The Brownfield Remediation Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, provides financial assistance for the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield properties throughout the state. With a focus on revitalizing industrial, commercial, and institutional sites impacted by hazardous substances or petroleum, the program aims to support economic development and environmental health by making previously unusable sites operational and viable for future use.
For Fiscal Year 2026, the program is funded with $88 million, including $1 million specifically reserved for applicants in each of Ohio's 88 counties. This ensures equitable distribution and encourages participation from a broad geographic base. Funding is awarded based on merit-based evaluation criteria, and the program supports a wide range of remediation activities, including property acquisition, demolition, and infrastructure upgrades directly tied to the redevelopment of brownfields.
Eligible properties must either meet the legal definition of a brownfield — an abandoned or underused property complicated by the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum — or be designated as a Priority Investment Area under Ohio law. The Priority Investment Area designation targets communities affected by the decline of the coal industry, further supporting Ohio’s strategy for equitable redevelopment.
Eligible applicants include a broad set of local government entities such as counties, municipalities, townships, port authorities, conservancy or park districts, land reutilization corporations, and for-profit organizations. However, any entity responsible for contamination is ineligible, and properties owned by liable parties must be transferred to a non-liable party within 60 days of grant award to maintain eligibility.
Applications open on November 12, 2025, and close on December 5, 2025. The submission process requires completion through the official program portal, and applicants must include all required documentation at the time of submission. The program does not list pre-application requirements, but timely transfer of property is critical for eligibility compliance. Contact for the program is provided via a dedicated email address: redevelopment@development.ohio.gov.
This program operates on an annual cycle, with new funding opportunities and application windows opening each fiscal year. Based on the current pattern and the stated deadline, the next anticipated cycle would begin in November 2026. Applicants are encouraged to monitor updates and prepare early for future rounds to maximize competitiveness.
