Best Grants for Environmental Conservation in New York

The Fields Pond Foundation Grant aims to support community-based nature and land conservation initiatives that enhance public access and awareness. Grants typically range from $500 to $25,000, with a focus on projects that involve local residents in conservation efforts. The foundation prioritizes trailmaking, land acquisition, and educational programs, encouraging collaboration among organizations. It seeks to empower communities to connect with their environment while ensuring ecological integrity.

The NY Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) program offers funding up to $50,000 to eligible community groups for independent technical assistance related to environmental remediation activities. TAGs help communities understand contamination issues and the remediation process at significant threat sites, as designated by the State Superfund Program and the Brownfield Cleanup Program. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation encourages applications from non-profit organizations looking to enhance public awareness and involvement in environmental decision-making.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to empowering organizations that promote the arts and develop programs designed to inspire, educate, and engage. Our vision is a world where the arts are not viewed as a luxury or elective, but as a vital part of every individual’s development and well-being.

Through strong community partnerships, we harness the transformative power of the arts to elevate educational outcomes, foster creativity, and enhance quality of life.

We believe in the synergy that arises when artists, educators, advocates, and creatives from all disciplines—musicians, museum professionals, actors, writers, and teachers—come together and collaborate. It is scientifically proven that the arts play a fundamental role in youth development, nurturing healthy brain function, social growth, and emotional resilience.

Aligned with our mission, we also support initiatives that protect and utilize nature as a source of enrichment and healing. Conservation and beautification efforts are not only essential to environmental health but also to individual and community well-being. Research consistently shows that time spent in nature supports both physical and mental health, especially for children. We are committed to partnering with organizations that recognize the vital connection between a thriving natural environment and a thriving population.

Equally important is our dedication to supporting veterans. We recognize the sacrifices made by servicemen and women and believe they deserve meaningful pathways to recovery, healing, and renewed purpose. That’s why we invest in programs that provide therapeutic support, service animals, respite opportunities, and community-centered initiatives that help veterans and their families thrive. Veterans’ well-being is not only a moral imperative but also a cornerstone of a strong, resilient community.

As a charitable foundation, we remain committed to supporting initiatives that drive progress, improve lives, and create lasting, positive impact across the arts, the environment, education, and veteran support.

The P/Arts Program

The P/Arts Program was created to strengthen connections between the philanthropic, arts, and education communities, fostering meaningful collaborations that enrich learning and inspire growth.

Eligible applicants must be accredited 501(c)(3) organizations that integrate visual and/or performing arts education into their work. Through P/Arts, we seek to support programs that:

• Revitalize learning by enhancing and transforming outdated public school curricula.
• Motivate and inspire students of all ages, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning.
• Empower educators by deepening professional development opportunities for teachers, professors, and childcare providers.
• Bridge the gap between school and home, creating continuity in learning and support for children and families.
• Apply evidence-based, arts-based instruction proven to strengthen both academic and personal outcomes.
• Address inequities in education by helping to close the achievement gap and expand access to high-quality learning opportunities.

At its heart, the P/Arts Program reflects our belief that the arts are a powerful driver of educational transformation, unlocking potential not just in the classroom but in entire communities.

The HRE Grants for Local Stewardship Planning, funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, aims to enhance the Hudson River Estuary ecosystem. With approximately $750,000 available, these grants support projects like feasibility studies, assessments, and the development of guidance documents to improve community infrastructure and protect vital water resources. Minimum grant requests start at $10,500, while the maximum is $75,000, encouraging a wide range of impactful initiatives.

New York environmental and community organizations working on Long Island Sound watershed issues can access funding through Restore America’s Estuaries for projects improving water quality, habitat, resilience, and public engagement. Grants of US $5,000 - US $100,000 support community-driven efforts that reduce pollution, restore habitats, build climate resilience, or advance community-based science and data projects.

The New York State Conservation Partnership Grant Program, managed by the Land Trust Alliance and the Department of Environmental Conservation, supports land trusts through competitive grants. With over $34 million awarded, the program aims to boost organizational capacity, enhance stewardship efforts, and catalyze community engagement in conservation projects across New York. Grants are available in five categories, including Capacity & Excellence, Professional Development, and Stewardship & Resource Management, promoting sustainable conservation practices.

The New York State Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) offers financial assistance for Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) to protect vital croplands and grasslands. This initiative supports landowners, including American Indian tribes and local governments, in maintaining agricultural land use by limiting non-agricultural development. By preserving these lands, the program ensures food security and promotes environmental quality, while also fostering local partnerships for sustainable land stewardship.

The Greenway Ecological Fund Grant, supported by the NY Power Authority, allocates $1 million annually until 2057 to fund ecological projects in the Niagara Greenway. Projects must align with the Niagara River Greenway Plan and can include land acquisition, habitat restoration, and ecological stewardship. Eligible applicants include non-profits and local government entities. This initiative aims to enhance environmental sustainability and foster community engagement in ecological preservation efforts.

