New York State BRICKS Grants

New York State BRICKS Grants is sponsored by New York State. Supports municipalities and nonprofit organizations across New York State in building or renovating community centers that promote physical health, mental well-being, and community connections.

# Building Recreational Infrastructure # for Communities, Kids and Seniors # Request for Information (RFI) New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (“DASNY”) is a public benefit corporation of the State of New York empowered by Article 8, Titles 4 and 4 -B of the Public Authorities Law (the “Act”), to provide design and project management services and to issue bonds, notes and other obligations for a variety of public purposes.

Under the Act, DASNY provides various services in connection with the design, construction and financing of capital facilities for the State University of New York, including dormitories and educational facili ties; City University of New York Senior Colleges; Community Colleges; Boards of Cooperative Educational Services; cities and counties with respect to court facilities and combined occupancy structures, as defined by law; the Department of Education of the State of New York with respect to certain facilities under its jurisdiction; other State and local governmental entities; independent colleges and universities; facilities for the aged; certain not -for -profit hospitals and nursing homes, as well as variou s not -for -profit organizations specifically described in the Act.

DASNY also administers grant programs in cooperation with the To learn more about DASNY, please visit our website at www. dasny. org .

New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (“NYS OPRHP ”) is a state agency within the New York State Executive Department charged with the operation of state parks and historic sites within the State of New York.

The NYS OPRHP manages more than 360,000 acres of public lands and facilities, including more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches that hosted 88. 3 million visits in 202 4. To learn more about NYS OPRHP, please visit their website at https://parks.

ny. gov/ . Recognizing that Community Centers help promote physical health, mental well -being, and provide community connections for youth and older adults, Governor Hochul announced the New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids , and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) initiative , a new competitive grant program to promote physical health, mental well -being, and community connections for youth and older adults.

The selection criteria may prioritize access to underserved communities. Priority will be given to projects in low -income or disadvantaged areas, as well as those offering affordable services like childcare, eldercare, and mental health counseling.

NY BRICKS will provide grants to eligible entities including municipalities and not for profit organizations to support the building or renovating community centers that promote physical health, mental well -being, and community connections for youth and older adults. The program aims to make transformative, high -impact investments in local communities.

The proposed FY -2026 Executive Budget includes $1 00 million in capital funding for NY BRICKS grants. Eligible municipalities and not for profits will be able to apply for funding to support the building or renovating community centers that promote physical health, mental well -being, and community connections for youth and older adults.

New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) ## 3.

Purpose and Objective DASNY , in consultation with NYS OPRHP , is releasing this Request for Information (“R FI”) to determine interest and solicit information from municipalities , local recreation commissions, and no t-for -profit organizations authorized to do business in New York State that are interested in applying for a NY BRICKS grant .

NY BRICKS grants can be used to fund the design, construction, and renovation of community centers across the State, along with other related capital expenses, including but not limited to, site infrastructure, land acquisition , and other features that create value for local communities . The BRICKS program will emphasize underserved neighborhoods across the state.

Feedback regarding the determination of “underserved neighborhoods” is welcome and This RFI is a formal, non -competitive informational inquiry that is being released to obtain market information , desire, and input on services provided in connection with the NY BRICKS program. Submittal of an RFI is not a condition for future consideration as a grantee or potential provider of the services contemplated herein.

Consequently, it is understood and agreed that no obligation or commitment is made by DASNY or NYS OPRHP to any Respondent submitting a Response to this The information collected through this RFI will inform subsequent procurements to advance the NY BRICKS grant program.

It is anticipated that DASNY and NYS OPRHP will issue one or more Request for Applications f or municipalities and not -for -profit organizations to advance public construction and renovation projects in underserved communities once funding is allocated in the DASNY invites Respondents to include answers to the following questions in their Response, referencing the same numbering system as used in this sec tion.

The information provided should address the specific response item and be informative and concise . 1. Are you interested in constructing a new community center ?

a. If so, have you developed an estimate for the capital construction work? b.

If yes, what is the estimated cost? (Estimates should reflect permanently installed feature s to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities , accessory facilities or amenities related to activities , operations and safety ). c.

If you are not interested in constructing a new community center , what are the 2. Do you currently have a n existing community center that requires redevelopment, reconstruction, rehabilitation , or renovation ? a.

If so, please describe the work required an d an approximate cost. b. If so, how many individuals does your community center serve?

c. If so, how will the improved community center provide accessibility to individuals with disabilities? New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) 3.

Do you currently have a n operational community center and wish to increase capacity a. If so, please describe the work necessary to achieve your goals , an approximate cost , and anticipated increase in capacity . 4.

If you already have an operational community center , please describe the annual maintenance and operational costs and the source of the funding for ongoing operations a. Describe the challenges your organization faces with ongoing maintenance and 5.

If you do not currently have an operational community center but are interested in constructing one, please describe your plan to fund ongoing staffing, operations and maintenance once the community center is constructed. a. Describe some of the challenges you anticipate your organization will face with staff shortages or lack of resources.

6. Do you charge (or plan to charge) a membership fee to access the community center ? a.

Also, do you plan on charging a ny other use fees , including but not limited to : parking , daily one -time access , classes, parties, corporate events, community events , and other usage by other non -profit organizations, including schools? 7. Would you agree to allow all members of the public to utilize your community center ?

a. If so, what is your plan to broaden access to all members of the public? For example, would access to the public be limited to certain days and hours?

b. If so, please detail the estimated cost structure to broaden access to the public, or subsidy required to provide access free of charge. 8.

