Search Through Water Grants in New York in the U.S.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream.

Area Development Program

ARC’s Area Development program relies on a flexible “bottom up” approach to economic development, empowering Appalachian communities to work with their state governments to design impactful investment opportunities supporting our mission and investment priorities.

Within the scope of our Strategic Plan, ARC’s Area Development program makes investments in two general areas: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development.

ARC Strategic Plan

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen and diversify the region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
  • Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
  • Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and energy efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the region.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.

Community Resiliency Training Program

The New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee, in partnership with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation invites Soil and Water Conservation Districts, working in partnership with regional watershed groups/coalitions, to submit applications for funding under the Community Resiliency Training Programs opportunity. Program funds are available for Post Flood Emergency Stream Intervention, North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative, and Roadside Ditch Maintenance training events.

New York State Soil and Water Conservation Districts working in partnership with regional watershed groups or coalitions are eligible to submit applications for funding under this RFA. Regional watershed groups include any watershed-based organization with established by-laws for which Soil and Water Conservation Districts are considered members. Training may be conducted anywhere in the watershed and may be provided by any qualified member of the group/coalition.

Philosophy

Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF) is a private foundation incorporated in New York State. The purpose of the foundation is to fund several charitable causes. These causes may be broadly classified as being (i) Social (ii) Educational or (iii) Religious/Cultural.

Our principles and philosophy, derived from the value system of Hinduism, may be succinctly summarized as:

• Help those who are less fortunate than yourself
• Support causes related to the acquisition of knowledge (both materialistic and non-materialistic)
• Preserve the heritage and knowledge that has already been acquired

Focus Areas

The Foundation follows a holistic approach to charitable giving. Project categories range from basic needs (food, shelter, health and basic education) to more esoteric ones (higher education, arts & culture, spirituality and the environment) :

Social Welfare

This category addresses the inequalities faced by people who do not have access to the most basic of human rights. The standard of living today varies, by several orders of magnitude, between the most and least fortunate of people, and there are many people for whom even basic material needs are not met. Our goals are to improve the lives of these people and give them the tools to break out of the cycle of poverty they live in.

Projects in this category include providing food and shelter to vulnerable populations (orphanages, old age homes); increasing children's access to education; improving the educational environment; empowering women & children; improving rural health outcomes; and, generally, uplifting disadvantaged communities.

Higher Education 

This category addresses the human quest to understand the physical world we live in, and the natural laws that govern it. This quest for knowledge is best nurtured in higher study programs of universities and research labs, and our goal is to motivate students to pursue these programs.

Projects under this category include providing financial support for deserving students through fellowships at well recognized universities and research labs.

Spirituality, Arts & Culture

This category addresses the non-materialistic aspects of human life and its power to nourish, inspire & uplift the human spirit. Hindu culture and spiritual viewpoints have evolved over many millenia, and our goal is to remember and preserve these roots, while at the same time promoting cultural integration and co-existence with other viewpoints.

Projects under this category include activities related to preserving the traditional roots of Hinduism by supporting ashrams/patashalas and temples, and promoting cultural integration by supporting programs that raise awareness of India's traditional art forms, and culture.

Environment

This category addresses the preservation of the environment we live in. The Earth sustains us and provides for us, and we need to preserve and nurture it for our sake and for the sake of future generations. Our goal is to fulfill our responsibility by taking care of the environment we live in.

Projects under this category include clean water management initiatives, planting trees, and other such activities.

Our Program Areas

The Sills Family Foundation’s primary grants program intends to help children from low income families live up to their highest promise by concentrating on the following four areas:

Comprehensive Services to Families in Crisis- With a special focus on families impacted by incarceration

The Sills Family Foundation has a major focus on programs that support families impacted by the criminal justice system. We partner with programs that work to strengthen the parent/child bond during incarceration through facilitating transportation for prison visits, creating child-sensitive visiting areas in correctional facilities, providing parenting education classes to incarcerated parents, as well as supporting families through the re-entry period. This effort extends to addressing the inequities in the bail system, preventing juvenile detentions, and providing high quality legal services to low income populations.

In considering the rehabilitative opportunities so rarely provided to incarcerated individuals, the Foundation supports higher education and arts programming inside correctional facilities. The Foundation has begun to play a role in deepening policy makers and service providers’ capacity in this field. The Sills Family Foundation is proud to be a member of the NY Initiative for Children with Incarcerated Parents, as well as the New York Youth Justice Initiative.

Support to Underserved Communities- Through improved access to early education and reduction of neighborhood violence

Low income neighborhoods and schools experience a disproportionate amount of school suspensions, violence, arrests and damage to the community through involvement in the criminal justice system. We support programs that seek to intervene in this destructive cycle and help young people stay on the path to success.

Early education can make a world of difference in how a child goes on to succeed in school, work and life. This is especially true for children challenged by poverty, homelessness and other forms of trauma. Children who start kindergarten behind their peers may continue to face problems throughout school. Getting kids off to a good start is critical to their future.

