Chair Salaam questions OPHC on funding allocation and neighborhood prioritization
Chair Salaam asks how OPHC allocates funds and whether certain neighborhoods are prioritized. Ramjatin explains each anchor organization receives equal funding from the $3M base and sub-grants to vendors citywide, noting prior funding could not reach every community but the 800% increase will expand reach.
How does OPHC allocate funds to organizations that it works with?
And are there some neighborhoods or community prioritized when it comes to funding?
And if so, what is that prioritization based on?
Yes, so before my time in the office in 2019 when this office was founded, those were the organizations that were selected to be part of this programming.
After coming into this role, I realized that I noticed the great work they were doing and also to the diversity of portfolios that they have under each of the organizations.
The way we allocate the funding is historically each organization receives the same amount of funding across the $3 million, and then they subvent to vendors across New York City to reach most neighborhoods.
Of course, with the prior funding, we could not reach every single community.
That's why we welcome this administration's expanded funding by 800% to make sure that we are going to meet most of the communities in New York City going forward.