Community and Municipal Opportunities

Charge Ready NY 2.0 - This program offers incentives to public, private and not-for-profit organizations that install Level 2 EV charging stations at workplaces, multi-unit dwellings (MUD’s) or public facilities that are owned and operated by municipal or state government entities. NYSERDA provides incentives on a per-port basis at varying amounts, based on location type and whether or not is it located within a Disadvantaged Community (DAC):

• $4,000 per charging port installed at a public facility (must be located within a DAC)
• $2,000 per charging port installed at a workplace or multi-unit dwelling location.

NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities Program – Helps county, city, town, or village governments identify and implement high-impact actions that save energy, cut costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By achieving Clean Energy Communities designation, participants qualify for grants for additional clean energy projects. With this additional $25 million in funding, NYSERDA is expanding offerings to include more eligible project options and incentives as well as updating the program’s point system for high impact actions. Projects located in a New York State disadvantaged community can qualify for an additional 50 percent in funding for grants over $5,000.

NYSERDA Carbon Neutral Community Education Development Program - Incentives are available to support economic development projects on Long Island for projects that are designed to carbon neutral net or zero energy performance. NYSERDA Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development program supports projects under the following categories:

• Category A: Carbon Neutral Facilities (design and construction)
• Category B: Carbon Neutral Communities (planning).

Awards range up to $2 million and are traditionally awarded through the Consolidated Funding Application opening in May and closing at the end of July.

EPA Community Change Grants – The EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced funding for approximately $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds have been made available in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. Investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input and are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC) – Launched by WE ACT for Environmental Justice in New York and New Jersey, this center will help underserved communities gain access to grant and funding opportunities to advance environmental justice issues and offers training and technical assistance to build capacity for navigating grant application systems, writing strong grant proposals, effectively managing grants, and engaging in environmental and energy justice decision-making.

Environmental Facilities Corporation Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP) - Through the Governor's Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process, GIGP supports projects across New York State that utilize unique EPA-designated green stormwater infrastructure design and create cutting-edge green technologies. Competitive grants are awarded annually to projects that improve water quality and mitigate the effects of climate change through the implementation of one or more of the following green practices: green stormwater infrastructure, energy efficiency, water efficiency and environmental innovation. Awards range up to $3 million and are traditionally awarded through the Consolidated Funding Application, opening in May and closing at the end of July.

New York State Green Resiliency Grant Program - The new program will provide grants to flood-prone communities and help them undertake innovative green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, green streets and permeable pavement.GRG is a competitive grant program 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.
• Cooler cities: Reducing urban heat island effect creates a more comfortable environment.
• Thriving ecosystems: Restoring habitats helps us bring nature back to communities.
• Vibrant communities: Beautification attracts investment and revitalizes neighborhoods.

GRG may fund up to 90 percent of eligible project costs with a maximum grant of $10 million. GRG 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 climate resilient infrastructure. $60 Million Available in the Inaugural Round. Applications Due August 16.

Federal Solar Tax Credit (ITC) - Due to changes to the federal solar credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, municipalities and not-for-profits can now receive these tax credits (even though they don’t pay taxes) in the form of DIRECT FEDERAL PAYMENTS. The new Investment Tax Credit was increased to 30% for clean energy projects and its bonus credits enables tax-exempt entities to receive up to six bonus credits that could raise the ITC to 70% of the eligible costs of the project’s installation.See chart below. Pre-filing registration is a required electronic process for all entities that intend to make an elective payment election (or those that intend to make a credit transfer).

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grants - Provides 50/50 matching grants to cities, towns, villages, and counties of the State of New York for eligible climate change mitigation, adaptation, and planning and assessment projects. The program also supports mitigation implementation projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (transportation, refrigerants, food waste, etc.) and adaptation implementation projects (cooling centers, flood plain restoration, emergency preparedness, etc.) that directly address climate change threats or alleviate hazards in the community exacerbated by climate changes. A total of $8 million is available statewide and awards are traditionally made through the Consolidated Funding Application, opening in May and closing at the end of July.

Office of Planning Development, and Community Infrastructure (OPDCI) Smart Growth Community Planning and Zoning Grant -Financial assistance grants are available on a competitive basis to municipalities to develop or update comprehensive plans, area plans (such as Transit Oriented Development plan) or zoning ordinances that incorporate smart growth principles including promoting efficient and sustainable land development and redevelopment patterns that optimize prior infrastructure investments. These planning efforts should reflect a community goals and aspirations for its own future, and address a wide range of planning issues including, but not limited to, appropriate physical development, economic development, transportation patterns, natural and built resource inventories, and population trends, while setting a course for clean and affordable energy , efficient use of land, protection of agricultural working lands and forests and overall healthy communities.Awards range up to $2 million and are traditionally awarded through the Consolidated Funding Application opening in May and closing at the end of July.

PSEG Make Ready Incentive Program- The EV Make Ready Program offers incentives for the infrastructure needed to power Level 2 and DCFC across Long Island. This program is available for municipal facilities. Incentives range from $20-30,000 for Level 2 chargers and $185-370 for DCFC chargers.

TNC’s New York Climate Resilience Grant Program – Offers up to $50,000 for fee and easement acquisitions and for projects that strengthen organizational capacity for protecting resilient lands, secure vital floodplains and shorelines and help communities adapt to climate change. Projects with exceptional conservation and community-focused attributes may be eligible for additional funding.

Excelsior Jobs Program - Provides job creation and investment incentives to eligible for-profit business entities for “green projects” or projects that make products or develops technologies that are primarily aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions or supporting the use of clean energy are incentivized and can include the manufacture or development of products or technologies or supply chain components primarily for renewable energy systems (defined in section 66p of the public service law), vehicles that use non-hydrocarbon fuels and produce zero or near zero emissions, heat pumps, energy efficiency, clean energy storage and other products that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing the utilization of depletable resources or by improving industrial efficiency. “Green projects” are eligible for the Excelsior:

• Investment Tax Credit: a credit valued at 5% of qualified investments
• Research and Development Tax Credit: a credit of 50 percent of the Federal Research and Development credit up to 8% of eligible research expenditures in NY

To earn any of the following credits, firms must first meet and maintain the established job and investment thresholds. Businesses can claim the credits over a multi-year period.

Last updated July 2, 2024