Is your existing or planned community center accessible by public transportation? 9. If the State were to offer a matching grant program to assist with the capital costs of constructing and/or renovating a community center , would you be interested in b.

How much of a local match share would you consider to be reasonable? Please c. Describe the costs that you would pay for using capital grant funding (capital grant funding may not be used to pay for staff, utilities, maintenance, repairs, supplies, and other such costs) .

10. How does your community center achieve the overall program goal of improving physical health and mental well -being, and provid ing community connections for youth and older adults , specifically in underserved neighborhoods ? a.

Describe the types of community focused programs that you currently or intend to offer at your community center that help achieve the stated goals of the RFI ? New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) b. Describe the various types of organizations and/or programs that currently utilize or are expected to utilize your facility.

c. Do you currently or intend to provide a childcare program? d.

How does your facility build or restore a strong community and provide a safe place for individuals to build relationships and foster a sense of inclusion? e. Describe the types of exercise/athletic facilities your community center currently i.

Does your community center currently have a pool? ii. If so, do you currently have an existing pool facility that requires re novation or rehabilitation to be operation al?

Describe the work necessary to make the pool operational and an approximate cost . iii. If not, are you interested in constructing a new pool facility?

11. The NY BRICKS Program emphasizes the creation of community centers in underserved/disadvantaged communities. There are different formulae for determining the level of need in a community.

a. Please provide suggestions and explanation as to how you believe the level of neediness should be determined ( for example, by zip code , school district 12. Please share any additional feedback or ideas that you believe DASNY and NYS OPRHP should consider in the implementation and administration of the NY BRICKS Provided below is the schedule of milestones for this RFI process, listed in order of occurrence.

Please follow the instructions included in Section 6. Inquiries/Questions & Answers for further guidance on how to utilize the DASNY Portal to submit inquiries and questions . Please follow the instructions included in Section 7.

Submission of Information for further guidance on how to utilize the DASNY Portal to submit the requested information. Issuance of RFI March 12 , 2025 Deadline for RFI Questions March 26 , 2025 (3:00PM) Post Responses to RFI Questions April 2 , 2025 Submission of Information Due Date April 16 , 2025 (3:00PM) ## 6.

Inquiries/Questions & Answers All inquiries concerning this RFI or any other aspects of this RFI must be emailed with “NY BRICKS RFI” included within the subject line, to the Designated Representative for this RFI :New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) No significant interpretation or clarification of the meaning of any part of this RFI will be made orally to any Respondent.

Respondents must request such interpretations or clarifications in writing from DASNY. Questions should reference the RFI page and topic number. Questions must be received no later than 3:00 PM EST time Deadline for RF I Questions date listed in Section 5 .

Questions must be submitted through the Portal through ## 7. Submission of Information Submission of Information shall be completed through DASNY’s RF I Portal (link found below) before 3: 00 PM EST on the RFI Submission date listed in Section 5 . Please create an account at least 48 hours in advance to ensure the site is working correctly.

It is strongly encouraged to submit information in advance of the submission date and allow time in the event you require technical assistance from DASNY. DASNY may not be able to assist submitters with troubleshooting errors if submissions are not made in a timely manner. After clicking on the link above, please either create a DASNY Portal Account or sign -in to the account you previously created.

DASNY requires Multifactor Authentication (MFA) to meet our security needs and keep your account safe. Upon initial account creation, you will be prompted to enter a phone number. Be sure to enter a number you will have access to when signing into your DASNY allows submitters to submit a response and continue to make edits (if necessary) until the RFI deadline.

Once you start a response, be sure to EDIT that response and not begin a new one. DASNY will only review a single response . If your response is in draft mode, you will be able to see it in the list when you select to edit an existing response on the Portal.

Your response is not complete and DASNY does not have access to view your responses until you submit a final package prior to the deadline.

If there are any issues associated with the link above or if you have technical issues with DASNY’s RFI Portal, with “NY BRICKS RFI” included within the subject line , please contact the The issuance of this RFI and the submission of a Response by any Respondent or the acceptance of such Response by DASNY or NYS OPRHP does not obligate DASNY or NYS OPRHP in any New York Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids, and Seniors (NY BRICKS ) Request for Information (RFI) manner.

By submitting a Response, you agree to the terms of this RFI.

DASNY and NYS OPRHP ➢ Amend, modify, or withdraw this RFI; ➢ Revise any requirement of this RFI; ➢ Require supplemental statements or information from any Respondent; ➢ Extend the deadlin e for submission or Responses; ➢ Hold discussions with any Respondent; ➢ Communicate with any Respondent to correct and/or clarify Responses which do not conform to the instructions contained herein; and ➢ Cancel or reissue in whole or in part this RFI.

This RFI shall not be construed in any manner to implement any of the actions contemplated herein, nor to serve as the basis for any claim whatsoever for reimbursement of costs for efforts expended in preparing a Response or otherwise. DASNY and NYS OPRHP shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by any Respondent related to preparing and submitting a Response, attending oral presentations, or for any other associated costs.

All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be at the sole cost and expense of the Respondent. Responses and any other materials submitted in connection with this RFI are subject to disclosure under the New York State Freedom of Information Law, Article 6 of the Public Officers Law. The submission of a Response is not required to participate in any potential future Request for