Each year, the New York City Council awards discretionary funds to nonprofit organizations to meet local needs — with applications for FY 2026 funding expected to open in early-January (exact date TBD).
To help our membership prepare to apply, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is thrilled to once again welcome representatives from government relations firm CMW Strategies for a virtual conversation about our city’s discretionary funding process. This virtual session will unpack the purpose of discretionary funding, eligibility considerations, available funding streams, assessing your organization’s readiness to apply, navigating “Schedule C”, and tips to keep in mind when preparing for and submitting your application.
This session is free and hosted as part of our It Starts with the Arts campaign, aimed at educating our community on government and empowering the field to support both sector-wide and organization-specific sustainability.
This session will be open exclusively to Roundtable members. Not a member? Learn more about becoming a member here.
Update from NYCC Discretionary Unit
Please be advised that all not-for-profit community-based organizations that wish to apply for discretionary funding for FY 2026 must submit a City Council Application. The FY 2026 application will be posted on the Council’s website in the Budget section under the FY 2026 tab on Monday, January 6, 2025 and the submission deadline will be on Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 5:00pm.
The link to the Council’s website is: Home – New York City Council (nyc.gov)
Also, please note that if an application is not submitted within the filing period, the community-based organization will not be eligible for funding. If you have any questions concerning the application process, please contact the Discretionary Unit at Discretionary@council.nyc.gov
The Roundtable is proud to partner with CMW Strategies on our It Starts with the Arts advocacy campaign.
About CMW Strategies
CMW Strategies, formerly known as Connelly McLaughlin and Woloz, is a full service government relations and consulting firm specializing in strategy, lobbying, coalition-building, community organizing and public relations. For more than three decades, we have played a significant role in shaping legislation, initiatives and public opinion throughout multiple city and state administrations, legislative bodies and in the media.
CMW Strategies is often the force behind some of New York’s highest profile projects representing a vast array of clients in virtually every type of business.
CMW Strategies is fortunate to have received some of our industry’s leading awards and accolades. City and State magazine, a leading publication covering the public affairs industry in New York, called CMW Strategies a “go-to public affairs firm” in its 2015 “Power 100” issue and featured CMW Strategies professionals as “40 Under 40 Rising Stars” in 2009, 2013 and 2014. The New York Times calls us “influential.” Crain’s New York Business listed us among “City Hall’s in-crowd of lobbyists” in 2014. The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Post, Bloomberg News, NY1 News, Fox 5 News, WABC, WNBC, WCBS, Associated Press and dozens of other media outlets across the country consistently turn to CMW Strategies’ professionals for insight and expert opinion.
Accessibility
The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is committed to providing opportunities for everyone to participate in our programming. All sessions will include access to closed captioning in the main room via Zoom’s Live Transcript feature. Please let us know how we can meet your access needs or reach out if you have any questions by contacting Roundtable Programs Director Kinsey Keck at kkeck@nycaieroundtable.org.
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