Too many young children in the Bronx wait months for the early support that can shape their futures. The Inspired Community Project (TICP), founded in 2021 by educator and Board Certified Behavior Analyst Jill Moses, was created to change that. The nonprofit built a full-day center at 3681 Bruckner Boulevard for young children with developmental delays and disabilities. Its approach is play-based and caring: classrooms designed to feel like living rooms rather than clinics, with therapy woven into the day through staff who are trained to work alongside each child rather than just directing them. Therapy is provided on site, and staff coordinate with each child’s other providers. Founder Jill Moses has spent nearly 15 years in the special education community, including time leading an early intervention center in the Bronx.
In 2024, DOF approved a $148,616 unsecured working capital loan to TICP. After approval but before loan closing, TICP received a commitment for a $442,000 grant through the Dormitory Authority of New York State’s Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (“NICIP”). The NICIP funds cover the cost of equipment and furniture that TICP would have otherwise paid for itself. Grant funds may be disbursed only on a reimbursement basis, meaning TICP must first execute on the furniture and equipment purchases, leaving it with the need to bridge the grant proceeds. DOF provided an additional loan to TICP to help bridge the gap. We’re proud to back a first-time leader who is building a space of this kind in a community that needs it.