Grant funding is now available for municipalities across the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced $22.5 million is now available for the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program. Eligible projects can include reducing flood risk and emissions from food waste, relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure, and climate change planning and assessment as part of the Climate Smart Communities Certification Program.

This year’s FY 2024-25 Executive Budget authorizes DEC to provide up to eighty percent of the cost of projects to municipalities that meet the criteria for financial hardship and for projects located in disadvantaged communities. Municipalities that do not meet the financial hardship criteria or who are conducting projects not located in disadvantaged communities must provide a fifty percent local match of the total costs for most projects. More information about the grant program and the 2024 request for applications are available on the DEC website.

$21.5 million is available for grants of between $50,000 and $2,000,000 for implementation projects related to the following topics, among others:

  • Reducing vehicle miles traveled
  • Reducing food waste
  • Reducing hydrofluorocarbon emissions from refrigeration and cooling equipment
  • Increasing natural resilience through restoration or preservation of natural features
  • Reducing future flood-risk, including by relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure
  • Preparing for extreme weather events

In addition, up to $1,000,000 is available for grants of between $10,000 and $200,000 for planning, inventory and assessment projects that are aligned with certain Climate Smart Communities certification actions in the areas of greenhouse gas mitigation, transportation, climate adaptation, and land use.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Wednesday July 31, 2023. To apply for this latest round of grants, visit the New York State Consolidated Funding Application, which is available online.

Visit DEC’s website to view the complete request for applications (RFA) for the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program. Potential applicants must read the entire RFA for complete details on the program.