New York Science and Technology Grants

The Rochester Area Community Foundation is seeking applications for its John F. Wegman Fund. Donor Name: Rochester Area Community Foundation State: New York County: Monroe County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  08/09/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Concerns of the elderly, character-building opportunities for youth, and improved labor/management relations through education or other means. Funding Criteria The John F. Wegman Fund has limited resources and looks for opportunities to provide small amounts of money that significantly impact community-based programs. Most awards are one-time grants for specific, participant-driven projects. The grant preference is for agencies, projects, and programs that are: Small scale Start-up Innovative (develop or adapt new strategies) Participant-driven (based on identified needs of beneficiaries) Examples of recent awards: Concerns of the elderly: Funding to support affordable transportation for seniors to health-related appointments. Character-building opportunities for youth: Funding to empower at-risk youth through workplace skill development and educating students in a supportive, multi-sensory learning environment so that they all become successful learners. Improved labor/management relations: Funding the republishing of the book All These Years of Effort, to more accurately portray the history of Rochester’s central labor unions. Funding Information These grants range from $1,500 to $10,000, with a median size of $7,300. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving Monroe County, NY.  The John F. Wegman Advisory Committee will consider new requests from previously funded organizations after the final report has been submitted and 18 months have passed since they were last funded. The John F. Wegman Fund does not provide support for: Annual giving campaigns Capital building Fellowships Individuals Operating deficits Political campaigns Religious activities The John F. Wegman Fund gives limited consideration to: Land acquisition Renewable grants Staff training For more information, visit RACF.

The Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development in New York is offering a matching grant of $10,000 to $100,000 for a duration of 3 years to not-for-profit organizations, schools, governmental agencies, businesses, and landowners for the development of tourism events and attractions, with a focus on increasing visibility and visitor numbers.

Applications are now being accepted for the Rock Charitable Fund. Donor Name: Northern New York Community Foundation State: New York County: Saint Lawrence County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/06/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding is available for projects that specifically address existing structures/elements as well as technical assistance and planning support. No grants will be made for additions or modifications that substantially alter the historic character of the property. While interior improvements may be considered, exterior projects that are most publicly visible and accessible are preferred. Peripheral/incidental projects are not desired. Funding Information  At least $100,000 is available for the fund Eligibility Criteria  501(c)(3) charitable organizations, churches, houses of worship, cemeteries, or government entities may apply for support in one or more of the following focus areas: For the maintenance and preservation of churches, houses of worship, and cemeteries located in St. Lawrence County, New York or For the maintenance and preservation of places of legitimate historical significance located in St. Lawrence County, New York or To benefit and/or assist Veterans of the United States Military residing in St. Lawrence County, New York, for their medical and/or recreational needs. Any property must be wholly owned by the applicant organization. Funding is available for projects that specifically address existing structures/elements as well as technical assistance and planning support. No grants will be made for additions or modifications that substantially alter the historic character of the property. While interior improvements may be considered, exterior projects that are most publicly visible and accessible are preferred. Peripheral/incidental projects are not desired. Grants to cemeteries may support maintenance and preservation of the property as a whole or certain historic or aesthetically significant portions of the cemetery. The awards cannot be used to maintain or preserve specific burial plots, mausoleums, or monuments without the justification of particular significance and public benefit. Grants supporting Veterans can only be awarded to qualified organizations serving Veterans, but not necessarily only to Veterans Service Organizations. Awards may support programs but cannot be made directly to individuals. “ For more information, visit Northern New York Community Foundation.

The Air Products Greater Massena Community Fund provides financial support to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and local governing bodies for a wide variety of programs, projects, and initiatives that improve the quality of life for residents in the Greater Massena community. Donor Name: Northern New York Community Foundation State: New York County: Franklin County (NY), Saint Lawrence County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding will be awarded to programs/projects benefiting community needs in areas including, but not limited to health and wellness, arts and culture, human services, education, families, youth and/or elders, environment and conservation, community development, recreation, and more. Each request will be evaluated for its potential impact on the Massena community and, in particular, its support for disadvantaged communities, the amount of funding available for disbursement, and the quality of the planning, leadership, and support of the applicant’s proposal.  Funding Information Up to $7,500 per grant application. Geographical Areas Greater Massena community within St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties. For more information, visit Northern New York Community Foundation.

This funding opportunity provides classroom teachers in Dutchess, Putnam, and Ulster Counties, New York, with financial support for innovative classroom projects and professional development initiatives to enhance student learning and teacher skills.

