NYS DOS: 2022 Economic & Infrastructure Development Grants available for northern border communities

Over $5 million available for eligible projects within 28 counties 

√ Grant information available here; letters of interest due April 22

The New York State Department of State recently announced the availability of more than $5 million in federal grant funding for economic and community development within New York’s northern border region. Competitive grant funding is available for qualified projects within New York’s 28 federally designated Northern Border Regional Commission counties.

“Economic development is not a one-size-fits-all, and programs like the NBRC prioritize the unique needs and desires of communities,” New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez said. “The Northern Border Regional Commission is a resource for communities across much of New York’s upstate region to support their efforts to build and sustain community development infrastructure, including water, sewer infrastructure, and broadband to support overall community development. I would like to thank our congressional delegation for their continued support for this critical assistance.” 

The following counties comprise the northern border region of New York: Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Seneca, Sullivan, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Yates. Local governments and not-for-profit organizations in New York’s NBRC counties are eligible to apply for these competitive grants.

The Department of State’s Division of Local Government Services works with the NBRC and regional planning organizations to solicit project applications. To be eligible for grant consideration, projects must fall within one of the following categories:

√ Transportation infrastructure;

√ Basic public infrastructure;

√ Telecommunications infrastructure;

√ Employment-related education, entrepreneurship, technology, and business development;

√ Basic health care and other public services to assist economically distressed areas;

√ Resource conservation, tourism, recreation and preservation of open space for economic development; and

√ Development of renewable and alternative energy sources. 

Applications are eligible to be funded for up to $1,000,000 for infrastructure projects and $350,000 for other projects. NBRC grants awarded within distressed counties require a 20% local match, while the required match in transitional counties is 50%.

In 2021, New York recommended funding for nine projects for over $4.6 million in direct NBRC funding. Projects funded included: 

√ Village of Tupper Lake – $500,000 – infrastructure upgrades

√ City of Ogdensburg – $1,000,000 – wastewater infrastructure

√ Wells College – $1,000,000 – water treatment upgrades

√ Lewis County – $263,053 – broadband network development

√ Village of Lima – $664,960 – broadband network development

√ Orleans Land Restoration Corp. – $460,000 – rail infrastructure upgrades

√ Lake Champlain - Lake George RPB – $160,000 – regional housing analysis

√ City of Batavia – $334,000 – new water infrastructure

√ Village of Potsdam – $279,968 – transportation infrastructure 

Application forms for NBRC grants and additional information on the northern border region is available at the NBRC website. This year, letters of interest are due by 5 p.m. April 22. Final applications will be due June 3 and must be submitted through the application portal hosted by the NBRC.

The Northern Border Regional Commission – a regional economic development partnership between federal, state and local government – includes portions of the states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The commission is composed of the governors of the four northern border states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president of the United States. 

New York’s Northern Border Regional Commission is administered within the DOS Division of Local Government Services. For more information on programs administered by the Department of State’s Division of Local Government Services, go to https://www.dos.ny.gov/lg/.