State

Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) Program

The Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) Program provides municipalities and community-based organizations with assistance, up to 90 percent of the eligible project costs, to complete revitalization plans and implementation strategies for areas or communities affected by the presence of brownfield sites, and site assessments for strategic brownfield sites.

Eligible Recipients:
New York State municipalities and community-based organizations.

Two or more eligible applicants may, and are encouraged to, submit a joint application.

Eligible Projects:

  • Pre-Nomination Study – A basic and preliminary analysis of the area affected by brownfield sites.
  • Nomination – An in-depth and thorough description and analysis for properties located in the proposed Brownfield Opportunity Area, with key findings and recommendations.
  • Implementation Study – A description of the full range of techniques and actions that can be undertaken immediately. Site assessments may be eligible for funding.

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Funding Amount:
Varies

Match Requirements:
Local cost share is 10%

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
NYS DEC
Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
518-402-9764

More Information:
www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8650.html

Economic Development Purposes Grant

Available for economic development initiatives and projects that create or retain jobs, generate increased economic activity and improve the economic and social viability and vitality of local communities.

Eligible Recipients:
Eligible applicants include:

  • For-profit businesses;
  • Not-for-profit corporations;
  • Business improvement districts;
  • Local development corporations;
  • Public benefit corporations (including industrial development agencies);
  • Economic development organizations;
  • Research and academic institutions;
  • Incubators;
  • Technology parks;
  • Municipalities;
  • Counties;
  • Regional planning councils;
  • Tourist attractions; and
  • Community facilities.

Eligible Projects:
Funds can be used for:

  • Acquisition or leasing of land, buildings, machinery and/or equipment;
  • Acquisition of existing business and/or assets;
  • Demolition and environmental remediation;
  • New construction, renovation or leasehold improvements;
  • Acquisition of furniture and fixtures;
  • Planning and feasibility studies;
  • Site and infrastructure development;
  • Inventory;
  • Training;
  • Soft costs;
  • Working capital; and
  • Marketing and advertising.

Funding Source:
NYS Empire State Development

Funding Amount:
Up to $19.2 million

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
Empire State Development
633 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10017
212-803-3100

More Information:
http://www.empire.state.ny.us/BusinessPrograms.html

Economic Development Fund

The Economic Development Fund is a flexible program that ensures that the diversity of business needs are being met. The program provides financial assistance for projects that promote the economic health of New York State by assisting in the creation or retention of jobs or the increase of business activity in the State.

Eligible Recipients:

  • Municipalities
  • Not-for-profits
  • Businesses involved in industrial, manufacturing, warehouse and distribution
  • Local Development Corporations
  • Research and development non-retail commercial enterprises

Eligible Projects:

  • Real estate and land acquisition
  • Demolition
  • Construction and renovations
  • Site and infrastructure
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Inventory
  • Construction related planning and design
  • Training
  • Soft costs
  • Feasibility planning studies

Funding Source:
NYS Empire State Development

Funding Amount:
Varies

Deadline:
Continuous

Contact:
NYS ESD
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
518-292-5100
nys-mohawkval@esd.ny.gov

More Information:
http://www.empire.state.ny.us/BusinessPrograms/EDF.html

Agricultural and Farmland Protection Planning Grants

The purpose of these programs is to fund local initiatives intended to maintain the economic viability of the State’s agricultural industry and its supporting land base and to protect the environmental and landscape preservation values associated with agriculture.

Eligible Recipients:
New York State county—provided that it has established an agricultural and farmland protection board and either:

  1. Has not already prepared an agricultural and farmland protection plan, or
  2. Has an approved farmland protection plan that was approved by the Commissioner no less than one hundred twenty months (10 years) prior to submitting an application for funding under this RFA.

For either type of application, two eligible counties may apply jointly. If applying jointly, one county must be designated as the lead county for contract purposes.

Eligible Projects:
Projects involving agricultural and farmland protection planning activities that result in the creation of or supplementation to a county agricultural and farmland protection plan are eligible for funding.

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

Funding Amount:
Up to $50,000

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
David Behm
NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets
10B Airline Dr.
Albany, NY 12235
518-457-7076
david.behm@agriculture.ny.gov

More Information:
www.agriculture.ny.gov/AP/agservices/farmprotect.html

Organic Certification Reimbursement

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets administers a certification fee reimbursement program that is funded with federal dollars. Farmers and processors may apply for reimbursement of organic certification fees and receive 75% of the total fee up to a maximum of $750.

Eligible Recipients:
Producers who renew or newly establish their organic certification.

