RIRA Recommends RIOC Public Purpose Funds Allocations Of $100 Thousand To 9 Roosevelt Island Non Profit Organizations And Asks RIOC To Contribute 3% Of Annual Budget For Future Allocations

The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Common Council December 6 meeting approved the recommendations of RIRA's Public Purpose Funds (PPF) Committee for the allocation of $100,000 to 9 local Roosevelt Island non-profit organizations.

 According to the report prepared by the PPF Committee:

The RIRA Common Council’s PPF Committee reviewed the RIOC-provided applications of nine Island 501c organizations seeking funds for their respective programs. The Common Council approved the attached report during a meeting on December 6, 2017. Further, and as last year, the Common Council took note of the need for increased public purpose funding in our growing Roosevelt Island community. In this regard, the Common Council continues to urge RIOC to fully implement the still relatively new PPF-related legislation approved by Governor Cuomo. Championed by our local legislators, the funds, in our view, should be granted at or close to three percent of the RIOC operating budget in the manner envisioned. As evidenced by this and prior reports, qualified Island 501c non-profits lack funds sufficient to fully meet their goals beneficial to the Island.

Further to the above, it is with pleasure that we provide you the attached funding recommendations for your review and approval. If any questions, please let us know and also when this matter will be on the agenda for the review and approval consideration of the Corporation’s Board. The Committee will provide under separate cover other forms that RIOC requires.

We thank RIOC for its continued support to the community and the efforts made to move forward with public purpose funding. Additionally, we thank you for continuing to allow the RIRA-Common Council to provide inputs to the important process of availing funds to qualified Roosevelt Island applicants.

Warm regards,

Dave Evans (PPF Committee Chair with Members Erin Feely-Nahem and Cynthia Wilkerson)

The RIRA PPF Committee recommendations are as follows:

PS/IS 217 Parent Teachers Association (PTA)

Amount Requested: $22,500 Amount Recommended: $15,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation: Funds are only for the Middle School Enrichment Residency (Salvadori Center) for 6th/7th grade students.

The PTA remains an active supporter of PS-IS/217. The funds requested are aimed at supporting two enrichment residencies to enhance and offer a strong STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) program curriculum. The Salvadori Center effort will focus on 6th and 7th grade students aimed at enhancing their understanding of mathematics concepts through hands-on project based learning. The Wingspan effort will target 4th grade students, giving them an opportunity to explore art and literacy by writing a collaborative and original musical theater production incorporating dance, music and lyrical writing.

Life Frames, Inc.

Amount Requested: $19,900 Amount Recommended: $4,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation: The funding is to help continue the program for participating children to develop and maintain the existing Living Life Garden behind 504 Main Street. Finally, the Committee strongly recommends that Life Frames members update the briefing (inclusive of the pictures) used to describe their program.
The Life Frames program continues gardening activities beneficial to children of all ages. Parental support is available and observations confirm that many children participate in the gardening activities. However, there seems to be a decline in the operational breadth of the program. This could be due to challenges in obtaining funding in the New York City area as opposed to less interest. Hopefully, the plot of land near 504 Main Street will remain available.

Wildlife Freedom Foundation (WFF)

Amount Requested: $5,000 Amount Recommended: $5,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation/Purpose: To help the WFF in meeting its mission of rescuing, assisting, and rehabilitating stray animals on Roosevelt Island.

The WFF seeks to increase its capacity to assist, rescue, and rehabilitate stray animals on Roosevelt Island. Funds sought are for on-going administrative and operational expenses meant to support the ability of WFF to carry out its mission. The WFF is led by an energetic individual. However, given the enormity of the task, it seems more personnel are needed as such will help, among other things, further enhance accomplishment of its mission.

Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (RIVAA)

Amount Requested: $42,000 Amount Recommended: $11,800

Committee Decision and Recommendation: Funding that supports payment of rent and, at RIVAA discretion if funding allows, that supports payments for utilities. However, RIVAA should seek to better understand and thus, be able to articulate who is responsible for the installation of a reliable heating and cooling system (*see narrative with questions below).
The RIVAA has been consistent over prior years in its request for funds to offset its rent expense. However, this current request goes further as it also includes a desire for funds to pay utilities and for the installation of an upgraded heating and cooling system. RIVAA considers the current system inadequate.

*The request for a more efficient heating and cooling system raises other, broader questions and hopefully, RIOC will help facilitate an understanding. That is, it is not clear to the PPF committee and thus, we request information as to:

• Who, under the Master Retail Lease Program, is responsible for systems (e.g., heating and air) that entail capital costs?
• Why would a renter be responsible for such costs as opposed to the lessors and/or Owner(s) of the structure?

Unfortunately, given the relative limited amount of public purpose funds available in total, using such to meet capital cost needs would be very difficult to do, if at all.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS)

Amount Requested: $32,000 Amount Recommended: $12,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation: The approved funding is to support: the Visitor Center Contract Staff and/or the administrative support of the Historian and/or general repairs of the kiosk. Further, it is recommended that the Historian assesses the feasibility of adjusting operating days so to include weekend hours.

The request from the Historical Society seeks funding support to, among other things: (a) maintain a viable number of contract staff at the Visitors Center who are knowledgeable, can support and impart relevant information via tours and lectures to visitors and residents of the Island; (b) compensate other administrative support and outreach efforts to Cornell Tech; (c) allow the Historian to upgrade the current computer system; and (d) help facilitate necessary repairs in and around the kiosk. Though unable to recommend a higher percentage of the available PPF to address the aforementioned, the Committee believes the Visitor Center will benefit from the increasing number of residents and visitors to the island. Further, it is recommended that the operating days include weekend hours.