We are committed to high-quality education experiences that help children live up to their highest potential. We want to improve chances for all children to succeed in life through access to education, early intervention and family supports such as mental health counseling and job skills classes for their parents.

Programs Supporting Immigrants, Refugees and Asylees

We believe all human beings have the right to pursue their dreams of building a better home for themselves and their families, and that newcomers to the US should have access to necessary legal, educational, and material needs.

Environmental Justice- With a focus on contaminants that harm the developing embryo, fetus and infant

Toxic chemicals are released into our environment every day. Children consume pollutants in their food, air and water, their toys, candy, even baby bottles. These hazards can cause serious health problems, ranging from asthma and cancer to brain impairment and behavioral problems. They take a greater toll on the most vulnerable: pregnant women, fetuses and children.

We want to protect families from lead, mercury and other toxic compounds. The foundation supports organizations that embrace the ideals of environmental justice and that protect against poor communities carrying a greater share of the toxic burden. We invest in programs that work to reduce pollutants in our air, water, food and homes so that the minds and bodies of our infants and children stay healthy and strong.

Arts and Culture- Arts education and other creative opportunities to support underserved populations

Arts and cultural activity can provide people of all ages important tools of self expression, can open paths to new forms of communication and can strengthen self esteem. We believe that high quality arts programming in schools, community centers and senior centers can be a powerful tool of social justice. The Foundation seeks to support culturally sensitive collaborations between teaching artists, educators and community leaders to bring the positive power of the arts to under-resourced schools and communities.

Funding Priorities

The Sills Family Foundation funds nonprofits that support early childhood education, environmental justice, arts and culture, and families in crisis, with a focus on families and communities impacted by the criminal justice justice system as well as refugees, migrants and asylees.

Funding Criteria

The organizations we invest in support families and communities to overcome obstacles created by poverty, racism and other forms of marginalization. The programs we support have passionate leaders, are community based and offer potential for systemic, sustained change, including the possibility of replication. We seek to fund organizations for whom our grantmaking capacity will make an impact.

Grant Making Budget

Most of our grants range from $10,000 to $25,000. The Foundation accepts applications for one-year grants only, with the possibility of renewal grants for extended periods. Many of our grants support general operating needs.

What does this program do?

This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

How may the funds be used?

Funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of:

• Drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage and distribution
• Sewer collection, transmission, treatment and disposal
• Solid waste collection, disposal and closure
• Storm water collection, transmission and disposal

In some cases, funding may also be available for related activities such as:

• Legal and engineering fees
• Land acquisition, water and land rights, permits and equipment
• Start-up operations and maintenance
• Interest incurred during construction
• Purchase of facilities to improve service or prevent loss of service
• Other costs determined to be necessary for completion of the project
• See 7 CFR Part 1780.7 and 1780.9 for a complete list

Mission

The Joseph Robert Foundation is a small Pennsylvania private foundation whose primary purposes are to provide financial support for the arts, animal welfare, and the environment. Our main geographic focus is the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., but in special cases we may provide support to organizations located outside this area.

We are interested in awarding grants to non-profit organizations addressing significant issues of interest to our Board. We are especially interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that have fewer resources and more limited objectives, although we may also help fund regional or national organizations having specific program or project objectives. Both general operating and project/program support is available.

We welcome first-time grant seekers, support applications from prior grant recipients, and reach out to find eligible organizations that share our goals and interests.

What We Fund

Arts

We believe strongly in the power of the arts to transform both individuals and communities and are committed to reinforcing the importance of the arts as a vital component of our culture. In challenging political times such as these, the role of the arts is too often overlooked, or even denigrated. We want to play our part in asserting the value of the arts by encouraging artists to take risks, explore new possibilities, and reach out to both new and familiar audiences. By nurturing creativity and innovative thinking, we can help artists make an impact on the world around them.

While we are supportive of all forms of creative expression, the interests of the Foundation are primarily in the visual arts. We will also look favorably upon interdisciplinary projects/programs with a visual arts component, or an arts program/project that would further the goals of either of the other of the Foundation’s areas of interest.

Animal Welfare

The plight and circumstances of animals, whether domestic, farm or wild, are areas of deep concern to the Foundation. We are interested in rescuing, protecting, rehabilitating, and providing homes and sanctuaries for the non-human inhabitants of this planet. We are especially interested in helping organizations that identify and provide resources for animal populations in underserved communities. We are also interested in helping with programs that train and educate wildlife rehabilitators and other animal rescue workers.

Environment and Sustainable Resources Management

With ever increasing attacks on the environment and environmental protection, it is critically important to protect and preserve our natural resources, open lands, forests, oceans, waterways, watersheds, and green spaces. The Joseph Robert Foundation is primarily interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that can have a direct impact on their communities, whether through education or through sustainability projects. We may also be interested in contributing to larger organizations that provide essential services to protect and safeguard the environment from threats of all natures.

