NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AT HIGH RISK OF TERRORIST ATTACK

Fiscal Year 2009 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides funding support for target hardening activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack.

Applications will be accepted from December 16th, 2008 through February 20th, 2009 through the State’s electronic grants management system (E-Grants) for programs to support high-risk nonprofit organizations (as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code) that are at high risk of international terrorist attack and are located within one of New York’s five UASI-eligible urban areas: 1) New York – includes New York City, City of Yonkers, Westchester County, Nassau County and Suffolk County; 2) Buffalo – includes City of Buffalo, Erie County and Niagara County; 3) Albany – includes Troy and Schenectady; 4) Rochester; and 5) Syracuse. The program seeks to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also designed to promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives, State and local government agencies, and Citizen Corps Councils.

For an application and instructions, contact: Office of Homeland Security, Steve Tierney, 1220 Washington Ave., State Office Campus, Bldg. 7A, Albany, NY 12242, or call (866) 837-9133, e-mail: [email protected]

PERSONS/FIRMS THAT ADMINISTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS

DESCRIPTION: Compact disks (CDs) containing Request For Proposals (RFP)/Application packages for local program administrator (LPA) applications will be available beginning January 12, 2009. LPA applications requesting funds under the Access to Home, HOME and/or RESTORE Program may be submitted using the Community Development Online (CDOL) System. Applicants may make a special request, based on demonstrated need, for DHCR approval to utilize a Word/Excel fillable paper application in lieu of CDOL. Requests must be in writing and received not later than January 26, 2009.

NOTE: A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR NYS HOME PROGRAM CAPITAL (SITE-SPECIFIC) APPLICATIONS WAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED TO ANNOUNCE AVAILABILITY OF THE STATE’S APPROPRIATION OF HOME FUNDS.

Applicants are responsible for using the proper application for funding. Applications will be available from the DHCR web site. THE 2009 APPLICATION IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE ON THE DHCR WEBSITE, www.nysdhcr.gov, by January 12, 2009. LPA application workshops will be held during the month of January, 2009 in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, and New York City.

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

Applications for Access to Home and RESTORE Program funding must be received by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation by 5:00 PM, Thursday, March 12, 2009.

Applications for HOME LPA funding must be received by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation by 5:00 PM, Tuesday, March 17, 2009.

For those applicants with prior approval to submit a Housing Trust Fund Corporation paper application, applications will be accepted only at the following address:

Division of Housing and Community Renewal

Hampton Plaza - 4th Floor

38-40 State Street

Albany, NY 12207

Individuals who hand deliver site-specific paper applications must have picture identification and a transmittal letter, on organization letterhead, stating their name and authorizing that person to deliver the application. Applications delivered by commercial carrier must have a complete and legible return address. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in an application not being accepted.

UNIFIED FUNDING 2009 FUNDS AVAILABLE:

The New York State HOME Program: HTFC expects to award approximately $34 million (including awards for capital projects), subject to the availability of appropriations.

Note: A minimum of 15 percent of available funds is required to be reserved for projects developed, owned, or sponsored by Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). Not-for-profit applicants who wish to pursue pre-qualification by the HTFC as a CHDO should contact the appropriate Regional Office listed below. The New York State HOME Program also allocates a minimum of 80 percent of the funds available (after the 15 percent reserved for CHDOs) to projects located in non-participating jurisdictions.

Access to Home: HTFC expects to award approximately $4,000,000, subject to the availability of appropriations.

RESTORE: HTFC expects to award approximately $2,000,000, subject to the availability of appropriations.

GENERAL:

The Housing Trust Fund Corporation reserves the right to award all, a portion of, or none of the program funds based upon funding availability, the feasibility of the applications received, the competitiveness of the applications and the applicant's ability to meet Housing Trust Fund Corporation criteria for funding. This RFP will award funds anticipated to be available from appropriations in the 2009-10 Capital Budget and fees earned by HTFC for administering federal programs.

Applications are selected for funding based upon an evaluation process which includes completeness, eligibility, competitiveness, feasibility reviews and recommendations as detailed in the RFP/application packet. Selections are also made in compliance with all pertinent statutory requirements and furtherance of the State’s housing goals, including but not limited to: preservation of affordable housing; community revitalization; green building technologies and practices; and collaboration with other governmental agencies.

The RFP to be issued is part of the Unified Funding LPA application materials. The application materials include other documents that applicants need, to apply for funds. Applicants should refer to the RFP to determine eligibility and submission requirements for each program.

In accordance with Section 312 of Article 15 A of the Executive Law, HTFC requires contractors and awardees to make affirmative efforts to ensure that New York State certified Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises have opportunities for meaningful participation on projects awarded funding by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation.