The Cullen Foundation is currently accepting applications for its Responsive Grant – Education. Donor Name: Cullen Foundation State: New York County: Erie County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/26/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: In Education, they seek applications from organizations offering Supplemental Academic Programs (SAP). All programs should have direct academic outcomes, be evidence-based, and primarily serve economically disadvantaged students. Programs must support students from multiple schools. Types of Support Cullen Foundation has established the following types of support for responsive grants in the education focus area: Program/project support Capital/physical infrastructure Capacity building Funding Information An organization may apply for 1, 2 or 3 years of funding, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per year (for a $300,000 total maximum). Eligibility Criteria Cullen Foundation has the following eligibility criteria for all applicants: The organization is a 501(c)(3) The organization must submit audited or reviewed financials prepared by a CPA for its most recently completed fiscal year. This is Cullen’s requirement and is not related to NYS requirements Erie County is their primary geographic service area. Education applicants not located in Erie County must serve at least 80% Erie County residents No funding received will be used for partisan political activity No funding received will be used for expenses already incurred No funding will overlap with an existing grant from the Cullen Foundation The request must fit within Cullen Foundation’s education focus area (evidence-based programs with direct academic outcomes, serving economically disadvantaged students in grades pre-K through 12); and requests for the following will not be considered: Recreational camps or recreation-based programs Internship programs Education resource rooms and drop-in centers Museum exhibits Professional development programs and services Field trip funds and programs Skills and job training programs Transportation requests Arts education programs Requests from Individual schools Request for programs that serve students from only one school Individual scholarships will not be awarded other than those provided by the Cullen Scholars program. For more information, visit Cullen Foundation.

The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley is offering grants between $1000 to $10,000 to tax-exempt organizations in Dutchess County, New York, focusing on arts, culture, and education, particularly those making facilities and events accessible to young people and seniors, with the exclusion of certain expenses like debt reduction, equipment, and fundraising campaigns.

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is seeking applications from nonprofit partners for outcomes-driven programs or projects which focus on Education, Health, and/or Sciences and benefit residents of any age in Herkimer and/or Oneida counties. Donor Name: The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties State: New York County: Herkimer County (NY), Oneida County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/30/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Focus Areas Each focus area is defined by the following characteristics: Education – Projects, programs, or activities that aim to transmit knowledge, strengthen skills, and/or teach a particular topic or trade. Health – Projects, programs, or activities that aim to nurture and improve physical, mental, and/or social well-being. Sciences – Projects, programs, or activities that study/enhance scientific objectives (e.g., physical sciences, life sciences, social sciences). Eligibility Criteria New programs or projects in need of funding must begin no earlier than July 2024. If your request is for an existing or ongoing program/project, all expenses incurred prior to July 2024 do not qualify for funding. All programs/projects should have identifiable and measurable outcomes with a definitive timeline for completion or outcomes to be achieved Only one submission per organization will be considered for each funding round Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, an organization with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, governmental institutions, educational institutions, or faith-based organizations seeking support for projects/programs that address non-religious needs or issues, serving diverse constituencies without regard to religious affiliation Ineligibility Applications for projects, programs, or activities that relate to animals and/or the arts Financial assistance or loans to individuals Funding for religious or faith-based specific programming Organizational payroll and operational needs Expenses already incurred (projects in process/already completed) For more information, visit Community Foundation.

This program provides funding for predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers to advance the understanding and treatment of spinal cord injuries through innovative research.

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.

The Western New York Foundation’s Impact Capacity Assessment Program Core (iCAP Core) is a tailored program designed for emerging and smaller nonprofits, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of capacity building and its influence on both internal and external facets of their organization. Donor Name: Western New York Foundation State: New York County: Allegany County (NY), Cattaraugus County (NY), Chautauqua County (NY), Erie County (NY), Genesee County (NY), Niagara County (NY), Wyoming County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: Effective Organizations (GEO) defines nonprofit effectiveness as “the ability of an organization or a network to fulfill its mission through a blend of sound management, strong governance, and a persistent rededication to assessing and achieving results.  iCAP Core is a 6-month program designed to address the complexities of capacity-related opportunities and challenges for nonprofits. Key elements of the program include: Leadership Focus Executive Director and Board Chair relationships are at the heart of iCAP Core. Through one-on-one consultation and coaching, these positions receive targeted support and guidance to strengthen their leadership skills, strategic thinking, and organizational vision. Board Training Recognizing the pivotal role of an informed and skilled board in organizational success, iCAP Core focuses on board development. Board members engage in sessions to equip them with the knowledge and tools for effective governance, strategic decision-making, and resource mobilization. Comprehensive Organizational Development The program covers various facets of organizational development including leadership structure development, board governance, financial management, fundraising strategies, communications and marketing, evaluation capacity, implement and assess programs, and building information technology systems to support the agency’s needs. Capacity Building Plan The development of a 1 to 2-year organizational capacity-building plan with an action plan that includes goal and progress measurements. This will help inform future foundation investment in organization’s capacity development. Funding Information A $10,000 stipend that can be used to offset administrative expenses during iCAP. Geographical Areas  Organizations applying for grants must be headquartered within the 7 counties of WNY: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming.  Eligibility Criteria  Applicant must be a non-profit organization who has obtained tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code or a fiscally sponsored organization Applicant must be a food system, arts and culture, or rural organization. Organization must be in operation for at least 2 years with at least $50,000 in annual revenue. For more information, visit Western New York Foundation.

