26026N0005-Youth Sports Grant

The Youth Team Sports (NYTS) initiative, is designed to promote physical health, community connection, education, and self-advocacy for youth up to age 18. Targeting underserved communities across the five boroughs, this funding opportunity supports new team sports programs that engage youth ages 6 to 17 through organized physical activity. Eligible sports include both traditional team formats and individual competitions where participants represent a larger team. The NYTS initiative underscores the City’s commitment to expanding equitable access to high-quality, community-based sports programming.

The Department of Youth and Community Development is seeking proposals under two distinct service models:
1- The Competitive NYTS initiative, focuses on fostering youth health, employment preparation, and community cohesion through structured team sports that involve active competition.
2- Noncompetitive YSEF initiative, takes a broader approach, using sports, physical movement, and education to support positive youth development, family engagement, and community-building. YSEF includes traditional sports, as well as non-traditional activities. In addition to physical activity, YSEF emphasizes education and career exploration, encouraging programs to expose youth to roles such as coaching, officiating, athletic training, event operations, and sports media. By integrating skill-building with physical activity, the initiative aims to help young people see how sports can serve as a foundation for both personal growth and future opportunities.

Eligible applicants include non-DYCD providers and DYCD-affiliated organizations without existing youth service contracts