Federal Grant Opportunities: April 7, 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 OpportunitiesFY26 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant ProgramThe Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) established the SS4A competitive grant program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years, 2022-2026. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Approximately $1 billion is still available for the next funding round. The SS4A program provides funding for two main types of grants: Planning and Demonstration Grants for Action Plans, including supplemental safety planning and/or safety demonstration activities, and Implementation Grants.Learn more about the program by attending one of the upcoming informational webinars.SS4A Implementation Grants Webinar - April 7, 2026 from 1:30 - 3:00 P.M. ETSS4A Action Plans Webinar - April 9, 2026 from 1:30 - 3:00 P.M. ETSS4A Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities Webinar - April 14, 2026 from 1:30 - 3:00 P.M. ETSS4A Public Safety Agency Applicants Webinar RecordingsEMS Focused - Preparing a Strong FY26 Post-Crash Care SS4A Application911 Focused - Preparing a Strong FY26 Post-Crash Care SS4A ApplicationThe deadline for applications is May 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT).FY24 & FY25 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)Last December, New York Attorney General Letitia James won a lawsuit brought with 20 other attorneys general and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania to stop the illegal elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program.BRIC empowers states, local governments, Tribal Nations, and territories to make smart investments in resilient infrastructure. By supporting pre-disaster and hazard mitigation projects — such as school safe rooms, utility hardening, relocating critical facilities out of flood areas, and securing pump stations — BRIC aims to save lives, protect property, and reduce the cost of future disaster response and recovery.Subapplications are due to NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) through FEMA GO (FEMAGO - Login) no later than May 22nd, 2026. If you intend on applying and would like a Letter of Support, please contact my office!New 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. 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. Featured Local Resources and ProgrammingNYS Environmental Facilities Corporation April WebinarsLooking for funding for your community's water infrastructure projects? Join EFC's upcoming webinars to get information about eligibility, how to apply, and tips to submit competitive applications. Reserve your spot — click a session below to register:APRIL 8, 11 A.M.-NOON.: Q&A session with the Community Assistance Teams. Get your questions answered about water infrastructure funding and cybersecurity support. EFC is accepting applications for the new SECURE grant program; $2.5 million is available. APRIL 15, 2-3 P.M.: Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grants webinar. Learn about the 2026 round; $3 million is available. APRIL 22, NOON-1 P.M.: Federal Fiscal Year 2027 Intended Use Plan webinar. Learn about funding available through the State Revolving Funds and how to apply. APRIL 24, 11 A.M.-NOON: Q&A session with the Community Assistance Teams. Capital 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 second session will focus on Battery Storage & Solar and provide an overview of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and large-scale solar. It outlines key considerations for Planning and Zoning Board members, including siting criteria, zoning and permitting frameworks, and decommissioning plans. The session also informs of NYS fire safety standards to support informed, consistent, and defensible local decision-making. 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 widgetimage widget