Separate application forms are available on the Department of Agriculture and Market’s website for farmers/producers or processors/handlers.

In the event that demand for reimbursement exceeds the funds allocated to New York State, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible Projects:
A USDA accredited certifying agency must do the certification.

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

Funding Amount:
Up to $750

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
Jonathan Thomson
Jonathan.Thomson@agriculture.ny.gov

More Information:
www.agriculture.ny.gov/AP/organic/BecomeCertifiedOrganic.html

Agriculture & Farmland Protection Grant Projects

Two matching grant programs focused on farmland protection. One assists county governments in developing agricultural and farmland protection plans to maintain the economic viability of the State’s agricultural industry and its supporting land base; the other assists local governments in implementing their farmland protection plans and has focused on preserving the land base by purchasing the development rights on farms using a legal document called a conservation easement. The purchase of development rights (PDR) can help where the benefits and protections available through agricultural districting and other planning tools may not be sufficient to overcome local development pressure and other issues affecting farmland.

Eligible Recipients:
Counties or municipalities with approved Ag & Farmland Protection—farmers should contact county/town government if interested in the sale of development rights.

Eligible Projects:
State assistance payments are available for counties to cover up to 50 percent of the costs to develop agricultural and farmland protection plans. State assistance payments are available to counties or municipalities to cover up to 75 percent of the total costs for implementation activities to protect viable farmland.

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets

Funding Amount:
Varies

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
NYSDAM
Division of Agricultural Protection and Development
10B Airline Dr.
Albany, NY 12235
518-457-2090
Fax: 518-485-8986

More Information:
www.agriculture.ny.gov/AP/agservices/farmprotect.html

 

Economic Development Purposes Grants

Available for economic development initiatives and projects that create or retain jobs, generate increased economic activity and improve the economic and social viability and vitality of local communities.

Eligible Recipients:

  • For-profit businesses
  • Not-for-profit corporations
  • Business improvement districts
  • Local development corporations
  • Public benefit corporations (including industrial development agencies)
  • Economic development organizations
  • Research and academic institutions
  • Incubators
  • Technology parks
  • Municipalities Counties
  • Regional planning councils
  • Tourist attractions
  • Community facilities

Eligible Projects:

  • Acquisition or leasing of land, buildings, machinery and/or equipment
  • Acquisition of existing business and/or assets
  • Demolition and environmental remediation
  • New construction, renovation or leasehold improvements
  • Acquisition of furniture and fixtures
  • Planning and feasibility studies
  • Site and infrastructure development
  • Inventory. Training. Soft cost. Working Capital
  • Marketing and advertising

Funding Source:
NYS Empire State Development (ESD)

Funding Amount:
Varies. May be loan or grant.

Contact:
(518) 292-5200
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
(716) 846-8200
95 Perry Street, Suite 500
Buffalo, New York 14203

More Information:
http://esd.ny.gov/businessprograms/econdevpurposesgrants.html

The DOS Local Government Efficiency Grant Program

The Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Grant Program was established to provide technical assistance and competitive grants to two or more units of local government for the development of projects that will achieve savings and improve municipal efficiency through shared services, cooperative agreements, mergers, consolidations, and dissolutions.

Eligible Recipients:

  • Municipalities, including BOCES, water & wastewater districts.
  • High Priority Planning Grants are for a maximum of $50,000
  • School Districts
  • Libraries
  • General Efficiency Planning Grants are for $25,000 for the first two municipalities with an additional $1,000 for every additional municipality up to a maximum of $35,000
  • Efficiency Implementation Grants not to exceed $200,000 per municipality involved in the application up to a maximum of $1,000,000.
  • 21st Century Demonstration Project Grants shall not exceed $400,000 per municipality involved in the application.

Eligible Projects:

  • Government reorganization
  • General government projects
  • Sanitation Projects
  • School district reorganization
  • Reuse plan for vacant school buildings
  • “Smart Growth” projects
  • Public Safety Projects
  • Transportation projects
  • Water projects
  • Education Projects

Funding Source:
NYS Department of State (DOS)

Funding Amount:
Up to $200,000 per project. Multiple grants may be awarded to the same municipality for different projects.

Deadline:
Recurring

Contact:
Kyle Wilber
Program Manager
(518) 473-3355
LGEprogram@ dos.state.ny.us
NYS DOS Division of Local Government Services, RFA #12-LGE-17
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue, Suite 1015
Albany, NY 12231

More Information:
http://www.dos.ny.gov/lg/lge/grant.html