NYCEDC Launches Request for Proposals for Community Fund Administrators

Three Annual Community Funds to Benefit Communities Surrounding Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and South Brooklyn Marine Terminal

Fund Administrators to Finance Community-Based Projects

NEW YORK, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today launched a request for proposals (RFP) for fund administrators to manage three annual community funds, currently totaling $2.79 million, to benefit the neighborhoods surrounding the Manhattan Cruise Terminal (MCT), the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (BCT), and the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT)—Hell’s Kitchen, Red Hook, and Sunset Park, respectively. The fund administrators will manage disbursements and—in coordination with NYCEDC, communities, and local elected officials—advance projects that enhance the public realm, improve quality of life, mitigate environmental impacts, expand workforce development opportunities, and address other community-identified priorities through robust engagement.

For the first year of each fund’s distribution, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal Community Fund (MCTCF) anticipates available funding of up to $1.3 million in local projects, while the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Community Fund (BCTCF) and Sunset Park Special Purpose Project Fund (SPPF) may yield up to $630,000 and $860,000, in community funds respectively. The fund sizes are expected to vary year to year, as the cruise terminal funds are determined by passenger volume, and the SPPF is funded through five percent of the revenue set aside from SBMT subtenant.

“These three community funds will advance critical community-based projects that benefit the Hell’s Kitchen, Red Hook, and Sunset Park neighborhoods—from public realm enhancements and environmental impact mitigation to workforce development opportunities and more,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “The fund administrator will work collaboratively with NYCEDC, communities, and local elected officials to ensure that local voices and priorities are heard, and that disbursement of these funds respond to and directly address the needs of the residents living nearby major transformational projects.”

• Manhattan Cruise Terminal Community Fund: Originally proposed in 2019 by the Waterfront, Parks, and Environment Committee (WPE) of Manhattan Community Board 4 (CB4), the Manhattan Cruise Terminal Community Fund is a collaborative and community-driven initiative designed to address community needs—including the mitigation of the impacts associated with cruise ship operations—in Hell’s Kitchen. Through advocacy and coordination with NYCEDC, the Cruise Funds are supported by a $1 per-passenger contribution from cruise lines and will be distributed by the designated fund administrator in close collaboration with the New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher and Manhattan Community Board 4.
• Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Community Fund: The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Community Fund (BCTCF) is similarly supported by the cruise lines contributing $1 per-passenger and will support projects in Red Hook selected through a participatory public-input process, based on priorities developed collaboratively by NYCEDC, the community, New York City Council Member Alexa Avilés, and the fund administrator. Much like its sister terminal in Manhattan, BCT is a critical hub for cruise lines globally and receives ships annually from major cruise lines such as Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, and MSC. Collectively, these lines will bring close to 500,000 passengers to Brooklyn in 2025. The total funds available for disbursement through the BCTCF are contingent upon the volume of passengers that disembark at BCT.
• Sunset Park Special Purpose Project Fund: The Sunset Park Special Purpose Project Fund (SPPF) is financed through five percent of the annual gross rent from subleases at SBMT. SPPF will support community-serving initiatives for Sunset Park residents. Projects will be determined through ongoing engagement between NYCEDC, community stakeholders, and Council Member Avilés’ office.

“For years, our community has pushed for real action to address the environmental and quality of life impacts of cruise ship operations, and today marks another significant step forward,” said Council Member Erik Bottcher. “Stemming from the legislation I passed with Council Member Alexa Avilés to hold cruise operators accountable and reduce neighborhood impacts, this new community fund will now deliver hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for the Hell’s Kitchen community. I am grateful to NYCEDC and Community Board 4 for working with us to make this possible. By ensuring that these resources reflect community priorities and deep local engagement, we are advancing our long-term vision for a healthier, more resilient, and more livable West Side.”

“I'm excited that these projects, which will have extensive impacts on Red Hook and Sunset Park, will be locally led efforts,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “I plan to use my role in this process to facilitate community input and champion broader engagement in these funds. City Investments in our working-class neighborhood are long overdue. I look forward to exploring proposals driven by and for our community.”

The RFP for administrators for each of these three community funds builds on recent announcement by NYCEDC, including the release of the MCT Master Plan, the announcement of shore power infrastructure upgrades at BCT, and the development of the largest offshore wind port in the United States at SBMT.

The MCT Master Plan will rebuild the 90-year-old pier into a fully electric, resilient, next-generation maritime port that not only establishes New York City and key cruise hub for generations to come but also delivers improvements for the nearby community. The plan is responsive to community asks and will take a major step to deliver shore power to the site, cutting down on emissions from calling ships, and will better integrate the terminal into the neighborhood, with improved public waterfront access, traffic flow, and enhanced pedestrian safety.

Similarly, the announcement of expanded shore power infrastructure at BCT, which allows more ships to connect to shore power and reduce cruise ship emissions when docked, is the result of years of community dialogue to deliver sustainable port operations, cleaner air, resilient infrastructure, and a thriving cruise industry that continues to drive economic opportunity for New Yorkers.

In Sunset Park, NYCEDC has secured tenants at SBMT that will fund the SPPF through 2054. NYCEDC and its partners Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SSBMT) and Equinor are developing the site into the largest offshore wind port in the US and will support Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 project that will provide enough renewable energy for 500,000 New York homes. The site is expected to complete construction in 2026 and will be a state-of-the-art facility capable of handling a variety of maritime uses with a particular focus on breakbulk cargo, general maritime logistics, and offshore wind use cases.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.