Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) is sending his April “Grant Action News Update” to residents, organizations and local governments regarding 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 pre-qualify on the New York State Grants Management 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 Grant 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: https://nyassembly.gov/gan/?sec=story&story=117504

State Grants:

NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH), Community- Based Diversion Programs Funding

Funding is available for the development or enhancement of diversion programs. Programs should be rooted in evidence-based programming or emerging promising practice. The goal of diversion programs is to reduce the risk of criminal justice involvement for adults with behavioral health needs. Applicants must already be administering services in the following counties:

♦ Cayuga

♦ Essex

♦ Franklin

♦ Montgomery

♦ Madison

♦ Oneida

♦ St. Lawrence

♦ Warren/Washington

■ Deadline: May 13, 2026, 2 p.m.

■ Eligible Applicants: Not-for-profit entities

■ Total Funding Available: $2.4 million

■ Contact: Jeremy Rossello

■ Email: omhlocalprocurement@omh.ny.gov

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/

♦ https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/2026/cbdp/index.html

♦ https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/2026/cbdp/community_based_diversion_rfp.pdf

NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, Farmland Protection Implementation Grants

These grants fund the implementation of certain farmland protection activities intended to maintain the economic viability of the state’s agricultural industry and its supporting land base, and to protect the environmental and landscape preservation values associated with agriculture. Such activities must be described in or otherwise consistent with agricultural and farmland protection plans that have been adopted by counties or municipalities.

■ Deadline: June 1, 2026, 4 p.m.

■ Eligible Applicants: Governmental entities, not-for-profit entities

■ Total Funding Available: $67 million

■ Contact: David Behm

■ Email: David.behm@agriculture.ny.gov

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://agriculture.ny.gov/rfa-0393-farmland-protection-implementation-grants-round-20-agriculturalconservation-easement

♦ https://agriculture.ny.gov/request-applications-0393-fpig-round-20-agricultural-conservation-easement-projects

Federal Grants:

U.S. National Park Service (NPS), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation (NAGPRA)

These grants help fund museums, Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations for the purposes of assisting in consultation, documentation and repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony (25 U.S.C. 3008). NAGPRA grants assist museums, Indian tribes and NHOs to defray costs associated with the packaging, transportation, contamination removal, reburial and/or storage of NAGPRA human remains or cultural items. Project activities may include, but are not limited to: travel, transportation, testing or decontamination, building containers for transport, ceremonial materials or staff time.

■ Deadline: May 8, 2026

■ Eligible Applicants: City or township governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; special district governments; state governments; county governments; private institutions of higher education; public and state institutions of higher education; nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3); others

■ Program Funding: Approximately $3.4 million

■ Maximum Award: $25,000

■ Minimum Award: $1,000

■ Contact: Jim Modrick

■ Email: nagpra_grants@nps.gov

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/744e5e5a-fcfb-4a79-85f9-2580bbcd119d

♦ https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/744e5e5a-fcfb-4a79-85f9-2580bbcd119d/attachments/feacfd16-dc8f-4e31-bb55-5c8f9a28e67b/P25AS00474_NAGPRA_Repatriation_rev3_25-0325.pdf

♦ https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/357994

U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL), Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants

This funding is for community colleges, with a singular focus on building program and system capacity for implementing and scaling access to short-term training opportunities through Workforce Pell Grants—i.e., promoting industry-driven strategies, worker mobility and integration with the larger state workforce system (e.g., Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) partners) for statewide impact.

■ Deadline: May 20, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

■ Eligible Applicants: Public and state institutions of higher education

■ Program Funding: $65 million

■ Expected Number of Awards: 6-10

■ Maximum Award: $10.8 million

■ Minimum Award: $6.5 million

■ Contact: Sarah Medley

■ Email: SCC6_FOA-ETA-26-40@dol.gov

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/c05cfe8d-504c-49b0-84fa-d7b581e0a635

♦ https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/c05cfe8d-504c-49b0-84fa-d7b581e0a635/attachments/ceb39fc6-3ea4-4aa9-bfc6-b3133023b340/SCC6_FOA-ETA-26-40.pdf

♦ https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361307

Private Grants:

Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC); Trail Grants

For the 2026 trail grants funding cycle, only projects that support the planning, construction, improvement and maintenance of trails and trail networks will be considered. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: feasibility studies, mapping, design, construction and matching funds for state or federal grants for capital investments. Operational support and programmatic activities are not eligible under this round of funding.

■ Deadline: May 10, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

■ Eligible Applicants: Non-profit organizations; state, regional, local or tribal government agencies; and other organizations. Private individuals or companies may not apply

■ Eligible Applicants Should:

♦ serve or plan to serve multiple user types (e.g., bicycling, walking/hiking or horseback riding) and be considered a rail-trail, greenway, multi-use trail or shared-use path

♦ demonstrate a commitment to increasing equitable access to trail networks

♦ be initiated by September 2027

♦ join RTC’s TrailNation Collaborative. Registration is free and only requires an email address. Collaborative members have access to free webinars and monthly newsletters

■ Award Amounts: Vary, $10,000 - $25,000

■ Email: membership@railstotrails.org

■ Contact Link: https://www.railstotrails.org/contact/

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.railstotrails.org/grants/

♦ https://www.railstotrails.org/grants/eligibility/

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Grants

These grants aim to support organizations and programs for which a relatively small amount of funding might make a large difference. The foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors and people with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

■ Deadline: May 10, 2026

■ Eligible Applicants: IRS-qualified non-profit organization located within the U.S.

