Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) is sending his “April 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 underfunded 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.”

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.

The Grants Action News bulletin is updated at the beginning of each month with newly available grants and information on how to apply.

The update can be accessed here:

nyassembly.gov/gan/?sec=story&story=96292

State Grants

New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute Legal Services for Individuals and Families to Support Continuity in HIV Care

Legal assistance and representation can be integral for individuals living with HIV/AIDS to navigate and overcome barriers to care or services, as well as maintain benefits or services or assert their legal rights. To this end, the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (NYSDOH AI), Division of HIV & Hepatitis Health Care, Bureau of Community Support Services and Health Research, Inc. (HRI) has made $2,514,252 in New York State (NYS) and federal funding available annually for five years to provide legal services for individuals and families and support continuity in HIV care. Applications should be centered around providing comprehensive individual and family legal services and applicants should have significant experience with counseling and/or representing individuals and families in the diverse legal issues faced by those living with HIV/AIDs. These issues include, but are not limited to, public benefit programs, confidentiality and medical privacy laws, statutory protections for the rights of the disabled, housing-related needs, debt resolution and the aspects of family law that impact families with dependent children. Applicants should also have an established understanding of HIV/AIDS-specific public benefit programs, medical issues, confidentiality laws as they relate to alcohol and substance treatment laws, Article 27F of the Public Health Law and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

• Eligibility: All applicants must be prequalified in the New York State Grants Gateway, if not exempt, on the date applications are due; be a not-for-profit 501c (3) community-based organization that provides legal services or not-for-profit academic institution that provides legal services through a law school clinic; have at least three years of experience providing comprehensive legal services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and affected families; provide comprehensive services as defined in Section III.A.1 of this RFA; be located within the region for which they are applying; and submit a statement of assurances signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or designee to certify the organization meets all criteria. Applications that center on a single legal issue will not be funded.
• Funding: $2,514,252
• Deadline: April 29, 2021 4 p.m.
• Contact: Deborah Hanna, MPH Initiative Director Email: HIVLegalServices@health.ny.gov Website: https://www.health.ny.gov/funding/rfa/18483/

New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) Program

The New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs (Justice Center) Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) Program is seeking proposals from not-for-profit providers for the operation of the TRAID Program throughout 12 regions of the state. The 12 Regional TRAID Centers (RTCs) will improve access to assistive technology for New Yorkers with disabilities. RTCs will provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities, their family members, service provider agencies and other stakeholders to learn about, borrow and use appropriate assistive technology to support the needs and goals of New Yorkers regardless of where they live, their age, their income or their type of disability. The Justice Center will establish contracts in each of the 12 regions that will cover a five-year period from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2026.

• Eligibility: Applicants responding to this request for proposals must be a not-for-profit agency or organization.
• Funding: $8,369,020
• Deadline: April 22, 2021 4 p.m.
• Contact: Barbara Farley and Amanda Shooks Email: jc.sm.contracts@justicecenter.ny.gov Website: https://www.justicecenter.ny.gov/ procurement-opportunities

Federal Grants

National Institute of Justice Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) seeks grant funding applications for rigorous research projects that provide objective and independent knowledge, evaluate and develop strategies and tools to reduce violence against women, as well as promote justice for victims of crime and improve criminal justice responses. NIJ encourages proposals examining a broad range of topics, including the crimes of domestic and family violence, homicide, intimate partner and dating violence, rape, sexual assault, stalking and sex trafficking, as well as criminal justice system response, procedures and policies in response to these crimes.

• Eligibility: City or township governments; county governments; state governments; Native American tribal governments and organizations; for-profit organizations; independent school districts; nonprofit organizations – with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS; public, state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; small businesses; special district governments and federal agencies are eligible to apply. Any award made to a federal agency will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement. All state, local and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be eligible. To become certified, the law enforcement agency must meet two conditions: agency use of force policies must adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws; and the agency use of force policies prohibit chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by law. The certification requirement also applies to law enforcement agencies receiving DOJ discretionary grant funding through a sub-award. Foreign governments, foreign organizations and foreign colleges and universities are not eligible to apply. All recipients and sub-recipients must forgo any profit or management fee.
• Deadline: Grants.gov Deadline: April 13, 2021 JustGrants Deadline: April 27, 2021
• Contact: Email: grants@ncjrs.gov Website: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ o-nij-2021-45009

Department of Transportation’s Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program

The Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP) Local Competition is designed to stimulate interest among students attending minority-serving institutions of higher education or community colleges to conduct transportation-related research, pursue research in transportation-related topics, enter the transportation workforce and enhance the breadth, scope and diversity of knowledge within the transportation community in the United States. The DDETFP Local Competition provides funding for students to pursue associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees while researching transportation-related topics in all modes of transportation. Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and community colleges are encouraged to apply to administer the DDETFP Local Competition at their Institution of Higher Education (IHE). The IHE must be accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency and must be located within the United States or its territories

