Environmental Product & Process Technology

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

NYSERDA has announced a program opportunity notice entitled "Environmental Product and Process Technology Development." Proposals are being sought by NYSERDA for the development, demonstration and verification of energy-efficient environmental product and process technologies addressing air, water and soil issues across a full range of applications in municipal, commercial and industrial sectors. The three categories for which funding is available under this program are Early Development Proposals, Demonstration and Commercialization Proposals, and Environmental Testing & Technology Verification Proposals. The program will support efforts of New York State manufacturers and others to provide improved environmental quality in New York State. Many of these companies are small businesses with limited research capabilities.
ELIGIBILITY:  Contact NYSERDA at the numbers below for specific eligibility criteria and program requirements.
FUNDING: Up to $1 million is available for multiple projects and up to an additional $500,000 is available for future phases.
DEADLINE: September 30, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  To receive the full solicitation, which includes program requirements, proposal format, and evaluation criteria, download it from NYSERDA’s web site. To discuss your ideas or eligibility, technical questions should be directed to Barry Liebowitz at (518) 862-1090, ext. 3248. Contractual questions should be directed to Diane Vogel at the number above, ext. 3299.

Funds for Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquariums

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)

OPRHP has announced two categories within the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquarium Program under which funds may be requested. Category 1, Collections Care Costs, is funding for expenses directly related to the care, security and interpretation of the collections. Category II, Special Purposes, is funding for the development of new exhibits or the rehabilitation of existing exhibits for the permanent collections and for new, innovative projects for the institution.
ELIGIBILITY:  Public and not-for-profit organizations, zoos, botanical gardens, herbariums, arboretums, aquariums, bird sanctuaries, natural habitat preserves, natural science museums, and nature and environmental centers that own, house and care for living or systematically organized collections of biological specimens and that primarily provide such services to the general public on a regular and predictable basis.
FUNDING: Varies.
DEADLINE:  Applications must be postmarked no later than October 10, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For information and an application, visit www.state.ny.us, call Cathy Jepson at (518) 474-8396, or write Kevin Burns, Chief of Grants, Bureau of Grants Management, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, 16th Floor, Albany, New York 12238.

...Foundations and Organizations

Sacred Sites Program for Preservation of Religious Buildings

The New York Landmarks Conservancy

The New York Landmarks Conservancy is a private not-for-profit preservation organization that administers the Sacred Sites Fund, which provides matching grants for the preservation of religious buildings located in New York State. Grants can be used for planning and executing repair and restoration work on properties and sites owned by religious institutions. The funding is provided for financial and technical assistance for the maintenance, repair, and restoration of religious properties of all denominations throughout New York State. The Conservancy works closely with clergy, building committee members, and trustees, providing vital information and necessary funding to historic churches, synagogues, mosques, and meeting houses. The Conservancy helps to ensure that the buildings will be properly preserved, and can save congregations time and money as they begin restoration projects.
ELIGIBILITY: Religious institutions of all denominations.
FUNDING: Grants of up to $10,000 are available.
DEADLINE:  November 1 and May 1; same funding cycle every year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the New York Landmarks Conservancy at 141 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10010; (212) 995-5260 or visit their web site.

Quality of Life Grants

Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation is committed to funding research that develops treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders. The foundation also works to improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities through its grants program, paralysis resource center, and advocacy efforts. Two types of grants are offered, one that supports nonprofit organizations that address the needs of persons living with spinal cord injuries, their families, and caregivers, and one that offers health promotion awards to nonprofit organizations that address paralysis caused by spinal cord injuries and various other injuries, diseases, and birth defects.
ELIGIBILITY: Nonprofit organizations.
FUNDING: The foundation provides more than $1,000,000 in grants annually.
DEADLINE: October 1, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Visit the foundation’s web site.

