Funding Opportunities for Local Governments

Climate Smart Communities are encouraged to check out the following funding programs.

Funding from State Agencies:

EFC Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP) - $17 million

DEC Engineering Planning Grant Program (EPG) - $2 million

• Applications Due: February 12, 2021 (before 4:00 p.m.)
• Eligible Entities: local governments

$19 million in federal grant funding is available to municipalities through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) for infrastructure projects that protect or improve water quality. This funding is made available through two programs -- the GIGP and the EPG. Funding through the GIGP will support projects aimed at improving water quality and mitigating the effects of climate change through the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure, as well as energy and water efficiency efforts. The EPG funding will help municipalities pay for the initial planning of water quality projects.

The Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will evaluate and score all projects for which applications are received based on several factors, including level of water quality protection or enhancement, financial need, and readiness of the community to proceed expeditiously with the project. Applications for both programs must be submitted through the CFA website by 4 p.m., February 12, 2021.

EFC will host a webinar to present the GIGP and EPG programs on January 13, 2021, at 11 a.m. A recording of the webinar will be available on EFC's website. The webinar will provide an overview of the GIGP and EPG, as well as guidance on how to apply for grant funds. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. You may register for the webinar on EFC's website www.efc.ny.gov .

Funding from Federal Agencies:

DHS FEMA FY20 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities - $500 million

• Applications Due: January 29, 2021
• Eligible Entities: tribal governments (federally recognized), state governments, local governments, and territories

The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program makes federal funds available to states, U.S territories, Indian tribal governments, and local communities for pre-disaster mitigation activities. The guiding principles of the program are to: (1) support state and local governments, tribes, and territories through capability- and capacity-building to enable them to identify mitigation actions and implement projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards; (2) encourage and enable innovation while allowing flexibility, consistency, and effectiveness; (3) promote partnerships and enable high-impact investments to reduce risk from natural hazards with a focus on critical services and facilities, public infrastructure, public safety, public health, and communities; (4) provide a significant opportunity to reduce future losses and minimize impacts on the Disaster Relief Fund; and (5) support the adoption and enforcement of building codes, standards, and policies that will protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the public, take into account future conditions , and have long-lasting impacts on community risk-reduction, including for critical services and facilities and for future disaster costs.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

DHS FEMA FY20 Flood Mitigation Assistance - $200 million

• Applications Due: January 29, 2021
• Eligible Entities: tribal governments (federally recognized), state governments, local governments, and territories

The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program makes federal funds available to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA will distribute the available funding to the following projects:

• Project Scoping (previously Advance Assistance): Project Scoping to develop community flood mitigation projects and/or individual flood mitigation projects that will subsequently reduce flood claims against the NFIP.
• Community Flood Mitigation Projects: Projects that address community flood risk for the purpose of reducing NFIP flood claim payments.
• Technical Assistance: Technical Assistance to maintain a viable FMA program over time.
• Flood Hazard Mitigation Planning: Planning subapplications for the flood hazard component of State, Local, Territory, and Tribal (SLTT) Hazard Mitigation Plans and plan updates.
• Individual Flood Mitigation Projects: Projects that mitigate the risk of flooding to individual NFIP insured structures.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

NOAA OAR Climate Program Office (CPO) Extreme Heat Risk Initiative Competition - $500,000

• Applications Due: February 15, 2021
• Eligible Entities: state, local, tribal governments

Extreme heat in urban areas presents society with significant economic, health, safety, and security challenges. As part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) climate portfolio within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), the CPO addresses this and other climate challenges by managing competitive research programs through which high-priority climate science, assessments, decision support research, outreach, education, and capacity-building activities are funded to advance our understanding of the Earth’s climate system, and to foster the application and use of this knowledge to improve the resilience of our Nation and its partners. Through this announcement, the CPO is seeking applications for a single competition in FY21. This competition supports a high-priority climate risk area that the CPO is organizing some of its activities around to improve science understanding and/or capabilities that result in user-driven outcomes. This risk area, focused on extreme heat, is one of four initial risk areas; the others are coastal inundation, marine ecosystems, and water resources.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.

DOI FWS Coastal Program - $13 million

• Applications Due: September 30, 2021
• Eligible Entities: county governments, Indian tribal governments, Indian tribal organizations, state governments, city or township governments, independent school districts, unrestricted

The Coastal Program is a voluntary, community-based program that provides technical and financial assistance through cooperative agreements to coastal communities, conservation partners, and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands. The Coastal Program staff coordinates with partners, stakeholders and other Service programs to identify geographic focus areas and develop habitat conservation goals and priorities within these focus areas. Geographic focus areas are where the Coastal Program directs resources to conserve habitat for Federal trust species.

For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.