Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) is sending his “January Grants Action News Update” to residents, organizations and local governments about a series of grants available from the state, federal government and private entities. Each month, the Assembly provides an updated list of grants for a variety of categories.

“During a time of economic recovery, grants can play an integral part in helping our local communities complete needed infrastructure repairs or support under-funded projects,” said Palmesano. “Many people don’t realize the scope of available opportunities because they aren’t sure where to look. The ‘Grants Action News’ bulletin makes finding these grants much easier by consolidating the information and making it available to everyone. I hope residents, organizations and local governments throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions will be able to use this resource to find much-needed support to strengthen communities in our rural area.”

The Grants Action News bulletin is updated at the beginning of each month with newly-available grants and information on how to apply. Continuing his monthly updates, Palmesano will be providing regular updates on his Assembly website at: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Philip-A-Palmesano, as well as posts to his Facebook page – just like “Assemblyman Phil Palmesano” to stay up-to-date on new grant information.

The update can be accessed here:

http://nyassembly.gov/write/upload/pdfs/20180101_78745.pdf

State Grants

All not-for-profit applicants must now prequalify on the NYS Grants Reform website at grantsreform.ny.gov/grantees in order to apply for certain New York State grant solicitations. Potential not-for-profit applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the process of registering and prequalifying immediately as this is a lengthy process.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of Environmental Justice

Funding is available to support new construction or renovation of a facility to create an Urban Environmental Education Center. The center should inspire exploration, discovery and learning about the urban environment.

• Eligibility: Applicants must be a not-for-profit (NFP) community-based organization or may partner with an NFP that will serve as its fiscal sponsor.
• Funding: Approximately $1 million is available for this project.
• Deadline: February 2, 2018, 3:00 p.m.
• Contact: Phone: 518-402-8556 Email: justice@dec.ny.gov Website: www.dec.ny.gov/public/31226.html

New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) AirSource Heat Pump (ASHP) Program

The ASHP Program provides incentives for the installation of program qualified ASHP systems in single-family and multifamily residences. ASHPs offer residential customers improved performance over other code-compliant HVAC technologies, reduced energy bills and a lower carbon footprint, but they have not been widely adopted in the state.

• Eligibility: Participating installers can help find the right solution and available incentives. Visit NYSERDA’s website to find a participating installer near you. ASHP installation contractors have met specific training criteria and have agreed to the terms and conditions in the program. Once accepted, participating installers can begin installing and then submitting incentive applications.
• Funding: Incentives of $500 per installed program-qualified ASHP system are available to participating installers on a first-come, first served basis.
• Deadline: The deadline is December 31, 2020, or until funds are fully committed.
• Contact: Kerry Hogan Phone: 518-862-1090 ext.3509 Email: products@nyserda.ny.gov Website: www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Air-Source-Heat-Pump-Program

Federal Grants

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Summer Seminars and Institutes

NEH Summer Seminars and Institutes grants support professional development programs in the humanities for school teachers and for college and university faculty. Seminars and institutes may be as short as one week or as long as four weeks.

• Eligibility: Any U.S. nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status is eligible, as are state and local governments and federally recognized tribal governments.
• Funding: Seminar awards range from $50,000 to $135,000 for a grant period of 12 months. Institute awards range from $60,000 to $225,000 for a grant period of 15 months.
• Deadline: February 15, 2018.
• Contact: Phone: 202-606-8471 Email: sem-inst@neh.gov Website: www.neh.gov/grants/education/summer-seminars-and-institutes

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program

The VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program is offered annually (as funding permits) to fund community agencies providing services to homeless veterans. Its purpose is to promote the development and provision of supportive housing and/or supportive services with the goal of helping homeless veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or income and obtain greater self-determination.

• Eligibility: State, local, public and Indian housing authorities, tribal governments and nonprofits are eligible to apply. Only programs with supportive housing or service centers are eligible for these funds.
• Funding: The GPD program has published two Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA) and is currently accepting applications. On November 2, 2017, the VA announced the availability of per diem funds to eligible entities to provide transitional housing beds under the VA’s GPD Program models. The VA expects to fund 1,500 beds with this NOFA for applicants who will use one or a combination of the following housing models: Bridge Housing, Low Demand, Hospital-to-Housing, Clinical Treatment and Service-Intensive Transitional Housing and Service Centers. On November 6, 2017, the VA announced the availability of funding for applicants who seek to continue providing ‘‘Transition in Place’’ (TIP) grants and new applicants that will serve the homeless veteran population through a TIP housing model to facilitate housing stabilization. Both notices contain information concerning the program, funding priorities, application process and amount of funding/ beds available. Funding under NOFA is for operational costs only. No capital funding is available at this time.
• Deadline: The Per Diem Only NOFA is due February 28, 2018, and the Transition in Place NOFA is due February 21, 2018.
• Contact: Jeff Quarles Phone: 1-877-332-0334 Email: GPDinquiry@va.gov Website: www.va.gov/HOMELESS/GPD.asp