The Seeds of Sustainability Grant Program provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations that would like to improve their capacity to achieve their mission and do transformative work within the food system. Donor Name: Western New York Foundation State: New York County: Allegany County (NY), Cattaraugus County (NY), Chautauqua County (NY), Erie County (NY), Genesee County (NY), Niagara County (NY), Wyoming County (NY) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: This program provides financial assistance to help the organization develop the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to enhance their operations and achieve sustainable growth. They support a range of activities and support services tailored to the specific needs of the organization. These may include: Support Strategic Leadership to develop strong board and staff leadership and assist grantees in implementing strategic priorities during critical periods of growth and revitalization. Foster Collaboration to strengthen community engagement and support collaborative and strategic relationship efforts that will result in stronger and expanded services. Strengthen Communications to support communications efforts that raise awareness about an organization’s mission and attract attention and resources to the organization’s cause. Expand Resources and Stabilize Financials to develop financial stability by increasing the ability of the nonprofit to develop necessary resources and plan for longer-term sustainability. Promote Programming Excellence to enhance the provision of services by strengthening the nonprofit’s ability to program and evaluate its work. Enhance Operational Effectiveness to improve day-to-day operational productivity and enhance nonprofit functioning in areas such as administration, grant management, finance, human resources, technology, and facility management. Geographical Areas  Organizations applying for grants must be headquartered within the 7 counties of WNY: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming.  Eligibility Criteria Applicant must be a non-profit organization who has obtained tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code. Applicant must demonstrate a commitment to driving transformative change in local or regional food system. Applicant must have three years of 990 filings. Applicant must be a small to mid-size organization. Small to mid-size being defined as organizations with budgets between $100,000 and $6,000,000. For more information, visit Western New York Foundation.

The Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) is the administrator for a portion of New York State’s Department of Agriculture and Markets USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program with a focus on enhancing, growing and improving the mid-channel of the food supply chain. Donor Name: Farm and Food Growth Fund (FFGF) State: New York County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/28/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funded under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) of 2021, and with allocations made to all 50 states plus districts and commonwealths, the goals are to expand each state’s middle-chain capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural food products. Meat, poultry, cannabis, animal food and forage, fiber, and wild caught seafood products are not considered under this program. The RFSI program will make infrastructure awards to businesses and organizations operating in the middle-of-the-supply chain. Successful projects will focus on increasing the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York markets. Competitive project applications must benefit multiple producers and multiple markets, and may be collaborative applications. The grant program is to fund projects that expand statewide capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of targeted local and regional agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products). Successful projects will focus on increasing the supply of New York-sourced food products available in New York and regional markets. Competitive project applications will benefit multiple producers and multiple markets. Priorities and Objectives Support infrastructure development to expand business’ capacity for processing, aggregation, storage and distribution. Target development of infrastructure projects to the dairy, fruit and vegetable, and organic industries to support the development of new value-added products. Create greater market access to intermediaries such as food hubs, aggregators, wholesalers, and distributors with the goal of increasing local food sales to institutions such as schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities. Funding Information Infrastructure Grants: This competitive opportunity is focused on funding infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or distribution of locally produced agricultural food products (excluding meat and poultry products). Applications may be submitted for projects ranging from $100,000 – $3,000,000. Applications must include match funds of 50% or 25% for historically underserved groups. Eligible Activities  Construction Hiring term-limited personnel to assist with project implementation activities. Purchasing special purpose equipment to benefit multiple producers through middle-of-the-supply-chain activities such as processing, aggregation, distribution or targeted agricultural product. Analyzing potential facility upgrades and changes to meet regulatory requirements, obtaining design and/or architecture services. Planning for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) or other food safety or worker safety measures or equipment recommendations. Upgrades to new facilities for processing specific agricultural products, such as: On-farm post-harvest processing, preservation, and storage/cold storage. Post-harvest cleaning and grading. Aggregator warehouse and storage, including cooperatives. Purchase of freezing equipment, freezer, or cold storage. Processing, canning, preserving and pasteurization. Preparation and packing. Drying, hulling, shelling and milling. Cooking, baking, juicing, distilling, fermenting Retail related activities can include creating distribution channels to new retail opportunities, or expanding processing and packaging capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new retail product lines. Eligibility Criteria  Who is eligible? New York State agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors Nonprofit organizations Local government entities Tribal governments Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals bringing producers together to establish cooperative or shared infrastructure or invest in equipment that will benefit multiple producers middle-of-the-supply-chain activities. What is eligible? Projects that expand processing capacity, including product type, increased production volume, and supporting new wholesale/retail product lines, modernize equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs or retooling, purchase installation of specialized equipment, modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems, enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements, construct new facilities, increase packaging and labeling capacities, increase storage space, develop, customize, or install climate-smart equipment, modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, and train on the use of new equipment and new processes. Some examples include: Expanding processing capacities, including adding product types, increasing production volumes, and supporting new wholesale/retail product lines; Modernizing equipment or facilities through upgrades, repairs, or retooling; (e.g., adapting product lines for institutional procurement or adding parallel processing capacity); Purchase installation of specialized equipment, such as processing components, sorting equipment, packing, and labeling equipment, or delivery vehicles; Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems; Enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements; Increasing packaging and labeling capacities that meet compliance requirements under applicable laws; (e.g. sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment); Increasing storage space, including cold storage; Develop, customize, or install climate-smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals; Modernize equipment or facilities to ensure food safety, including associated Hazard, Analysis, and Critical Control Points (HACCP) consultation, plan development and employee training; Training on the use of all equipment purchased under the grant and associated new processes. For more information, visit FFGF.