Island Kids

Amount Requested: $20,000 Amount Recommended: $15,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation: The approved funding is for a new initiative aimed at an underserved population (older teens and young adults) of Island residents and to be used consistent with all or some of the reasons cited below to assist in implementation of the proposed program.

Island Kids seeks funds to assist in implementation of its proposed Moving Forward Vocational and Educational services aimed at helping teens and young adults navigate personal, social, and emotional growth necessary to reach their full potential. The participants will move through a series of training sessions and support groups lasting 4-6 weeks. Areas of focus will include a combination of: (a) work readiness – focusing on skills needed to obtain and maintain employment; (b) support services for alcohol and substance abuse; (c) fortune society – referrals for mental health, pregnancy, fatherhood and workforce reentry; (d) education via job training, test assessing secondary completion (TASC) exam and (e) college assistance. Island Kids indicates that it has met with various providers offering various workforce skill training.

Main Street Theater and Dance Alliance

Amount Requested: $35,000 Amount Recommended: $18,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation/Primary Purpose: The responsible decision-maker(s)atMST&DA will use the PPF to support scholarships and strengthening the executive staff. These scholarships would be aimed at those who would not be able to participate without financial support, especially encouraging diversity by helping minorities who are underrepresented in the programs offered.

MST&DA is seeking funds to support four areas: scholarships, support of other Island organizations, community events, and strengthening executive staff. Scholarships, as in other years, are for those who would not be able to participate without financial support. MST&DA plans to work with such groups such as Island Kids and Beacon, providing programming free of charge or at cost. Increased participation in community events is also sought, as well as funds to support the hiring of an Assistant Executive Director, thereby increasing opportunities for programming, engagement with the community, and enabling the executive staff to seek other sources of arts funding.

It is obvious that MST&DA has made significant strides since coming forth as a first time applicant to express needs subsequent to the trauma of hurricane Sandy.

Roosevelt Island Swimming (Marlins)

Amount Requested: $11,637.50 Amount Recommended: $1200

Committee Decision and Recommendation/Purpose: To assist in payment for a dive platform. It will help enhance training associated with swimming instruction.

The Marlins have expressed the need to replace the loss of an experienced instructor/learn to swim coordinator. Such would enable the Marlins to increase the value of the program by servicing additional participants. The group also aims to purchase equipment (pool islands, dive platform) to increase contemporaneous participant access, as well as software for managing the club more efficiently. Finally, the group would purchase swim competition insurance, so that select learn-to-swim participants can attend competitions without needing additional funds from their parents.

Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA)

Amount Requested: $18,000 Amount Recommended: $18,000

Committee Decision and Recommendation/Primary Purpose: The RIDA application and interview leads to a clear conclusion by the Committee - - RIDA definitely needs help to ensure a functioning heater and air conditioner for its bus, among other things.

RIDA seeks to continue providing transportation for disabled members, assisting such individuals and others with equipment to increase mobility, advocating for the disabled, providing ADA education for Roosevelt Islanders, and providing a holiday dinner. The grant sought, while larger than requested in recent past years, also aims to provide for the installation of a very much needed functioning heater and air conditioner – directly remedying the adverse impacts upon the ability to safely transport disabled individuals on very hot or cold days.

A COMMITTEE PROPOSAL

The PPF Committee, subsequent to the RIDA open-to-the public presentation at Good Shepherd, discussed further some thoughts related to RIDA. It became clear that the current RIDA bus is aged and with increasing O&M costs. As such, the Committee believes that an undertaking could be taken outside of or complimentary to PPF that could facilitate purchase of a reliable newer bus. AND though this might be a unique statement for a report such as this, the PPF Committee strongly recommends that the RIRA Common Council immediately undertakes an Island-wide effort to meet that need. To the extent possible, any help from RIOC for this endeavor would also be greatly appreciated.
The PPF Committee makes a motion that the RIRA Common Council undertakes an Island-wide effort to help the RIDA procure a reliable, newer bus to help facilitate and continue the work and legacy of Roosevelt Islander Jim Bates.

Further, for the record, the PPF Committee would like to close this report with the following statement extracted from the RIDA application for PPF -- as we are reminded of the energy and devotion of Jim Bates, a veteran, leader, church-goer, and more as well as motivator and wonderful citizen of Roosevelt Island who recently died of natural causes:

Those living with disabilities have a variety of needs, including needing assistance with mobility, access to affordable food, access to affordable equipment, access to transportation, and a neighborhood that is built to accommodate a variety of needs.

Those living with disabilities also need advocates to be a voice for their specific needs. RIDA meets those needs, while building awareness throughout the community to the need of those living with disabilities. The bus we own to use for transportation for the disabled is in dire need of a functioning heater and air conditioner. It is virtually impossible to transport disabled people on either very cold days or very hot days. The funds would make it possible to address this issue.

During the RIRA meeting, the RIDA recommendation was revised although the total amount stayed the same.

Will update when revised language received.

Here is the PPF recommendation presentation to the RIRA Common Council by Mr. Evans.

Part 1. PS/IS 217 PTA and Life Frames.



Part 2. Wildlife Freedom Foundation and Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association (Gallery RIVAA).



Part 3. Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS), Island Kids, Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance (MST&DA), Roosevelt Island Marlins and Roosevelt Island Disabled Association (RIDA no web site).



The RIRA PPF recommendations will be discussed for approval or modification during the December 19 RIOC Board of Directors meeting.