New York Natural Resources Grants

This program provides funding to local governments and non-profit organizations for projects that improve water quality, enhance flood resilience, and protect drinking water sources across the state.

This funding opportunity provides financial and technical assistance to New York municipalities for projects that revitalize waterfront areas, enhance climate resilience, and improve public access and water quality.

This program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants for projects that protect agricultural land and support the sustainability of New York's farming industry.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is offering grants to local governments and Soil and Water Conservation Districts to assist in the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects. The grants are also available for regulated MS4 Operators for mapping. The program supports projects like upgrading wastewater treatment systems and streambank stabilization. Applicants seeking planning grants for wastewater treatment systems should refer to the NYS DEC/EFC Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant Program. The program also focuses on projects affecting environmental justice and disadvantaged communities, and includes a variety of eligible report categories such as green infrastructure, stormwater retrofits, and stream culvert repair.

This program provides funding to support the establishment of protective vegetated buffers on farmland near critical water sources in New York State, helping to safeguard public drinking water and improve water quality.

This program provides funding to Soil and Water Conservation Districts to help farms manage nutrient runoff and reduce methane emissions through various conservation practices.

This program provides funding to Soil and Water Conservation Districts to help CAFO-permitted farmers improve manure management practices, reduce methane emissions, and enhance nutrient conservation.

The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant program provides funding for municipalities to address greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate change adaptation at the local level. Donor Name: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Projects are divided into two categories: Implementation – There are two subcategories of implementation projects:  GHG Mitigation (non-power sector, e.g., from transportation and food waste).  Climate Adaptation (reducing risks to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from changing climate hazards).  Certification – Projects in this category include inventories, assessments, and planning projects that build local capacity to respond to climate change and move municipalities toward designation as certified Climate Smart Communities. Eligible Project Types and Funding Levels Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Section 54-1507 provides that adaption and mitigation projects must demonstrate an ability to identify, mitigate and/or adapt to climate change vulnerability and risk or demonstrate potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Projects that do not meet this requirement are not eligible for grant funding under this program. The CSC grant program includes two different project categories: implementation and certification. The implementation category is divided into two subcategories: GHG mitigation and adaptation. Each category and the related project types are detailed below. Implementation Category Eligible implementation projects must be GHG mitigation or climate change adaptation projects, as described below, and be located within the State of New York. The expected useful life of an implementation project is a minimum of 10 years, pursuant 6 NYCRR § 492-3.3(e).  Funding available – $21.5 million  Minimum grant award – $50,000  Maximum grant award – $2,000,000 Design and engineering expenses are limited to a maximum of fifteen percent (15%) of the grant request. For projects with outreach or educational components, curriculum or program development expenses are limited to fifteen percent (15%) of the grant request. No more than fifty percent (50%) of the total available funds for implementation projects will be awarded to municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 or to any single municipality. If funding in the implementation category remains after all awards in the implementation category are made based on eligibility, program requirements and goals, and passing score, DEC reserves the right to apply the remaining funding to eligible proposals in the certification category. GHG Mitigation Projects Eligible projects in the mitigation category must reduce GHG emissions. Projects shall be one of the following types to be eligible: Reduction of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). Reduction of Organic Waste Refrigerant Management Renewable Energy in Low-income Housing Climate Adaptation Projects Eligible adaptation project types include projects designed to provide a meaningful reduction of risk to residents, infrastructure, and/or natural resources from hazards projected to become more severe or frequent as a result of climate change. Certification Category  Certification projects focus on assessments, inventories, and planning activities that are part of becoming a certified Climate Smart Community. These actions also provide a basis for future grant applications in the implementation category. Only the 20 certification actions listed below are eligible for grant funding.  Total available – up to $1,000,000  Minimum grant award – $10,000  Maximum grant award – $200,000 No more than fifty percent (50%) of the total available funds for certification will be awarded to municipalities with populations greater than 100,000 or to any single municipality If funding in the certification category remains after all awards in the certification category are made based on eligibility, program requirements and goals, and passing scores, DEC reserves the right to apply the remaining funding to eligible proposals in the implementation category. Eligible Expenses for Reimbursement The following expenses are eligible for reimbursement: Personnel Services: Salaries of staff, including fringe, directly devoted to project implementation. Grantees will be required to document dates and hours worked and tasks completed via time records Contractual Services Tasks completed by professional and technical consultants or contractors, e.g., engineering, planning, construction, and legal services, directly related to the project Equipment Purchase or rental of Equipment, e.g., backhoe, directly required to implement the project Travel Project related travel costs. Mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate and lodging at current state per diem rates for the location. Note that consultants should include travel in the overall cost proposal and not bill the grantee separately Supplies and Materials Supplies and Materials are defined as consumable products needed to directly implement the project, e.g., printing, copying, paving material, crushed stone Real Property The cost of fee simple land acquisition and associated legal fees, filing fees, closing costs, and transactional costs, provided they result in the final acquisition of land. Transactional costs can be submitted for reimbursement as incurred throughout the contract term, but grantees may be required to return payments to the State should the land transaction not successfully close. Transactional costs are limited to property surveys, appraisals, certified appraisal review, map and GIS/remote sensing data, phase I environmental assessment, title reports and title insurance, prorated property taxes, and state or local real estate transfer taxes, that are directly related to the project and necessary to facilitate a climate adaptation or mitigation implementation project. Eligibility Criteria All municipalities in the State of New York are eligible to apply for funding in response to this request for applications (RFA). For the purposes of this RFA and pursuant to 6 NYCRR § 492-1.1(j), a municipality is defined as a county, city, town, village, or borough (referring only to Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) residing within New York State Political subdivisions such as municipal corporations, school districts, district corporations, boards of cooperative educational services, fire districts, public benefit corporations, industrial development authorities, and similar organizations are not eligible to apply in response to this RFA Applicants do not need to be a certified or registered CSC or be working toward CSC certification to apply in response to this RFA Applicants must submit a resolution, adopted by the municipal legislative body, authorizing the application and specifying the match amount and the source of the local match. Applications submitted without such a resolution will be deemed ineligible Two or more municipalities, or one municipality and a quasi-governmental entity or non-profit organization, may collaborate on a project; however, the applicant must be a municipality. Applicants may submit several applications, but no more than one application may be submitted for the same project or project location. For more information, visit DEC.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is offering a grant ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to municipalities in New York for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles and installation of electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fuel filling stations, with a total of $750,000 available in the seventh round of the Municipal ZEV Rebate Program.

