Ever read in the newspaper that a local non-profit organization received thousands of dollars in government funding to support their efforts within the community and wonder how that specific group was chosen? In the case of the groups serving the 44th Council district neighborhoods of Boro Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst, Councilman David G. Greenfield hosts an annual meeting for any organization seeking funding from the City Council in order to give each group a fair and equal opportunity to submit an application for funding. For the third year in a row, Councilman Greenfield is inviting representatives from all local non-profit and charitable organizations that serve the residents of his district to attend his annual budget workshop on Wednesday, March 6th at his district office, 4424 16th Avenue, Borough Park at 7 p.m.

“One of my responsibilities as an elected official is to fight for funding for the many outstanding non-profits serving Borough Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst. I urge all local organizations to attend my budget workshop to learn more about the application process and to discuss their funding needs directly with me. I promised when I ran for office to bring greater transparency to the annual budget process, and I am proud to fulfill this pledge once again this year,” said Councilman Greenfield.

The upcoming budget workshop will provide attendees with all of the tools and information needed to successfully complete the City Council’s online application for government funding. The short presentation will include a sample application to show exactly what information non-profits need to provide and will include a chance for representatives to ask questions about the funding and budget process. To be clear, attendance at this meeting does not guarantee that an organization will receive funding, but it will ensure that their application is considered and help Councilman Greenfield understand each group’s specific needs and goals.

“I hope that all community groups will take advantage of this chance to be considered for City Council discretionary funds and to discuss the great work their organization does on behalf of our community. I know how important this funding is for many of these groups, and I stand committed to assisting as many as possible despite the challenges we face in this year’s city budget,” concluded Councilman Greenfield.

This workshop represents Councilman Greenfield’s latest effort to bring as many district residents into the budgeting process as possible. While Wednesday’s meeting is only for non-profit groups, all local residents are invited to take part in the ongoing participatory budgeting initiative that Councilman Greenfield brought to the 44th District this year. Participatory budgeting allows residents to vote on which project they would like funded with $1 million in funds set aside in next year’s budget for this initiative. Residents from around the district have been brainstorming ideas for projects to improve their neighborhood or block over the past few months, and everyone 16 and older is invited to vote for their favorite project during the district-vote the first week of April.

Wednesday’s workshop will be held in the second floor ballroom directly across the hallway from Councilman Greenfield’s district office. To RSVP, please call (718) 853-2704 or e-mail [email protected].

(YWN Desk – NYC)