Federal Grant Opportunities: May 6, 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. 2025-2026 HEAP Cooling Assistance Benefit Now Open!The 2025-2026 HEAP Cooling Assistance Benefit opened April 15, 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted until funding runs out. Cooling assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.If you are eligible, you may receive one HEAP Cooling Assistance benefit per applicant household for the purchase and installation of an air conditioner or a fan to help your home stay cool. Learn more about eligibility here. Featured Funding OpportunitiesNYS 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. National Endowment for the Humanities Collections Stewardship ProgramThis program funds projects to preserve and make available physical and digital collections important for research, teaching, and public engagement in the humanities. Awards support the work of libraries, archives, and museums; colleges and universities working on collections access; and organizations that provide preservation services or educate and train students and professionals in collections stewardship.Expected Output: assessments and plans for collections stewardship; conserved or preserved collections; catalog records, finding aids, and metadata; digital surrogates, transcriptions, and indexes; education and training for students and professionals in collections stewardshipThis notice of funding opportunity has two application deadlines: May 11, 2026, and December 15, 2026.Veterans Affairs Adaptive Sports Grant ProgramEarlier this month, the Department of Veterans Affairs today announced the availability of $16 million in grants for national, regional and community-based organizations that provide adaptive sports programs for Veterans and service members with disabilities.Adaptive sports programs offer Veterans supportive and recreational opportunities to improve their independence, well-being and quality of life. These programs include a variety of competitive and leisure activities — such as archery, skiing, cycling, wheelchair softball, hunting, fishing and many others — that enable Veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and healthy lifestyle.The deadline for applications is May 13, 2026. Featured Federal Resources and ProgrammingFederal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2026 Rural Road Safety Webinar SeriesFHWA’s 2026 Rural Road Safety Webinar Series features presentations on innovative and effective practices that save lives on America’s rural roads. Transportation professionals working in State, regional, local, and Tribal transportation agencies as well as their partners will learn how to implement proven and promising strategies, tools and technologies to advance the Safe System Approach in rural areas.Recording available for Accelerate Delivery of Road Safety Projects in Rural Areas: Successful Implementation of Modular Designs and MaterialsThis webinar featured presentations from Nebraska DOT on installing a modular roundabout on a rural highway; Omaha Department of Public Works on installing modular roundabouts and mid-block crossings on local roads; and California Department of Transportation on the Highway Maintenance for Safety program. Staff in State DOTs, regional agencies, and local agencies supporting rural communities will learn actionable strategies and tools as well as examples to plan, design, construct, operate and maintain modular road safety projects on rural roads.Passcode: ag4^1+e.Register now for Innovative Funding Processes for Rural Road Safety (Thursday May 7, 2026, 1-3 PM ET)State and County transportation agencies will present innovative funding programs and effective strategies that distribute resources across State, Tribal, and local-owned rural roads to maximize safety impact in rural areas. Presentations will discuss strategies to fund systemic programs, use non-traditional funding sources, prioritize projects by cost-to-benefit ratios, use alternative contracting methods, and advance data-driven decision-making to make investments in safety.Register now for Coordinating with Emergency Medical Services to Improve Data Driven Safety Analysis and Traffic Incident Management in Rural Areas (September 16, 2026 1-3 PM ET)State and local agencies will present strategies and tools that DOTs and their partners can use to advance the availability and effectiveness of post-crash care efforts, including coordination between DOT and EMS for Traffic Incident Management, prehospital blood transfer, and delivery of effective training to DOT staff. Additionally, experts will present on the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) to demonstrate how State and local agencies can use this rich database to inform their data-driven safety analysis and safety planning efforts. 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 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 NYS fire safety standards to support informed, consistent, and defensible local decision-making. Register Here! 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