2023 Applications for Funding Due March 1, 2023

New York Sea Grant, in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), today announced funding is now available for projects that apply an ecosystem-based management approach to address local watershed challenges. Projects will implement the goals of New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda and address actions specifically identified in locally supported plans pertaining to water quality, natural resources, or sustainable land uses. A total of $460,000, with up to $50,000 per project, in New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants will be awarded.

“Enhancing the lakes’ ecosystem through ecosystem restoration bolsters the resiliency of this important natural resource and at the same time provide enhanced recreational and economic opportunities,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Partnering with New York Sea Grant through this essential grant program helps both sustain and build upon the substantial environmental progress we’ve made across New York’s Great Lakes region and protects these vital waters for future generations.”

“New York Sea Grant is excited to partner with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to provide communities with resources needed to implement locally identified and prioritized projects that increase resilience, improve the environment, and provide economic benefits,” said New York Sea Grant Associate Director and Cornell University Cooperative Extension Assistant Director Katherine Bunting-Howarth, PhD, JD, Ithaca, N.Y.

County and local government or public agencies, municipalities, and regional planning and environmental commissions, not-for-profit organizations, and educational institutions including, but not limited to, public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, are eligible to apply.

Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. EST on March 1, 2023; instructions are online at https://www.nyseagrant.org/glsmallgrants. For more information, contact New York Sea Grant at 716-645-3611.

New York Sea Grant administers the New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program in partnership with DEC’s Great Lakes Program. This small grants program is funded by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund. Among the many environmental victories in the 2022-23 State Budget, Governor Hochul succeeded in enacting an increase in the EPF from $300 million to $400 million, the highest-ever level of funding in the program's history. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects our water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.

For more information on New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/91881.html. More information on New York Great Lakes Basin Small Grants projects is available at https://www.nyseagrant.org/glsmallgrants and other New York Great Lakes-related information is available at http://www.nyseagrant.org/nygreatlakes.

New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, and one of 34 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program. Since 1971, New York Sea Grant has promoted coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness about the state's marine and Great Lakes resources. New York Sea Grant maintains Great Lakes offices in Buffalo, Newark, and Oswego. The public can connect with New York Sea Grant at http://www.nyseagrant.org and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.