This grant provides financial support to municipalities and non-profit organizations in selected New York counties for various recreational trail projects, including construction, planning, rehabilitation, and educational initiatives.

This funding opportunity supports municipalities in the Hudson River Valley to develop plans and projects that enhance their scenic, natural, and cultural resources while promoting regional collaboration and community development.

The Intentional Development Group is proud to announce The Small Business Boost Grant, a program designed to empower local entrepreneurs and strengthen the City of Youngstown’s economic landscape. Donor Name: Department of Agriculture and Markets State: New York County: All Counties Type of Grant: Program Deadline: 06/24/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Small Business Boost Program, managed by The Intentional Development Group with funds provided by the City of Youngstown, will help boost the economic impact of Small Businesses within the City of Youngstown. Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptation and resiliency to projected climate conditions. Applications must be for ONE of the following: Track 1A: Livestock Management: Alternative Waste Management and Precision Feed Management; Track 1B: Cover and Flare Projects Track 2: Adaptation and Resiliency; Track 3A: Healthy Soils NY (Systems and BMPs that support soil health and agroforestry); Track 3B: Soil Health Systems; OR Track 4: Agricultural Forest Management. Funding Information Total Available Funding: $28,750,000 Track 1A: Livestock Management: Alternative Waste Management & Precision Feed Management: $4,500,000 State Funds Track 1B: Cover and Flare Projects $7,000,000 Federal Funds Track 2: Adaptation & Resiliency $5,000,000 State Funds Track 3A: Healthy Soils NY (Systems & BMPs that support soil health and agroforestry: $4,500,000 State Funds Track 3B: Soil Health Systems: $7,000,000 Federal Funds Track 4: Agricultural Forestry Management (carbon sequestration): $750,000 State Funds. Eligibility Requirements  Proposals for funding will be accepted from NYS Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Districts). Proposals may be for multiple projects and/or on multiple farm operations but must be for one Track only. Districts may submit more than one application, including separate applications for multiple Tracks on the same farm operation. For more information, visit Department of Agriculture and Markets.

This grant provides funding to municipalities for projects that promote waste reduction, recycling, and the safe collection of household hazardous waste to enhance environmental sustainability.