[New York City: Department of Cultural Affairs] Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning Pilot Program

Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning

Pilot Program

The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is re-launching a pilot program in FY 2024, called Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning (CPSFP), after it was put on hold for FY 2021-2023. The program will assist two to three selected not-for-profit cultural organizations with 501(c)3 status considering a capital construction or renovation project. The Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning pilot program will identify a path for the not-for-profit cultural organization to successfully define and initiate a capital project or recommend alternative strategies should a capital construction or renovation project be inadvisable. The application process is highly competitive due to the limited funding available to implement the pilot program. During the pilot program, each eligible organization will work with a consultant, contracted by DCLA, to conduct a review of the organization’s capital needs in relation to its existing operating model to develop a feasible strategy that is scaled appropriately to align the organization’s capital needs with its administrative and fundraising capacity. Organizations with an operating budget between $250,000 and $1,250,000 (based on FY20 filings) are eligible to apply.

Application Deadline: March 9, 2023 at 5pm

DISCLAIMER: Participation in the Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning pilot program neither guarantees nor precludes organizations from accessing City capital funding.

Has the organization received a Cultural Development Fund (CDF) grant for at least one of the past three City Fiscal Years: 2021, 2022 or 2023?

Yes

What is your organization’s fiscal year 2020 operating budget? (Note: Eligibility for the program is based on FY20 operating budgets.)

Does the organization have current or previous experience operating and maintaining a physical space that is used exclusively for artistic or cultural programming?

Yes

Please describe the physical space used exclusively for programming and how you currently or previously operated and maintained the space. Describe the circumstances of your current occupancy (do you own or lease and what are the terms.) (500 character limit)

Has the organization identified a capital need?

Yes

Please outline the organization’s desired capital improvement(s) in bullet form. (500 character limit)

Explain how the capital improvement(s) will affect your annual operating budget (e.g. changes to staff headcount, rental income, utility expenses, and/or maintenance expenses). (500 character limit)

What do you hope to gain from participating in this program? (500 character limit)

Does the organization have a Master Plan?

Yes

Has the Master Plan been updated in the last five (5) years?

Yes

Does the organization have a Strategic Plan?

Yes

Has the Strategic Plan been updated in the last five (5) years?

Yes

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the organization’s programming or operations?

Does the organization have experience organizing and managing a capital campaign within the past 10 years?

Yes

Did the organization meet its capital campaign goals?

Yes

Will there be at least one staff member and one Board member who, together, will commit to working intensely with a consultant for the duration of the pilot program (City Fiscal Year 2024)?

Yes

Please provide the names and titles of the proposed team members who will represent the organization. (1000 character limit)

Is it the expectation of the organization that the staff member or the Board member will remain for at least one additional year following the pilot program to share his/her/their experience and knowledge before transitioning out of the organization?

Yes

Does the organization have a succession plan in place for its executive staff?

Yes

Does the organization have a succession plan in place for its Board?

Yes

Does the organization understand that participation in this pilot program neither entitles nor precludes the organization from accessing City capital funding?

Yes

Organization Name

Contact Name

Contact Title

Contact Phone Number

Contact Email

Please upload the following 3 required and 1 optional documents (with a combined maximum of 3 MB):

Letter from the Board on organizational letterhead must:

Be addressed to:

Andrew Burmeister, Assistant Commissioner

Department of Cultural Affairs, Capital Unit

31 Chambers Street, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10007

Include the statement, “The Board of Directors [or Trustees] on behalf of [insert organization name] acknowledges that, if selected, participation in the Capital Pre-Scoping and Feasibility Planning pilot neither guarantees nor precludes organizations to nor does it prohibit the organization from accessing City capital funds.”;

Include an explanation as to why the organization is interested in participating in the pilot program;

Include information about how the organization currently operates, a brief description of program activity, space utilization, staffing, Board engagement and activity from the organization, and details about what the organization and Board hope to achieve;

Explain how these improvements directly relate to and support the mission of the organization;

Be signed by Executive Director, Board Chair, and one additional Board Officer.

Upload Board Letter

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FY20 IRS 990 Forms; and either FY20 Audited Statements or FY20 Independent Accountant’s Review, depending on what is available.

Note: Please combine the two documents into one pdf for upload

Upload Financial Files

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Staff and Board Information

Organizational chart

List of Board members and committee structure

Biography of the proposed team members that will be directly engaged with the CPSFP program.

Note: The biography of the team members should provide the name and title of each person, and highlight any relevant skills, knowledge, or experience

Upload Staff and Board Information File

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Optional: A Strategic Plan if the organization has completed one within the last 5 years

Upload Strategic Plan

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Receipt

You will be provided with a Receipt upon submission.