Unplug and Play: Governor Hochul Announces Up to $100 Million Available for Municipal and Nonprofit Community Centers

FY 2026 Enacted Budget Includes $100 Million for Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors

Funding Now Available for Municipal and Nonprofit Community Centers; Grant Applications Due by 3:00 PM August 15, 2025

Open Application Question Period Begins June 5 to June 20, 2025; Webinar Video Will be Posted on NYS OPRHP and DASNY NY BRICKS Websites Addressing Questions

‘Unplug and Play’ Gets Kids Off of Their Phones by Funding Playgrounds, Community Centers, Affordable Sports Programs and Recreational Opportunities

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that funding is available from the new $100 million Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS) capital grant program. Governor Hochul secured this funding in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget to support municipalities and nonprofit organizations in building or renovating community centers that promote physical health, mental well-being, and community connections for youth and older adults. NY BRICKS will offer grants of up to $15 million to fund design, construction, renovation, and land acquisition for these centers. Priority will be given to projects in underserved communities, as well as those offering affordable services like childcare, eldercare, and mental health counseling. The program aims to make transformative, high-impact investments in local communities. This announcement builds on Governor Hochul’s ‘Unplug and Play’ initiative to get kids off of their phones by funding playgrounds, community centers, affordable sports programs and recreational opportunities.

“Every New Yorker deserves a safe, welcoming space to grow, connect, and thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re investing in the future of our communities — creating vibrant centers where kids can play, seniors can stay active, and families can access the support they need. This is about building more than infrastructure — it’s about building opportunity, equity, and well-being in every corner of our state.”

As part of Governor Hochul’s FY 2026 Enacted Budget and State of the State proposals, NY BRICKS offers grants between $250,000 and $15 million to acquire, design, construct or reconstruct facilities, provide major renovations, improvements, and modernization or rehabilitation of community centers. The Request for Applications (RFA) for funding was posted today at dasny.org/BRICKS and parks.ny.gov.

The application period for the NY BRICKS capital grant program will open on July 14, 2025 and applications must be submitted by August 15, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced no earlier than November 1, 2025. Applications will be evaluated on characteristics of projects’ need, impact, and viability. NY BRICKS grants will require applicants to provide a 20 percent matching contribution towards the overall project cost. Not-for-profit entities must receive approved prequalification status in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) prior to the submission of their application and must remain prequalified through the execution of the Grant Disbursement Agreement and payment of all requisitions.

Governor Hochul’s Unplug and Play Initiative

The Governor's new Unplug and Play initiative earmarks $100 million for the construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS); $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $90 million for the continuation of the Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative including $50 million for a competitive grant program supporting municipalities in the renovation and construction of swimming facilities and $40 million for other swimming-based investments. Additionally, “Get Offline, Get Outside,” is an initiative launched by Governor Hochul to promote physical and mental health by encouraging kids and families to put down their screens, take a break from social media, enjoy recreation and the outdoors, and put their mental and physical health first.

The Governor’s Office, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and DASNY are committed to helping potential applicants prepare competitive applications. The open application question period begins on June 5, 2025, and all questions must be submitted via the NY BRICKS SurveyMonkey form accessible here. A webinar video will be posted on the NYS OPRHP and DASNY NY BRICKS websites (www.dasny.org/BRICKS and www.parks.ny.gov) on June 25, 2025. This video will address questions received by June 20, 2025 and review the RFA and application process. Questions received after the webinar video has been posted on June 25, 2025, and prior to 3:00 p.m. on June 27, 2025 will be made available on the same websites by July 11, 2025. Details regarding the submission of questions are provided in the RFA and on the NYS OPRHP and DASNY websites. All potential applicants are strongly encouraged to review the RFA, submit questions in writing, and view the Webinar as the NY BRICKS Grant Application process will be explained in the webinar video.