■ Award Amounts: Vary, $1,000 - $20,000

■ Email: info@mvdreyfusfoundation.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.mvdreyfusfoundation.org/

♦ https://www.mvdreyfusfoundation.org/application-guidelines

♦ https://www.mvdreyfusfoundation.org/faq

Scholar Awards:

Bryan Cameron Education Foundation, Cameron Impact Scholarships

These four-year, full-tuition, impact-driven undergraduate scholarships are awarded annually to 15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, community service, extracurricular activities and academics. The Cameron Impact Scholar is unique among their peers in their desire to directly impact their communities and the world at large. This scholarship covers the full tuition, fees and books at any accredited U.S.-based college or university that the recipient chooses to attend.

■ Deadline: Rolling, applications close by May 1, 2026, noon PT or when a total of 3,000 completed applications are received

■ Eligible Applicants Must:

♦ maintain a minimum, cumulative, unweighted GPA of a 3.7/4.0 scale or equivalent in their high school studies

♦ be a full citizen of the U.S.

♦ be in the high school graduating Class of 2027, planning to enroll in a full-time course of study toward a degree at an accredited four-year U.S. college or university for the full academic year following high school graduation

♦ show proven excellence in extracurricular activities, be motivated leaders with a strong work ethic,

demonstrate active participation in community service and/or civic-minded arenas

♦ submit the following three components by the application deadline:

♦ online application

♦ two required letters of recommendation (one must come from current school-affiliated personnel)

♦ transcript certifying academic performance–an unofficial copy is acceptable

■ Scholarship Value: $80,000

■ Number of Awards: 15

■ Email: admin@bryancameronef.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/

♦ https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/scholarship#eligibility

♦ https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/component/jsfsubmit/4

Great Minds in STEM Scholarship Program

Financial support to help STEM students focus on their coursework so they can graduate on time, enter a STEM profession, continue to serve as a role model for future generations and secure the country’s place as the finest technological leader in the world.

■ Deadline: May 8, 2026, 11:59 p.m., PT

■ Eligible Applicants Must:

♦ demonstrate STEM academic merit and service with campus and/or community activities

♦ pursue a science, technology, engineering or math degree

♦ have an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for merit-based scholarships. Applicants may have a minimum 2.5 GPA for non-merit-based donor scholarships (at individual donors’ discretion)

♦ demonstrate significant leadership or service

♦ be enrolled full-time or part-time at the time of application and the time of the scholarship award

♦ be enrolled in a STEM or health-related undergraduate or graduate program for the upcoming fall semester, at an accredited 2-yr or 4-yr college/university in the U.S. or its territories

■ Awards: Vary, $500 - $5,000

■ Email: info@greatmindsinstem.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://gmis-scholars.org/

♦ https://greatmindsinstem.org/gmis-scholarship-application/gmis-scholarships/gmis-scholarship-guidelines/

Milton Fisher College Scholarship for Innovation & Creativity

These scholarships are four-year renewable scholarships open to exceptionally innovative and creative high school seniors and first-time college freshmen.

■ Deadline: May 15, 2026

■ Apply for This Scholarship if You Are:

♦ a student who has solved an artistic, scientific or technical problem in a new or unusual way, or

♦ a student who has come up with a distinctive solution to problems faced by your school, community or family

■ Eligible Applicants Must:

♦ be a high school senior or a student in the first year of an undergraduate degree program

♦ be (a) a Connecticut or New York City metropolitan area resident planning to attend or attending an institution of higher education anywhere in the U.S., or (b) a resident of any part of the U.S. planning to attend or attending an institution of higher education in CT or NYC

■ Scholarship Value: $4,000 - $20,000

■ Number of Awards: 5-8

■ Email: mfscholarship@cfgnh.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://mfscholarship.org/index.html

♦ https://mfscholarship.org/scholarship.html

♦ https://mfscholarship.org/application.html

♦ https://mfscholarship.org/FAQ.html

Duck Tape® Brand, Stuck at the Prom Scholarships

Join over 8,500 students who create one-of-a-kind Duck Tape promwear in this historic scholarship contest for a chance to win cash scholarships.

■ Deadline: June 3, 2026, 12 p.m.

■ Eligible Applicants Must:

♦ be at least 14 years of age

♦ be enrolled in high school or home school association (at the high-school level) during the 2025 - 2026 school year

♦ be a legal resident of the U.S., including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (excluding Maryland, Colorado, Nebraska and North Dakota) or a legal resident of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec)

♦ not have been a finalist in any previous Stuck at Prom contests

■ Scholarship Value: Up to $10,000

■ Number of Awards:

♦ Dress First Prize - $10,000

♦ Tux First Prize - $10,000

♦ Dress Runners-Up – four $1,000 scholarships

♦ Tux Runners-Up – four $1,000 scholarships

♦ Special Category Awards – three of the top eight runners-up will receive a Special Category Prize of a $1,000 scholarship

♦ Red, White & Made by You – most patriotic & celebratory of the 250th anniversary of the U.S.. Four $250 prizes

■ Email: askus@shurtape.com

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.duckbrand.com/stuck-at-prom

♦ https://www.duckbrand.com/stuck-at-prom/faqs

♦ https://www.duckbrand.com/stuck-at-prom/official-rules