,000
90 Church St, New York, NY 10007
The New York City Housing Authority is eligible to receive $1,000,000 to ensure greater community safety and engagement by providing a safe space for children to gather and provide a 3rd place for socialization outside of home and school by rebuilding the playground at Monroe Houses located at 1760 Story Ave Bronx, NY 10473.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
9. New York City Housing Authority - Astoria Houses Playground Revitalization
$1,000,000
90 Church St, New York, NY 10007
The New York City Housing Authority is eligible to receive $1,000,000 to ensure greater community safety and engagement by providing a safe space for children to gather and provide a 3rd place for socialization outside of home and school by rebuilding the playground at Astoria Houses located at 3-02 Astoria Blvd, Queens, NY 11102.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
10. Billion Oyster Project - Flushing Bay Oyster Reef
$500,000
10 South Street, Slip 7, New York, NY 10004
Billion Oyster Project is eligible to receive $500,000 to design and install a one-acre oyster reef in Flushing Bay to address longstanding environmental justice inequities facing underrepresented communities in Queens. Not only will this project improve coastal resilience by creating oyster reef habitat, uplift marine biodiversity, and enhance ecosystem functions in Flushing Bay, but it will also serve as an outdoor classroom for diverse students from underrepresented local public schools to learn about marine science and lucrative maritime careers in Queens. This project is a critical step towards the restoration of a self-sustaining oyster population in Flushing Bay, and part of a larger effort to build back oyster reefs and complex habitat in western Long Island Sound.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
11. New York City Housing Authority - Middletown Plaza Elevator Replacement
$500,000
90 Church St, New York, NY 10007
The New York City Housing Authority is eligible to receive $500,000 for elevator replacement at Middletown Plaza, located at 3033 Middletown Rd, Bronx, NY 10461. Middletown Plaza is a senior-residential building with approximately 192 residents living in 179 apartments. Upgrading the existing two elevators will address any future accessibility concerns and support tenants with limited mobility.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
12. New York City Department of Transportation - Westchester Square Plaza
$1,000,000
55 Water Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10041
New York City Department of Transportation is eligible to receive $1,000,000 for a capital project that will make the intersection of Westchester and East Tremont Avenues safer for all street users, while also introducing a new, vibrant public space south of the elevated 6 train that complements Owen F Dolan Park. The project will build out the large operational curb extension at this intersection's southwest corner, making permanent the geometric simplifications introduced using paint in 2018, and will reconstruct this location as new public space replete with seating, plantings, street trees, wayfinding, street lighting, and other amenities.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
13. New York City Department of Transportation - Astoria Blvd Safety Improvements
$1,000,000
55 Water Street, 9th floor, New York, NY 10041
New York City Department of Transportation is eligible to receive $1,000,000 for a capital project targeting the Intersections along Astoria Boulevard between 82nd and 102nd streets in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst, Queens, which have historically had high crash numbers, with 40 percent of pedestrian crashes occurring midblock or at an uncontrolled intersection. In order to prevent future fatalities and severe injuries, three locations along Astoria Boulevard will receive capital improvements. These interventions will increase pedestrian safety; reduce conflicts between pedestrians, cars, and bikes; and improve pedestrian circulation. These capital improvements will build on the successes of the operational improvements DOT implemented within these project limits in 2016.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.
14. Hutchinson River Restoration Project, Inc. (HRRP) - Hutchinson River Restoration Project
$50,000
88 Horton Street, The Bronx, NY 10464
The Hutchinson River Restoration Project is eligible to receive $50,000 to characterize areas and causes of shoreline pollution on the Hutchinson River and determine administratively and practically how the areas can be best restored for park land or other public use; 2) to increase active participation in debris clean-up activities along the river at all levels and 3) to expand public awareness of the polluted shorelines in communities alongside the Hutchinson River and its watershed through community meetings, newsletters, news releases, and the collaboration and information exchanges with like-minded groups.
Member certification of no financial interest can be found here.