Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway Beach) announced today that her office will be hosting an informational workshop of the Citizens Committee for New York City to help small, volunteer-led organizations apply for grant funding. The workshop will be held at Pheffer Amato’s district office, 95-16 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, on Monday, October 23rd from 6pm to 8pm. Pheffer Amato previously hosted the successful launch of Perfect Piece of the Puzzle, a Rockaway-based resource for parents of children with disabilities, over the summer; that organization was a Citizens Committee grantee. Impressed by the financial, logistical and informational support the Citizens Committee provided, Pheffer Amato decided to host a workshop for the Committee so that they could expand the reach of their work in South Queens.

“The Citizens Committee for NYC is one of the oldest micro-grant organizations in the country, and the impact of their decades of work shows every day across the Five Boroughs,” said Pheffer Amato. “We’re New Yorkers; we’re restless; we care deeply about our neighborhoods; and sometimes, we know we need something a City agency or nonprofit isn’t providing. That’s where the Citizens Committee steps in, to encourage innovative, truly home-grown efforts to make our neighborhoods a better place. Trishia [Bermudez]’s group [PPoP] was a great idea, matched with the funding and expertise to make it happen – all accomplished by volunteers. In South Queens, of all communities, I expect many more smart, home-grown ideas to come out of the woodwork. A group like the Citizens Committee is exactly what we need to make our neighborhoods flourish. I’m excited to host an opportunity to find out how to apply for a grant!”

According to their website, the Citizens Committee has undertaken “four decades of reinventing New York City neighborhoods through resident-led initiative and engagement.” In order to receive a Citizens Committee grant, organizations must meet several criteria, such as having no paid staff, not being for-profit, and operating on a budget of less than $40,000 per year. Organizations do not have to have 501(c)(3) nonprofit certification. Grants are limited to groups, not individuals; grants cannot be used for partisan purposes, for capital expenses, for AV equipment (though the Citizens Committee also runs an Equipment Share for grantees), or for salaries (though they can stipend. More information on grant criteria can be found at their Web site.

To RSVP, residents are encouraged to email Pheffer Amato’s team at amatos@nyassembly.com, or call her office at (718)-945-9550.