Recreational Trails Program

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The Recreational Trails Program is a State-administered, Federal assistance program to provide and maintain recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail use. Among other criteria, the proposed project must be legally and physically accessible to the public, or be a portion of an identified trailways project which, when completed, will be legally and physically accessible to the public. In addition, the proposed project must be physically and environmentally developable as a trailway.
ELIGIBILITY:  Non-profit organizations; municipal, state and federal agencies; Indian tribal governments; and other public agencies and authorities. If the applicant is not the owner of the property, a legal land use agreement will be required.
FUNDING:  There is no statutory limit on the number of grants one property or one applicant may receive. For 2007, the minimum grant award is $5,000 and the maximum grant award is $100,000. These are matching grants and the Federal share shall not exceed 80% of the approved total project costs.
DEADLINE:  October 13, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Complete program information, workshop schedules, contact information and applications are available at www.nysparks.state.ny.us or by contacting T. Kevin Burns, Bureau of Grants Management, OPRHP, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, 16th Floor, Albany, New York 12238; phone (518) 474-0427; fax (518) 486-7377.

Real Property Tax Administration Technology Improvement

New York State Office of Real Property Services

The Real Property Tax Administration Technology Improvement program has been established by the Office of Real Property Services to advance the agency's mission to support local governments in their pursuit of real property tax equity. Funding will be provided for the implementation of projects that improve real property tax administration through the use of innovative technology. Different types of project categories will be considered: one will result in providing taxpayers with the ability to access parcel level data and sales information with greater ease and efficiency and another will allow local governments to implement improvements to real property tax business processes to gain increased efficiencies and effectiveness.
ELIGIBILITY:  Any county, city, town or consortium thereof in New York State may apply. For the purposes of this grant, a consortium is defined as a cooperative arrangement among local governments.
FUNDING:  It is anticipated that approximately 100 grant applications will be awarded for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
DEADLINE:  Grant applications will be accepted beginning September 8, 2006 and must be received no later than the close of business October 6, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.orps.state.ny.us/lis/rfa/index.cfm, or contact Wilma Westover at phone (518) 474-5762; fax (518) 474-3864; e-mail Wilma.westover@orps.state.ny.us.

. . . On the Federal Level

Conservation Project Support

Institute of Museum and Library Services

This program helps museums identify conservation needs and priorities and perform activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections.
ELIGIBILITY:  Museums except for-profit institutions and Federally operated museums.
FUNDING:  Grants range up to $250,000.
DEADLINE:  October 1, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/conservProject.shtm, or contact Steven Shwartzman at (202) 653-4641 or sshwartzman@imls.gov.

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program

United States Environmental Protection Agency

These grants are used to build a collaborative partnership, identify the local environmental and/or public health issues to be addressed, envision solutions, and empower the community through education, training and outreach.
ELIGIBILITY:  Nonprofit organizations.
FUNDING:  Total funding available is $500,000.
DEADLINE:  October 23, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=10091&mode=VIEW or contact Sheila Lewis at (202) 564-0152.

. . . Foundations and Organizations

Sustainable Community Grants

Northeast SARE Program

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program will be offering Sustainable Community Grants. The purpose of this grant effort is to reconnect rural revitalization and farming. Projects can address issues such as land use, nutrition, employment, markets, education, farm labor, public policy, and environmental policy.
ELIGIBILITY:  Community nonprofits, cooperative extensions, local governments, educational institutions, planning boards, farming cooperatives, and incorporated citizens' groups.
FUNDING:  Awards are capped at $10,000.
DEADLINE:  November 28, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program's Web site, www.uvm.edu/~nesare/grants_scomm.htm. If you would like to have a printed copy of the call for proposals mailed to you, call the Northeast SARE office at (802) 656-0471 or send an e-mail to nesare@uvm.edu.

