This is an important election year for New York City. As a nonpartisan organization, UNH has the responsibility to educate and inspire those running for office as well as our fellow New Yorkers. We developed 5 Ideas For a Better NYC:

• For a Better Child Care System
• To Support Youth and Young Adults
• To Help Older Adults Age in their Communities
• To Support Immigrant New Yorkers
• For Bolstering the Human Services Sector 

UNH shared this document with 265 candidates running for Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough Presidents, and City Council. Please share this document with friends and colleagues.

The Rundown

City Budget Updates

On May 1, Mayor Eric Adams released his Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2026. While UNH staff are actively analyzing the full set of budget documents, here are some key highlights:

• $331 million baselined over three years to fund 20,000 additional K–5 afterschool slots and to support an increase, beginning in FY27, in the program rate for all slots
• $192 million in early childhood education restorations, including:
  • $112 million baselined to support 3K slots
  • $55 million for Pre-K special education classrooms
  • $25 million for the Extended Day pilot
  • $5 million (one-year restoration) for funding outreach programs
• $25 million in one-year funding (FY26 only) for Promise NYC
• $81.5 million baselined investment in aging services, which addresses the "fiscal cliff," plus a $23 million restoration in OAC cuts
• $10 million in one-year adult literacy funding (FY26 only)
• $14 million baselined for community schools
• $18.9 million in new baselined funds for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

The FY 26 budget must be adopted before the June 30 deadline. UNH’s budget advocacy will include additional funding for key programs and services, such as a rate increase for COMPASS afterschool contracts. We will organize meetings with the Adams administration, city council members, and their staff, deliver public testimony, and coordinate rallies and news conferences to influence the final budget. Additionally, the City Council released dates for the next round of hearings for the Executive Budget, and UNH will write and present testimony. UNH has already written testimony to address concerns in the Mayor's preliminary budget.

UNH will continue to share updates as the City budget process unfolds.

While the Governor announced a budget deal on the State budget last week, the Legislature has not yet approved the FY 2025 - 2026 budget. UNH continues to monitor the process and we will provide updates once a budget is adopted.

Nonprofit Executive Orders

On April 23, UNH joined Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, along with members of the New York congressional delegation at a press conference urging President Trump to halt rumored executive orders targeting nonprofit organizations. UNH also signed on to a letter along with thousands of nonprofits and organizations across the country opposing President Trump’s attacks on the nonprofit sector. This letter pledges our support to “stand together for our democracy and in solidarity with the nonprofit groups unjustly and illegally targeted by the Trump administration.” UNH will continue to speak out to protect nonprofit organizations. 

Rank the Vote Refresher Workshop

With New York City’s primary elections this June for Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, City Council, and Borough Presidents, we urge every New Yorker who is registered with a party to vote, and understand how to use ranked choice voting. UNH is hosting virtual workshops on how ranked choice voting works at our nonpartisan Rank the Vote Refresher Workshop. Participants will learn about why we use ranked choice voting in New York City primary elections, how easy it is to cast your ballot, and ways to inform others how ranked choice voting works. UNH is hosting one more Zoom workshops on May 20th from 12 pm to 1 pm. Register here for it. If you have any questions, or would like additional support, please reach out to Lena Cohen.

Visit here for New York State’s 2025 legislative calendar.

Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities

Here are some upcoming advocacy opportunities that you may be interested in: 

Bring Your Kid to City Hall Day (New Yorkers United For Child Care) - May 8th

No More Cuts - Fund Aging Now demonstration (UNH) - May 12th

What We Are Reading

UNH Executive Director Susan Stamler and Ken Jockers, Executive Director for Hudson Guild, were quoted talking about why protecting Head Start is essential, in a Daily News story covering the Trump administration’s closure of five regional Head Start offices, including the New York office. A photo from Goddard Riverside’s Head Start program is also included.

New parents and Council Members Lincoln Restler, Pierina Sanchez, and Jennifer Gutiérrez wrote in NY Daily News about why New York NEEDS 2-Care.

Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement’s Executive Director, Christopher Hanway, wrote an op-ed published in Astoria Post on ensuring that afterschool funding is included and expanded in the upcoming NYS budget.

16 members of United Neighborhood Houses are owed $92.4 million by New York City, as covered by City and State. JT Falcone, UNH’s Development and Communications Director, and Tara Klein, Deputy Director of Policy & Advocacy, are mentioned in the article, as well as various settlement house partners. 

Upcoming Primary Dates: 

June 14: Deadline to register to vote & to apply for a mail-in ballot

June 14 – 22: Early voting period 

June 24: Primary Election Day & last day to postmark a mail-in ballot

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