$750,000 in Grants Available for Hudson River Estuary Communities
Applications are being accepted for the 2021 Hudson River Estuary Program’s 2021 grants program. Created in 1987 through the Hudson River Estuary Management Act, the program focuses on the tidal Hudson and adjacent watershed from the federal dam at Troy to the Verrazano Narrows in New York City.
These grants will increase resiliency to flooding, protect water quality, fish, and wildlife habitat, and improve recreational access and education for all, including people with disabilities and New Yorkers living in environmental justice communities. To date, the Hudson River Estuary Program has awarded 557 grants totaling more than $23 million, including more than $10 million for 133 projects in environmental justice communities.
Three types of grant opportunities are available through three Requests for Applications (RFAs):
Local Stewardship Planning Grants
Amount available: $10,500 to $50,000 per project, 15 percent match
Eligible Projects: advance four categories of projects and programs through planning, feasibility studies, and/or design:
- Hudson River shoreline communities to adapt land uses and decision-making to factor in climate change, flooding, heat, drought, and sea-level rise projections
- Making water infrastructure more resilient to flooding and/or sea-level rise
- Watershed and source water management planning
- Conservation of natural resources by creating a natural resources inventory, open space inventory/index, open space plan, conservation overlay zone, open space funding feasibility study, or connectivity plan
River Education Grants
Amount available: $10,500 to $40,000 per project, 15 percent match
Eligible projects: enhance education about the estuary along the tidal waters of the Hudson and make opportunities to learn about the Hudson River Estuary more accessible. The funding may be used to design, equip and/or construct educational facilities (including signage, exhibits, and river-focused art installations), support development of plans or curriculum, purchase of equipment, and/or development of websites or mobile phone apps.
River Access Grants
Amount available: $10,500 to $50,000 per project, 15 percent match
Eligible projects: provide new or improved accessibility at new or existing access sites for boating, fishing, swimming, and/or wildlife-dependent recreation along the shoreline of the Hudson estuary, including the tidal portion of its tributaries.
Applications are due June 2, 2021 at 3 p.m. EST
All applications must be submitted via the NYS Grants Gateway.
General questions about the Hudson River Estuary grants application process may be directed to Susan Pepe, DEC’s Estuary Grants Manager, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-3506; HREPgrants.
A description of the grant and application process and the RFA document is available on DEC’s website. The grants are provided through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and will be administered by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program. |
