Approximately $200,000 in grant funding is available to municipalities and not-for-profit organizations to implement the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today. The funding is provided by the state’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and administered under DEC’s Mohawk River Watershed Grants Program.

“Continued investments that protect waterways like the Mohawk River are essential to strengthen their economic force in the region,” said Commissioner Seggos. “They also ensure these areas continue to be a place where wildlife can thrive and habitats provide refuge for sensitive bird, reptile, amphibian and mammal populations. These grants will help local partners fund projects designed to preserve and protect the Mohawk River watershed and further advance economic and environmental importance of investing in protecting waterways. This is the fourth year DEC has offered grants to support important local projects in the Mohawk River Basin.”

Grant awards ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 are available, and all projects must have defined measurable outcomes or deliverables that can be completed and invoiced within two years of contract approval.

To be eligible for this funding opportunity, proposed projects must be located within the Mohawk River watershed, as well as further the objectives of the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda. Examples of eligible projects include restoration of aquatic habitats, installation of green infrastructure projects to address stormwater runoff, right-sizing of culverts, restoration of natural stream conditions, and development of environmental education programs. To view the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda visit www.dec.ny.gov/lands/58571.html.

Round Four of the Mohawk River Watershed Grant Request for Applications is available online through the New York State Grants Gateway at: https://grantsgateway.ny.gov. The Grants Gateway is an online grants management system that streamlines the way grants are administered by New York State. All grant applicants, including governmental entities and not-for-profit organizations, must be registered in the Grants Gateway to be eligible to apply for any state grant opportunity. Not-for-profit applicants are required to “prequalify” in the Grants Gateway system. Registration and prequalification forms are available online at: https://grantsreform.ny.gov. 

All grant applications must be submitted online through the Grants Gateway no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, 2017.

DEC’s Mohawk River Basin Program and the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda were developed to bring together various local, state, and federal agencies and other interested organizations that share a passion for the conservation and preservation of the Mohawk River, its watershed, and communities.

Located wholly within the boundaries of New York State, the Mohawk River is the largest tributary to the Hudson River and encompasses 14 counties and 172 municipalities. DEC’s Mohawk River Basin Program acts as the coordinator of watershed-wide activities, bringing together stakeholders and creating partnerships with established and emerging programs and organizations throughout the watershed to provide a framework for watershed-wide collaboration in order to conserve, preserve and restore the environmental quality of the Mohawk River and its watershed.

For more information on the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda Grants and funding opportunities through the Mohawk River Basin Program, visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/98799.html.