Grant Period

The normal grant period will be one year, starting from the date the award has been granted. When appropriate, grantees may reapply for Joseph Robert Foundation funding upon the submission of a final report at the end of the funding period.

Grant Amount

Most grant awards to organizations will be under $10,000. First-time grant awards will be limited to $5,000 or less, unless there are compelling circumstances. Determination of the grant amount will be made based on organizational and/or program/project budgets, scope of proposal, organizational qualifications, and overall application quality. Grants to individuals will be limited to $2,000 or less, with sources of matching and in-kind funds considered.  

Grant Type

Organizations may apply for general operating (GO) and/or program/project funds, but larger organizations are limited to applying for program/project funding.

Individual applicants may only apply for project funds.

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Mission

The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) coordinates and funds efforts to benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources, in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals.

The LCBP maintains inclusive partnerships that empower diverse communities to take action toward improving and protecting the natural resources and the cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin.

The LCBP envisions rich natural resources and cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin that are stewarded by a diverse, inclusive, informed, and engaged community working together for the common good of Lake Champlain for current and future generations.

Lake Champlain is an enormous resource requiring special care and stewardship – this comprehensive management plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin (OFA), is a coordinated effort to inform, guide, and assist essential stewardship efforts for the watershed.

Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems Research Projects

These grants support for projects to further the mission of the LCBP and address the research tasks outlined in our management plan, Opportunities for Action.

Note that research projects may have an implementation or planning component, including pilot studies or studies on implementation efficacy.

Lake Champlain Basin Program

Mission

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources, in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals.

Land Aquisition and Conservation RFP

The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”) are pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the acquisition of land or conservation easements on land located in the U.S. portion of the Lake Champlain Basin to further LCBP’s goals, as outlined in LCBP’s Management Plan entitled Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin.

Awards from this competition will support projects resulting in the acquisition of fee simple interest or conservation easements with the primary goal of advancing Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems in alignment with LCBP’s core goals. Priority will be given to projects that protect or improve water quality, enhance aquatic, riparian, or shoreline habitat for native species or provide flood resiliency. Opportunities to increase public access for recreation, along with other benefits consistent with LCBP goals, will be considered as co-benefits but should not be the primary purpose of projects supported through this program.

Requests for funds solely to support stewardship costs associated with existing conserved lands will not be considered

Each applicant may request a minimum of $100,000 up to a maximum of $4,000,000 for an individual proposal. Multiple proposals will be accepted from a single organization in response to this RFP.

New York Pollinator Conservation Fund

U.S. pollinator populations have declined significantly over the past 50 years. For example, the eastern monarch butterfly population has fallen by more than 90 percent since the 1990s. In 2022, the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey found that at least 40 percent of pollinator species native to New York are at risk of disappearing from the State, threatening the future growth of crops and wildflowers. In 2023, the Office of the New York State Attorney General obtained $6.9 million in a settlement with Bayer CropScience LP and Monsanto over alleged false and misleading claims about the safety of certain Roundup® brand consumer herbicides.

The Office of the New York State Attorney General selected The New York Community Trust (The Trust) to administer the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund (the Fund), a $2.5 million program to support projects that benefit pollinator species negatively affected by pesticides across the state through activities including habitat management, restoration, and enhancement, as well as pollinator research, monitoring, education, and outreach. The Fund will make grants that: 

• benefit pollinator species affected by pesticides in New York
• reflect a spectrum of organizational sizes and capacities
• ensure an appropriate geographic distribution of the available funding
• conform to the terms of the settlement agreement

Over the next two years, the Fund will make grants to nonprofits, localities, and Indigenous Nations for projects that will protect pollinators consistent with the recommendations of the 2016 New York State Pollinator Protection Plan and subsequent updates, which is a framework for the state to conserve and grow its pollinator population. Projects must focus on one or more of the following: 

• Preventing, abating, mitigating, or controlling prior or ongoing water, land, or air pollution affecting pollinators and their habitat
• Creating, managing, restoring, or enhancing pollinator habitat, including working with property owners or managers
• Undertaking pollinator-related research, monitoring, education, and outreach
• Working with tribal authorities and local governments to support the development and implementation of pollinator-friendly policies, programs, and activities

Type 1: One-Year Project Grants:

Nonprofits with annual operating budgets of up to $150,000 may apply for one-year grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for smaller-scale projects. Projects could include:

• habitat creation, restoration, or enhancement on a combined 3 acres or less;
• site assessment, planning, and securing relevant professional services such as a landscape architect or horticulturalists;
• procurement of native plants, seeds, and other materials to support pollinator conservation efforts;
• community-based research such as place-based pollinator surveys;
• adoption of sustainable horticultural practices, including obtaining relevant certifications such as Pollinator Partnership’s Pollinator Steward Certification or the National Garden Clubs’ Pollinator Garden Certification; and
• activities to raise public awareness and promote community stewardship of pollinators.