The John Ben Snow Foundation provides funding primarily for tax-exempt organizations in Central New York, focusing on education, arts, community initiatives, and youth programs. Established in 1948, the foundation prioritizes proposals that enhance educational opportunities and reduce barriers for under-resourced individuals. Additionally, it considers projects in environmental and historic preservation, though these areas receive limited funding. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000.

The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust Grant supports educational programs and initiatives that assist individuals demonstrating financial need. Founded in 1975, it prioritizes funding for organizations that enhance educational opportunities, arts, culture, and community initiatives, particularly for youth and disadvantaged populations. The Trust encourages proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations, with grants typically ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. It also considers limited proposals in disabilities, environmental protection, and historic preservation, focusing on educational impact.

The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund Grant provides competitive funding to restore and protect the health of Long Island Sound. Aiming to empower underrepresented communities, this grant supports projects that promote sustainability, resilience, and equity within the watershed of Connecticut and New York. With $400,000 available in 2025, proposals should address the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and advance environmental justice initiatives.

New York conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Tribal Nations, and agencies can apply for The Nature Conservancy’s Climate Resilience Grant Program, with awards up to US $50,000. Grants support land protection, resilient floodplain and shoreline acquisitions, and projects that build organizational capacity, planning, and equitable climate resilience strategies benefiting people and nature.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Tribal Nations, and agencies in New York can apply for The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program; awards Up to US $100,000 for fee and easement land acquisition. Funding can cover capital, project development, stewardship, legal, community engagement, and related operational costs within the Appalachians Program boundary.

About The New York Community Trust:

As New York's largest community foundation, The New York Community Trust (The Trust) fosters and engages in enduring and innovative philanthropy, making grants that bring together the local knowledge and expertise of its team, nonprofits, and partners to help donors fulfill their vision for the causes they love. From education and the arts to health care and the environment, The Trust seeks to improve every aspect of the cultural and civic life of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.

The Trust is a regional philanthropic leader. In addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds that make grants throughout the United States as well as funder collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers. In 2025, it made close to 11,000 grants totaling nearly $230 million.

Having celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2024, The Trust has catalyzed innovations in philanthropy ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including some of the first to fight AIDS, build the High Line, support immigrant communities in the region, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four broad priorities of this grantmaking program are to:

• Mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing legacy carbon from the atmosphere and oceans;
• Adapt and become more resilient to the consequences of a warming world;
• Protect public health from toxic chemicals and other environmental hazards; and
• Preserve and create ecological connectivity by supporting terrestrial and marine conservation corridors. 

Grants made pursuant to this request for proposals will be for national projects, i.e., projects working in the United States (including its territories). Grants will not exceed $150,000 per year for up to two years.

Con Edison is committed to fostering a clean and equitable energy future by supporting community-based organizations in New York City and Westchester. Focus areas include climate change adaptation, social justice initiatives, and clean energy careers. The funding prioritizes programs that serve historically marginalized communities, promote environmental stewardship, and enhance economic opportunities. Through these efforts, Con Edison aims to empower local organizations to address systemic inequities and build resilience against climate challenges.

The NYSCA/GHHN Grants for Site Assessment offer support for half-day museum site assessments in New York. Funded by the New York State Council on the Arts and the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, this initiative helps museums and cultural organizations improve their collections care. Organizations can apply for up to $1,000 for professional consultancy services, focusing on stewardship and collections-related issues. Eligibility includes chartered nonprofit museums and historical organizations, while federal and municipal institutions must inquire about their status.

The NYSCA/GHHN Preservation Supplies Grant, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts and the Greater Hudson Heritage Network, provides financial assistance for collection management supplies to museums and cultural organizations in New York State. Eligible applicants can request up to $650 to purchase essential materials, such as storage boxes and acid-free tissue paper, to support the preservation of their collections. This grant aims to enhance the care and management of historical artifacts across the state.

The Green Resiliency Grants (NY) program, administered by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, supports projects improving water quality and addressing extreme weather effects. Funded by the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, grants range from $1 million to $10 million, covering up to 90% of eligible costs. Priority is given to disadvantaged communities, ensuring at least 35% benefit from the funding, promoting sustainable infrastructure across New York State.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants provide up to $150,000 in matching funds to enhance the stewardship and public access of New York's parks and historic sites. Funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, these grants support projects that improve public engagement, sustainability, and visibility for nonprofit organizations. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations focused on preservation and education. Projects must promote community involvement and can include interpretive signage, marketing plans, and shared consultant services.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants program supports the hiring of permanent staff to enhance the professionalism and sustainability of organizations dedicated to New York's parks and trails. Grants, up to $100,000 over two years, require a 20% cash match and aim to improve staffing capacity for better community outreach and operational stability, ultimately fostering increased volunteer engagement and fundraising efforts.

The Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant Program, offered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, aims to empower communities in addressing environmental issues and health hazards. By providing competitive grants, the program supports not-for-profit organizations in implementing projects that mitigate exposure to environmental harms, fostering community consensus and enhancing public outreach and education. This initiative is vital for promoting environmental justice and improving the quality of life in affected communities.

