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Q&A
Federal funding sources and potential impacts of funding cuts
1:29:13
·
5 min
Council Member Hudson inquires about NYC Aging's federal funding sources and preparedness for potential funding cuts. Key points include:
- Federal funds make up 18% of NYC Aging's budget in FY2026, an increase from 17% in FY2025
- Primary federal funding sources include Older Americans Act (Titles 3C1, 3C2, 3B, 3D) and AmeriCorps
- These funds support meals, case management, transportation, and caregiving programs
- NYC Aging has not made specific plans to prepare for potential federal funding cuts at this time.
- Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez acknowledges that losing 18% of federal funding would be devastating to meal programs.
- Council Member Hudson strongly suggests that NYC Aging start planning for potential federal funding reductions.
- The agency's CFO and staff are monitoring the situation, but no concrete contingency plans were presented.
Crystal Hudson
1:29:13
Okay.
1:29:13
Federal funding.
1:29:14
On January 27, the Trump administration released a memo halting all agency grant, loan, and financial assistance programs that are federally funding funded.
1:29:24
The White House Office of Management and Budget detailed that various federal programs were subject to this pause but later rescinded the order.
1:29:33
Federal funds make up 18% of NYC Aging's budget in fiscal twenty twenty six, an increase from 17% in fiscal twenty twenty five.
1:29:43
What are NYC Aging's primary federal funding sources, and what programs and services do they each support?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:29:50
So our primary funding service sources are through the older American Act.
1:29:55
It's titled 3C1, 3C2, 3B and then we also have AmeriCorps.
1:30:04
Is there anybody, anything I left out Jose?
Jose Mercado
1:30:06
Three d.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:30:07
And three d.
1:30:09
Which one does three d do?
Crystal Hudson
1:30:11
Okay.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:30:12
Oh caregiver, three d.
Crystal Hudson
1:30:14
Caregiving is three d?
1:30:16
So can you share the programs and services that those support?
1:30:21
3C1, 3C2.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:30:23
C1, C2 is our meals, right?
1:30:28
3B are case management, transportation, and now three d is just defined as caregiving.
Crystal Hudson
1:30:37
Thank you.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:30:38
In addition to that we have America more for our workforce program.
Crystal Hudson
1:30:48
And has NYC Aging assessed how it would be impacted and what it would do if there was a federal funding freeze or reduction?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:30:57
Well the Americorps grant is a three year grant and it's at the end of its grant so we anticipate as much as you can anticipate anything coming in the federal direction now that we'll be able to complete that grant.
1:31:20
That's AmeriCorps.
Crystal Hudson
1:31:20
Yeah, you said that you'll be able to complete that.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:31:22
Right, because it was a thing.
Crystal Hudson
1:31:23
But do you anticipate it being renewed?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:31:27
I'm not clear on what the federal government's role is with AmeriCorps.
1:31:34
We have not heard anything yet.
Crystal Hudson
1:31:38
Okay.
1:31:38
But based on announcements and actions from the federal government, are you making plans
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:31:46
to Yeah, we're with the equivalent of our program officer at the regional level.
1:31:52
We have not heard about any renewal opportunities or grant applications for AmeriCorps at this time.
1:31:59
We still have seven months or whatever to go on that program.
Crystal Hudson
1:32:05
Yeah.
1:32:06
If you're Go ahead.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:32:08
But in the Older Americans Act we have not heard of any pending cuts on that either.
Crystal Hudson
1:32:15
Okay.
1:32:17
Whether you've heard about pending cuts or not, are you making plans to prepare for potential federal cuts?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:32:31
The answer is no at this time.
1:32:34
It would be devastating to our home delivered meals program and our congregate meals program.
Crystal Hudson
1:32:39
I would respectfully suggest that you start making plans to think about what will happen and what you'll do.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:32:47
If we lost the 17% from the federal government.
Crystal Hudson
1:32:49
Yeah.
1:32:49
Yeah.
1:32:50
I I think I we just said it's 18% for FY '26, yeah, up from 17% in FY
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:32:57
twenty When Jose and Ryan have been looking at that, I anticipate that we will, unless we hear something we have not don't want to make
Crystal Hudson
1:33:10
Listen, this stuff happens with little to no notice.
1:33:13
And so I just I hear you.
1:33:16
I don't know that we're gonna be warned.
1:33:18
You know what I mean?
1:33:19
It's just gonna happen.
1:33:20
And if we're not actually prepared I think these are conversations that we should be having with OMB as well.
1:33:25
I know OMB is thinking about it in a very broad and holistic manner in terms of the impact on the city as a whole.
1:33:33
But again I will continue to make the same argument over and over and over which is that the older adult population is growing.
1:33:41
That's not going to change.
1:33:43
And the budget that we have already is insufficient for the older adult population that exists here in New York City.
1:33:49
And if we can anticipate any type of reduction in funding there's going be a problem.
1:33:55
And so I think OMB needs to prioritize your agencies specifically in its thinking about how to address some of these federal gaps, potential federal gaps in funding.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:34:08
Yeah.
1:34:08
We were we have been focusing on the state gap.
1:34:13
But I know that Jose's been on this potential federal.
1:34:19
Okay.
1:34:20
Not me.
Crystal Hudson
1:34:21
Alright.
1:34:22
Well I have more hope in Jose than I do in some And you should.
1:34:29
If Jose is on it, then Jose's
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:34:31
on it and I am not on it because I can't
Crystal Hudson
1:34:35
Because Jose's on it.
1:34:36
You don't have to be on it as long as Jose's on it, so that's fine.
1:34:39
As long somebody's on it, okay?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
1:34:41
I don't mean to be flip.
1:34:42
Jose and Ryan have been looking at this very closely.
1:34:46
Yeah.
1:34:46
I am just putting my emphasis on other things.