Private Grants

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Eugene Washington Engagement Awards

The PCORI Eugene Washington Engagement Awards support projects that encourage active integration of patients, caregivers, clinicians and other health care stakeholders as integral members of the patient-centered outcomes research/clinical effectiveness research (PCORI/ CER) enterprise. They expect projects selected for an Engagement Award to result in tools and resources that may be useful to other awardees for increasing patient and/or other stakeholder engagement in PCOR and CER, PCORI and the broader PCOR community. As such, this award is for research support, not research. PCORI is committed to using and broadly sharing this information.

• Eligibility: Applications may be submitted by any private or public-sector organizations, including any nonprofit or for-profit organization or any unit of local, state or federal government.
• Funding: Awards are for projects up to two years in duration and up to $250,000 in total costs.
• Deadline: A Letter of Inquiry is due by February 1, 2018, and full proposal, upon invitation only, should be submitted within 40 days of receiving the invitation.
• Contact: Phone: 202-370-9312 Email: ea@pcori.org Website: www.pcori.org/fundingopportunities/announcement/eugenewashington-pcori-engagement-awards

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Unmet Needs

The Unmet Needs program offers financial assistance to service members, veterans or eligible dependents listed under the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) to assist with basic life needs. All grants are paid directly to the creditor.

• Eligibility: Financial hardship must be due to one of the following reasons: 1) currently on active duty, whose financial hardship is a result of a current deployment, military pay error or from being discharged for medical reasons; 2) discharged on or after September 11, 2001, whose financial hardship is a direct result of military service-connected injuries and/or illnesses; and 3) discharged before September 11, 2001, are on a fixed income that must include VA compensation and facing an unexpected financial hardship.
• Funding: No range is given, but the VFW reserves the right to make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
• Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
• Contact: Unmet Needs Phone: 866-789-6333 Email: unmetneeds@vfw.org Website: www.vfw.org/assistance/financial-grants

Scholar Awards

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, NY Sea Grant

Applications are now being accepted from eligible students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program matches highly-qualified graduate students with hosts in the legislative branch, executive branch or appropriate associations/institutions located in the Washington, D.C., area for a one-year paid fellowship.

• Eligibility: An eligible applicant is any student, regardless of citizenship, who, on February 21, 2018, is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate program that has an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The graduate degree must be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S. or U.S. territories.
• Funding: At least 35 applicants will be selected to receive $61,500. Of these, 12 will be assigned to the legislative branch.
• Deadline: February 23, 2018.
• Contact: William Wise Phone: 631-632-6909 Email: William.Wise@stonybrook.edu Website: www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/articles/ t/2019-national-sea-grant-college-programdean-john-a-knauss-marine-policy-fellowshipgrants-policies-funding-opportunities-currentrfps or http://seagrant.noaa.gov/Knauss

Great Lakes Commission, 2018/2019 Sea Grant Fellowship, NY Sea Grant

The selected fellow will work with members of the Great Lakes’ science, policy, communication and education communities to advance the environmental quality and sustainable development goals of the Great Lakes states. The fellow will contribute to and benefit from research coordination and policy analysis activities. The fellow will be located at the Great Lakes Commission offices in Ann Arbor, MI.

• Eligibility: Eligible applicants include those who, at the time of application, are either enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program in public policy, public health, natural resources, aquatic sciences or related field at a U.S. accredited institution of higher education in the U.S., or have completed their graduate or professional degree within the six months immediately prior to the time of application (e.g. graduated on or after August 1, 2017).
• Funding: This award is $42,000 over a one year period.
• Deadline: February 16, 2018.
• Contact: William Wise Phone: 301- 734-1088 Email: William.Wise@stonybrook.edu Website: http://seagrant.sunysb.edu/ articles/t/2018-2019-great-lakes-commissionsea-grant-fellowship-grants-policies-fundingopportunities-current-rfps or www.glc.org/about/scholarshipsfellowships

The Foundation Center

The Foundation Center has scheduled the following free training classes:

Introduction to Finding Grants: Classroom, February 8

In this newly-revised class, attendees will learn what funders want in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders.

Introduction to Proposal Writing: Classroom, February 13

This newly-revised class will provide attendees with an overview of how to write a standard project proposal to a foundation.

Introduction to Fundraising Planning: February 21, 2018

• Making your case for support
• Diversifying your organization’s fundraising base
• Creating a plan of action