The Historic Preservation Grant Program, part of the Environmental Protection Fund, supports projects enhancing parks and historic sites in New York. This matching grant program aims to acquire, develop, and improve properties listed on state or national registers, ensuring long-term public benefits through preservation covenants and conservation easements. Applicants, including municipalities and nonprofits, are evaluated on criteria such as project significance, public awareness, and the ability to complete the project effectively, fostering stewardship of historic resources.

The Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage (EPF) offers matching grants for the acquisition, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas in New York. It supports municipalities and not-for-profits, ensuring long-term protection of funded projects. The program encompasses three categories: Parks, Historic Preservation, and Heritage Areas, aimed at enhancing recreational facilities and preserving cultural heritage through well-defined projects and planning.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, trails, golf courses, boat launches, and campgrounds across more than 360,000 acres and welcomes more than 88 million people annually.

The mission of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is to provide safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New York State residents and visitors and to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural resources.

Parks and Trails Partnership Program

Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), the New York State (NYS) Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with support from Governor Hochul and the NYS Legislature, are pleased to announce the twelfth round of competitive grants through the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program. The program is administered by PTNY, in partnership with OPRHP and DEC.

The Park and Trail Partnership Grant program is a $2.65 million capacity-building matching grants program funded through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. The program is designed to:

• Enhance the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, accessibility, maintenance and promotion of New York’s state parks, trails, historic sites, and public lands.
• Increase the sustainability, effectiveness, diversity, productivity, and volunteer and fundraising capabilities of not-for-profit organizations that promote, maintain, and support New York’s state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands.
• Promote the tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails, greenways and public lands. 

Eligible applicants must be registered nonprofits who have a formal memorandum or agreement with OPRHP or DEC.

Award Categories

There are four types of capacity-building grants available to eligible organizations through the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program: Stewardship and Public Access Capacity Grants; Capacity and Organizational Effectiveness Grants; Professional Development Grants; and Step-Up Grants.

Capacity and Organizational Effectiveness Grants

Capacity and Organizational Effectiveness Grants strengthen the capacity and expertise of individual organizations that support New York’s state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands, or a partnership involving more than one such organization, in order to aid them in fulfilling their mission and to improve their reach, effectiveness, and impact.

A 10 percent match of the total project budget is required, up to 50 percent of which may be in-kind. Fifty percent of award is disbursed at contract signing; remainder disbursed after submission of satisfactory six-month progress report.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, trails, golf courses, boat launches, and campgrounds across more than 360,000 acres and welcomes more than 88 million people annually.

The mission of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is to provide safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New York State residents and visitors and to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic and cultural resources.

Parks and Trails Partnership Program

Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), the New York State (NYS) Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with support from Governor Hochul and the NYS Legislature, are pleased to announce the twelfth round of competitive grants through the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program. The program is administered by PTNY, in partnership with OPRHP and DEC.

The Park and Trail Partnership Grant program is a $2.65 million capacity-building matching grants program funded through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. The program is designed to:

• Enhance the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, accessibility, maintenance and promotion of New York’s state parks, trails, historic sites, and public lands.
• Increase the sustainability, effectiveness, diversity, productivity, and volunteer and fundraising capabilities of not-for-profit organizations that promote, maintain, and support New York’s state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands.
• Promote the tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails, greenways and public lands. 

Eligible applicants must be registered nonprofits who have a formal memorandum or agreement with OPRHP or DEC.

Award Categories

There are four types of capacity-building grants available to eligible organizations through the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program: Stewardship and Public Access Capacity Grants; Capacity and Organizational Effectiveness Grants; Professional Development Grants; and Step-Up Grants.

Stewardship and Public Access Capacity Grants

Stewardship and Public Access Capacity Grants may be used to assist organizations with the stewardship, interpretation, promotion, education, and public access of a New York State park, trail, historic site or DEC public land, or a partnership involving more than one such organization, which significantly enhances the organization’s visibility and capacity.

A 10 percent match of the total project budget is required, up to 50 percent of which may be in-kind. Fifty percent of award is disbursed at contract signing; remainder disbursed after submission of satisfactory six-month progress report.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants program provides up to $100,000 to enhance the preservation and promotion of New York State's parks and trails. This capacity-building initiative supports organizations in improving their effectiveness and sustainability while promoting outdoor recreation and tourism. Eligible projects include strategic planning, training, and membership expansion. A 10% match is required, fostering collaboration among non-profits, ensuring diverse support for public lands.

The Park & Trail Partnership Grants: Step Up Grants program provides up to $20,000 in matching funds to support organizations in securing 501(c)(3) status and enhancing their operational capacity. Funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, this initiative aims to promote the stewardship and sustainability of New York's parks and trails, while also fostering volunteer and fundraising efforts. Eligible applicants must be registered charities and demonstrate commitment to supporting public lands.