Information on Available State and Federal Grants
December 1999
Vol. 13, #12

New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Inside Info on...

. . . and much more.


Questions?
For more information contact:
Laura Koennecke
1 Commerce Plaza, Suite1125
Albany, NY 12260
or call the
Grants Action News hotline at
1-800-356-8486
...On the State Level

Documentary Heritage Program Grants

NYS Archives and Records Administration

The New York State Archives and Records Administration is announcing the Documentary Heritage Program for 2000 –2001. This program provides support for non-profit archives, libraries, historical societies, museums, and other programs that collect, hold and make available historical records, and to organizations providing advisory services to such programs.

Program priorities include: mental health programs; new population groups in the twentieth century; and deindustrialization and economic revitalization in the twentieth century.

ELIGIBILITY: Non-profit historical records repositories are eligible.

FUNDING: Awards will range from $1,000 to $25,000.

DEADLINE: March 1, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Prudence Backman, NYS Archives and Records Administration, NYS Education Department, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230; telephone (518) 474-6926; e-mail pbackman@mail.nysed


Residential Emergency Services to Offer (Home) Repairs to the Elderly (RESTORE)

NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation

RESTORE funds may be used to pay for the cost of emergency repairs to eliminate hazardous conditions in homes owned by the elderly when the homeowners cannot afford to make the repairs in a timely fashion.

To be eligible for assistance, homeowners must be 60 years of age or older with an income that does not exceed 80 percent of the area median income.  

Work undertaken cannot exceed $5,000 per building. Funds must be used for low-income elderly owner-occupied households in one- to four-unit owner-occupied dwellings. The program permits not-for-profit corporations to use up to 7.5 percent of the award to cover administrative costs. Municipalities can use up to 5 percent for administrative costs.

ELIGIBILITY: Not-for-profit corporations and municipalities are eligible.

FUNDING: $1,400,000 is available statewide.

DEADLINE: March 13, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact your nearest Regional Office listed below.

Regional Offices: Albany Regional Office, Frank McKay, Regional Director, 119 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210; telephone (518) 432-0596. Buffalo Regional Office, Thomas Van Nortwick, Regional Director, Statler Towers, 107 Delaware Avenue, Suite 600, Buffalo, NY 14202; telephone (716) 842-2244. New York City Regional Office, Ronald Agnese, Regional Deputy Director, 25 Beaver Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004; telephone (212) 480-7489. Syracuse Regional Office, Frank McKay, Regional Director, 800 South Wilbur Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13204; mailing address: P.O. Box 1127, Syracuse, NY 13201; telephone (315) 473-6930.


 New York State HOME Program

NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation

The HOME Program funds a variety of activities through partnerships with counties, towns, cities, villages, private developers, and community-based non-profit housing organizations. The program provides funds to acquire, rehabilitate, or construct housing, or to provide assistance to low-income home-buyers and renters.

HOME Program funds may only be used to assist households with incomes at or below 80% of area median income. Rental projects must primarily serve households with incomes at or below 60% of area median income. Assisted rental units must remain affordable for a period of between five and 20 years, depending on the initial amount of subsidy provided for the project.

HOME Program funds may be used to pay for acquisition, rehabilitation, construction, and certain related soft costs. Funds may also be used for relocation costs, tenant-based rental assistance, down-payment and closing costs, and some administration and planning costs. Funds may only be used with respect to residential housing.

ELIGIBILITY: Any private for-profit or not-for-profit entity that can demonstrate the capacity to develop and operate a qualifying project is eligible to apply. Units of general local government that have not been designated by HUD as participating jurisdictions and not-for-profit corporations that meet certain administrative tests may also apply as local program administrators. Jurisdictions that receive HOME Program funding directly from the federal government may not apply for New York State HOME Program funds.

FUNDING: Approximately $26 million. Seed money loans of up to $45,000 per project are also available and may be requested at any time.

DEADLINE: February 7, 2000 for project funding. March 13, 2000 for program funding.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact your regional representative listed under the RESTORE program.


Low Income Housing Trust Fund Program (HTF)

NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation

The Low Income Housing Trust Fund Program (HTF) was established to help meet the critical need for decent, affordable housing for people of low income. Specifically, HTF provides funding to construct low-income housing, to rehabilitate vacant or under-utilized residential property, or to convert vacant non-residential property to residential use for occupancy by low-income homesteaders, tenants, tenant-cooperators or condominium owners. HTF can also provide seed money to eligible non-profit applicants who need financial assistance in developing a full HTF application.

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be not-for-profit corporations or charitable organizations or their wholly-owned subsidiaries; housing development fund companies; municipalities; counties; housing authorities; private developers who limit their profits or investors' rate of return; or partnerships in which the non-profit partner has at least a 50 percent controlling interest. Low-income persons may not be direct recipients of payments, grants or loans from the corporation, but may receive such funds from another eligible applicant. Except for municipalities and counties, eligible applicants must have been in existence for at least one year prior to application and have as one of their primary purposes the improvement or provision of housing for low-income persons.

FUNDING: Approximately $27 million. Seed money loans of up to $45,000 per project are available and may be requested at any time.

DEADLINE: February 7, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact your regional representative listed under the RESTORE program.


Technology Development, Demonstration and Commercialization

NYS Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is seeking proposals to develop, demonstrate or commercialize innovative heating and cooling technologies for residential and commercial buildings. The proposed technologies must achieve increased energy efficiency or environmental performance in New York State.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible technologies include, but are not limited to: integrated space/domestic water heating; gas- and oil-fired air conditioning and refrigeration; food-beverage machines; and renewable energy space heating/cooling. Eligible project types include new technologies or substantial improvements to existing technologies.