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.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (the “Department”) is pleased to announce the availability of funds for the 2024 Farm- to-School Competitive Grants Program. Donor Name: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets State: New York County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/27/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: Farm-to-School is the promotion and use of foods produced by New York State farmers in meals served in cafeterias of K-12 schools. Associations between farms and schools through the cafeteria and classroom can enhance the quality of food served. With over 700 school districts in New York State, there is the opportunity to foster relationships among New York State farmers, food hubs, producers, processors, and distributors to benefit school-age children. While serving New York State produced food in school cafeterias may seem simple, developing Farm-to-School connections highlights several challenges, particularly the lack of an established infrastructure or network of stakeholders that includes all the necessary parties: farmers, food service directors, food service contract management companies, food distributors, processors, agricultural organizations, and commodity organizations. Other challenges include: Seasonality: Farmers plan their crops in January, long before schools make purchasing decisions and place bids for products in the summer. In addition, the summer growing season is when schools are not in session. Inconsistent quality, quantity, and sizing: schools require produce to be served in standard units and meet specifications. Processing and packaging: schools require vegetables and fruits to be processed and packaged in standard units. Bidding: sending and reviewing bids from individual farmers can be time-consuming and complex for school procurement and fiscal staff. Delivery/pick up: distribution can be complicated when purchasing from multiple growers. Lack of equipment and skills to store, prepare and serve fresh produce procured for school meals programs. Connecting diverse populations with their culturally appropriate foods. Lack of training and workforce development for culinary staff. The New York State Farm-to-School Competitive Grants Program began in 2015 to increase school’s purchase of New York specialty crops by building relationships between schools and New York farm product suppliers. Secondary goals of the program include increasing agricultural education opportunities for students, improving nutrition and exposing students to new, local, culinary experiences. The objective of Farm to School projects must be to increase the volume and variety of New York State farm products purchased by schools/districts and served in school meal programs. Applicants are encouraged to include other objectives including agricultural and nutrition education gardening activities and relationship building with local agricultural food businesses and farmers. Projects that partner with producers or food processors are strongly encouraged. Applicants may include partners in their project budget as contractors Funding Information A total of $1,500,000 is available for the Farm-to-School Competitive Grants Program. This year, $300,000 will be set aside for first-time recipients. Grant awards may range from $50,000 to $100,000. Applicants may apply for only one grant per funding period. Applicants must apply for $50,000 to $100,000. Project Duration Proposed projects must be completed within two years of the contract start date. Contract term will be 9/1/2024 to 8/31/2026. Eligible Applicants  Eligible applicants include: K-12 School Food Authorities Charter schools Not-for-profit organizations Indian tribal organizations. For more information, visit NYSDAM.

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.

This grant provides funding for the rehabilitation of historic properties in small rural communities along the Erie Canal in New York, aiming to enhance local tourism and economic 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 nonprofits, schools, and civic organizations in Columbia County, New York, to develop programs that help young people transition from education to the workforce through internships, skill-building, and entrepreneurial opportunities.