The 2025 New York’s Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program, administered by New York Sea Grant in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is now accepting proposals. This competitive funding opportunity supports community-driven projects that address environmental challenges and align with the Great Lakes Action Agenda (GLAA) in New York State. The program is designed to foster projects that directly benefit water quality, habitat restoration, public access, sustainability, and resilience within the Great Lakes Basin.
Proposals must align with an approved community-based planning document such as a Watershed Management Plan or Hazard Mitigation Plan, and must also support one or more specific goals and measurable objectives of the Great Lakes Action Agenda. Projects must be located within New York’s Great Lakes Basin and demonstrate relevance to local community environmental priorities.
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, local and county governments (including departments and municipalities), public agencies (like regional planning councils or soil and water conservation districts), and educational institutions ranging from K–12 schools to colleges and universities. Private businesses, individuals, and federal agencies are not eligible to apply.
Grants of up to $40,000 are available per project, and no matching funds are required. Proposals must be submitted electronically via New York Sea Grant’s application portal by 4:30 p.m. on May 2, 2025. Submissions must be compiled as a single PDF and follow all guidelines as detailed in the official Request for Proposals. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
Applicants are encouraged to review the informational webinar held on March 26 for guidance on application preparation and examples of successful past projects. The recording of the webinar will be made available on the application site.
For further information or technical assistance, applicants may contact Megan Cochran, Great Lakes Outreach Coordinator, by phone at (716) 270-2490 or email at mk2236@cornell.edu. New York Sea Grant operates under the umbrella of NOAA and SUNY/Cornell University and is supported by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. The Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program and its related materials are part of a larger initiative to promote sustainability and ecosystem conservation across New York’s coastal and inland waters.