New York Pollinator Conservation Fund

U.S. pollinator populations have declined significantly over the past 50 years. For example, the eastern monarch butterfly population has fallen by more than 90 percent since the 1990s. In 2022, the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey found that at least 40 percent of pollinator species native to New York are at risk of disappearing from the State, threatening the future growth of crops and wildflowers. In 2023, the Office of the New York State Attorney General obtained $6.9 million in a settlement with Bayer CropScience LP and Monsanto over alleged false and misleading claims about the safety of certain Roundup® brand consumer herbicides.

The Office of the New York State Attorney General selected The New York Community Trust (The Trust) to administer the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund (the Fund), a $2.5 million program to support projects that benefit pollinator species negatively affected by pesticides across the state through activities including habitat management, restoration, and enhancement, as well as pollinator research, monitoring, education, and outreach. The Fund will make grants that: 

• benefit pollinator species affected by pesticides in New York
• reflect a spectrum of organizational sizes and capacities
• ensure an appropriate geographic distribution of the available funding
• conform to the terms of the settlement agreement

Over the next two years, the Fund will make grants to nonprofits, localities, and Indigenous Nations for projects that will protect pollinators consistent with the recommendations of the 2016 New York State Pollinator Protection Plan and subsequent updates, which is a framework for the state to conserve and grow its pollinator population. Projects must focus on one or more of the following: 

• Preventing, abating, mitigating, or controlling prior or ongoing water, land, or air pollution affecting pollinators and their habitat
• Creating, managing, restoring, or enhancing pollinator habitat, including working with property owners or managers
• Undertaking pollinator-related research, monitoring, education, and outreach
• Working with tribal authorities and local governments to support the development and implementation of pollinator-friendly policies, programs, and activities

Type 2: Two-Year Project Grants:

Nonprofits with annual operating budgets of up to $4 million may apply for two-year grants from $150,000 to $300,000 total (up to $150,000 per year) for grants to, among other things:

• create, restore, or enhance pollinator habitat on a combined 3 or more acres;
• support sustainable land management practices on larger parcels or properties;
• promote pollinator-friendly policies, practices, and programs in local jurisdictions;
• develop innovative financing strategies to support pollinator conservation; conduct practical research on the effects of agrochemicals, genetically modified plants, and other technologies on pollinator health; and
• establish or advance multijurisdictional pollinator conservation initiatives.

New York Pollinator Conservation Fund

U.S. pollinator populations have declined significantly over the past 50 years. For example, the eastern monarch butterfly population has fallen by more than 90 percent since the 1990s. In 2022, the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey found that at least 40 percent of pollinator species native to New York are at risk of disappearing from the State, threatening the future growth of crops and wildflowers. In 2023, the Office of the New York State Attorney General obtained $6.9 million in a settlement with Bayer CropScience LP and Monsanto over alleged false and misleading claims about the safety of certain Roundup® brand consumer herbicides.

The Office of the New York State Attorney General selected The New York Community Trust (The Trust) to administer the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund (the Fund), a $2.5 million program to support projects that benefit pollinator species negatively affected by pesticides across the state through activities including habitat management, restoration, and enhancement, as well as pollinator research, monitoring, education, and outreach. The Fund will make grants that: 

• benefit pollinator species affected by pesticides in New York
• reflect a spectrum of organizational sizes and capacities
• ensure an appropriate geographic distribution of the available funding
• conform to the terms of the settlement agreement

Over the next two years, the Fund will make grants to nonprofits, localities, and Indigenous Nations for projects that will protect pollinators consistent with the recommendations of the 2016 New York State Pollinator Protection Plan and subsequent updates, which is a framework for the state to conserve and grow its pollinator population. Projects must focus on one or more of the following: 

• Preventing, abating, mitigating, or controlling prior or ongoing water, land, or air pollution affecting pollinators and their habitat
• Creating, managing, restoring, or enhancing pollinator habitat, including working with property owners or managers
• Undertaking pollinator-related research, monitoring, education, and outreach
• Working with tribal authorities and local governments to support the development and implementation of pollinator-friendly policies, programs, and activities

Type 3: Two-Year Government and Large Organization Partnership Grants:

Nonprofits, localities, and Indigenous Nations with annual operating budgets greater than $4 million may apply for matching grants of up to $100,000 for the creation, restoration, or enhancement of large scale pollinator habitat. Grants in this category require the applicant to have secured additional funding for the project at least equivalent to the requested grant amount at the point of application.

Mission

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) coordinates and funds efforts to benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources, in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals.

The LCBP maintains inclusive partnerships that empower diverse communities to take action toward improving and protecting the natural resources and the cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin.

The LCBP envisions rich natural resources and cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin that are stewarded by a diverse, inclusive, informed, and engaged community working together for the common good of Lake Champlain for current and future generations.

