APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE FOR NEW GREEN RESILIENCY GRANT PROGRAM
Grant Program to Fund Green Infrastructure Projects Including Green Roofs, Green Streets, and Permeable Pavement
WASHINGTON, D.C. – RealEstateRama – President & CEO Maureen A. Coleman announced that the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation is now accepting applications for the inaugural round of the new Green Resiliency Grant (GRG) program. Governor Kathy Hochul has made at least $60 million available for green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, green streets, and permeable pavement. The new program will prioritize grants to flood-prone communities for projects that help protect New Yorkers from extreme weather events.
“New York State is tackling the impacts of climate change head-on,” President Coleman said. “With this new grant program, together with the robust actions outlined in Governor Hochul’s comprehensive resiliency plan, we are helping communities make strategic investments to ensure they are better prepared for the next storm and the storms after that.”
Applications and eligibility guidelines are available on EFC’s website at www.efc.ny.gov/grg. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on August 16.
GRG is part of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive resiliency plan and actions to safeguard clean water in her 2024 State of the State Address and Executive Budget. The program is designed to support communities in implementing transformative green infrastructure projects and provide benefits such as:
- Safer, more resilient communities: Mitigating flooding to better protect our homes and businesses.
- Cleaner water and air: Reducing and treating stormwater at the source without additional energy use.
- Cooler cities: Reducing urban heat island effects to create a more comfortable and healthier environment.
- Thriving ecosystems: Restoring habitats to help us integrate natural elements into communities.
- Vibrant communities: Beautifying streetscapes attracts investment and revitalizes neighborhoods.
GRG is a competitive grant program. GRG may fund up to 90 percent of eligible project costs with a maximum grant of $10 million. Eligible projects must have a minimum total project cost of $1 million and positively impact a minimum of 100,000 cubic feet of stormwater runoff annually. Eligible projects include those that address combined and/or sanitary sewer overflow during extreme weather events and those that combine green infrastructure and nature-based features to ensure infrastructure is climate resilient. Non-profit and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to partner with a municipality to apply.
EFC issued draft eligibility guidelines for public comment in March. EFC used public input on these draft eligibility guidelines to help inform development of the program.
Disadvantaged Communities
The program is being funded through a combination of the Governor’s historic commitment to clean water infrastructure and the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. Disadvantaged communities shall receive no less than 35 percent, with the goal of 40 percent, of the benefit of the total $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act funds.
Disadvantaged communities are those identified by the Climate Justice Working Group, pursuant to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. EFC established a 40 percent goal for the GRG program consistent with this requirement to benefit disadvantaged communities.
New York’s Commitment to Water Quality
New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, including $325 million in grant opportunities made available in January. With $500 million allocated for clean water infrastructure in the 2024-2025 Enacted Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $5.5 billion in water infrastructure between 2017 and this year. Governor Hochul’s State of the State initiative increased grants from 25 to 50 percent for wastewater project costs in small, disadvantaged communities. To leverage these investments and ensure ongoing coordination with local governments, the Governor expanded EFC’s Community Assistance Teams to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities leverage this funding and address their clean water infrastructure needs. Any community that needs help with their water infrastructure needs is encouraged to contact EFC at https://www.efc.ny.gov/CAT.
The voter-approved $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities’ ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms. The first $200 million in funding under the Environmental Bond Act was awarded by EFC through the Water Infrastructure Improvement and Intermunicipal Grant programs, when in December 2023 Governor Hochul announced $479 million in grants to 156 projects across New York State.
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Contact: Heather Cameron | 