APPLICATION WORKSHOPS:

LPA application workshops will be conducted at the following times and locations:

Syracuse

Wednesday, January 28, at 10:00 AM

Central New York

Developmental Services Office

800 South Wilbur Avenue

Syracuse, NY

Buffalo

Tuesday, January 27, at 10:00 AM

Holiday Inn – Airport

4600 Genesee Street

Cheektowaga, NY

Albany

Friday, January 23, at 10:00 AM

Hampton Plaza Ballroom

38-40 State Street, 1st Floor

Albany, NY

New York City

Tuesday, February 3, at 10:30 AM

DHCR Regional Office

25 Beaver Street, Room 510

New York, NY

Compact disks containing application materials will be available starting one half-hour before each workshop. Materials will also be available on the DHCR web site (http://www.nysdhcr.gov) beginning on January 12, 2009.

The workshops will include a discussion of project application requirements and the Unified Funding process. A workshop agenda will be posted on the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal web site (see above) by January 12, 2009. Interested parties should refer to the web site to familiarize themselves with the agenda items.

Meetings for technical assistance may be scheduled through the staff of one of the Regional Offices listed below to provide applicants with an opportunity to discuss a project or program application. Regional and Central Office staff will also be available by phone, email or in person (schedule permitting) to answer applicant questions. All staff will be available from January 12, 2009 through the application due date.

REGIONAL OFFICES:

For a CD containing the site specific application and/or technical assistance for all application preparation, contact one of the Regional Offices listed below:

Capital District Regional Office

Hampton Plaza, 2nd Floor

38-40 State Street

Albany, NY 12207

Telephone: (518) 486–5012

Lynn Kopka, Regional Director

Buffalo Regional Office

Suite 105

535 Washington Street

Buffalo, NY 14203

Telephone: (716) 847-7955

Thomas H. Van Nortwick, Regional Director

Syracuse Regional Office

620 Erie Boulevard West, Suite 312

Syracuse, NY 13204

Telephone: (315) 478-7179, ext. 200

Daniel Buyer, Regional Director

New York City Regional Office

25 Beaver St., 7th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Telephone: (212) 480–4543

Gregory Watson, Regional Director

PRIVATE SECTOR FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES THAT: HAVE FOUR OR MORE EMPLOYEES, ARE PART OF A TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTOR AND HAVE AT LEAST ONE PHYSICAL LOCATION IN NEW YORK STATE

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis for the STEP grant program. This grant provides funds to train incumbent (employed) workers in specific occupational skills needed by the applicant business or the industry in which it operates and that lead to career growth up a defined career ladder and increased wages for the trainees. Funds may be used to pay for outside vendors or in-house trainers to provide on-site training, off-site training or distance learning. The position targeted for training must exist and be filled at the time that the application is submitted. The applicant must demonstrate that the training will result in the workers' acquisition of transferable occupational skills.

There is a per-trainee cap of $2,000.00. The proposed training must result in the trainees’ receipt of a permanent 3% increase in wages. Awarded businesses will have up to six months after the end date of the contract to provide confirmation of the wage increase. Awards for individual applications may not exceed $50,000.00, subject to funding availability. An applicant may not receive more than $50,000.00 in awards in one year, and there is a STEP program lifetime maximum of $100,000.00 for each organization. Large businesses (those with 100 or more employees including both in-state and out-of-state workers) will be awarded up to 75% of the instruction costs and be required to contribute a 25% cash match toward the instruction costs. This match does not include wages for employees while in training, but would be 25% of the actual cost of the instructor.

Approximately $4.6 million in statewide funds received under the Workforce Investment Act will be made available for this grant program. Contracts will be awarded for a period of up to six months. There will be no opportunity for contract extensions. Awardees will be required to provide reports documenting the outcomes of the project. Contract payment will be on a reimbursable basis. Contractors must promptly submit vouchers for reimbursement of costs that have been incurred and paid in accordance with the approved budget. Any award must be expended on program activities in New York State and the employees to be trained must work in New York State upon completion of the training.

For further information or to access the electronic application: Log on to our web site at http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workforcenypartners/funding.shtm, or contact Andrew Gehr, Department of Labor, Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions, State Office Campus, Bldg. #12, Rm. #450, Albany, NY 12240, (518) 457-0361

Type of Recipients: School District: Syracuse City School District.

Description of Programs: Refugee School Impact Grant Program - This Federally funded program provides financial assistance to comprehensive educational programs that assist refugee school-aged children and their families adjust to American schools through the achievement of designated education and socialization contract outcomes. School staff will provide specified supportive services so that a quality educational experience can be afforded to every eligible refugee child attending public schools in the Syracuse district.

Reason for Exemption: Consistent with Chapter 862 of the Laws of 1990, OTDA requested an exemption from initially publishing this contract opportunity in the procurement opportunities newsletter, i.e., the NYS State Register. In accordance with Section 144(2)(3) of the Economic Development Law, the Office of the State Comptroller has granted the exemption. OTDA must contract with the named entity in order to fund this program. A total of $410,400 has been allocated in the budget to fund this contract beginning June 1, 2008. No applications will be accepted. Questions regarding this program may be directed to Theresa Brown at [email protected]