Lake Champlain is an enormous resource requiring special care and stewardship – this comprehensive management plan, Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin (OFA), is a coordinated effort to inform, guide, and assist essential stewardship efforts for the watershed.

Request for Proposals

Since 1992, the LCBP has awarded more than 1,000 grants to local organizations to support a variety of pollution prevention, habitat restoration, and other projects that improve the quality of Lake Champlain. In that same time, the LCBP and its partner organizations also have funded numerous projects conducted by universities, consultants, research foundations, nonprofit organizations, and others. These projects include scientific research, best management demonstration projects, education and outreach efforts, and other initiatives that are key to implementing Opportunities for Action.

Organizational Support Grant

These grants work on providing organizational support.

Mission

The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) coordinates and funds efforts to benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources, in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals.

The LCBP maintains inclusive partnerships that empower diverse communities to take action toward improving and protecting the natural resources and the cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin.

The LCBP envisions rich natural resources and cultural heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin that are stewarded by a diverse, inclusive, informed, and engaged community working together for the common good of Lake Champlain for current and future generations.

Lake Champlain is an enormous resource requiring special care and stewardship – this comprehensive management plan, (OFA), is a coordinated effort to inform, guide, and assist essential stewardship efforts for the watershed.

Request for Proposals

Since 1992, the LCBP has awarded more than 1,500 grants to local organizations to support a variety of pollution prevention, habitat restoration, and other projects that improve the quality of Lake Champlain. In that same time, the LCBP and its partner organizations also have funded numerous projects conducted by universities, consultants, research foundations, nonprofit organizations, and others. These projects include scientific research, best management demonstration projects, education and outreach efforts, and other initiatives that are key to implementing Opportunities for Action.

Large Education and Outreach Project Grants

These grants are for large educational  projects.

Overview

The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) is a competitive grant program seeking proposals to restore and protect the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. We are interested in empowering communities of all kinds (including communities typically underrepresented in environmental programs and projects) to access, improve and benefit from Long Island Sound, its waterways, and surrounding lands. Up to $400,000 is expected to be available for grants in 2025. The most competitive proposals will incorporate multiple values including sustainability, resilience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The LISSF aims to:

• support non-profit 501(c)(3) public charities working on issues and projects that address the strategies and Implementation Actions of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and support communities and organizations in advancing environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative

The Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative (the Collaborative) is a group of funders with missions that include clean waters, thriving habitats, and sustainable communities in the Long Island Sound region. While most of the funders are not solely focused on this goal, we aim to build our effectiveness through collaboration. Since its inception, the Collaborative has worked together to learn about the myriad issues facing the Sound and possible solutions.

The John Ben Snow Foundation is a private foundation that focuses funding for tax-exempt organizations primarily serving Central New York defined as Onondaga County and its four surrounding counties of Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, and Oswego. The Board and Program Staff seek to collaboratively create proposals within specific Grant Programs while responding to the changing needs of targeted populations. We especially seek to close the opportunity gap for individuals who are under-resourced. 

Dating back to the inception of the Foundation in 1948, the primary and overarching grant making priority has been and continues to be programs that focus on education.

• Education: Primary and secondary education, literacy, and vocational training are essential ingredients to improving life outcomes. To reduce barriers that limit equitable opportunities and expand equal access to quality education. Supporting early childhood education, academic tutoring, literacy, college access, internships, scholarships, fellowships, and journalism focused on underrepresented populations and first generation students

Secondarily, the Foundation considers proposals within the areas of Arts and Culture, Community Initiatives, and Youth Programs. The Board’s objective is to extend the primary educational focus by providing funding support within these additional program areas.

• Arts and Culture: Engagement in the arts creates a stronger and more vibrant community and culture.To foster arts education and appreciation. Through educational curriculum, instruction, and engagement of young adults via visiting artists or performances
• Community Initiatives: A resilient social infrastructure is essential to a healthy local community. To directly enhance the lives of residents within our core geographic regions by expanding services that bridge the poverty gap. Investing in community centers, safe and affordable housing, human services delivered by shelters and food pantries, and veterans services.
• Youth Programs: Encouraging young adults to dream and equipping them to succeed can change the trajectory of their lives. To empower young adults in their personal development and to equip them in their professional aspirations. Developing sustained relationships that offer one-on-one mentoring, character education, skills training, and violence prevention.

As a third priority, the Foundation does consider proposals in the areas of Disabilities and Universal Access, Environmental, and Historic Preservation. As these are not core focus areas, funding is often limited. Priority will be given to proposals with an educational focus.

