Federal Grant Opportunities: March 24, 2026 My office is sharing the following information on federal grant opportunities available to you. If you are applying for a grant that accepts Congressional letters of support, or if you are seeking additional information or guidance in your application process, please contact our office. We stand ready to assist you. Featured Funding OpportunitiesNew York State African American Heritage Grant Program (NYSAAH)This program provides grants to assist nonprofit organizations and local governments in documenting, interpreting, and preserving places and stories of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in New York.There are two separate grant categories: Education Grants and Capital Grants. Applicants may apply for one or both categories.  Learn more about the NYSAAH program by attending one of the upcoming informational webinars. These webinars will provide an overview of both Education and Capital grant opportunities. Topics to be covered include eligibility requirements, examples of eligible Education and Capital projects, components of the full application form, how applications are evaluated, program goals, and more. Advance registration is required. Click here to register. Tuesday, April 28 | 10-11:30 A.M.Thursday, April 30 | 4-5:30 P.M.NY PLAYS: Places for Learning, Activity, and Youth SocializationEligible municipalities and nonprofit organizations may apply for NY PLAYS grants ranging from $100,000 to $2.5 million for the acquisition, design, construction, major renovation or equipping of public playgrounds, along with other related capital costs necessary to complete a project. Grantees must demonstrate a 20 percent match toward total project costs. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply.Applications will be accepted from May 4, 2026, through June 15, 2026. Grant awards will be announced no earlier than August 3, 2026.BJA FY25 Public Safety and Mental Health InitiativeThis NOFO supports comprehensive service networks addressing untreated mental illness and substance use at the intersection of mental health, substance use, and justice systems. Specifically, this initiative provides funding to support activities through four core areas: crisis stabilization centerstreatment services housing accesselectronic health record (EHR) systems and technology modernization.Deadline to submit SF-424 in Grants.gov: March 30, 2026, by 11:59pm Eastern TimeDeadline to submit application in JustGrants: April 6, 2026, by 8:59pm Eastern Time Grants 101 Webinar for Arts ProjectsEarlier this month, I was joined by representatives from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a “Grants 101” Webinar. The recording can be watched here! Below are additional resources for those interested in arts project funding:New York State Council on the ArtsThe mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all.Arts Center of the Capital RegionServes Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady CountiesSaratoga County Arts CouncilServes Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties Featured Local Resources and ProgrammingCapital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) Climate Action Webinar SeriesCDRPC is launching the Capital Region Climate Action Webinar Series 2026, a monthly webinar series highlighting key topics from the Regional Climate Action Plan.Designed for municipal officials, planners, and community members, the series will explore practical strategies that communities can use to take meaningful local climate action. Each session will focus on a different topic related to climate resilience, sustainable development, and clean energy planning. The webinars will be held on the first Wednesday of each month from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.The first session will focus on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and explore strategies for creating vibrant, mixed-use areas centered around public transit. The discussion will highlight how transit-oriented planning can help reduce emissions, support smart growth, and strengthen community connectivity. Register Here!New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) Comprehensive Safety Action Plan SurveyNYSTA has launched its Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP), a system wide initiative to improve roadway and employee safety, strengthen emergency response and reduce serious injuries and fatalities across the 570-mile Thruway system. Supported by federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, the initiative will produce a first-of-its-kind statewide safety action plan covering all four of the Thruway Maintenance Divisions.NYSTA is seeking input from people who use and interact with the Thruway. Help this important Transportation Council partner by sharing safety concerns, near misses, or locations of concern by dropping a pin on the interactive map and adding a brief comment: https://www.thruwaysafety.org/share-your-thoughts-1-1 Public Comment Opportunity: ROUTES Initiative Request for Information (RFI)The Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative requests public input on unmet transportation infrastructure needs in rural communities, barriers that rural communities face in addressing those needs, and opportunities for ROUTES and the DOT to improve its services and technical assistance to support rural stakeholders and American families. Comments must be received on or before April 24, 2026 at 11:59PM EDT. DOT will consider comments filed after this date to the extent practicable. Small Business ResourcesNew York Small Business Development Center (NYSBDC)For over forty years, the New York SBDC network has been the backbone for small businesses. With 20 regional centers, over 70 satellite locations, and hundreds of dedicated experts, we understand every industry, every region, and every phase of the lifecycle of a business.The Albany Small Business Development Center serves small businesses in the Capital Region. Since its start in 1984, the expert advisors of the Albany SBDC have worked directly with 28,053 businesses, helping them to invest $543,926,495 in the area's economy, and create or save 15,244 jobs.You can make an appointment for counseling by calling 518-442-7232 or filling out their online form. Federal Funding AnnouncementsThis summary includes new or updated opportunities in the following areas. Please click on the topic below to view all grant announcements:Agriculture, Food and NutritionArts, Culture and HistoryBusiness, Jobs and Workforce DevelopmentChildren, Youth, Families, Older Americans and VeteransCommunity DevelopmentCrime Prevention, Justice and Public SafetyEducationEnergy, Environment and WildlifeHealthHousing and HomelessnessInfrastructure, Transportation and WaterInternational DevelopmentScience, Technology and Research This summary has been brought to you by the Office of Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20). Does one of these grants accept Congressional Letters of Support? Please contact our office to find out how Rep. Tonko can support your request. Grant deadlines and guidelines may change. Please check with the awarding agency before applying. Please feel free to share this newsletter with others who may be interested. To join or remove yourself from this mailing list, or if you have specific grant questions, please contact Natalie Lincoln at natalie.lincoln@mail.house.gov or (518) 465-0700. image widgetimage widget