New York Law Justice and Legal Services Grants

The Con Edison is currently seeking social justice grant proposals to empower communities to address climate resiliency. Donor Name: Con Edison State: New York City: New York City and Westchester Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/03/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Con Edison is seeking to support organizations whose mission and purpose focus on actionable social justice programming. Their initiatives should be centered in, created for, and implemented by disadvantaged and historically marginalized communities. Proposals should address the intersectional issues of extreme heat & humidity, extreme weather events, and/or precipitation & flooding with the outcome of building and advancing resiliency in these areas. Con Edison will prioritize proposals from organizations/organizational partnerships that: Center and emerge from communities that have been historically marginalized and disadvantaged, including educational institutions who can demonstrate an extensive history of community partnerships. Have a history of organizing around justice issues (environmental justice and/or climate justice preferred). Have a strong leadership team (staff, board, volunteers) that reflects the demographic make-up of their communities. Are highly engaged and interactive with the identified community members and able to demonstrate a high level of community input into the project/plan. Clearly stated policy and advocacy goals related to the disproportionate climate impacts within the communities they serve. Can demonstrate that their project will have meaningful impact for their communities. Funding Information A total of up to $1M will be available for seed funding of programs across successful grantees in the first year, with proposed programs beginning their work in July 2024. Priority Populations Every program that Con Edison will be considering for support under the Social Justice focus area must serve disadvantaged and/or historically marginalized communities across Con Edison territory. New York State’s Climate Justice Working Group has highlighted criteria for disadvantaged communities which includes: Communities of color (racial and ethnic minorities) Those exposed by potential pollution exposures Those impacted by land use associated with historical discrimination and divestment Those exposed to potential climate change risks Low- and Moderate-Income communities Those with poor health outcomes and sensitivities Housing energy and communications. What Programs Qualify? (includes, but not limited to): Programs and efforts to build awareness, understanding of environmental and climate burdens, and action to address climate change preparation and mitigation while serving historically marginalized and disadvantaged communities Programs that address the impact of climate-driven extreme temperatures on vulnerable populations through the implementation of skills-based trainings centered on community preparedness, organizing, and advocacy Programs that educate communities on the urban heat island and that provide the unique perspective of those communities to policy makers and other leaders Efforts that convene community leadership across sectors to consider and build plans for climate change impact and urban heat mitigation in targeted communities Project must be located within the state of New York with a priority for the five boroughs and Westchester within CECONY service territories and in historically marginalized and state-designated disadvantaged communities. Eligibility Criteria  Have a track record and mission of working with and for disadvantaged and historically marginalized communities to improve the quality of life of residents and community-based needs. Project must serve beneficiaries located within the state of New York with a priority for the five boroughs and Westchester, within Con Edison’s service territories and historically marginalized and state designated disadvantaged community. Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable entity, as described in Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. In a collective group scenario, a designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit is required as the fiscal agent for funding. For more information, visit Con Edison.

Working with the Community Foundation of Otsego County, the group created a field of interest fund, the Advocates for Springfield Fund, to support the health and well-being of the Springfield community. Donor Name: Community Foundation of Otsego County State: New York City: Springfield Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: A local grassroots group created Advocates for Springfield to promote good land uses in its town. Since it began in the early 2000s, Advocates for Springfield has successfully encouraged the Town to adopt a comprehensive plan, a zoning ordinance, and other land use laws.  As the vision and actions of the Town’s governing bodies have aligned with the goals of the Advocates for Springfield, the group found it had worked itself out of a reason to exist. The group wanted its remaining financial resources to be put to good use for the benefit of Town residents. Funding Information Awards up to $500. The Community Foundation has allocated up to $1,500 for awards for 2024. Eligibility Criteria  Support for local nonprofit organizations that add to the fabric of the community, such as the volunteer fire department and the Library Funds to supplement summer jobs that benefit the community, especially in childhood education. Groups fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization are eligible but must submit evidence of the sponsorship. They do not fund: direct grants to individuals. direct grants to businesses. For more information, visit CFOC.

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is making up to $3M in Title I Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Statewide Activities funding available under the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant (AEG-4) Request for Applications (RFA). The purpose of this RFA is to expand New York State (NYS) Registered Apprenticeship (RA) training by increasing employment opportunities for approximately 130 apprentices, with a focus on underrepresented populations. These apprentices will enter trades in high-demand occupations, with a focus on the emerging fields of Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Information Technology, as well as other in-demand occupations. Please note that this solicitation focuses on promoting the expansion of NYS RAs and as such, RAs in the field of Construction are not eligible for funding under this RFA unless the trade is to be used for the upkeep and maintenance of a facility owned by the business entity employing the apprentice, such as plant maintenance trades.

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is making up to $2 million in State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF) funding available under the Direct Entry Pre-Apprenticeship Programs (DEPA) Request for Applications (RFA). The purpose of the RFA is to: 1. Provide funding for DEPA programs to support approximately 300 participants; and2. Support entry into NYS Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs for underrepresented populations including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.NYSDOL is particularly interested in supporting DEPA programs that provide participants with training and exposure to various trades and offer opportunities for entry into RA training programs. Targeted industries include, but are not limited to, Building and Construction, Manufacturing, and Information Technology (IT).Although grantmaking activities will transition from the Grants Gateway to the Statewide Financial System (SFS) on January 16, 2024, applications for this funding opportunity will continue to be accepted through Grants Gateway until the submission deadline date of March 29, 2024.Note: With the transition of grantmaking activities from the Grants Gateway to SFS, prequalification will be unavailable from December 15, 2023 through January 16, 2024. After January 16, 2024, organizations will prequalify in SFS. If an organization is prequalified at the time of the cutover, their prequalification status will move over to SFS. Additional information regarding prequalification can be found at https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/transition-SFS.

This program provides New York City-based startups in fields like AI, AR, cybersecurity, and smart cities with valuable resources and support to help them grow without taking equity.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for solar and storage projects that benefit low- to moderate-income households in affordable housing across New York, helping to overcome barriers and promote equitable access to renewable energy.

This funding program provides financial support to arts organizations and community groups in New York City that focus on advocacy and movement-building to promote justice, sustainability, and equity, particularly for those led by and serving marginalized communities.

The Scherman Foundation's Core Fund for Strengthening New York Communities focuses on challenging inequities and improving the conditions of New York City communities in need. The grant program supports housing justice, equitable economic development, gender equity, worker rights, immigrant community challenges, sustainable development, and police and carceral system reform. It also provides support for policy reform organizations collaborating with neighborhood-based groups. The Foundation prioritizes general operating support for smaller neighborhood groups and offers project-specific support for larger and policy-focused organizations or collaborative campaigns.