FUNDING: NYSERDA will make multiple awards of up to $250,000 per project. All proposals must be cost-shared at or above 50%.

DEADLINE: January 12, 2000, by 3:00 pm.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Ray Albrecht at (518) 862-1090, ext. 3253 or e-mail him at rja@nyserda.org. To request proposal instructions for PON 519-99, contact Jane Powers at jap@nyserda.org or by fax at (518) 862-1091.


...On the Federal Level

U.S. Department of Education

Field-Initiated Studies Education Research Grant Program

The United States Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement is announcing research funding under its Field- Initiated Studies Educational Research Grant Program. This program awards grants to conduct education research in which topics and methods of study are generated by investigators.

Applications should make a reasoned and compelling case for the national significance of the problems or issues that will be the subject of the proposed research.

ELIGIBILITY: Institutions of higher education; state and local educational agencies; public and private organizations, institutions, and agencies; and individuals are eligible.

FUNDING: It is anticipated that $10 million will be available for this program.

DEADLINE: February 16, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Delores Monroe, Field-Initiated Studies Education Research Grants Program, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 627, Washington, DC 20208-5531; telephone (202) 219-2229; e-mail Delores_Monroe@ed.gov


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilots

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for fiscal year 2000 Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund Pilots through its Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative.

The Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower states, local governments, communities, and other stakeholders involved in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely cleanup, and sustainably reuse brownfields. As part of this initiative, EPA has awarded cooperative agreements to states, political subdivisions (including cities, towns and counties), and Indian tribes to capitalize Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Fund Pilots. The purpose of these pilots is to test brownfields cleanup revolving loan fund models that direct special efforts toward facilitating coordinated public and private brownfields cleanup efforts at the federal, state, and local levels.

ELIGIBLITY: Entities that have been awarded Brownfields Assessment Demonstration Pilots prior to fiscal year 2000 are eligible. In addition, political subdivisions with jurisdiction over sites that have either been the subject of targeted brownfields assessment or selected by the U.S. EPA prior to January 1, 2000, to be the subject of a targeted brownfield assessment are eligible.

FUNDING: Pilots will be funded up to $500,000 each.

DEADLINE: February 7, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact The U.S. EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Outreach and Special Projects Staff, Barbara Bassuener (202) 260-9347 or Jennifer Millett Wilbur (202) 260-6454.


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Technical Studies to Reduce Lead Hazards

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting pre-application grant proposals for technical studies to minimize lead hazards to occupants from home improvement projects, repainting projects, renovation projects and remodeling projects. Possible topics include, but are not limited to: efficiency of cleaning techniques; portable field testing; clearance testing after renovation and remodeling; and studying the safe use of heat guns for paint removal.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible recipients include, but are not limited to: non-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; state and local associations; states; federally-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations; for-profit organizations; trade and professional associations, labor unions and joint labor/management trust funds.

FUNDING: It is anticipated that $700,000 will be available to fund grants ranging from $60,000 to $100,000.

DEADLINE: January 12, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact John Schwemberger, Technical Branch, National Program Chemicals Division (7404), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Room E-813B, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 260-7195; fax (202) 260-0001; e-mail schwemberger.john@epa.gov


U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Small Cities Community Block Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announces funding for its Small Cities Program in New York State under the Community Development Block Grant Program. The funds provide small communities and counties in New York State with an opportunity to propose programs that focus on creating or expanding job opportunities, addressing housing needs, or meeting local public facility needs.

HUD encourages communities to propose programs that are creative and innovative in addressing the needs of their community. A community may also propose a program that is “single purpose” in nature, addressing a specific area of need.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are units of general local government in New York State, excluding: 1) metropolitan cities; 2) urban counties; 3) units of government which are participating in urban counties or metropolitan cities; and 4) Indian tribes.

FUNDING: The maximum for a Single Purpose Grant is $400,000 ($600,000 for counties).

DEADLINE: March 7, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Yvette Aidara, State and Small Cities Division, Office of Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 7184, 451 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20410; telephone (202) 708-1322. Application kits are available at www.hud.gov or by contacting Community Connections at (800) 998-9999.


The Brookdale Foundation Group

The Brookdale Relatives as Parents Program

The Brookdale Foundation is pleased to announce the 2000 Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) Local Seed Grant Initiative. RAPP is designed to encourage and promote the creation or expansion of services for grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting when the biological parents are unwilling or unable to do so. The program is intended to: award seed money to local agencies to provide support groups and at least two other supportive services to relative caregivers and their families; encourage cooperation and collaboration among various service systems (such as child welfare, health care, aging, family services and mental health); ensure the development, expansion and future continuity of local services; and create replicable models of service.

Priority will be given to those agencies that have access to relative caregivers, provide supportive services, and demonstrate broad community involvement and support.

ELIGIBILITY: The sponsoring agencies must be 501 (c) (3) entities or have equivalent tax exempt status.

FUNDING: Up to 15 grants of $10,000 each will be awarded.

DEADLINE: February 28, 2000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Requests for the RFP packet should be written on agency letterhead and mailed to: The Relatives as Parents Program, The Brookdale Foundation Group, 126 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022-3668. No faxes or phone calls please.


Grant Writing Classes

Syracuse University

Syracuse University will be offering two one-day grant writing courses. Introduction to Grant Writing is being held March 17 and May 12, 2000. Each workshop runs from 9 am to 4 pm and costs $149. All courses are held on the Syracuse University campus.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Syracuse University at (315) 443-3271 or enrich@uc.syr.edu to request a brochure.


Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence

The Council on Opportunities for Professional Excellence (COPE) is offering a grant writing class December 17, 1999. The class costs $145 and includes a full day of training and a grant writing manual. It will be held at the Holiday Inn on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact COPE at (914) 756-2673 or jnb@copeinc.com


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