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Grants Program And Funding Opportunities For The Hudson River Estuary

Since 1999, DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program has offered grants to municipalities and non-profits located within the Estuary Watershed Boundaries (PDF) to help communities improve water quality, adapt to climate change, enhance environmental education, and advance stewardship of habitat and natural resources. This funding helps partners implement priorities outlines in the  Hudson River Estuary Grants Program implements priorities outlined in the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda 2021-2025. To date, the program has awarded 643 grants totaling more than $28 million, with funding from New York State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

2025 Hudson River Estuary Recorded Grant Webinar Series

This series profiled recent projects funded by the Hudson River Estuary Grants Program. In four webinars, grantees shared successes from their work, lessons learned, and tips for designing an effective project.  

2024 Requests for Applications (RFAs) 

Applications for Hudson River Estuary Grants are now closed. Updates about future rounds of grants will be posted on this website. Examples of prior RFAs are provided only for reference.

Eligibility and Application Process

All New York State (NYS) grant applicants - both governmental and 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations - must be registered in the NYS Grants Management system to be eligible to apply for any NYS grant opportunity. Not-for-profit organizations must prequalify. Registration and prequalification information, forms, online guidance, documentation, and grant opportunities are available online at the State Financial System (SFS) New York Grants Management website.

Eligible applicants include Governmental Entities, Municipalities, and Quasi-Governmental Entities, including but not limited to Counties, Cities, Towns, Villages, or Indian nation or tribe recognized by the state or the United States with a reservation wholly or partly within the boundaries of New York State, or any combination thereof, Public Benefit Corporations, Public Authorities, Municipal Corporations, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, School Districts, and Community Colleges, and not-for-profit corporations with a 501(c)(3) designation.

Estuary Watershed Boundaries

Projects eligible for funding must be located within the Estuary Watershed Boundaries (PDF). To find out if a potential project is located within these boundaries, please type the location of the project into the Hudson River Estuary Grant Program Interactive Boundary Map. The Hudson River Estuary Grant Program Boundaries are also available on the interactive Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper.

Grants Program Reporting

Reporting is required on a quarterly basis for all Hudson River Estuary Program grants. Quarters are based on the New York State fiscal year, deadlines as follows: July 30 (for April 1 - June 30); October 30 (for July 1 - September 30); January 30 (for October 1 - December 31); April 30 (for January 1 - March 31). Quarterly reports consist of a technical narrative (progress report), and an invoice (financial report). Reports must be submitted electronically to Susan Pepe. Guidelines and associated forms are as follows:

Grant Reporting CategoriesGrant Reporting Forms
Quarterly Progress Report
  • Progress Report Form
  • Include any addendums/attachments that may be necessary (e.g. draft deliverables, meeting agendas or minutes, etc.)
Quarterly Financial Report (see Financial Report Guidelines (PDF)
Additional Financial Report Templates (use as needed, depending on the project)
Final Report (see Final Report Guidelines (PDF)

Grants Program History

Grants for Local Partners

Since 1999, DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program has offered grants to municipalities and non-profits located within its Estuary Watershed Boundaries (PDF). More than $19.4 million had been distributed to 495 applicants as of year's end, 2017. The funding for this program is primarily from New York State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

The Estuary Grants were created to help fulfill those goals of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda that can be implemented most effectively by municipalities, not for profits, and other local partners.

Recent Past Recipients and Their Projects
Contact for this Page

Hudson River Estuary Program
21 South Putt Corners Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561

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