Youth Bureau Seeks 2027 Grant Applications

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that the Oneida County Youth Bureau is accepting 2027 grant applications for high-quality youth programs.

“Our Youth Bureau has the responsibility to allocate funding from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services in the ways that will best meet the needs we have identified locally,” Picente said. “This annual opportunity allows agencies and our cities, towns and villages to seek funding for new programs and allows those who have been running successful programs to continue their fine work.”

The Youth Bureau is accepting proposals from interested nonprofit organizations and municipalities for youth-oriented programs that offer youth intervention and diversion, recreation and positive youth development opportunities. Announcements as to funded programs and amounts will be dependent upon the announcement by OCFS of its allocation amounts.

The four available funding categories are:

• Youth Development Program (YDP) for non-profit agencies and cities, towns and villages that operate positive youth development programs that provide direct services to youth under 21 years of age. New York State will reimburse for qualified expenditures, subject to available appropriations and exclusive of federal funding.
• Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) for non-profit agencies that provide crisis and transitional living services to youth ages 16-21.
• Youth Sports and Education Opportunity Funding (YSEF) for non-profit agencies and cities, towns and villages to support and provide sports programs for underserved youth ages 6-17. Funded programs must provide a variety of sports for a broad range of youth in under-resourced communities.
• Youth Team Sports (YTS) for non-profit agencies or community-based organizations to support youth team sports programs for underserved youth under age 18. YTS is grounded in the principles of positive youth development. It is intended to provide support to local team sports programs across New York State in communities where such programs may be scarce or under-resourced.  YTS has a sole focus on team sports. For the purposes of YTS, a “team sport” is defined as an organized physical activity in which groups of two or more individuals are in competition or more opposing individuals.

Proposals are due via email to kpensero-shanley@oneidacountyny.gov by close of business on August 12, 2026.

Funded programs must meet guidelines established by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. The guidelines and forms necessary to prepare and submit proposals can be accessed online at www.oneidacountyny.gov/departments/youth-bureau/.

Questions and assistance can be directed to Karen Pensero-Shanley of the Youth Bureau at 315-798-5027 or kpensero-shanley@oneidacountyny.gov.