Grant Funding Available for the Hudson River Estuary Program

NY State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that $2.15 million is available for funding Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP) grants.

Funding for the HREP is earmarked for projects that will improve water quality, advance stewardship of habitat and natural resources, and improve river access and related education for communities along the Hudson River Estuary, which includes parts of each borough in New York City to areas of the Capital District.

Tributary Restoration and Resiliency

This round of funding includes $650,000 for Tributary Restoration and Resiliency (Round 39). The minimum award is $10,500, with a maximum award of up to $150,000. To receive funding for Tributary Restoration and Resiliency, the proposed projects should “support the restoration of free-flowing waters to benefit water quality, conserve and restore habitat, and help communities with existing and projected impacts of localized flooding. Projects must conserve and restore aquatic habitat connectivity for American eel and/or river herring in tributary streams of the tidal Hudson River.” (source: dec.ny.gov/lands/5091.html) Projects that are closest to tidal waters and provide the most benefits for local communities will receive preference.

Projects could include planning and engineering for the removal of dams, culvert mitigation, and feasibility studies.

Local Stewardship Planning

Funding is also available for Local Stewardship Planning (Round 40). The minimum award for grants to improve Local Stewardship Planning is $10,500 with a maximum of up to $75,000. Projects in this category broadly include planning, feasibility studies, and design to help communities along the Hudson River Estuary watershed address risks related to flooding, improve water infrastructure, improve conservation efforts, and deal with issues related to water quality.

River Education and River Access

A total of $25,000 in funding is also available for River Education (Round 41) and $350,000 for River Access (Round 42). Projects that improve educational opportunities for residents to learn about the Estuary will be given priority under River Education. Projects related to River Access will improve access to the Estuary for boating, fishing, swimming, or other related recreational activities for people that live along the Estuary.

Application Information

Applicants must be registered in the State’s grant management system to be eligible for this funding. Eligible applicants include government entities; municipalities like counties, cities, towns, or villages; soil and water conservation outlets; and schools, to name a few. They should also reside in the Estuary, which includes parts of or the entirety of Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Kings, and Richmond counties.

The fast-approaching deadline for applications is July 12, 2023. If you need help identifying and applying for grants, contact Walden’s grant management team today at 516-548-2974.