• Disabilities and Universal Access: A person with a physical, mental, or emotional disability should have equal access to opportunity within the community. To support services for individuals with a disability as well as provide universal access to facilities for these individuals. Supporting programs for people with disabilities as well as required facility renovations to enable universal access.
• Environmental: Stewardship of the local environment is a fundamental responsibility. To support environmental education and conservation initiatives. Through educational instruction and materials (e.g., curriculum, brochures, signs) coupled with protection of strategic parcels of land and water.
• Historic Preservation: Preservation of our history is important in order to educate the broader population on past events to inform current events. To preserve historical accounts and artifacts to benefit future generations. Through educational instruction and materials (e.g., curriculum, brochures, signs) coupled with protection of sites, structures, objects, and events.

There are no minimums or maximum grant amounts; however, most grants range from $5,000 to $10,000.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.

Our Mission

To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund

To make the highest possible impact on the climate and biodiversity crises, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is committed to advancing solutions and supporting partners throughout the Appalachians to connect and conserve vital wildlife habitat, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and generate new job and recreation opportunities for communities.

Approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives in or within 100 miles of the Appalachians, including an estimated 36 million people that rely on the region for sources of drinking water. The landscape contains the world's largest remaining expanses of temperate broadleaf mixed forest and provides habitat to a wide diversity of plants of animals, many of which are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered. Conserving this landscape is critical for nature and for the people that live and work there.

However as climate change drives ecosystem instability, plants and animals are shifting their ranges northward, and people are having to find ways to adapt to complex and intertwined challenges. TNC and many others have been working to conserve vital Appalachian habitats for decades. Now we must ramp up our efforts and coordinate with partners across the Appalachians for maximum impact.

To succeed in these efforts, TNC’s Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund offers two grant programs for conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Federally Recognized Tribal Nations, and local and state agencies in the Appalachians who are working to protect and conserve this region:

• The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program
• The New York Climate Resilience Grant Program

Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program

The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program provides grants of up to $100,000 for fee and easement acquisition projects throughout the Appalachians.

Equitable Conservation and Community Benefits

Conservation organizations are increasingly acknowledging the importance of incorporating social equity in their missions, partnerships, and projects and evolving how they work to have better outcomes for people and nature.

TNC defines community benefits as the positive outcomes that directly result from or are included within conservation projects as experienced by local communities and people. This is particularly important for historically marginalized communities, communities with limited access to nature, communities experiencing heightened impacts of climate change due to systemic underinvestment and poor infrastructure, and Indigenous communities. 

RCA program funding will support projects that demonstrate meaningful community engagement, work with those historically excluded from conservation, and lead to a fairer distribution of benefits for people and communities.

Some examples of community benefits include improved and greater access to nature, protection of drinking water sources, recreational and resource-based economic opportunities, flood mitigation, engagement in cross-cultural initiatives, or protection of lands that will meet community-defined conservation needs. We encourage projects with meaningful community benefits that are integrated with the land protection goals.

Project Evaluation

Projects will be evaluated  according to their capacity to deliver land protection outcomes aligned with the program goals, including:

• Location:
  • the project is located within TNC’s Appalachians Program boundary and is in or near a mapped focal area.  Projects outside of focal areas will also be considered.
• Resilience:
  • the percentage of the total project area that is part of the Resilient and Connected Network.
• Connectivity:
  • adjacency to protected lands or other attributes that will lead to landscape connectivity over time (e.g., the project is a necessary acquisition for advancing a local or regional plan that aims to protect a critical conservation corridor).
• Collaboration:
  • evidence of engagement with other organizations, community groups, or local governments (including, but not limited to, shared funding).
• Community:
  • project elements that directly engage and or benefit people, especially vulnerable or marginalized communities.
• Timeline:
  • the project will close within 12 months from the start of the grant agreement term.
• Feasibility:
  • likelihood that the project will close and the costs seem reasonable.

About the NBRC

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a Federal-State partnership for economic and community development in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Each year, the NBRC provides Federal funds for critical economic and community development projects throughout the northeast. These investments lead to new jobs being created and leverages substantial private sector investments.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Northern Border Regional Commission is to catalyze regional, collaborative, and transformative community economic development approaches that alleviate economic distress and position the region for economic growth.

Program Priorities

The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. NBRC encourages projects that take a creative approach to addressing an economic need or opportunity in the region, alleviate economic distress, and contribute to economic growth.

Successful projects support a broad range of economic development initiatives such as, but not limited to, projects that modernize and expand access to public water and wastewater services, revitalize transportation infrastructure, establish workforce development programs and facilities, grow the outdoor recreation economy, and provide access to new childcare and healthcare facilities.

City of Water Day

Join hundreds of organizations in all five boroughs, Westchester and Rockland counties, and New Jersey that have joined City of Water Day by signing up to host free in-person community programs on and about local waterfronts.

For a limited number of participating organizations, the New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) can provide funding support ranging between $1,000-$4,000. This support can be used for costs associated with producing an event on City of Water Day. We encourage organizations to work with local artists, schools and universities, agency partners, and community-based organizations to creatively raise awareness of climate change and resilience in their local communities. This year’s theme centers on uniting NY and NJ communities in a celebration of our interconnected waters and a commitment to a brighter, more climate resilient future.

