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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 664 grants totaling more than $30,548,053 with funding from New York State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

2026 Hudson River Estuary Grant Webinar Series

This series will profile recent projects funded by the Hudson River Estuary River Grants Program. In four webinars, grantees will share successes from their work, lessons learned, and tips for designing a successful project. Please register individually for the webinar sessions of interest. All webinar recordings will be posted on this webpage.

Watershed Stewardship and Tributary Restoration Grants
Thursday, April 30

  • Beth Greco, Hoving Home, Philips Brook Dam Removal and Restoration Project 
  • Joseph Scapoli, City of Peekskill and Dan Shapley, Riverkeeper, Two Projects to Implement Peekskill’s Drinking Water Source Protection Plan 

Climate Adaptation Planning Grants
Thursday, May 7

  • Marcy Denker, Village of Nyack, Village of Nyack Climate Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan 
  • Kristen Taylor and Michael Welti, Town of Poughkeepsie, New Hamburg Flood Study 

Conservation Planning Grants
Thursday, May 14

  • Greg Tetrault, Hurley Conservation Advisory Council, Town of Hurley Natural Resources Inventory 
  • Sam Calhoun, Columbia Land Conservancy, The Plan to Conserve Columbia County 

Hudson River Access Grants
Thursday, May 21

  • Julie Noble, City of Kingston, Weaving the Waterfront: Increasing Public Access to Kingston’s Rondout and Hudson Waterfronts 
  • David VanLuven, Town of Bethlehem, Saving a Shoreline: Stabilizing the River Bank for Recreation & Habitat 
Register for Webinar Series

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.

On-Demand Training is available in SFS Coach​, and this SFS training presentation (PDF) contains links to relevant training materials and videos. SFS questions may be directed to [email protected]​ or 518-457-7737 or 877-737-4185 (toll-free)​

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.

Previous Hudson River Estuary Grant Opportunities

Previous Hudson River Estuary Grant Opportunities

The Hudson River Estuary Grants Program is currently closed. The next application period is expected to open in Fall 2026.

For details on previous funding opportunities, including project types, requirements, and eligibility, see the following 2025 and 2024 Request for Applications (RFAs):

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.  

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 Management Program
21 South Putt Corners Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561

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