Youth Sports Program

The Chautauqua County Youth Bureau, in partnership with the Chautauqua County Purchasing Department, has issued a Request for Proposals to support youth sports programming through funding provided by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. This opportunity is designed to allocate Youth Sports Education and Team Sports funding to organizations serving youth ages six through seventeen within Chautauqua County. The initiative reflects a broader statewide effort to promote youth development through structured physical activity, recognizing sports as a vehicle for improving physical health, mental well-being, educational engagement, and long-term life outcomes. The primary purpose of this funding is to expand access to inclusive and community-based sports programming, particularly for youth in under-resourced and marginalized communities. Eligible programming includes both traditional team sports and nontraditional physical activities such as yoga, hiking, dance, and other movement-based experiences. The funding prioritizes programs that serve populations facing barriers to participation, including youth with disabilities, low-income households, and communities with higher rates of crime, housing instability, or limited access to recreational opportunities. Programs are expected to foster positive youth development outcomes such as leadership, teamwork, emotional resilience, and community cohesion. Applicants may request up to ten thousand dollars to support eligible program expenses. Funding is reimbursement-based and must be used within the designated contract period. Allowable costs include staffing such as coaches and instructors, equipment and uniforms, facility access fees, infrastructure improvements like field maintenance, and costs associated with accessibility and inclusion. Programs may also allocate funds toward scholarships to ensure that no youth is excluded due to financial barriers. While matching funds are not required, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate additional financial or in-kind support to strengthen their proposals. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and other qualified entities operating within Chautauqua County. Applicants must be incorporated, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), and registered with appropriate state authorities. Organizations must demonstrate operational capacity, including governance, financial stewardship, and the ability to collect and report program data. Additional requirements include maintaining a child protection policy, administering participant satisfaction surveys, and implementing equitable access policies such as tiered fee structures. For-profit entities, private foundations, and programs focused on elite or private sports participation are explicitly excluded. The application process requires submission of a complete proposal package by the specified deadline, including multiple standardized forms, organizational documentation, and a detailed program budget. Proposals must be submitted in hard copy to the Chautauqua County Purchasing Department and cannot be submitted electronically. Applicants must also respond to any clarification requests and may be invited to present their proposals to an evaluation committee. The review process considers organizational capacity, program design, budget justification, and alignment with community needs and youth safety standards. Key deadlines include a question submission deadline prior to the application due date and a firm proposal submission deadline in early July. The funding period runs from October through September of the following year, and applicants must reapply annually as funding is not guaranteed for subsequent cycles. Awards are determined through a competitive evaluation process, and contracts are issued for a one-year term. Selected programs must comply with reporting requirements, including quarterly reimbursement submissions and a comprehensive annual report detailing outcomes, participation, and program effectiveness. Throughout the contract period, funded organizations must track attendance, measure performance outcomes, and ensure staff complete required training related to youth safety, including human trafficking and exploitation awareness. The program emphasizes accountability and measurable impact, requiring documentation of participant outcomes such as skill development, program completion rates, and overall satisfaction. By aligning funding with both programmatic quality and community need, this opportunity aims to strengthen youth sports infrastructure while promoting equitable access and positive developmental outcomes for young people across Chautauqua County.

Ensure strong alignment with community needs and clearly demonstrate youth safety measures; provide detailed and reasonable budget justification; highlight organizational capacity and understanding of barriers to youth participation; include clear program outcomes and evaluation methods