2015 Regional Economic Development Council Awards

1 1 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo2015 Regional EconomicDevelopment Council Awards2 Regional Council Awards Western New York ..12 Finger Lakes ..28 Southern Tier ..44 Central New York ..56 Mohawk Valley ..68 North Country ..80 Capital Region ..92 Mid-Hudson ..108 New York City ..124 Long Island ..136 Table of Contents325 ProgramProgram DescriptionType ofFundingResourcesAvailableNew York State Council on the Arts (Arts)Arts Grant Program (Arts CHPG I; CHPG P; WIP)Funds are available under Article 3 of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law for the study of and presentation of the performing and fine arts; surveys to encourage participation in the arts; to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of the state, and to promote tourism by supporting arts and cultural projects. Arts, Culture, Heritage New Initiatives - Planning (CHPG P); Arts, Culture, Heritage New Initiatives - Implementation (CHPG I); Workforce Investment (WIP)GrantUp to $5 millionNYS Canal Corporation (Canals)Canalway Matching Grant Program (Canals)The Canalway Grants Program is a competitive matching grant program available to eligible municipalities and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations along the New York State Canal System.

2 Funding is for Capital Projects that meet the objectives of the Regional Economic Development Councils and the NYS Canal Recreationway to $1 millionDepartment of Environmental Conservation (DEC)DEC/EFC Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant Program (DEC EPG)The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in conjunction with the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), will offer grants to municipalities to help pay for the initial planning of eligible Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) water quality projects. Up to $2 million has been made available for this program. The NYS DEC/EFC Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant (EPG) will assist municipalities facing Economic hardship with the engineering and planning costs of CWSRF-eligible water quality to $2 millionWater Quality Improvement Project Program (DEC WQIP)The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program is a competitive grant program to improve water quality, reduce polluted runoff and restore water bodies and aquatic habitats in each region of the state.

3 Projects eligible under the Water Quality Improvement Program include: municipal wastewater treatment; municipal separate storm sewer systems; polluted runoff abatement and control from non-farm sources; and aquatic habitat to $35 millionDepartment of Labor (DOL)Workforce Development Grants (DOL EET, NHT, SPT, UWT)Grant funding is available to private sector for-profit and not-for-profit businesses, training providers, and local workforce investment boards to upgrade the skills of the workforce. Existing employees will receive classroom-based occupational skills training; newly-hired employees who were dislocated workers will be trained on-the-job to perform their required job duties; and dislocated workers and dislocated workers in special populations (individuals with barriers to employment) will receive classroom-based occupational skills training for positions that are open in the region, with a commitment by businesses to interview individuals who successfully complete the training.

4 Existing Employee Training (EET); New Hire Training (NHT); Unemployed Worker Training (UWT); Special Populations Training (SPT)GrantUp to $5 millionDepartment of State (DOS)"Local Government Efficiency Grants (DOS LGE)"The Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Grant program assists local leaders identify best practices and implement actions focused on reducing municipal expenditures, limiting the growth in property taxes and increasing efficiencies in service delivery. Projects can include local government reorganization, functional or service delivery consolidation, city or county charter revisions that include functional consolidation, cooperative service agreements, and establishment of Regional service delivery to $4 millionLocal Waterfront Revitalization Program (DOS LWRP)The Department of State's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), funded under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund, provides 50:50 matching grants on a competitive basis to eligible villages, towns, cities, and counties located along New York s coasts or designated inland waterways to revitalize communities and waterfronts through planning, design, and construction projects.

5 Grant categories include preparing or implementing a LWRP; redeveloping hamlets, downtowns and urban waterfronts; planning or constructing land and water-based trails; preparing or implementing a lakewide or watershed revitalization plan; preparing or implementing a community resilience strategy or updating an LWRP to incorporate resilience strategies; and preparing or implementing a clean transportation to $17 million2015 Program Descriptions6 ProgramProgram DescriptionType ofFundingResourcesAvailableEnvironmental Facilities Corporation (EFC)Green Innovation Grant Program (EFC GIGP)The Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP) provides grants on a competitive basis to projects that improve water quality and demonstrate green stormwater infrastructure in New York. GIGP is administered by NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and is funded with a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

