The District Attorney of New York County (DANY) and the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG) are seeking proposals for an initiative to develop a network of neighborhood navigators. These navigators will focus on building trusted relationships with individuals living and/or spending significant time on the street in Manhattan neighborhoods who may have a mental illness and/or a substance use disorder, and ultimately connecting them with services offered by the City, the nonprofit community, or others. This program aims to:

• Build trust and connection between navigators and individuals who regularly live or spend time on the street and may face behavioral health challenges
• Connect these individuals with existing resources and services
• Improve coordination, collaboration, and partnership among service providers that work with some of New York City’s most vulnerable residents
• Serve as a known resource in neighborhoods to help ensure law enforcement is not a default response to people facing homelessness and/or behavioral health challenges

The network of well-trained navigators envisioned in this RFP will connect with individuals on the street, build relationships and trust with these individuals, and help guide them to vital services. The navigators will be based in specific neighborhoods, with funding prioritized for proposals serving one or more of the following neighborhoods: Lower East Side/Chinatown, Chelsea Hell’s Kitchen/Midtown West, Central/East Harlem, and  Washington Heights/Inwood). In addition to the deep ties they build with the focus population, they will also build strong connections with local businesses, civic leaders, and service providers to help facilitate positive service connections and positive outcomes for individuals and neighborhoods.

Documents

• Invitation for Proposals: Neighborhood Navigators
• Questions & Answers
• Budget Template

Deadlines

Proposals for this RFP will be are due by Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at 11:59 pm EST.

• The deadline to submit questions about this RFP is Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 11:59 pm EST.
• Answers to all questions will be available as an addendum to this RFP by email and posted on the CJII website by Friday, January 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm EST. It will be the responsibility of proposers to remain up-to-date regarding all addenda issued for the current RFP.

Background

The District Attorney of New York County (DANY) is investing $250 million through its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) to support impactful projects that aim to improve public safety and promote a fair and efficient criminal justice system in New York City.

The City University of New York Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG) holds and manages the contracts of CJII grantees. This includes managing the solicitation and contracting process and providing guidance to award recipients and oversight and performance measurement throughout the lifetime of the initiative. ISLG also offers capacity building support to grantees. Funds awarded through the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (Research Foundation).