TIME SENSITIVE: Help Us Ensure Arts is Part of Universal Afterschool in NYC by July 11th!
Following the historic commitment to create “After School for All” in NYC, the Department of Youth & Community Development released a concept paper and call for feedback to assist with the development of an upcoming RFP for contracts to operate Comprehensive After School System (COMPASS) Elementary and School’s Out New York City (SONYC) programs in public schools and other settings.
The Roundtable believes it is imperative that arts be embedded throughout these programs to provide high quality, culturally-responsive enrichment and learning environments for young people alongside potential employment opportunities for the cultural workforce.
We need your help to bring visibility to this issue by July 11th at 2pm ET! Here are two ways to get involved…
1) Participate in DCLA & DYCD’s Feedback Session on JULY 9TH @ 2PM
The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) are hosting a feedback session for DYCD’s concept paper.
DCLA and DYCD are particularly interested in input on the program model from cultural and creative organizations—including those with the capacity to scale up their educational and afterschool programming—as potential primary providers or subcontractors. They also seek input and perspective more broadly on how the city can meaningfully integrate the arts into its Universal Afterschool program. Feedback on the concept paper will help shape the final RFP, ensuring it reflects the expertise, innovation, and practical considerations of New York City’s cultural sector.
The Roundtable encourages our membership to join this session to learn more, ask questions, and share your insights to help strengthen after school opportunities for NYC youth!
2) Submit Direct Feedback on the Concept Paper BY JULY 11TH
We are calling on members of our community to directly submit feedback via DYCD’s online form on the value of embedding arts in NYC’s afterschool programs. The Roundtable has put together a working document with our recommendations. If helpful to guide your response, please feel free to copy/paste, reference, or expand upon these recommendations as you offer feedback.
Every survey submitted helps draw attention to the importance of this issue! You do not need to answer every question in the form to offer feedback.
All feedback on the concept paper must be submitted via the COMPASS Programs Concept Paper Feedback Survey and must be received no later than July 11, 2025 at 2pm ET.
Tell Me More
The primary purpose of the COMPASS and SONYC programs is to provide a range of engaging enrichment activities, after school and during school holidays and the summer, to help students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to thrive, and to support families with childcare.
In accordance with section 3-03(b)(1) of the Procurement Policy Board Rules, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) is releasing a concept paper to obtain feedback that will assist with the development of an upcoming request for proposals (RFP) for the Comprehensive After School System (COMPASS) Elementary and School’s Out New York City (SONYC) programs in public schools and other settings. The primary purpose of the COMPASS and SONYC programs is to provide a range of engaging enrichment activities, after school and during school holidays and the summer, to help students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to thrive, and to support families with childcare.
Per the Concept Paper, “it is anticipated that DYCD will issue the COMPASS RFPs Fall of 2025. The deadline for proposal submission will be approximately five weeks from the date on which the RFPs are released. DYCD anticipates entering into six-year contracts for programs to begin August 1, 2026 with no option to renew.”
To respond to this forthcoming RFP and all other Human/Client Services RFPs, organizations must have an account and an approved HHS Prequalification application in PASSPort. Proposals and Prequalification applications will ONLY be accepted through PASSPort. If you do not have a PASSPort account or an approved PASSPort HHS Prequalification Application, please visit www.nyc.gov/passport to get started.
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