Charitable and Educational Foundation

Lowe’s

The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has refocused grantsmaking to emphasize: scholarships for trades education; community improvement initiatives, such as park improvement, playground renovation or creation of housing for the underprivileged; and environmental initiatives that support the enhancement of the natural landscape.
ELIGIBILITY: Nonprofit 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organizations are eligible. The foundation focuses on programs that operate on the grassroots level and in communities of company operations.
FUNDING: Grant size varies, recently ranging from $50 to $15,000 each.
DEADLINE: Ongoing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Lowe’s Charitable Foundation, Mail Code RPS4, P.O. Box 1111, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28656 or visit their web site.

Organic Farming

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)

The Organic Farming Research Foundation funds research into organic farming/food systems and dissemination of research results to organic farmers and growers interested in making the transition to organic production systems.
ELIGIBILITY: Projects should involve farmers in both design and execution and take place on working organic farms whenever possible and appropriate. OFRF may also support innovative educational programs that reach or benefit a significant number of organic farmers and ranchers.
FUNDING: The average grant awarded in the past two cycles was approximately $7,600. OFRF will not fund a project for more that $15,000 a year. Matching funds from other sources and/or in-kind contributions from cooperators are encouraged but not required.
DEADLINE: December 15, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the Foundation's web site.

Grants for the Well-Being of Children and Youth

Hasbro Children’s Foundation

The Foundation seeks to improve the emotional, mental and physical well-being of children birth through age twelve by supporting innovative direct service programs in the areas of health, education and social services. Three types of direct-service funding support are provided: innovative programs with local impact, national replication/addition/expansion of innovations, and innovative programs with national impact.
ELIGIBILITY: Not-for-profit organizations.
FUNDING: Varies.
DEADLINE: Requests for funding are reviewed on a rolling basis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the company's web site.

Grants to Improve Nutrition

The Allen Foundation

The Foundation provides grants to improve human nutrition through education, training, and research.
ELIGIBILITY: Nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, hospitals, clinics, community organizations, private foundations and K-12 public and private schools.
FUNDING: Recent grants have ranged from $200 to $1 million each.
DEADLINE: December 31, 2003.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Dale Baum at d-baum@tamu.edu.

...Grant Writing

Grantsmanship Training Program

The Grantsmanship Training Program is coming to New York: Binghamton, November 3-7, hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension; and Buffalo, November 10-14, hosted by Junior League of Buffalo and EPIC.

The classes will be conducted by The Grantsmanship Center (TGCI) and are kept at a maximum of 30 participants. The cost is $775, which includes one-year enrollment in the TGCI Membership Program. A limited number of half-tuition scholarships are available to agencies with annual budgets of less than $300,000.

To register, or to apply for a scholarship, contact TGCI at 800-421-9512 or visit their web site. For local information and arrangements: Binghamton, call Jinny Tauss (607) 772-8955, ext. 113; Buffalo, call Alex Montante at (716) 741-6973.

Syracuse University

Syracuse University’s Continuing Education/University College Humanistic Studies Center is holding three all day grant writing workshops: Introduction to Grant Writing, October 3; Preparing Successful Grant Proposals, October 24; and Advanced Grant Writing Workshop, November 14. Each session costs $159 per person.

For more information or to register, call Peg at (315) 443-3271.

Council of Community Services of NYS (CCSNYS)

CCSNYS is offering the following workshops:

Connecting to the Power of Grantsmanship will cover how to conduct grants research, initiate and nurture funder relations, engage the team in the process, produce proposals, create budgets and manage the grant. Workshops will be held November 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh; November 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Everett Hodge Community Center, Kingston; and December 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Catskill Community Center, Catskill.

Grant Writing will provide a step-by-step walk through of the grant development process with a focus on the essential elements of proposal writing, and will be held December 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Holiday Inn, Oneonta.

Cost is $30-$40 per workshop with discounts for CCSNYS members. For more information and to register, visit the CCSNYS web site or call (845) 454-5062, ext. 100 for Newburgh, Kingston and Catskill workshops, and (518) 515-5010, ext. 106 for the Oneonta workshop.