ALBANY, NY — The Climate Smart Communities Grant Program provides competitive, 50/50 matching grants to municipalities to conduct climate change mitigation and adaptation projects, including actions that are part of a strategy to achieve Climate Smart Communities certification.

Applications for grant funding are due by 4:00 pm on Friday, July 28, 2023. Applications will NOT be accepted after this date and time.

Funding Available. Up to $7 million is available for grants of between $50,000 and $2,000,000 for implementation projects related to the following topics, among others:

• Reducing vehicle miles traveled.
• Reducing food waste.
• Reducing hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions from refrigeration and other related equipment.
• Increasing natural resilience through restoration or preservation of wetlands and floodplains.
• Reducing future flood risk, including by relocating or retrofitting critical infrastructure.
• Preparing for extreme weather events.
• Renewable energy projects in municipally owned public low-income housing.

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

Eligible Applicants. Any county, city, town, or village in the State of New York is eligible to apply. A municipality does not need to be a certified or registered Climate Smart Community to be eligible for a grant.

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

Applying. Apply for the Climate Smart Communities Grant Program through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application (CFA), which is available on the CFA website.

Hand-delivered, faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will NOT be accepted. In addition to the application portal, information on other state grant opportunities and instructions for applicants are available on the CFA website.

Questions? Email the Office of Climate Change: cscgrants@dec.ny.gov