Participating organizations and their City of Water Day events will be listed on the official website and shared widely by the New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) and Waterfront Alliance across social media platforms, through press releases, and more.

City of Water Day events are independently produced by the many wonderful, diverse civic organizations and public agencies that steward our waterfront and waterways. For all the organizations registering their July 12th City of Water Day celebration, Waterfront Alliance and New York & New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) will provide a partner “toolkit,” which will include guidance on messaging and educational takeaways for your community participants.

City of Water Day is a region-wide day of free, family-friendly events on or near the water!

Now in its 18th year, City of Water Day—taking place this year on Saturday, July 12—is a region-wide day organized by Waterfront Alliance and New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP), to champion a climate-resilient New York and New Jersey harbor. 

Dozens of communities across all five boroughs, Westchester and Rockland counties, and New Jersey will host events on and near the water that celebrate the importance of a resilient and equitably shared waterfront. From free kayaking to rowing to hands-on workshops, these events offer community members opportunities for fun, education, and access to their local waterfront.

New York State Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program

To ensure a more resilient food supply chain, the State will fund the Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program. Grant funds must be used to increase farmers' markets’ resiliency, which may be through the development and enhancement of the farmers' markets infrastructure, online sales and/or delivery capabilities across the state. Projects to support this goal may include but are not limited to developing services, paying expenses, and managing the awarded project activities.

For the purposes of this grant, a Farmers’ Market is defined as any building, structure, or place, the property of a municipal corporation or under lease to or in the possession of a private or public agency, individual or business used or intended to be used be two or more producers for the direct sale of a diversity of farm and food products from producers to consumers and food buyers.

“Farm and food products” shall mean any agricultural, horticultural, forest or other product of the soil or water, including but not limited to, fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products, meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, fish and fish products, grain and grain products, honey, nuts, preserves, maple sap products, apple cider, fruit juice, wine, ornamental or vegetable plants, nursery products, flowers, firewood, and Christmas trees.

Mission

Community Food Funders (CFF) is a philanthropic organizing project that provides information, resources, and networking opportunities for funders in the NY-NJ-CT region. We support the transition to an equitable, ecologically sound, and economically robust regional food system that optimizes local growing, processing, and distribution within this region, and balances it with fair trade between regions and internationally.

CFF is not a grant-making entity, we are a network of philanthropic organizations and individual funders who are active in food system work.  CFF is directed by staff at North Star Fund and is led by a steering committee comprised of grantmakers from thirteen foundations.  CFF facilitates roundtable discussions, funder briefings, site visits, and social gatherings to foster information-sharing and networking among funders.

Goals

• To understand the dynamics of the existing regional food system including land, water, labor, infrastructure, research, financing, access, programs and policy, and
• To identify opportunities for investment that leverages the changes necessary to create a sustainable and equitable food system throughout the region.

Values

CFF strives to transition our food system to one that pursues a true triple bottom line.

• Equitable for everyone along the food chain, from growers, workers, and processors, to distributors, retailers, consumers, and waste handlers.
• Ecologically sound so that food is produced, transported, and consumed in a way that eliminates or minimizes the use of toxic chemicals and fossil fuels, and is regenerative and sustainable in its production.
• Economically robust supporting a multiplicity of ownership models for enterprises along the food supply chain, without disproportionate control or influence by largecorporations, and without barriers to entry.

In pursuit of this goal, we believe that those most impacted and negatively affected by the current system should be part of the dialogue about moving forward, including decision-making and visioning.

Champions Award

The Community Food Funders Champions Award recognizes the organizations empowering food system change in our region. Each year the Award will:

• Promote the work of an outstanding organization that is working towards the transition of our food system to one that pursues a true triple bottom line: a system that honors and values people, the environment, and sustainable economic models
• Present the awardee with a $10,000 grant to support their work

The awardee will be invited to:

• Present their work to a group of funders and philanthropists at the Community Food Funders Annual Gathering
• Share quarterly updates on their work with the Community Food Funders network
• Design a “Champion’s Briefing” sponsored by CFF on the content of their choosing
• Join the committee that will select awardees the following year

Criteria

The awardee will be chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to a food system that is equitable, ecologically sound, and economically robust. The selected organization will also have a strong racial justice analysis that informs their work, and leadership that is representative of the population they serve.

