Get Registration Ready for 2026 NYC Council Discretionary Applications

Co-Sponsored by
Councilmember Susan Zhuang District 43
Councilmember Inna Vernikov District 48

This workshop will guide participants through the process of registering for NYCID and PASSPort, then starting, completing, and submitting a new HHS Prequalification registration in PASSPort, required for most organizations receiving NYC Council Discretionary Funding. Topics will include the Nonprofit Questionnaire, the list of required documents, and common mistakes to avoid. Questions are encouraged to be submitted in advance during the registration process.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the end-to-end process of NYC Council Discretionary Expense Funding, including application requirements, review timelines, and key milestones.Gain insight into tracking and managing discretionary awards, from notification of selection through to contract execution.Identify common challenges and best practices in navigating the discretionary funding and contracting process effectively.

Intended for:

Nonprofit Organizations based in NYC

Nonprofit Organizations based in NYC with an existing NYC Council Discretionary Award

Beginner and Intermediate Applicants who have never applied or with 1-3 years of experience with the discretionary process.

About the facilitator

Tamara Keshecki, MPP, MM is the founding principal of AINOK Consulting, LLC which has secured over $27M for clients since its inception in 2020. An ardent advocate and accomplished professional musician, she is an Adjunct Faculty Member and Research Associate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s School of Public Policy and also the Director of Grants and Government Relations for the St. George Theatre Restoration, Inc.

As the Vice-President of the New York Independent Venue Association (NYIVA), she was invited to testify at the 2024 NYS Assembly Standing Committee on Tourism, Arts, Parks and Sports Development on Live Entertainment Event Ticketing Practices and Enforcement, and also the New York State Joint Legislative Hearing on the 2022-2023 Executive Budget Proposal on Economic Development.

She is the co-lead of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Development Affinity Group, and a NYC Mayoral Appointee to both the Small Business Advisory Committee (SBAC) and the Nightlife Advisory Board. She has been an invited to present her team’s research at the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA 2022, 23, 24), International Society for Third Sector Research 2024 (ISTR, Belgium), and Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts 2024 (STP&A, Spain), and was invited to speak at SXSW 2023 and the Live Music Society (2024). In 2014, she received a New York City Council Citation for her contribution to New York City’s cultural community.