Community Resilience and Flood Risk Reduction Grants

The Community Resilience and Flood Risk Reduction Grants program is administered by the New York State Department of State through funding from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. This program is designed to support projects that enhance community resilience and reduce flood risks across New York State, particularly in coastal and inland waterfront areas. The Department plays a central role in implementing statewide coastal management and resilience initiatives, working in coordination with federal frameworks such as the Coastal Zone Management Act and local planning mechanisms like Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs. The grant prioritizes projects that incorporate natural and nature based solutions, address climate risks, and provide environmental, social, and economic co benefits. The program offers funding for two primary project categories: Coastal Rehabilitation and Resilience Projects and Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Implementation Projects. Coastal projects focus on protecting and restoring shoreline and coastal ecosystems, while inland projects address flooding risks through watershed management and waterfront revitalization planning. Eligible activities include construction and final design for projects such as living shorelines, wetland restoration, culvert resizing, stormwater infrastructure improvements, and flood resilient public waterfront facilities. Projects must align with established state, regional, or local management plans and demonstrate measurable resilience benefits. Funding is structured with approximately thirty nine million dollars available in total, split between the two project categories. Coastal projects have a minimum grant request of three hundred thousand dollars, while inland projects have a minimum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars. State funding can cover up to ninety percent of total eligible project costs, requiring a minimum ten percent local match. Matching funds may come from local, federal, or private sources but must be secured and documented at the time of application. All funds are reimbursed based on actual expenditures, and strict guidelines apply to eligible and ineligible costs, including limits on administrative expenses and prohibitions on indirect costs and pre contract expenditures. Eligibility varies by project type but generally includes municipalities, not for profit organizations, state agencies, soil and water conservation districts, and certain local governments. Inland project eligibility is more restrictive, limited primarily to municipalities with completed or substantially complete waterfront revitalization plans or watershed management plans. Projects must be located within defined geographic boundaries such as coastal zones, inland waterways, or watershed areas. Applicants must also demonstrate site control or the ability to secure it and provide supporting documentation such as deeds or easements. Additional requirements include compliance with environmental regulations, procurement standards, and minority and women owned business participation goals. Applications must be submitted through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application portal by June 26, 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. The application process requires submission of detailed project documentation, including feasibility studies, engineering reports, design plans, budgets, and evidence of matching funds. Applicants must also demonstrate readiness to proceed, including permitting status and project timelines, with the expectation that funded projects will be completed within five years of contract execution. Evaluation criteria include resilience impact, project readiness, cost effectiveness, alignment with resilience principles, and benefits to disadvantaged communities. The program includes a structured timeline with a release date of March 26, 2026, a webinar held on April 7, 2026, and multiple opportunities for submitting and receiving responses to questions. Final applications are due in late June, and awards are made based on a competitive scoring process with a minimum threshold of sixty points out of one hundred. Projects are ranked and funded until available resources are exhausted. Successful applicants must enter into a state contract, comply with reporting and auditing requirements, and maintain project outcomes for their intended useful life. For inquiries, applicants may contact the New York State Department of State Office of Planning, Development and Community Infrastructure via email at opd@dos.ny.gov or by mail at their Albany office. The program is expected to recur as part of ongoing Bond Act funding initiatives, although specific future cycles are subject to state budgeting and program updates.

Align project with resilience principles and disadvantaged community benefits; ensure strong documentation of readiness and feasibility; prioritize nature based solutions