• Eligibility: Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) designated as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), Asian and Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (API) and Community Colleges (CC). The IHE must be accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency and must be located within the United States or its territories.
• Funding: $1,000,000 in total funding, with an award ceiling of $50,000 per award.
• Deadline: April 16, 2021
• Contact: Latoya Jones, Eisenhower Program Manager Email: latoya.jones@dot.gov Website: www.fhwa.dot.gov/careers/ddetfp.cfm

Private Grants

Citi Foundation Small Business Technical Assistance Request for Proposals

The Citi Foundation aims to support nonprofit organizations providing direct technical assistance to small businesses owned by people of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the health, social and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Selected organizations will receive up to $500,000 in unrestricted funding.

• Eligibility: Applicant organizations must have IRS 501(c)(3) status and a Federal Employer Identification Number, as well as three years of audited financial statements. Organizations should have a mission to serve low- and moderate-income individuals and communities and provide direct technical assistance to small businesses owned by people of color that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including a current portfolio of small business technical assistance that falls within one or more of Citi Foundation’s target geographies. Targeted areas include the following counties: Bronx; Kings; Nassau; New York; Queens; Richmond; Rockland; Suffolk; Westchester.
• Funding: Up to $500,000 per award in one-year, unrestricted grant support
• Deadline: April 12, 2021
• Contact: Email: citifoundationrfp@citi.com Website: https://www.citigroup.com/citi/foundation/ programs/smallbusiness.htm Application link: https://citi.fluxx.io/apply/sbta

McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Academic Enrichment Grants

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation’s Academic Enrichment Grants aim to invest in classroom and extracurricular programs designed to improve student learning by fostering understanding, deepening knowledge and broadening students’ worldviews and awareness. The grants fund programs that nurture the intellectual, artistic and creative abilities of children from low-income households.

• Eligibility: Grants are available to educators who are employed by schools or nonprofit organizations and have the background and experience to complete the project successfully. Educators must work directly with students in grades pre-K-12 who come from low-income households. A project may have many participants involved in its planning and implementation, but each application must be submitted in the name of a single individual.
• Funding: Up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years
• Deadline: April 15, 2021
• Contact: Phone: 801-578-1260 Fax: 801-578-1261 Email: info@mccartheydressman.org Website: https://mccartheydressman.org/ academic-enrichment-grants/

Scholars Awards

NCSEA Diversity in Structural Engineering Scholarship

The NCSEA Foundation’s Diversity in Structural Engineering Scholarship aims to increase diversity in the field of structural engineering by providing support to students underrepresented in structural engineering (including but not limited to Black/African Americans, Native/Indigenous Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and other people of color). Multiple scholarships, each up to $5,000, will be awarded to junior college students, undergraduate students and/or graduate students pursuing degrees in structural engineering.

• Eligibility: The scholarship is open to currently enrolled junior college, undergraduate or graduate-level students who will be registered in the fall term of the year of award and have a focused career interest in structural engineering and/or are actively pursuing a structural engineering degree. Scholarships will be awarded only to students who will employ them to continue their formal undergraduate or graduate education at a recognized educational institution. Previous scholarship awardees are eligible to apply in any succeeding competition so long as eligibility criteria are met.
• Funding: Up to $5,000 per award
• Deadline: April 30, 2021
• Contact: Alfred Spada Phone: 312-649-4600 Email: ncsea@ncsea.com Website: http://www.ncsea.com/awards/ scholarship

Students Of Salaam Immigrant Student Scholarship

 Launched in 2018, the Students of Salaam (SOS) Immigrant Student Scholarship Fund works to support the academic and professional goals of immigrant students. Access to funding all too often stands between immigrant students and their ability to pursue post-secondary education, and many students are ineligible for federal student aid and scholarships due to citizenship criteria. The SOS Immigrant Student Scholarship provides both mentorship and financial assistance to help immigrant students excel in their education and attain their career goals, regardless of citizenship status. Applications are reviewed holistically, and there are no GPA or test score cutoffs. Each scholarship recipient will receive individual career mentorship in addition to an award of $3,000 for tuition, textbooks, educational supplies or living expenses.

• Eligibility: Applicants must be students who have immigrated to the United States and are enrolled in, currently attending or intending to enroll in a post-secondary educational institution for the coming academic year. Relatives of the SOS National Board are ineligible to apply.
• Funding: $3,000 per award, with four scholarships being awarded in total
• Deadline: April 30, 2021 11:59 p.m. CST
• Contact: Email: info@studentsofsalaam.org Website: https://www.studentsofsalaam.org/about