• Equitable for everyone along the food chain, from growers, workers, and processors, to distributors, retailers, consumers, and waste handlers.
  • Some examples include access to land and economic justice for farmers; safe conditions and a living wage for workers; access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally-relevant food; providing means for greater levels of self-determination over one’s food production, distribution, preparation and waste systems; involving multi-cultural and multi-generational constituencies; uplifting the food heritage, knowledge, and expertise of low-income, people of color, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities; and more.
• Ecologically sound so that food is produced, transported, and consumed in a way that eliminates or minimizes the use of toxic chemicals and fossil fuels and is regenerative and sustainable in its production
• Economically robust supporting a multiplicity of ownership models for enterprises along the food supply chain, without disproportionate control or influence by large corporations, and without barriers to entry.
  • Examples include food or farming cooperatives, food hubs and other entities that bolster the local food supply, or organizations committed to increasing the diversity of farmers and providing technical assistance for their ongoing viability

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides interest-free or low-interest rate financing for wastewater and sewer infrastructure projects to municipalities throughout New York State. Projects eligible for financing include construction or restoration of sewers and wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management, landfill closures, as well as habitat restoration and protection projects. EFC provides both short and long-term financing, interest-free or low interest to accommodate municipalities of all population sizes with varying financial needs. When communities repay their financings, it allows EFC to finance new projects and the funds "revolve" over time. 

In his will, William E. Pritchard made provisions to establish the Trust in memory of himself and his wife. Upon Mr. Pritchard’s death in 1982, the fund was established.

Funding Interests

• Community development (affordable housing, economic development)
• Community-based health care (primary care access and delivery)
• Education (early education, K-12 public schools)
• The environment (land and water conservation, parks and gardens)
• Social services (hunger, immigration, seniors, youth development)

Types of Support:

• Primarily project and capacity building support.
• Operating support proposals from organizations with budgets of less than $1 million are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF)

Title 9 NYCRR (sections 439.1 – 443.4) implements the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Act of 1993 (Title 9 of Article 54 of the Environmental Conservation Law), which created OPRHP's program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage Grants. The EPF is a matching grant program for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within the physical boundaries of the State of New York. Funds may be awarded to municipalities or not-for-profits with an ownership interest. To ensure the public benefit from the investment of state funds, all properties acquired or developed with grant funds will receive long-term protections. The method and term of the protection is dependent upon the type of applicant and project undertaken (see sample documents on the Consolidated Funding Application tab). Municipal parkland acquired or improved with EPF funding must remain parkland in perpetuity (see the Handbook on the Alienation and Conversions of Municipal Parkland). All applicants must use the online Consolidated Funding Application to apply. Parks Program

A matching grant program for the acquisition, development and planning of parks and recreational facilities to preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures for park, recreation or conservation purposes and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects. Funds may be awarded for indoor or outdoor projects and must reflect the priorities established in NY Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) found here.

Historic Preservation Program

A matching grant program to improve, protect, preserve, rehabilitate, restore or acquire properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects.

Heritage Areas Program

A matching grant program for projects to acquire, preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures, identified in the approved management plans for Heritage Areas designated under section 35.03 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and for structural assessments or planning for such projects. Projects must fall within a New York State Designated Heritage Area.

 Local Stewardship Planning

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is pleased to announce funding for projects that will implement priorities of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda - to provide benefits of a vital estuary ecosystem: clean water; resilient communities; the sustainability of Estuary fish, wildlife, and habitats; conservation of natural scenery; and enhanced access, river education, and recreational opportunities. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) anticipates approximately $750,000 in available funding for Local Stewardship Planning projects for plans, feasibility studies, assessments, inventories, design and permitting, and the development of regionally-applicable guidance documents or handbooks to help communities improve infrastructure and protect water resources and habitat. Funding for this grant opportunity is provided by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. Projects must implement objectives of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda.

Funding

The minimum grant amount is $10,500. The maximum grant amount is $75,000. 

Green Resiliency Grant

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) will offer grants for certain projects that improve water quality and mitigate the effects of extreme weather through the Green Resiliency Grant (GRG) program. This grant funding is made available, in part, through the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 (Bond Act).

GRG grants are awarded on a competitive basis to transformative projects that enhance the resilience of stormwater infrastructure across New York State (NYS). Eligible projects must utilize green infrastructure (GI) stormwater management practices (SMPs) and/or nature-based solutions to manage combined and/or sanitary sewer overflows and/or mitigate risks associated with extreme weather events. Projects must not begin construction before notification of award and must commence construction before posted deadline.

Disadvantaged communities will receive no less than 35 percent of the benefit from this funding.

Eligible Projects

Funding

GRG may fund up to 90 percent of eligible project costs with grants ranging from a minimum of $1 million to a maximum of $10 million per project. GRG projects must be capable of capturing, treating, or increasing the time of concentration for a minimum of 2,500 cubic feet of stormwater per 90th-percentile rainfall event within a clearly defined drainage area that contributes to a specific water quality or quantity concern. Projects must demonstrate a concentrated impact on a singular drainage system. Proposals combining multiple, unconnected drainage areas should be submitted as separate applications.

Funding will be provided to projects to the extent that funds are available based on the evaluation criteria, including the specific proposed practices, water quality impacts of the project, and financial need of the municipality. EFC, in its sole discretion, may fund all or a portion of an eligible project and will determine the percentage amount available for any project. A local match for the balance of the estimated project cost is required.