6 Federal GrantUp to $ millionEmpire State Development (ESD)Excelsior Jobs Program (EJP)Refundable tax credits are available for strategic businesses such as high tech, bio-tech, clean-tech and manufacturing that create or retain jobs or make significant capital investments. Businesses meeting the eligibility criteria may apply for assistance at locations throughout New York CreditUp to $70 millionESD Grant Funds (ESD Grants)ESD has several grant programs that together make available $150 million of capital grant funding for the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. Capital grant funding is available for capital-based Economic Development projects intended to create or retain jobs; prevent, reduce or eliminate unemployment and underemployment; and/ or increase business or Economic activity in a community or to $150 millionMarket New York (ESD MNY)Market NY is a grant program established to strengthen and encourage tourism growth by promoting tourism destinations, attractions, and special events.

7 Additionally, Market NY will support capital grant funding for tourism facilities in New York. The Market NY program and each funded proposal will work to support the Regional Council long term strategic plans for Economic growth in regions, as well as to attract visitors to New York to $12 millionBusiness Incubator Support Program (ESD BISP)Designated NYS Certified Incubators will be eligible for operating grants from ESD of up to $125,000 for three years. Designation as a NYS Certified Incubator increases the ability for the incubator to support additional programing, deliver incubation best practices to their client companies and be are part of the Regional and multi- Regional ecosystem to help client companies succeed in the market place. NYS Certified incubators are encouraged to specialize in a particular market vertical that is aligned with the REDCs identified core industrial to $ millionStrategic Planning and Feasibility Study Project Grants (ESD SPFS)ESD s Urban and Community Development Program promotes Economic Development in the State of New York by encouraging Economic and employment opportunities and stimulating Development of communities and urban areas.

8 Total program funding of up to $1 million is available for working capital grants of up to $100,000 each to support 1) strategic Development plans for a city, county, or municipality or a significant part thereof and 2) feasibility studies for site(s) or facility(ies) assessment and planning. Projects should focus on Economic Development purposes, and preference shall be given to projects located in highly distressed to $1 million"Homes and Community Renewal, Office of Community Renewal (HCR and HCR/OCR)"New York State Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is a federally funded program authorized by Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The CDBG Program is administered by the Office of Community Renewal (OCR) under the direction of the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC). NYS CDBG funds provide eligible small communities and non-urban counties in New York State with an opportunity to undertake activities that focus on community Development needs such as creating or expanding job opportunities, providing safe affordable housing, and/or addressing local public infrastructure and public facilities issues.

9 The primary statutory objective of the CDBG program is to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment by expanding Economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income. Four CDBG program applications were available for the 2015 annual CFA Round: Microenterprise, Public Infrastructure, Public Facilities, and Community Planning and two programs were made available in open round applications: Economic Development , Small to $25 million7 ProgramProgram DescriptionType ofFundingResourcesAvailableNew York Main Street Program (HCR NYMS, HCR NYMS-TA)The New York Main Street (NYMS) program was formally established in Article 26 of New York State Private Housing Finance Law. The NYMS program is administered by the Office of Community Renewal (OCR) under the direction of the Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC). NYMS funds are awarded to units of local government and not-for-profit organizations that are committed to revitalizing historic downtowns, mixed-use neighborhood commercial districts, and village centers.

10 NYMS grants are available for targeted improvements such as facade renovations, interior commercial and residential building renovations, and streetscape enhancement projects. Two NYMS Program applications were available for 2015 : Traditional NYMS and NYMS Technical Assistance (NYMS-TA).GrantUp to $ millionOffice of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Parks)EPF Municipal Grants (OPRHP: PKS: A/P/D; HP: A/P/D; HAS: A/P/D)The Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) provides matching grants on a competitive basis for the acquisition (A), planning (P), Development (D), and improvements of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within the physical boundaries of the State of New York. Parks (PKS) is for the acquisition, Development and planning of parks and recreational facilities to preserve, rehabilitate or restore lands, waters or structures for park, recreation or conservation purposes and for structural assessments and/or planning for such projects.