Sustainable Community Grant Appalachian Initiative

Northeast SARE Program

The Sustainable Community Grant Appalachian Initiative will provide grants to support sustainable agriculture either by adding value to farm products or by exploring alternative renewable energy. Projects should be technically sound, entrepreneurial, appropriate to the county or community, and draw on local farm resources. Projects should also have the potential to create new jobs, income streams, and markets in the agricultural sector.
ELIGIBILITY:  Applicants must live in Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, or Tompkins county.
FUNDING:  Grants are capped at $35,000.
DEADLINE:  November 28, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.uvm.edu/~nesare/grants_scomm.htm. If you would like to have a printed copy of the call for proposals mailed to you, call the Northeast SARE office at (802) 656-0471 or send an e-mail to nesare@uvm.edu.

Hands-On Environmental Projects

Captain Planet Foundation

The Captain Planet Foundation makes small grants for worthy hands-on environmental projects that help kids learn about the importance of the environment in their own communities and worldwide. It is hoped that while participating in projects individually and as part of a team, youths will gain a better appreciation of the world they live in.
ELIGIBILITY:  Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations and must 1) promote understanding of environmental issues, 2) focus on hands-on involvement, 3) involve children ages 6-18, 4) promote interaction and cooperation within the group, 5) help young people develop planning and problem-solving skills, 6) include adult supervision, and 7) commit to follow-up communication with the Foundation.
FUNDING:  The Foundation awards as many grants, ranging between $250 and $2,500, as it can throughout its fiscal year.
DEADLINE:  The remaining deadlines for 2006 are September 30, 2006 and December 31, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.captainplanetfdn.org/grants.html.

Funding for Skate Parks

Tony Hawk Foundation

The Tony Hawk Foundation funds projects that improve the lives of children by creating well-constructed, public skate parks, particularly in low-income areas.
ELIGIBILITY:  Proposals are accepted from 501(c)(3) organizations and state or local agencies, including public school systems or public projects. Applicants should take the online questionnaire to determine full eligibility; applications can be found to print online but only hard copies of the proposal will be accepted. Projects should have strong community approval and support.
FUNDING:  The minimum grant is $1,000 and the maximum grant is $25,000.
DEADLINE:  October 1, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/grant_application.asp, or contact Terra McGibbon, Programs Manager, Tony Hawk Foundation, 1611-A South Melrose Drive, #360, Vista, California 92081; phone (760) 477-2479; e-mail contact@tonyhawkfoundation.org.

YouthRising Grant Program

Youth Service America

Youth Service America and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention have announced the YouthRising grant program. This program offers grants to organizations to engage high risk and/or gang-involved youth ages 12-25 in volunteer service to their communities and seeks projects that are co-led by youth and adult allies such as parents, counselors, coaches, teachers, youth leaders, etc. A significant portion of the project must take place on National and Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007.
ELIGIBILITY:  Community-based groups/organizations, local government agencies, schools, and faith-based groups that have prior experience and documented success working directly with high-risk and/or gang-involved youth are eligible to apply.
FUNDING:  Grants are for $2,000.
DEADLINE:  October 12, 2006.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit www.ysa.org/awards/.

. . . Grant Writing

Grantsmanship Center

The Grantsmanship Training Program is coming to New York: Oriskany (Utica area), September 25-29, hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County; Buffalo, October 16-20, hosted by Junior League of Buffalo; and Troy, November 6-10, hosted by Commission on Economic Opportunity for the Greater Capital Region.

The classes will be conducted by The Grantsmanship Center and are kept at a maximum of 30 participants. The cost is $825, which includes one-year enrollment in the TGCI Membership Program. A limited number of half-tuition scholarships are available to agencies with annual budgets of less than $300,000.

To register or to apply for a scholarship, contact TGCI at (800) 421-9512 or visit www.tgci.com.

For local information and arrangements for the Oriskany workshop, please contact Ron Bunce at (315) 736-3394 or rab76@cornell.edu. Local contacts for the Buffalo and Troy workshops will be announced in future issues of the Grants Action News. In addition, interpreters will be present at the Buffalo workshop to assist participants who are deaf or hard of hearing. If you require the services of an interpreter, notify the TGCI Registrar at least two weeks prior to the workshop.