Local Government Efficiency Grant Program

The Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Grant program, offered by the New York State Department of Local Government Services, is designed to encourage and incentivize collaboration among local governments. Its primary mission is to reduce the operational costs of municipal services and modernize their delivery, ultimately aiming to curb property tax growth. This aligns with a foundational objective of fostering efficient and responsive local governance. The target beneficiaries of this program are local government entities in New York State, including counties, cities, towns, villages, special improvement districts, fire districts, public libraries, water authorities, sewer authorities, regional planning and development boards, school districts, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). The program's impact goals are centered on achieving cost savings through shared services, functional consolidations, and local government consolidations or dissolutions. The program prioritizes projects that involve two or more local governments working together to plan for and implement these efficiency-driven initiatives. Eligible expenses are broad and include critical components such as legal and consultant services, capital improvements and equipment, and transitional personnel costs for up to three years. This focus on comprehensive support facilitates the successful execution of complex inter-municipal projects. Expected outcomes include tangible reductions in municipal operational costs and an enhanced, modernized delivery of local services. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed as quantifiable metrics (e.g., a percentage reduction in property taxes), the program's structure strongly implies that the success of the grants will be measured by the successful implementation of shared services and consolidations that inherently lead to cost efficiencies and service improvements. The allocation of funds for both planning and implementation projects, with varying maximum awards, underscores a strategic approach to support projects at different stages of development.