Youth and Recreation (YARD) Sports and Pro Social Activities Grant

The City of New Haven's Youth and Recreation Department (YARD) is requesting proposals from New Haven-based nonprofit organizations to support youth sports and pro-social activities programming free or at minimal cost to school-age youth aged 5–17, with proposals due October 27, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. and questions due October 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eligible applicants must be New Haven-based nonprofits or community organizations; municipalities, school districts, private foundations, elite sports programs, and religious organizations lacking secular community focus are ineligible. Applicants must maintain child protection policies, General Liability insurance of $1 million minimum with Abuse & Molestation coverage naming the City as additional insured, and capacity to collect and report demographic data.

Programming scope includes introductory sports clinics, equipment and supplies for program expansion, and student scholarships for enrollment. Fully remote or online programming will not be supported. Eligible program types are team sports (organized physical activities where groups of two or more compete against opposing teams) or pro-social activities (voluntary actions intended to benefit another person or group). Funding budgets should prioritize programming costs including staff salaries, referee fees, equipment and uniforms, scholarships, instruction clinics, and facility costs. Ineligible uses include land acquisition, construction, vehicle repairs, payroll for permanent positions, and rental or lease payments.

Maximum award per organization is $5,000. The contract term is one year with no optional renewal periods; all renewals are at the City's sole discretion. Grant funds are derived from ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, with all expenditures required after March 3, 2021, and City obligation by December 31, 2024 and expenditure by December 31, 2026. Indirect costs cannot exceed 10 percent of the total award.

Evaluation priorities include number of New Haven participants served (25 points), reach to at-risk and high-risk youth (20 points), New Haven residency (15 points), organizational capacity (15 points), timely results (10 points), community support (5 points), youth engagement potential (5 points), and city visibility (5 points). Applicants must submit technical proposals separate from pricing; inclusion of costs in technical proposals results in disqualification. Organizations must comply with the City Living Wage Ordinance (contracts exceeding $25,000 annually), Equal Employment Opportunity requirements, and Ban the Box policies. Submissions are electronic through the City's eProcurement Portal.