Human services nonprofit organizations deliver vital services to our City's communities, including our most vulnerable populations. The City is committed to supporting nonprofits through COVID-19 response and recovery. Since March 2020, the City meets at least weekly with representatives from the human services sector to address concerns and provide guidance about nonprofit business continuity, ongoing service delivery, workforce concerns and vaccine rollout.
With the establishment of the Nonprofit Resiliency Committee, the City has partnered with the human services sector to design standard and streamlined approaches to doing business, leveraging technology and existing data, whenever possible. In the case of COVID-19 practices, the City developed the following guidance, applicable across all human services contracts:
25% Automatic Fiscal Year Advances
Providers with health and human service contracts are eligible for advance payments of at least 25% of their annual budgets, at the start of each fiscal year. These advances will be issued automatically upon contract registration and budget approval. Agency recoupment should occur no sooner than 6 months before the end of the contract period. The number of recoupment payments should at least equal the number of months of advance and should not be required through a single payment.
Standardized Budgeting, Invoicing and Auditing
Through collaborative efforts between nonprofits, City agencies, MOCS and OMB, the City designed and adopted policies to standardize practice, create predictability and support business continuity. The policies leverage technology systems to streamline efforts and centralize information and processes.
HHS Cost Policies and Procedures Manual (Cost Manual)
Standard Health and Human Service Invoice Review Policy
Equipment Purchase Inventory Report Template
Standard Invoice Review Policy Technical Assistance Webinar (December 18, 2020)
Standard Audit Policy
Indirect Cost Rate Funding Initiative
The Fiscal Year 2020 Adopted Budget established an Indirect Cost Rate Funding Initiative based on the Cost Manual, managed by the Office of Management and Budget and Mayor’s Office of Contract Services through the City Implementation Team (CIT). The CIT established a Provider Work Group to advise on the rollout and implementation of the Funding Initiative.
The City of New York is the first large city in the country to recognize organizational indirect cost rates and fully fund them. The Administration’s investment totals $94 million per year – baselined for current contracts.