Notice Details

New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify qualified Fund Administrators to manage three community-centered funds (1) the Manhattan Cruise Terminal Community Fund (“MCTCF”); (2) the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Community Fund (“BCTCF”), and (3) the Sunset Park Special Purpose Project Fund (“SPPF”). These funds are designed to support projects identified by community members and may include, but are not limited to, environmental stewardship, public realm improvements, and workforce development initiatives in the Hell’s Kitchen, Sunset Park, and Red Hook neighborhoods of New York City.

The selected Fund Administrator(s) will be responsible for leading and managing transparent project solicitation and selection processes, overseeing Fund disbursement, implementing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and memorializing funding priorities in collaboration with local stakeholders all through an inclusive community engagement process.

The MCTCF and BCTCF are financed through a $1 per passenger fee collected from cruise lines operating under exclusive berthing agreements. The SPPF is funded through a 5% set-aside of the annual gross rent derived from subleases at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (“SBMT”). NYCEDC anticipates approximately $1.3 million in total funds for MCTCF by the end of calendar year 2025, with disbursement amounts expected to range between $400,000 and $700,000 annually. For the BCTCF, total funds by the end of calendar year 2025 are expected to amount to $630,000. For the SPPF, total funds by the end of calendar year 2025 are expected to amount to approximately $860,000. The administration fee for the selected organization will be sourced from a portion of the respective Funds. No additional funding sources are available for this solicitation.

NYCEDC will accept proposals from a variety of institutions, including, but not limited to nonprofit organizations, community foundations, certified community development financial institutions (CDFIs), certified community development entities (CDEs), local business improvement districts (BIDs), and independent consultants with a demonstrated history of managing community funds and engaging local stakeholders.

NYCEDC plans to select one or more organization(s) on the basis of factors stated in the RFP which include but are not limited to: the respondent’s cost proposal, experience and qualifications of the respondent, proposed outcomes, and overall proposal quality.

It is the policy of NYCEDC to comply with all federal, state and City laws and regulations which prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status and other protected category and to take affirmative action in working with contracting parties to ensure certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) share in the economic opportunities generated by NYCEDC’s projects and initiatives.

Companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (“M/WBE”) are strongly encouraged to apply.  To learn more about M/WBE certification, NYCEDC’s M/WBE program, and programs to assist M/WBE in navigating current and upcoming opportunities on NYCEDC projects, please visit  https://sbsconnect.nyc.gov/certification-directory-search/ and edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe.  

An optional virtual informational session will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by email to CommunityFundAdminRFP@edc.nyc on or before December 3, 2025.

Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than later than 5pm Thursday, December 11, 2025. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to CommunityFundAdminRFP@edc.nyc. Answers to all questions will be posted by Thursday, December 18, 2025, to https://edc.nyc/rfps.

Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP will not be accepted after 5pm on Thursday, December 11, 2025, however, technical questions pertaining to downloading and submitting proposals to this RFP may be directed to RFPREQUEST@edc.nyc on or before Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Detailed submission guidelines and requirements are outlined in the RFP, available as of Thursday, November 20, 2025. To download a copy of the solicitation documents please visit https://edc.nyc/rfps. RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 4:00 P.M.. Please click the link in the “Deadlines” section of this project’s web page (which can be found on https://edc.nyc/rfps) to electronically upload a proposal for this solicitation. Please upload your response as a single .zip file, labeled with your company name and the title of this RFP.