Federal Grant Opportunities: May 19, 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. Important Deadline - 30C Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit Expires June 30, 2026Has your school district purchased an electric school bus charger in the last year, or plan to install one soon? You may qualify for the 30C tax credit for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property. This tax credit is available to tax-exempt entities through the recently established IRS system of elective payment. To qualify, chargers must be placed in service by June 30, 2026. Featured Funding OpportunitiesFiscal Year 2025 Assistance to Firefighters GrantsThe FY 2025 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are now available! The application periods open TODAY, TUESDAY May 19 at 9 a.m. ET and close MONDAY June 22 at 5 p.m. ET.FEMA is hosting Application Workshops, find the schedule here!If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance – please contact my office. Crossing Safety Program / Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant ProgramThis program provides funding for highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods. Eligible Projects: Grade separation or closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, tunnel, or combination thereof;Track relocation;Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs, or other; Measures to improve safety related to a separation, closure, or track relocation project;Other means to improve safety if related to the mobility of people and goods at highway-rail grade crossings (including technological solutions);The planning, environmental review, and design of an eligible project type.Eligible Recipients:States and Political subdivisions of a state;Federally recognized Indian Tribe;A unit of local government or a group of local governments;A public port authority;A metropolitan planning organization;A group of the entities described above.Applications must be submitted no later than June 8, 2026 by 11:59 PM ET. Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) ProgramThis program provides funding for projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. Eligible Projects: Deployment of railroad safety technology;Capital projects, as defined in section 49 U.S.C. § 24401(2) for intercity passenger rail service, except that a project under this NOFO is not required to be in a state rail plan; Capital projects that: address congestion challenges affecting rail service, reduce congestion and facilitate ridership growth along heavily traveled rail corridors, and/or improve short-line or regional railroad infrastructure;Highway-rail grade crossing improvement projects;Rail line relocation and improvement projects;Regional rail and corridor service development plans and environmental analyses;Any project necessary to enhance multimodal connections or facilitate service integration between rail service and other modes;The development and implementation of a safety program or institute;The development and implementation of measures to prevent trespassing;Any research that the Secretary considers necessary to advance any particular aspect of rail related capital, operations, or safety improvements;Workforce development and training activities, coordinated to the extent practicable with the existing local training programs supported by the Department of Transportation, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Education;Research, development, and testing to advance and facilitate innovative rail projects;Preparation of emergency plans for communities where hazardous materials are transported by rail; andRehabilitating, remanufacturing, procuring or overhauling locomotives for emissions reduction.Applications must be submitted no later than June 22, 2026 by 11:59 PM ET. NYS 2026 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC) Grant ProgramThe NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) seeks applications through the SCAHC grant program, which funds safety and security projects at nonprofit organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. DCJS expects between $35 million and $70 million will be made available to support these projects. Applications will be accepted for up to $250,000 per organization. Each eligible organization may submit one application for one or more physical security enhancements and/or cybersecurity enhancements.The deadline for applications is Noon (DST) Wednesday, July 8, 2026. NYS Clean Green Schools InitiativeLast week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced more than $100 million is now available to make clean energy upgrades in public schools through the Clean Green Schools Initiative, which provides funding to implement modern, energy efficient solutions from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 (P-12) educational buildings.The initiative is open to public school districts that are designated as Priority Districts, or if the public school buildings and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) buildings are located in a disadvantaged community, as defined by the New York Climate Justice Working Group. Incentive amounts start at $500,000 for qualifying projects and proposals are due on August 18, 2026 by 3 p.m. 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 third session will focus on Online Tools for Sustainability Planning. An introduction to CDRPC’s Climate Action Portal and Natural Resource Inventory Mapper, showcasing how these tools track regional climate action and support sustainable land use planning. Register Here. Small Business ResourcesNYSIF Extreme Heat PPE Premium Credit ProgramLast week, Governor Hochul announced that the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), the state’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurer, has launched its Extreme Heat Equipment Credit for 2026. First available in 2025, the credit is available to small businesses that purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard employees against the effects of extreme heat. This credit is tailored to provide qualified businesses that fall within firefighting, roofing, electrical wiring, insulation work, plumbing, wallboard installation, restaurants, manufacturing, warehousing, carpentry, landscaping, and farming sector industries, where workers face elevated risks from exposure to extreme temperatures.New 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 and appoint 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 widgetimage widget